by Ila Gibson

Have you ever noticed that people look like their dogs? Or more to the point, that dogs tend to resemble their owners? Have you ever wondered why this is? There are lots of possible reasons for this. One theory might be that we are at heart narcissists and we like to look at ourselves. Another theory could be that we don’t need our pets to be our furry mirror image but to just be familiar.

Narcissistic Tendencies

Humans in general have lots of traits. Some which may be better than others. One that a lot of people have but they don’t realise they do is narcissism.  Narcissism is essentially the admiration of yourself to the point where it’s toxic.  Scientists have shown that when choosing a dog, people lean towards one that looks like them without even realizing it, this happens when choosing friends as well.

Comfort

It’s been shown time and time again that people gravitate to familiar experiences and surroundings.  A dog might be more comforting when it looks like you or a family member. It’s easier to bond with something that’s familiar. It gets rid of the uncomfortable sense of unknown.  It also isn’t just appearance, it also includes personality.

Summary

To conclude people gravitate towards familiarity. We as a society don’t like the unknown, it may not be something you realize but whether you realize it or not everyone has a routine. It might not be the exact same everyday but there is one. People like to be comfortable. So psychologically we’re going to lean towards people or animals that look and remind us of ourselves.

How does this fit with your experiences of pet ownership? Do you look like your dog (or other pet)? If so and you want to share a picture for us to post, please email me: ila.gibson29@paceacademy.org.