Do Anxious Dog Reflect Their Owners Character?
A study on people’s dog preferences has disproved some of the assumptions we make about owners of aggressive dogs, but also suggest that their discoveries confirm the conventional wisdom that dogs match the personality of their owners.
If that is true then what does that suggest about you, if you’ve got an anxious dog?
In the study carried out at the University of Leicester’s School of Psychology, partakers indicated their preference for different types of dogs, and filled in personality tests. The study concluded that disagreeable young people are more likely to prefer aggressive dog breeds.
The study went on to claim that researchers found that low agreeableness, (defined as being less worried with the needs of others, faster to become hostile, suspicious, unfriendly and competitive) was the best predictor of an inclination towards those dogs viewed as more aggressive.
Curiously the study didn’t find a linkage between liking an aggressive dog and delinquent behaviour; neither did it show that choosing an aggressive dog was an act of status display.
Assumptions About Aggressive Dog Owners Aren’t Always Accurate
Doctor Vincent Egan, lead researcher on the study, said:
“This type of study is crucial, as it shows assumptions are not the entire picture. It is thought owners of aggressive dogs (or dogs perceived as assertive) are delinquent show-offs. But we did not find people who expressed a leaning towards aggressive dogs had committed more delinquent acts, or reported showing off more.”
Great news, but…
While this research is good news as it breaks thru unhelpful assumptions and makes us back up and reconsider our views on certain dog breeds or their owners, it reinforces another assumption which is not so useful, that dogs match the character of their owners.
In my own experience of having an anxious dog, I know that he came into a really positive household, but that did not in itself help him get over his anxiousness, it was the way that we behaved toward him that made the difference.
So if you’re an anxious person by nature it does not necessarily follow that your dog will also become worried. The key here is to realise how you must behave towards your dog and do it habitually.
Dog’s do need us to give out positive messages about their place in the pack so they do not begin to get anxious. They also have to clearly understand that their position isn’t as pack leader, that is yours, but we can learn to do that whatever our character type.
Typecasting either dogs or people will never be useful, infact it will only keep us stuck. All of us can be both positive and negative at different times in our lives, but that should never dictate whether we are capable of helping our dogs get over their anxiety or not.
The Author learnt about dog anxiety the hard way with her rescue dog Sherlock and has been researching the effects of anxiety and the best way to reduce it for the last 2 years. You’ll get lots more useful information about anxious dogs if you click on the link, plus free video training from a world renowned dog training expert, only available here.
