There is a natural tendency for an owner to be attracted to dogs who may have a similar appearance to them. Does this mean they have similar personality traits as well? This is a well sought-out question for many, and one that has intriguing finds. Anasazi Animal Hospital is a veterinary near you in Gilbert, Arizona, striving to take the best possible care of your pets.
Studies
The question of the match between an owner’s personality and their pets personality has caught the attention of several people. Psychologist Dr. Stanley Coren is one of those who has explored this exact question. One of his studies examined the choices people make when selecting a particular dog breed. Dr. Coren surveyed more than 6,000 people and found that a person’s personality actually predicted the breed of dog that would best fit into their lifestyle and would make them the happiest. However, this study was not specifically correlating the personality trait with its owner’s. The focus of the study was on the effect a person’s personality had on their thoughts towards a particular breed. Research focused on the correlation of personality traits between pet and owner includes a study that found aggressive owners typically have more aggressive traits in their pets. A study published in the journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science looked at human-canine personality relationships using common personality dimensions. This report measured five personality traits:
- Neuroticism
- Extraversion
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
- Openness
In this study, dog owners were asked to rate their dog’s personalities on whether they believed their dogs had similar character traits in all five categories. While the results were interesting that the owners perceived their dogs to have similar characteristics to themselves, they were based on the subjective view of the owners. Further objective research is necessary on this topic.
Conclusion
While this question needs further study, there are some ways to theorize possible conclusions. Dr. Coren theorizes dogs and their owners have similar personalities because the owner’s lifestyle has affected their pet’s personality, or the owners consciously choose that seem to reflect their own personality.
Anasazi Animal Clinic is place where we love pets and animals of all types. We are passionate about providing excellent veterinary services and preventative services for your pet, knowing they are a great part of your family. Come see us today for all your pet care needs!
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (11/7/2017) USAG- Humphreys (Flickr)