[alonmower]

It's funny, I grew up with both cats and dogs and like them both (and one observation I've had is that most people I know tend to like whichever pets they had when they were younger, fear of the unknown and all that).

In my circle of friends in SF/Oakland cats are definitely more prevalent but I think a lot of that has to do with how expensive owning a dog here is. My roommate has two cats but I'd probably get a dog if it wouldn't cost me so much. You need:

1) An apartment/house that allows dogs. This means you either own your own property, pay out the nose for a newer development that allows pets, or if you're in the lucky few you may have a rent controlled place lets you have them

2) Something for them to do during the day. This means you either work at a place that lets you have pets, have enough money to pay a dogwalker, or have enough private indoor/outdoor space where you can leave them dog during the day (see #1)

3) Places to put them while you travel, but most of your friends can't have dogs at their places so this usually means paying a dogsitter

I imagine it's similar in places like NYC but it's weird for me to think of owning a dog as a status symbol