What Your Dog Says About You
Your canine partner may reveal more about you than you think.
By Susan Kauffmann | Illustration by Keith Andrew Shore
If you saw a biker dude walking a Rottweiler with a spiked leather collar, or a Coco Chanel clone with a perfectly clipped Poodle on a Shantung silk leash, you would have little difficulty seeing how those dogs were a good reflection of their owners. But what about your own dog? What kind of portrait of you does your canine companion paint? You may not have thought about it, but the fact is that everything about your dog-its breed, size, personality, training, diet, grooming, and so on-reveals a great deal about you, for better or for worse.
Puppy impulsive?
Let's start with how you got your dog. If you bought a puppy from a pet store, chances are you're new to dogs, as most long-time dog owners are aware that responsible breeders will not sell dogs to pet stores, making the origin and breeding of a pet store pup rather questionable. It could also mean that you are impulsive (saw that doggie in the window, had to have it!), as opposed to someone who methodically researches bloodlines, show records, breeders' reputations, etc.
The more methodical person would probably buy from a breeder, so if that's what you did, we can assume that you think before taking action, and that you are a person who has distinct preferences. And, since dogs from breeders can fetch top dollar, you are likely not in the poorhouse.
Then there are those people who rescue strays or adopt dogs from shelters. These folks tend to be compassionate and are not afraid to take chances or let their emotions guide them in making decisions.
Purebred planner?
There are also some general differences between "purebred people" and "mutt people." Stanley Coren, a noted psychologist and author of several popular dog books, including Why We Love the Dogs We Do, says: "In the past, purebred dogs were an issue of status. Today I would judge people who get purebreds as individuals who like to plan their lives and think ahead. The value of a purebred is that you can predict, not only what a dog will look like, but its temperament and behaviour as well.
On the other hand, people who adopt dogs from a person they know are often doing so out of caring for the person who had to give the dog up, while those who adopt dogs from a shelter often do so, in part, with the idea that they are ‘saving a life.' Both are acting from the heart, and are probably showing a tendency to be warm and empathic."
In addition, since one can't really predict what a mixed-breed puppy will be like at maturity, owners of mutt puppies must be able to trust fate and be willing to take a chance. Mutt lovers may therefore be more easy going and accepting of imperfections than those who prefer purebreds.
Neat freak?
Another aspect of your dog that tells people something about you is its hair type and the grooming requirements that go with it. As Coren explains, "Fastidious people with neat, well-kept homes seldom have large, hairy dogs that shed. In my home, where two out of three of my dogs have long hair, we have come to accept the fact that dog hair is a condiment." Thus, if you have a hairy, shedding dog, you are likely not terribly fussy and you don't worry too much about being judged by others who may not share your nonchalance.
House-proud types are much more likely to get a nonshedding dog like a Poodle or a Bichon Frise. Coren adds that "People who get dogs that require special grooming, especially fancy clipping- such as Poodles-are often people who care a great deal about their own appearance and grooming."
Toy collector?
Size also matters when it comes to deciphering a person by his or her pooch. Those same fastidious folks who cringe at the thought of dog hair on the décor are also likely to grow faint at the thought of large, dirty paws and the puddles of drool that can go along with big dogs, so they will most often stick to the smaller breeds. Big dogs also typically require more exercise, so owners of such dogs are generally those that like to be active in the outdoors, people who are probably more interested in sports than in designer drapes.
Then, of course, there is the macho factor: big dogs appeal to the male ego in ways that even the snappiest armpit piranha never could. As Coren says, "People often choose dogs to reflect their own body image. Big men or men who feel that they are tough, powerful, or in control seem to like big dogs, and little dainty women seem to like small dogs. However, there are always exceptions-thus Jack Nickleson has a flock of Shih Tzus."
Antisocial animal?
Your dog's personality provides yet another glimpse into what kind of person you are. Friendly, outgoing dogs usually have sociable, outgoing owners, while more standoffish dogs often belong to less gregarious individuals. "Shy and less-secure people often want a dog that is only attentive to them, and proves to them that they are somehow special," says Coren.
A suspicious person will also want a dog that is attentive only to them, and will foster that dog's suspicion of other people. Such people may be attracted to the guard dog breeds, but as Coren explains, there is more than one type attracted to the guarding breeds. "The two extremes of people who like guard dogs are those who want a dog to make them look as tough as they feel they are, and those who worry about the state of their world and want a dog to protect them."
Think about your dog's training (or lack thereof), as well, if you're wondering what people will assume about you from your dog. According to Coren, "A poorly trained dog often says that the owner doesn't spend enough time with the dog, or that the owner really doesn't have much empathy with other people, so he or she is not bothered by the fact the dog is pestering or annoying others."
A highly trained dog, on the other hand, can be evidence that a person simply loves interacting and working with their dog, or it can be a sign that a person has a strict or controlling personality. As for aggressive dogs, Coren says, "If a dog has a persistent aggression problem and is encouraged by the owner in such behaviour, it is likely that the owner has a persistent hostility problem of his own."
Bedroom softy?
