If you’ve ever noticed the similarities between dogs and their owners (think white curly poodle with a petite grey curly hair owner, or yappy dog and yappy owner), this will come as no surprise. Research shows that when it comes to picking a pet dog, our choice can be simply based on the physical characteristics of a particular breed, as well as our desire for companionship and protection, of course.
Dr Liisa Ahlstrom, Technical Services Veterinarian at Bayer Australia’s Animal Health Division has created The Advantage Family’s ‘What does your pet say about you?’ chart based on her extensive veterinary experience and working with all types of dog breeds and owners over the years. According to Dr Liisa, if you own a Jack Russell Terrier, you are a competitive, bossy, energetic and ambitious person but if you own a pug you are a creative, dreamer and sensitive person.
Here’s Liisa’s top dog picks and owner personality traits. Are you a match made in doggy heaven?
Paris Hilton is heiress to the Chihuaha doggy kingdom.
The Pooch: Chihuahuas & Pomeranians
Sensitive and loyal and can get moody. Everyone thinks you are cute and cuddly until they get into your space and you want to bite their head off!
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Family-oriented
• Craves a stable home life to feel secure, safe and comfortable
• Driven by instinct and gut feeling
• Tenacious, sensitive and patient.
The Pooch: Yorkie
Cute and bouncy.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Sociable and enjoys variety
• Imaginative and expressive
• Alert, graceful and energetic
• Easily bored and restless
• Known to be secretive/’two-faced’
• Quick silver mind and wit
• Relies on mental analysis rather than gut feeling.
The Pooch: Schnauzer
Playful, energetic and good-tempered but can be stubborn.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Competitive
• Bossy/Leader
• Energetic, adventurous and bold
• Quick to learn
• Proud, ambitious and a risk-taker
• Prone to headaches.
The Pooch: Miniature Schnauzer
Mind of their own. Opinionated and adventurous.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Independent and determined
• Unorthodox and unconventional
• Intelligent and curious
• Sociable. Eclectic collection of friends
• Humanitarian and will take up just causes
• Enjoys art and leisurely lifestyle..
The Pooch: Jack Russell Terrier
Friendly, feisty, untrainable, lots of energy. Like to be the centre of attention. Passionate, independent, stubborn and possessive, but very smart.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Competitive
• Bossy/Leader
• Energetic, adventurous and bold
• Quick to learn
• Proud, ambitious and a risk-taker
• Prone to headaches.
The Pooch: Saint Bernard
Typically lazy, affectionate and loveable, and can be stubborn.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Stubborn and steadfast
• Loyal and affectionate
• Kind-hearted
• Territorial
• Country more than city
• Physical characteristics: typically a powerful build and naturally large.
The Pooch: Golden Retrievers & Labrador Retrievers
Golden Retrievers are up for adventures and very friendly to everyone. Both are highly social, friendly, intelligent, active and playful. Perfect for those who want and emotional support dog.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Sociable and enjoys variety
• Imaginative and expressive
• Alert, graceful and energetic
• Easily bored and restless
• Known to be secretive/’two-faced’
• Quick silver mind and wit
• Relies on mental analysis rather than gut feeling.
The Pooch: Great Danes
Commands attention, likes everything larger than life.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Confident and a leader
• Show-off – likes the spotlight
• Dramatic and can be aggressive
• Very generous
• Loves luxury.
The Pooch: Beagles, Bloodhounds & Westies
Beagles & Bloodhounds: Fiercely independent, logical, inquisitive, don’t mind a little solo time.
Westies: Stubborn and pleasing, energetic and determined.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Critical and perfectionist
• Keeps emotions reined
• Industrious and discriminating
• Analytical and focused on task at hand
• Skilled and successful in career
• Strong and muscular.
The Pooch: Rottweilers
Confident, graceful under pressure, born leaders, eager workhorses. These dogs are happiest when given a job. They need a strong leader to be their balance.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Confident and a leader
• Show-off – likes the spotlight
• Dramatic and can be aggressive
• Very generous
• Loves luxury.
The Pooch: Irish & English Setters
Love to be social and around people, stubborn and sometimes lazy, but also boisterous and loving.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Attentive of work-life balance
• Loves flattery
• More mental than physical
• Sensual, loves music, art and culture
• Good social skills
• Voices opinion only when passionate about topic.
The Pooch: German Shepherd
Intense, cautious to strangers but love your best friends, mysterious.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Can be ‘stinging’ in words and actions
• Enjoys big, bold lifestyle
• Strong likes/dislikes and independent
• Enjoys debate.
The Pooch: Greyhound
Graceful and classic, very social. Love exploring new terrains, calm, enjoy structure.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Known for having soft spot for animals
• Friendly and ‘life of the party’
• Adventurous, lively and nature-loving
• Needs freedom; hates to be confined
• Sharp intellect and enjoys mental challenges
• Philosopher and gatherer of info
• Likes change and reinvention of self
• Giving; enjoys pleasing mates.
The Pooch: Pugs
Highly sensitive, devoted to their loved ones, need support and attention. Cute and cuddly, but feisty and independent. Can be stubborn.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Creative
• Dreamer and escapist
• Sensitive, unassuming and emotional
• Selfless to a fault
• Content to remain in shadows
• Devoted in relationships.
The Pooch: Boxers
Smart, loyal, highly ambitious. Always looking out for their loved ones and occasionally stubborn.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Needs happy home to feel complete
• A ‘life-planner’ but on own terms
• Problem solver and excellent organiser
• Doesn’t like to share
• Loyal; life-long tendencies when comes to relationships.
The Pooch: Whippet
Initially skittish, very sweet and faithful companion.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Independent and determined
• Unorthodox and unconventional
• Intelligent and curious
• Sociable. Eclectic collection of friends
• Humanitarian and will take up just causes
• Enjoys art and leisurely lifestyle.
The Pooch: Toy Poodles
Cuddly, likes to be carried everywhere, expects Princess/Prince treatment.
Owner’s Personality Traits
• Creative
• Dreamer and escapist
• Sensitive, unassuming and emotional
• Selfless to a fault
• Content to remain in shadows
• Devoted in relationships
ABOUT LIISA: Dr Liisa Ahlstrom is the Technical Services Veterinarian at Bayer Australia’s Animal Health Division.
