The Pawfect Match: How Your Pet is a Reflection of You

Does your canine companion like to snuggle up close and personal right under the covers? Or maybe they’re the kind of dog who will only eat their left-over steak if it’s at a particular temperature. I know my pooch loves long car rides and hates swimming in deep pools. Has it ever occurred to you to ask why your dog possesses such traits?

Take a long hard look at yourself. You’re the reason why your four-legged pal acts like this.

No, you didn’t choose the wrong dog and you definitely should not become a cat person. It’s been known for a long time that dogs share the same emotions as their human counterparts, but I bet you didn’t know that they too can share traits of your personality.

A paper from the Journal of Research in Personality indicates that a dog’s personality is a reflection of their owner’s traits and charisma. Additionally, throughout a dog’s lifetime, their personality also adapts and changes quite closely to how human attitudes are formed. The only difference is a dog’s character traits evolve as they grow and are influenced by the experiences and routines that their owners build for them.

The study also suggests this pattern in personality traits may be useful in detecting future personality changes and behaviours that your dog may engage in. For example, if your dog is aggressive, it is more likely that they will engage in behaviours such as biting and snarling. Alternatively, if your dog lives an energetic and active life, their chances of suffering from a chronic illness are lower.

If you’re about to jump to the conclusion that you’ve raised your dog all wrong, don’t get too worked up yet. You still have time to change how your dog responds and reacts by reflecting on your own personality traits and the environment your dog is living in. If your canine companion is looking a little down, give them some TLC to cheer them up. If your dog is looking a little plumper than usual, cut down on that left-over steak.

From one pooch owner to another, they’ll definitely appreciate all the love they can get.