How about your dog's living and sleeping quarters? A dog that has the run of the entire house probably belongs to a caring person who sees a dog as a member of the family. The owner of a dog kept outside, locked into a kennel, or kept on a chain, may lack empathy or see a dog as more of a possession than a friend or family member. If Precious sleeps on her own, custom-made, canopied velvet bed, you are indulgent and likely have no children; if Fido beds down snuggled up next to you, you are likely to be soft-hearted and affectionate.
Health-food hound?
Even what your dog eats provides others with a glimpse into your personality. If you cook or prepare your dog's food yourself, this indicates that you are highly health conscious and you probably eat healthy foods yourself. You might also be a bit of a skeptic, as you doubt the claims made by dog food companies who say their foods are healthy for your dog. You have likely read one or more books on dog nutrition, suggesting that you are educated and self-directed. However, this doesn't mean that a person who buys their dog's food is a naïve hillbilly whose idea of haute cuisine is a freshly opened bag of pork rinds. What we can deduce about owners who buy canned or kibbled foods is that they appreciate convenience and have a general faith as consumers.
While it may not always be true that dogs and their owners resemble one another in a physical sense, there is certainly a great deal that people can learn about us by looking at our dogs. For good or for bad, our dogs and the way we treat them reflect our personalities, our preferences, and our lifestyles. So, what does your doggie mirror say about you? ■
Susan Kauffmann is a freelance writer living in Langley, B.C. Her enormous, hairy, friendly, raw-food-eating dog has plenty to say about her, but for now he's keeping (Mala)mute.
5 paws for Susan Kauffmann's insight.
I bought my dog Billie at a well respected pet store and though I am apparently impulsive according to this article-my husband and I are the most dedicated dog owners I know. Just because a person gets their dog from a breeder doesn't mean that they are more dedicated, experienced dog owners. How much do people really know about the breeder they find on a website. I just hate this elitest attitude. And this business about no reputable breeder selling to a pet store is just propaganda. I visited this pet stores breeders personally. They are everyday people like you and me and unlike these reputable breeders they are held to a higher standard then the person who is breeding "show dogs" in their basement. Shame on you.
I also do not agree with this article. I just bought my puppy from a breeder. I didn't research her. I did meet her once. I had researched the type of dog I wanted, and finally chose a chihuahua cross pomeranian. He was born of two purebred dogs. So which one am I? The person who likes to plan my life and think ahead? Am I easy going and accepting of imperfections? Don't assume either.
I have a well kept home, but I chose my puppy because I live in an apartment, and would not have enough room for a big dog, not because I cringe at the sight of dirty paw marks. My childhood dog was a domberman x collie.
I also love the outdoors. I go camping an average of three months a year. I'm always outside, hiking, swimming, snowboarding, and I am definitely not interested in "designer drapes".
My dog sleeps in his crate at night. This in no way means that I am not affectionate and empathetic. He is a part of my family, just as much as anyone else would be. He is too small at the moment to sleep in my bed, and I don't want him to get into the habit.
I am extremely aggravated by this article. What you have written is biased and full of assumptions. I am in complete disagreement with you, and I find it insulting.
I'm a little stunned at how sweepingly insulting this article is. It doesn't strike me as "what your dog says about you" so much as "here's how the author perceives herself and everyone else is a shallow, naive, cold-hearted snob." While it's plain that Susan perceives herself as empathetic, she shows an astounding lack of understanding when it comes to differences, and her "expert" support is simply there to bolster to her biases. I can only hope Susan was just woefully trying to be funny...
I agree with the previous comments, this article is biased and rude. It wasn't even an entertaining read. I have enjoyed the company of many dogs throughout my life, all of which were rescues..until one day when I walked into a pet store and fell in love with a dog that I immediately bought. He is a breed I knew nothing about but I don't love him any less and I am not an ignorant dog owner. I don't make his food not because I appreciate convenience but because I did my research and found a quality food.
This is my first time on this website and articles like this make me feel like Modern Dog is not the place nor the magazine for me.
i agree with the mostly negative reaction to this article.
i was actually expecting something light-hearted and a little less "pat myself on the back-ish" from the author.
so there's only two feeding characteristics? Bought or home-made?
"What we can deduce about owners who buy canned or kibbled foods is that they appreciate convenience and have a general faith as consumers."
HA! it is anything but convenient when i drive an extra 15 minutes away from my house to a specialty pet store to buy my dog, all natural, organic, high protein, no by-product kibble. and furthermore, my constant scrutiny of labels, and continuous research to make sure i'm feeding my dog the best that i can is anything but automatically faithful as a consumer.
this article is disgustingly overgeneralized, and it doesn't even have an ounce of humour to make up for it.
I am disappointed and felt slightly judged by this article. My chihuahuas are all rescues and each of them have their own personality. One of them is extremely shy, the other prefers just us, and the last one prefers humans more than dogs. I am a friendly, outgoing person and to say that if a dog is unfriendly to others that we are the same - is ignorance.
I expected more from your magazine other than assumptions.
