Let’s start by saying this: stereotyping and cataloging people based on surface observations is hardly a way to get to know someone.
Having said that, there are sometimes shared traits among groups of people. Fortunately for dog people, pretty much all of those cliches are nothing but awesome.
Here are five stereotypes about dog people that almost always totally true.
1. You Tend To Be Friendlier And More Open To People
After watching your pup sniff a stranger’s crotch at the dog park, there are few things that are able to throw you for a loop in the social realm.
Dogs are pack animals who need lots of socialization, and you are, too.
A study published in the journal of Anthrozoos confirms this. When self-identified dog people were rated on five personality traits–extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness–they scored higher on extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness!
2. You Know The Value Of Loyalty
Dogs are great companions because of their loyalty. And since you expect this loyalty from the furriest member of your family, you often give your loyalty to others you consider near and dear to your heart.
Dogs give unconditional love, and you have no qualms about giving that to the people in your life who truly deserve it.
3. You Also Know The Value Of Treats
Dogs can be easily trainable with the right set of treats.
Sit? Stay? Roll Over? All attainable with the promise of a peanut butter filled Kong.
Much like your dog, you may work off of a reward system to help you get through some of the less pleasant tasks of your day. Need to finish that report by five? There’s a slice of pie waiting for you once you hit “print.” Treat yourself!
4. You Pick Up On Social Cues, Fast
Dogs react based on social cues. Things like the way you move, your voice level, and tone of voice are all things that dogs use to assess how they should react.
Much like your dog, you, too, are able to normally get a good read on a room–not just with dogs, but with people.
You know whether your co-worker wants to be left alone or wants to chat about an upcoming project. Some people may think you have a sixth sense. You do–the pup sense.
5. You Tend To Follow More Rules And With Lots of Energy
Combine all of the above traits–the love of socialization, loyalty, and the ability to pick up on social cues–and you have one energetic, rule-abiding citizen.
Because of dog people’s agreeableness and conscientiousness, they tend to follow rules more often than self-proclaimed cat people, who are more independent and also scored higher on the neuroticism scale according to the same Anthrozoos study mentioned earlier.
We all know that Fido may break the rules every once and a while–and you may, too–but your combined loyalty and conscientiousness makes you aware of how it is affecting others.
Do any of these stereotypes ring true to you? Or are they totally false? Let us know in the comments or tweet me @maggieclancy!