Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/dogs-share-humans-personality/

New research suggests that humans and their canine companions share similar traits or personalities. For instance, if you have an easy-going and perennially sunny outlook, chances are you might be the pet parent of a golden retriever, a breed known for its sweet, unflappable disposition. Seeing as you’d want a pet that matched your temperament and energy levels, this doesn’t really seem all that earth-shattering. Setting aside the obviousness of that line of thinking, the study surveyed more than 1,500 past and present dog owners in order to gather and confirm the data.

Me and My Dog

Undertaken by the Kennel Club in the U.K., 16 popular dog breeds were assessed in relation to five main personality types. The results were that peoples’ character traits frequently aligned with those of their chosen dog breed. This resulted in the following conclusions:
 
1. Risk-takers were more apt to keep whippets as pets
2. People with positive outlooks frequently own golden retrievers
3. Organized people had miniature schnauzers as their BFFs
4. Agreeable types that were extroverts had Pomeranians
5. Warm, friendly types tended toward Staffordshire bull terriers or Jack Russells.

Choosing a Dog as a Pet

During the survey, 88 percent of those involved in the poll admitted to doing some research regarding particular breeds’ traits and temperaments to ensure compatibility. They also noted that the digging had worked to their advantage, in their view, and they were pleased they’d taken the time to do it.

Bill Lambert, a spokesperson for the Kennel Club, stated, “Each breed has distinct characteristics, traits, and care needs, which helps would-be owners understand more about whether they might be a good fit for them.” He went on to add, “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.”

Separated at Birth

While this all makes perfect sense, what is oftentimes freakish are the reports of people and pets that gradually morph and end up looking alike or how humans and dogs eventually adopt the same or similar personalities. You could argue that it’s from spending too much time together with our dogs, but most people say they’d rather spend time with their pets than people, anyway. Maybe “who’s your buddy?” ought to be changed to “who’s your doppelganger?”

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog