We have probably heard on more than one occasion the expression that Do dogs look like their owners. So popular is this theory that it has starred in different studies, which analyze the extent to which the relationship between pets and owners can be so close that they end up looking physically and psychologically alike. There are many doubts that arise when looking for an explanation.
The experts wonder if we are the ones who we look like our dogs, or are they the ones who imitate our behavior. It could be said that both cases exist. To begin with, we usually choose the pet that is most akin to our tastes and with which we feel identified. The American writer and researcher Gini graham scottin his book Do you look like your dog?, explains it with these words:
«As human beings we choose people because we are related, therefore we choose our pets because we feel some kind of connection. Sometimes the choice is very conscious and deliberate, sometimes unconscious, but often people look for pets that bear some resemblance to them, because it generates a natural sense of familiarity.
There is another key factor to explain this curious similarity, and that is that dogs adapt to our environment and way of life. For example, if we are physically active, the safest thing is that we educate the dog in the same way, taking long walks and even practicing running alongside him. That will make the animal also dynamic and energetic. On the other hand, dogs are very sensitive towards the energy that exists around them, so it is easy for them to capture and imitate our emotions.
"This mimicry that occurs between dogs and human beings that coexist is comparable to that that occurs with couples, who end up resembling each other in character and way of acting," he says. Miguel Ibanez, Animal psychiatrist at the Behavioral Clinic of the Veterinary Faculty of the Complutense University of Madrid.
In any case, it is clear how powerful our union with these animals can be, thanks to their high sensitivity and empathy.