But I don't want to be treated like one.
I've always liked the idea of being loved in the same way as one loves a slightly aloof dog in your home. Like I'm there, and I'm doing my best, but expecting the same things out of me as you do a human is just a little silly.
Thing is, I'm really not into stuff like "Good Girl" or "Wanna go for walkies?" or other like animalizing things. I feel like my discomfort with these ideas is 50% shame - It's cringe or it's unsightly or it's unhealthy - but it's also maybe 50% discomfort with being dehumanized. I know I've been treated as a commodity before and the idea of "Pet Play" reducing me to a slightly different flavor of commodity is gross to me.