It's often said: owners look just like their dogs. Maybe you've thought it yourself at times to a passerby - "that tough Pitbull looks exactly like its owner" or "that poodle looks just as elegant as its owner." But is this just a funny cliché, or is there actually a grain of truth in it?
Science behind the parable
An interesting study from the University of Vienna shows that dogs can adapt to their owner's character traits.
This phenomenon is also known as automatic imitation mentioned.
During the study, 132 dogs and their owners were observed in both normal and stressful situations - such as an unfamiliar man wearing a ski cap coming toward them.
The role of stress and emotions
The test involved taking saliva from both the dogs and their owners to measure the stress hormone cortisol.
As it turned out, dogs mirror their owner's stress level.
A tense owner unconsciously creates a nervous dog, while a calm person has a calm four-legged friend.
This shows that there is a strong emotional interaction between humans and dogs.
Mirroring each other's energy
The effect is also called emotional contagion mentioned.
Dogs not only sense our mood, but sometimes take it over.
A cheerful owner often has a happy dog, while tension or restlessness in the home is soon noticeable in the animal's behavior.
The next time you see someone who fits their dog remarkably well,
you know that's not just a coincidence.
Man and dog really grow closer - in behavior, energy and sometimes even appearance.
And that is perhaps what makes the bond between owner and dog so special.
Whether you have a quiet or an active dog, one thing is certain:
Their well-being is strongly related to yours.
Therefore, it is nice to know that an experienced dog sitter can give your dog the same rest and attention when you are not there for a while.
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