Dogs develop personalities based on their owners’ characteristics
A recent study from Michigan State University says that dogs may develop personalities depending on how their owners treat them. The famous morning show – Good Morning America even featured the report on live television. Has it ever crossed your mind that dogs’ personalities are based on their owners?
The video mentioned that dogs tend to mimic their owners.
Extroverted people may raise friendly and sociable dogs. Introverted ones, on the other hand, may have dogs that are quiet and reserved.
So, the show tried to test out the hypothesis. Good Morning America had their executive producer and her pup on the show.
Video Source: Good Morning America via YouTube
Can you see how this dog developed a personality based on his owner’s characteristics?
If you take a closer look at the owner and the dog, you can see some resemblance. Although grooming and dressing dogs the same way as owners do isn’t a new thing, this one is different.
At first glance, you can see that there’s something that unites the two. And it made sense when the producer said that the dog reminded her of a “grumpy old man.”
Then she realized how the dog was like her. It turns out; she’s grumpy too!
Although there’s a supreme law of opposites attracting each other, this might not be the case for the developing study.
According to the Journal of Research in Personality, dogs mirror their owner’s personalities. This idea supports the hypothesis.
But come to think of it, even a child tends to take up some attitudes and characters from their parents. The same environmental and nurture principle applies when it comes to dogs.
So, if you’re a bit on the reserved side and wouldn’t want a hyperactive dog, just treat your dog well and surely he’s going to take after you. No questions asked. The same also goes for owners with an outgoing personality. You’ll surely have your dog as bubbly as you are in no time.
However, it would not hurt for you to pick a breed of dog that is known to be either more laid back or more effervescent if that is important to you.
The age-old debate over whether nature or nurture determines how people and animals turn out is ongoing. Physical attributes are usually determined more by nature and heredity. However, behavior is more due to nurture, or how you were treated.
Photos courtesy of Pixabay.