As I was reading the article, I first thought, how appropriate. People who buy from pet stores are impulsive because they can just get any animal they want, especially when the animal is on SALE. Sales always draw crowds and impulsive buyers no matter what the "product". But that doesn't mean that the individuals are always impulsive. Regardless, buying from a pet store just perpetuates the puppy mill epidemic and that just disgusts me to no end. You cannot be that ignorant to where those puppies come from. But that isn't the issue.
As I continued the read the article, I thought...WOW. Where is the author going with this? The article took a rather condescending tone and left me with a bad taste in my mouth. People who buy dogs from breeders aren't always methodical. Many of those "methodical" people buy from backyard breeders, hence why there are SO many of them. Since when is that methodical?
As for shelter dogs, there is nothing wrong with adopting a dog. With the dog population completely out of control due to pet stores, breeders, and backyard breeders, why not rescue a dog that has been abandoned or given up for whatever reason? Most of those dogs appear to be eternally grateful for another chance. Maybe those of us who only adopt are empathetic. I know I am. I care about NOT contributing to the pet stores bottom line and keeping puppy mills alive. I care about NOT keeping backyard breeders alive. And I DON'T care if my dog is purebred or not. That is just nonsense. I care about animals, and helping them. That is what I care about.
My dog is a beautiful greyhound/lab/pit mix (a pit! EEEK) and I couldn't ask for a better dog. We adopted her from a shelter (oh, the horror!) and have had nothing but positive experiences with her. She is our world. We did want a short-haired dog, as we both like a clean house and no wish for dog hair tumbleweeds, but she still sheds. She may weigh in at 53lbs, but she sure as heck isn't a guard dog (has never met a stranger) and she sure doesn't have the other "big dog" qualities as mentioned in the article. We are active people, but also just love to hang out inside for hours on end with our dog by our sides.
This article is not what I expected from Modern Dog.
I thought this article was very informative and found it to be pretty true. It explains the personalities of a lot of people I know. The people that disliked the article and felt the need to defend themselves publicly... probably don't want to admit that the article was spot-on because their character description wasn't flattering.
For example... the comment above about puppy store puppies not being from puppy mills. That person bought their dog from a puppy store and obviously feels the need to defend themselves with false information. You didn't meet any breeders. If you did, you would know that they wouldn't sell their puppies to any puppy store. Stating that facts are just "propaganda" is absolutely ridiculous. You are obviously embarrassed that you didn't do your research, you were impulsive, and now you know that your puppy came from a mill. There is no defending it.
The only thing in this article that I would say needs to be corrected is where they imply shelter dogs and rescues are all mutts. There are plenty of purebreds in shelters and there are breed specific rescues. So, just because a dog was rescued doesn't mean it's a mutt. My 3 dogs are all rescues... I have 2 purebreds and 1 mutt.
My character description isn't flattering at all but it is mostly true :-/
I thought it was pretty right on when speaking in generalities. The only part I thought was a little to general was speaking of feeding. The only choices aren't alpo or raw. There are also some very high quality kibbles out there if a person is willing to look for them and be a conscientious consumer.
I have three dogs right now. All three are purebreds, two are giant breed dogs from quality reputable breeders who I had to wait a year each for, the third is my newest and is a very senior (12.5yrs) standard poodle that I took in from a woman who had to go into hospice care and could not keep her. Oh, and I also frequently have one or two fosters roaming the house, usually mutts.
I do like knowing exactly what I'm going to get and after a couple of bad experiences with rescues I kept I wanted to weigh the odds in my favor. So yep, that was true. I'm definitely a planner and hate surprises. On the other hand I'd also consider myself fairly emphatic which is why I still do a lot of fostering.
My two big girls also shed, the one especially sheds A LOT, and I like a clean house but I'm hardly the world's best housekeeper, so yep, that was true.
The poodle and my super shedder are both VERY outgoing and people friendly and I love them both very much. The one who has my heart the strongest though is my big girl who is aloof with strangers and only has eyes for me. She loves all members of the family but there is no doubt in anyone's mind that she is mine. I also tend to be shy and not very outgoing. So again, we fit that stereotype.
I also agree somewhat with the statement about a guard-type dog. I do tend to be a worrier and having a big dog does make me feel safer. That is tempered with the fact that I specifically chose a breed that is pretty much all bark and no bite and then made darn sure that she was well socialized. I like the big dog appearance and bark but I also want a dog that I don't need to worry about actually hurting someone.
The only part I don't seem to fit is the size-to-dog ratio. I'm 5'6" and 108lbs. My two big girls both outweigh me. So I'm not a tough guy and my dogs don't wear spiked collars, but I looove giant breeds. I think that does fit into a stereotype though since I know a lot of smaller women with giant breed dogs. Whether they admit it or not I think a dog that size makes them feel safer.
Oh, and I would argue against bigger breeds needing more exercise. My girls are lazy, like a fair amount of giant breeds tend to be. A walk a day is all they need. My parent's Jack Russel on the other hand needs a lot more of a workout to keep her happy. Then again that also says something about me. I do tend to be a homebody and not super into exercising and my dogs fit right into that.
All in all I liked the article and it gave me a lot to think about.
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