I agree, I don't like using "it" for living creatures. I typically just call them "buddy" or "peeper". If I have to choose I always call them "she", positive thinking! Oh look, I just used "them" twice!I don't like to use it for living creatures. I think it works better for the inanimate. English is a bit of an outlier since we don't have a true 'neuter' pronoun. I could use the Swedish 'hen' but that'd be EXTRA confusing 'round these parts.
