Do you look like your dog?
In doing research for Happy Dog Phoenix, I read that we tend to select dogs who look like us. The idea is that we like surrounding ourselves with familiar images – and what’s more familiar than the image in the mirror?
It’s the same reason many married couples tend to look like each other, even before they start growing old together.
Ditto for dogs and there is some research to back this up. In 2004, University of
California San Diego researchers photographed 45 dogs and their owners.
“Judges’’ were shown one owner, that owner’s dog, and one other dog, with the
task of picking out the true match.
Judges were correct between 50 and 60 per cent of the time, when statistically they should have been right 33 per cent.
So, when you look at your dog, do you see yourself?
I have noticed that some people do look like their dogs but I also believe that people choose animals who meet their lifestyles. For example, I share my life with a sweet English bulldog named Peaches and while I hope we don’t look THAT much alike, she does have my demeanor. Peaches is lovable and lazy and so am I. We don’t relish long walks in the park, we’d rather snuggle on the couch under a pile of comfy blankets. We are both loyal to a fault and patient with others. Unfortunately, we also love snacks and sleeping in on weekends.
I also have read the new book and am very impressed with the depth of information available there. I highly recommend buying a few copies for your dog-owning friends and family.
Laura Mc