No wonder dogs are mans best friend. A study finds that dogs and their owners often develop similar personalities.
You may have heard that dogs and their owners really do look alike. Now, new research has shown that owners and their pups often share personality traits, too.
Ever noticed how your friend’s hyperactive golden retriever matches their bubbly personality? Or how your neighbor’s grumpy bulldog seems just as cranky as they are? It might not be coincidence! Research suggests our furry friends often develop personalities that mirror our own Let’s dig into this fascinating phenomenon and discover just how much our dogs really do take after us.
The Science Behind Dogs Mirroring Their Owners
A study published in the Journal of Research in Personality found something many dog lovers have suspected all along – dogs often develop personality traits similar to their owners. The research surveyed owners of 1,600 dogs across 50 different breeds and discovered fascinating correlations between human and canine personalities.
But how exactly does this happen? Scientists have identified several key factors:
Selection Bias: We Choose Dogs Like Us
When selecting a furry companion, we naturally gravitate toward dogs that complement our lifestyle and personality. As the research shows:
- Active, outgoing people tend to choose energetic dog breeds like Golden Retrievers
- Risk-takers often prefer Whippets
- Organized individuals frequently select Miniature Schnauzers
- Agreeable extroverts commonly choose Pomeranians
- Affectionate and friendly people typically gravitate toward Staffordshire Bull Terriers or Jack Russell Terriers
Jenn Fiendish, a veterinary behavior technician, believes we do this subconsciously She shares a personal example “When my husband and I went to pick up our new puppy 12 years ago, I immediately chose the one who was more active, feisty and a little scared of things, which is much like my own personality My husband chose the laid-back, calm and not-bothered-by-things puppy, a perfect match for his personality.”
Environmental Influence: Dogs Learn From Us
Dogs are incredibly perceptive animals that observe and imitate human behaviors. Through daily interactions, they pick up on our:
- Body language
- Vocal cues
- Emotional states
- Behavioral patterns
For instance, if you’re naturally calm and relaxed, your dog may exhibit similar behavior. Conversely, high-energy, enthusiastic owners often have dogs that display similar excitement levels.
Shared Lifestyles Shape Similar Traits
Your daily routine significantly impacts your dog’s personality development:
- Active owners who enjoy hiking and jogging tend to have more energetic, agile dogs
- Owners with sedentary lifestyles often have dogs with lower energy levels
- Routine-oriented people usually have dogs that thrive on structure
Emotional Connection Creates Mirroring
The bond between dogs and their owners goes beyond physical activities. Dogs can sense human emotions and respond accordingly. Dr. Lisa Pinn McFaddin, a veterinarian, describes dogs as “true empaths” who can detect minute physiological changes in people.
“Dogs frequently try to comfort and calm upset owners,” explains Dr. McFaddin. “People do not always recognize these cues from dogs, as they may be subtle: laying down next to the person, putting their head on the person’s leg, making physical contact with the person or trying to distract the person with a toy.”
The “Big Five” Personality Traits
Research published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science asked pet parents to rate themselves and their dogs on five major personality dimensions, commonly known as “The Big Five” in psychology:
- Neuroticism – tendency towards anxiety and fear
- Extraversion – sociability and energy levels
- Conscientiousness – organization and reliability
- Agreeableness – kindness and cooperative nature
- Openness – curiosity and creativity
Pet parents overwhelmingly reported sharing all five dimensions with their dogs. To verify these weren’t just projections, independent observers also assessed the duos and confirmed similarities in four of the five traits (all except openness).
How Dogs Change Over Time
Just like humans, dog personalities aren’t set in stone. They evolve based on experiences, training, and aging:
- Puppyhood to middle age is prime time for training
- After age six, dogs become more set in their ways
- Training becomes increasingly difficult as dogs age
Dogs with anxious or fearful traits rarely completely outgrow them, but proper training can help manage these behaviors. The survey found that “dogs that were exposed to some training or obedience classes were less aggressive, less fearful, and more active, excitable, and responsive to training.”
Can Your Dog’s Personality Affect Their Health?
Interestingly, personality traits in dogs have been linked to health outcomes, similar to humans:
- More active and excitable dogs are less likely to develop chronic illnesses like hip dysplasia, blindness, deafness, and arthritis
- Activity and excitability correlate with healthier body weight
- Male dogs tend to have higher disease risk
- Purebred dogs were found to be less fearful and aggressive
- Female dogs and spayed/neutered dogs show fewer fearful and aggressive traits
Can Dogs Change Their Owners’ Personalities?
While dogs commonly adopt traits from their humans, the influence works both ways! Your dog’s personality can affect yours too:
- Anxious dogs can increase anxiety in their owners
- Dr. McFaddin notes that “some insanely calm dogs (I call them Buddha dogs) help calm owners. The dog’s innate serenity is contagious, physically and emotionally.”
