Is it true that dogs look like their owners?
There is a scientific explanation for your pet being similar to you.
WHY DO DOGS RESEMBLE THEIR OWNERS?
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
According to popular belief, many dog owners end up resembling their pets and vice versa. The truth is that, beyond this saying, we have all seen a person walking a dog that looks just like them in the street or in the park. Whether it is the colour of their hair, the shape of their eyes and face or the build of their body, in many cases these animals seem to be doggy versions of their masters. Or, for people, the spitting image of their pets if they were human. Perhaps you have even wondered if you yourself bear some resemblance to your furry friend. But what is true about dogs resembling their owners? Have you ever been told that your dog resembles you?
According to several scientific studies, it is absolutely true that dogs can resemble their owners. And we are not only talking about a physical similarity, but also in terms of personality. Of course, this is not an exact rule, but a tendency that has a very simple explanation. Do you want to know how it is possible that you look like your dog?
Table of contents
2. Your personality influences your dog's
3. Science confirms it: your dog looks like you!
Mirror effect
If you've ever been told that your dog looks just like you, it's probably true. According to science, people unconsciously choose our pets based on the similarity of their features to our own. It's not something we do voluntarily, but is explained by the familiarity we feel towards our faces, to which we are so exposed through photographs and mirrors. When it comes to choosing a canine companion, we unwittingly prioritise those with physical characteristics that are familiar and normal to us, i.e. similar to our own.
And, be careful, because this process does not only happen with physical traits, but also with personality. According to a study by the Kennel Club, people choose their pets according to whether their temperament is compatible with ours. Thus, cheerful and outgoing people prefer to share their lives with furry people who are also cheerful and outgoing, while those who are more shy and reserved choose quiet and introverted dogs. Interesting, isn't it? According to Kennel Club statistics, more energetic and family-oriented people tend to opt for golden retrievers, while miniature schnauzers are preferred by disciplined and organised owners.
Your personality influences your dog's personality
Another explanation for why dogs resemble their owners can be found in the mere exposure effect, proposed by Japanese psychologist Sadahiko Nakajima. According to this model, dogs acquire aspects of their owners' personalities as they spend more and more time together. Dogs are very sensitive animals that pick up on human emotions and even mimic them. This is why, over time and as you live together, your pet will be influenced by your habits, lifestyle and behaviour, becoming more and more similar to you in terms of personality. If you are a nervous, high-strung person, your dog will be too, while if you are more of a quiet, introverted person, your dog will behave the same way. This means that sharing your life with a dog can offer you a great tool for self-knowledge. If you want to delve deeper into your hidden personality traits, watch your dog: they will give you the key!
Science confirms it: your dog looks like you!
In short, there are two theories that prove that the fact that some dogs resemble their owners is not just a coincidence. Firstly, we choose our pet based on an appearance effect, prioritising those dogs with similar traits to our own that are most familiar to us, both physically and mentally. Secondly, by living and spending time together, we shape the character of our dog, which adapts to our behaviour and lifestyle thanks to their communicative skills and great sensitivity. This is how science has corroborated that, on many occasions, it is true that dogs and owners are very similar.
In fact, an interesting experiment organised by Michael Ray at the University of California tested these supposed similarities by showing several volunteers random photographs of dogs and their owners that they had to match. The truth is that the percentage of correct matches was very high. A curious fact: by repeating the experiment but covering the dogs' eyes, the participants were unable to guess which owners and which dogs were related. And the fact is that, even in the case of our adorable furry friends, the gaze is the mirror of the soul. A soul, that of our dogs, with which we connect from the very beginning and with who we get to mimic in a very, very special way.
And you, would you say that you are physically similar to your dog or to your dog's personality? Has anyone ever mentioned this to you? Now you know why dogs resemble their owners.