Do Dogs Look Like Their Owners?
Maybe you saw a person walking along the street with their pet and you thought, “They’re identical!” His way of walking, his style and even his physiognomy seemed to be a faithful copy. Is it true that dogs look like their owners? In this article we’ll talk more about that.
Dogs look like their owners
Some have a very quiet walk, others look like a ‘swirl’… there are those who sleep a lot and those who like to exercise. Are we referring to dogs or their owners? Both!
Those who own a pet at home know that there are many customs or personality details of the pet that they seem to have copied from us.
“He likes to sunbathe in the afternoon”, “he’s afraid of thunder”, “gets a little shy around strangers” or “don’t sit still for a minute”. These are statements we make about our dogs that can also define us.
a matter of affinity
But what explanation do we have for all this? One theory holds that people instinctively choose their pets by affinity.
Therefore, next to a nervous owner, there is a restless dog, or next to a quiet owner, there is a very calm dog.
Of course, we don’t know this when we decide to adopt our new best friend, although it could be said that there are certain “trends” in terms of choices. For example, if we are a bit sedentary and love the water, you will probably choose a Labrador dog, or if we like to get a lot of exercise and are always active, for company we will choose a Dalmatian or a Jack Russell.
The same happens when we choose a partner, as we are more likely to be attracted to someone who has a similar personality to ours or who likes the same things. Perhaps that’s why our dog is said to resemble us in some “aesthetic” or external matter: hair cut or length , muzzle or face size, etc.
Dogs look like their owners
Another theory states that it is not really true that the owner chooses his dog “by affinity”, but that the dog has the ability to imitate those around him, and more precisely who he considers his “leader” or alpha.
Adapting to the environment is very important if you want to survive. For this reason, the dog “will resemble” the one who feeds him and who offers him shelter.
We cannot overlook the fact that dogs consider themselves our equals, irrespective of species. Therefore, they try to imitate us and accompany us as a guide.
What then happens to dogs that were raised first by one family and then by another?
They probably have the ability to change their habits and personality based on the characteristics of their current owners, although they may retain some traces of their past in their memory.
What about family habits?
On the other hand, a fundamental issue to be taken into account is the habits of the family or the particular owner.
For example, if we are very active and take our animal for walks every day, it is likely, even if its breed is more sedentary, that it will end up “adapting” to our activities.
Finally, it is worth noting that dogs are not the only animals capable of emulating human attitudes. Dolphins, whales and monkeys seem to suit people, but that doesn’t happen, for example, with cats, although they share a roof with us.