- Studies show that positive interactions with dogs can reduce human anxiety, slow heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increase calming hormones
Signs Your Dog Has Adopted Your Personality
How can you tell if your dog is mirroring your personality? Look for these clues:
- You’re outgoing and social – Your dog eagerly greets visitors and enjoys dog parks
- You’re reserved and cautious – Your dog is hesitant around new people and situations
- You’re anxious – Your dog displays nervous behaviors like pacing or excessive barking
- You’re relaxed – Your dog remains calm even in chaotic environments
- You’re routine-oriented – Your dog thrives on predictable schedules and gets upset when routines change
When Personality Mirroring Becomes Problematic
Sometimes, personality mirroring can lead to behavioral issues. Veterinarian Dr. Patrick Mahaney has observed that “when a person is very anxious, our dogs understand this and often become anxious as well. If the anxiety is chronic, the dog may also develop chronic anxiety.”
Problems that might develop include:
- Inappropriate urination and defecation
- Destructive tendencies
- Excessive barking and howling
- Decreased appetite
- Aggression
If you notice these issues, consider how your own behaviors might be influencing your pet. Sometimes, working on your own anxiety or stress can help improve your dog’s behavior!
How to Positively Influence Your Dog’s Personality
We can’t completely change our dogs’ inherent traits, but we can help shape them positively:
- Be conscious of your energy – Dogs pick up on your emotional state, so practice staying calm
- Consistent training – Obedience classes help reduce aggression and fearfulness
- Socialization – Expose your dog to various environments, people, and other animals
- Positive reinforcement – Reward good behavior rather than punishing bad behavior
- Create structure – Regular routines help dogs feel secure
The Beautiful Truth About Dogs and Their Humans
The relationship between dogs and their owners is truly special. Not only do they often share physical spaces, but they also share personality traits, emotional experiences, and behavioral patterns.
As the research concludes, “It appears that we can often tell a lot about a person from the type of dog that they own. It is quite striking to see how many people unconsciously select dog breeds with personalities that match their own character, showing that birds of a feather really do flock together.”
So next time someone says your dog acts just like you, take it as a compliment! The bond you’ve formed is so strong that you’re influencing each other in remarkable ways.
FAQs About Dogs Taking After Their Owners
How quickly can dogs adopt their owner’s personality traits?
Dogs begin picking up on their owner’s personality traits within weeks of living together, though deeper mirroring typically develops over months or years of bonding.
Can a dog’s personality change if they’re adopted by a new owner?
Yes! Dogs are adaptive creatures, and while they retain some core traits, they can adjust their behavior to match a new owner’s personality and lifestyle.
Do certain dog breeds mirror their owners more effectively?
While the research didn’t find significant breed-specific trends in mirroring, some breeds may be more sensitive to human emotions and behaviors than others.
Can multiple dogs in the same household develop different personalities?
Absolutely! Just as human siblings can have different personalities despite shared environments, multiple dogs may bond differently with various family members and develop distinct personality traits.
Is personality mirroring a sign of a strong bond between dog and owner?
Generally yes – the closer the human-animal relationship, the more pronounced the personality mirroring tends to be. It’s a beautiful testament to the deep connection between dogs and their humans!
So what do ya think? Does your furry friend mirror your personality? I’ve definitely noticed my dog picking up some of my quirks over the years – including my habit of getting super excited about dinner time! The next time you look at your pup, you might just catch a glimpse of yourself looking back at you.
Old Dogs, New Personality Tricks
If you think back to your school days, you might remember encountering class clowns, bullies, and shy kids. The same personality dynamics are at play in puppy pre-school, and they can impact learning. Owners reported that dogs with specific traits are easier to train than others. For instance, excitable and happy dogs are easier to train, while fearful and anxious dogs are more challenging.
Age was also strongly correlated with trainability. Puppyhood to middle age is prime for training. After that, dogs become a bit set in their ways. So, can you really teach an old dog new trick?
It’s extremely hard to train a puppy. You have a hard time maintaining their attention. But as they age, it gets easier and easier, but after age six, it doesn’t become easier. It becomes harder. The first half of a dog’s life is important if you want to expose them to training.
Just as personality has been linked to disease risk in humans, some traits seem to help lower a dog’s risk of chronic illness, especially age-related conditions. Dogs that are more active and excitable are less likely to develop chronic illnesses like hip dysplasia, blindness, deafness, and arthritis.
Activity and excitability are probably correlated with BMI, and there’s a lot of weight-related complications if your dog is overweight … it puts strain on their body, and that’s probably not a good thing, male dogs also have a higher disease risk.
Why Do Dogs and Owners Share The Same Personality
Your pup’s personality is responsible for more than just how they behave at the dog park, too. The researchers say it can predict important life outcomes, such as biting behaviour and chronic disease risk.