So you tell me if this is stupid...
I was sitting on the couch this morning, waiting for Mark to be ready to drive me to work, petting Chancey. And I got to thinking--why are we so much more comfortable with physical contact with animals than with other people? I would pet anyone's dog, but to even shake hands with the person freaks me out, and I certainly wouldn't touch them, or want them to touch me, in the intimate sense that petting implies. Does it have something to do with the power differential between us and animals? Or is it even simpler than that--would we all pet each other if we were all covered in fur?
Sometimes the "no touching" thing bothers me. I wish I could be more physically affectionate. Other than with Mark, I have a really hard time with it. Even hugging friends or my parents or whatever feels strange and stifling to me. And that definitely makes me feel like I'm missing something, because I like petting Chance, and Chance obviously likes to be petted.