"It would be your personal preference and what you are looking for in a pet. If you are looking for a pet to play with, take for walks, snuggle up to you, then a dog is your best choice. Remember, birds are not really playful animals, they fly and won't come back..."

Found here: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_dogs_bett ... s?#slide=2

Now let us dissect the quote a tad with some insight from a bird owner:

You can most certainly play with a bird. I've built cities out of Lego blocks and had Jaid play the role of 'Birdzilla' and destroy them. I've set up the playgym on the budgie's cage and had Poppy swinging upside down for the fun of it. I can poke Jaid's belly and he will wrestle with my finger.

Dogs do get taken out for walks, but the bird community has come up with a remarkable invention of our own, the harness. "What?" you say? That idea was stolen from a dog harness? Well, you're right. But that idea was stolen because it is a good idea. The dog community should be flattered we used one of their ideas. And we use it just the same because birds, as a matter of fact, can be taken for walks, just like dogs. It may not look the same, but we assure you, it can be done.

And where was the idea formed that birds are not cuddly? Granted, some are just not cuddlers, however, if you want a cuddly bird, the person longing for a scritch lover should research and find a bird that personally fits what they would like. Just like not all dogs are cuddly, the same applies for birds. This is the personal preference of the animal. Just like Beaker, who is not cuddly but Jaid, who loves to sit within your neck. Even if one is cuddly and the other is not, I love them all the same.

So in reality, birds are very playful animals. Even my deceased birds knew how to have fun. My lovebird Teak would dance if I beat boxed a rhythm for him. My budgie Jail Bird would sit next to me and watch television on a pillow on my bed. And really, if birds weren't playful animals, then why have there been these things created, called BIRD TOYS? Birds actually have a strong desire to play and have fun, just like any other creature. Birds are very intelligent and need mental simulation, just like a dog needs a chew toy.

Now, I must admit, you are correct about a bird flying off. It happens. Just like a dog can run away. The only difference is how they leave. A dog, on the ground, a bird, in the air. The trouble with a bird flying away, and a dog running away, is that a dog has been around humans for thousands of years. They are a domesticated animal. They can figure the way home should they decide to return. Even if they do not, animal control officers can pick up a stray and read its collar or scan for a microchip and have its owners information pulled up quickly and return the dog to its home. A bird has not been domesticated. It has not been living around people long enough to make significant headway. Birds have very delicate systems designed for flight. They are sensitive to things that would not phase a dog. We struggle to put them under anesthesia because of their fragile body structure. So therefore, we really cannot microchip our birds. And yes, you can forget about putting a collar on a bird. That would be its next chew toy. Just like a dog, birds chew. Yes, some dogs don't like their collars, but what can they do to take them off? A bird can use its feet like hands. Then next thing you know, the collar is at beak range. Luckily, harnesses are harder for a bird to remove. But it can not stay on the bird for long or used for identification. If you give enough the bird enough time, that quality bird harness has now been shredded. So, when a bird flies, the likelihood of getting it back is less than getting your lost dog back. It's just part of having a bird.

Now, about the part it "won't come back...", this is really about how you handle it. It is very possible to get your bird back, but the trouble is, you are dealing with an animal who hasn't yet been domesticated, and the wild spirit still runs freely through them. The "wild spirit" has mostly been bred out of the common pets, but they still do have their instincts. Dogs hunt, birds fly. It's just what they do, and you can never breed out instincts.

Through all my complicated arguments, I do have to tell you, my answer was incredibly long and unnecessary. However, if you are going to make a claim, please gather your facts more accordingly.

Yours truly,
A bird lover.

I love it!!

If your bird talks you can teach it your phone number, and if it flies away and is found it'll tell the finders how to reach you. Try teaching a dog to do THAT. I've heard of incidents where this actually happened, it's not just a "what if" fantasy.

I do have to admit, I am a bit biased when I wrote that, but I just felt like I needed to prove to somebody, birds can be just as much fun, or even better, than the ever popular dog. Trying to get people to see birds and other pets as equals. One really shouldn't be hated just because you love another.

You wrote the truth. Congrats for being such a good advocate for birds and bird knowledge!
Is a dog a better pet than a dog? Is the dog a more interactive pet than a bird? Is a dog more trainable than a bird? Is a dog more affectionate? Is he more entertaining?
My answer: no, no, no, NO, NO!

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Will a bird sniff your guests in the crotch or smear saliva all over your face to show you how happy he is to see you? No! And that's GOOD!!!

I found a dog who did something so embarrassing to me, I'm not even sure I can share it. And no, if I think what you're thinking, it's not that. It's worse.

That's so embarrassing! Oh dogs...

What Stephanie?

Well, it happened to be that time of the month for me, and I was over visiting neighbors with somebody. I went into the bathroom, discreetly wrapped the pad in toilet paper and threw it away in the trash can. I rejoined everybody and their dog found it, somehow partly unwrapped it, and brought it into the living room. I was mortified.

Apologizes if that was too much information, but that is one of my bad experiences with dogs. I seriously doubt Beaker would have an interest in that sort of thing.