Do You Look Like Your Pet?

By Dr. Anndrea Kapke

Greenwood Animal Clinic

Do you know someone who looks like their pet? How about a gruff weight lifter with a Bull Dog or doe-eyed waif with a purse Chihuahua?

That some people look like their pets isn’t just an urban legend apparently. The study, Do Dogs Resemble Their Owners? was published in the May 2004 issue of Psychological Science. Researchers concluded when people look for a dog, “they seek one that, at some level, resembles them, and, when they get a purebred, they get what they want.” In that study, people who had mixed breed dogs didn’t resemble them.

I’ve been a veterinarian for 15 years and my husband has been one for 14. We’ve seen a lot of pets and their owners. We do see the stereotypical biker guy wearing leather and tattoos coming in with the Pit Bull named Killer. That reminds me of the actual Pit Bull named Killer, whose owner has to carry him into our waiting room each time he has an appointment because Killer is afraid of our clinic cats. We’ve also seen little old ladies with purse Yorkies in matching outfits. I’d actually like to do that some day. My husband is appalled. I try to dress our 26 pound pug, but he is too big to stuff into my purse.

Which brings me to me. I’d like to think I own a pug because they have wonderful personalities, but I’d have to admit that I’m rather height challenged, like a pug, and I do have a pug nose. I also have a greyhound. I’d like to say that I’m sleek, svelte, and run like the wind, like she does, but that wouldn’t be true. I don’t think I resemble a greyhound the slightest bit. My sister says I remind her of “one of those little sharp terriers”. I share the hyperactivity of a rat terrier and admire their tenacity, but I hope she wasn’t referring to the insistent, high-pitched yapping.

I’ve always thought my husband would be a golden retriever if he were a dog. Although not as much now, as he did when he was younger and had more hair. He’s going to appreciate that I’ve written this. My dad once wrote an article in which he compared my mom to an old, comfortable sweater. Poor choice in spousal similes must run in the family.

Me and my pug.