Just Like Us: Study Shows Dogs Are Like Their Owners

Zoomer | October 16th, 2015

“Man’s best friend” may be more like us that we think.

We’ve all heard the old cliche that people look like their dogs, but would you be surprised to find out that people and their dogs tend to socialize, eat, and learn new skills in very similar ways, too?

Gatsby
Gatsby

According to the Natural Balance Canine Personality Study a survey of 1,015 U.S. dog parents conducted by Natural Balance Pet Foods in conjunction with Learndipity Data Insights  Americans love dogs who are often just like them.

They’ve broken down some of their findings, including some photos of our readers’ pups:

Aurora
Aurora

1.  PEOPLE CHOOSE DOGS WHO ACT JUST LIKE THEM

66% of extroverted people have extroverted dogs  ‹ and there’s a 65% chance that an introverted dog will have an introverted human parent.

If you’re a choosy eater, your dog is 3 times more likely to be one as well.

If you identify as a lifelong learner, then there’s a 72% chance your dog will be good at learning new tricks.

Barney

2. DOGS DISPLAY COMPLEX EMOTIONS, JUST LIKE WE DO

Dogs’ personalities are highly nuanced and they experience many emotions that are all too familiar to us humans.

If you’re hurt or late coming home, 90% of dog parents believe your dog is worried about you.

79% say dogs can feel embarrassment, while 93% are certain they’ve seen their dog smile.

Fred
Fred

3. DOGS STRONGLY INFLUENCE THE EMOTIONS OF THEIR HUMAN PARENTS

According to 79% of dog parents, their dogs consciously and actively attempt to comfort them.

55% report that their dog looks at them with loving eyes that communicate deep emotion.

52% say their dog is able to accurately sense when they are sad.