pet dog

[jacktthekilns]

I would like to know the best way to say pet dog. I know animal familiare is "pet" but is it as simple as animal familiare canis? that doesn't feel correct. It seems to me that I need pet as more of an adjective. should I simply replace animal with canis to make canis familiaris?

p.s. I realize pecusulum might be a more specific term.

 

[Agrippa]

Catull. 2, 1
"passer, deliciae meae puellae"

Cf. Mart. 1, 109, 5
"Issa est deliciae catella Publi" (i.e. "Issa is the beloved lap-dog of Publius").

Cf. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059:entry=deliciae

 

[Agrippa]

catellus m. / catella f.
Cf. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059:alphabetic+letter=C:entry+group=24:entry=catellus1

 

[jacktthekilns]

I guess I am as much interested in the mechanics of the grammar here. above you have "deliciae catella" two nouns together to make beloved lap-dog. In English beloved is acting as an adjective. So can I take from this that it would be appropriate to also say animal familiare canis?

 

[Agrippa]

"Issa est deliciae catella Publi" > free translation: "Issa is the beloved lap-dog of Publius",
but verbatim, as I see it: "Issa, the litte dog, is the darling of Publius": the little dog/catella is in apposition to Issa.

... So can I take from this that it would be appropriate to also say animal familiare canis?

I think it depends on context.
Pet dog: In my opinion the right word seems to be catellus or catella.