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Pets and owners 'become more alike over time'
The Telegraph ^
| 27/10/2007
| Nic Fleming
Posted on 10/27/2007 2:30:12 AM PDT by Daffynition
Pets and their owners are just like married couples and they get more alike over time, a psychologist has claimed.
Prof Richard Wiseman, of the University of Hertfordshire, asked almost 2,500 people to complete online questionnaires about their characters and those of their pets.
He found that many dog lovers, cat owners and even reptile keepers said they shared many of the same traits such as happiness, intelligence, independence and sense of humour as their pets.
But he also discovered that the longer an animal had been with their owner, the more likely they were to have picked up their characteristics.
Prof Wiseman said: "For years owners have insisted their pets have a unique personality.
"Not only does this work suggest they might be right, it also reveals people's pets are a reflection of themselves."
Almost half of the respondents to his survey were cat owners, while 31 per cent had dogs, seven per cent fish, six per cent birds and six per cent reptiles.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
TOPICS: Pets/Animals; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: doggieping; kittyping
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Paul Keevil and his pet dog Crosby, pets and owners 'become more alike over time' Paul Keevil, a photographer and artist, believes he and his pet dog Crosby, are growing more grumpy
Me & my dog......
2
posted on
10/27/2007 2:49:10 AM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.)
To: Daffynition
3
posted on
10/27/2007 3:43:31 AM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just a Merry-Hearted Keyboard PirateBoy, plunderinÂ’ his way across the WWWÂ…)
To: Daffynition
To: Daffynition
Some stert out looking alike.
5
posted on
10/27/2007 3:46:53 AM PDT
by
HuntsvilleTxVeteran
(Remember the Alamo, Goliad and WACO, It is Time for a new San Jacinto)
To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran
Stert means start before the first cup of coffee. LOL
6
posted on
10/27/2007 3:48:51 AM PDT
by
HuntsvilleTxVeteran
(Remember the Alamo, Goliad and WACO, It is Time for a new San Jacinto)
To: Daffynition
That's nonsense.
My dog looks nothing like me.
To: backhoe
8
posted on
10/27/2007 4:06:45 AM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.)
To: HuntsvilleTxVeteran
Stert is goos ... I didn't even noutice! ;-D
9
posted on
10/27/2007 4:08:10 AM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.)
To: martin_fierro
10
posted on
10/27/2007 4:08:57 AM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.)
To: Daffynition
He's a very satisfactory dog ( except when he goes "cracker dog," and runs amok-- at one year old, he's still mostly puppy )-- neither one of us have ever had a Golden Retriever before, and it's a revelation.
The last two dogs Miss Emily and I had absolutely hated the water, and getting wet- Cole loves water.
Sinks down to his eyeballs in it, dances in it, rolls in it.
Amazingly, when he rolls in mud, it falls right off- he's self-cleaning.
11
posted on
10/27/2007 4:25:08 AM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just a Merry-Hearted Keyboard PirateBoy, plunderinÂ’ his way across the WWWÂ…)
To: backhoe
This is what you have to look forward to at maturity ...;-P
12
posted on
10/27/2007 4:33:27 AM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.)
To: WFTR
Uh oh, are you going to look more and more like your pets????
13
posted on
10/27/2007 5:26:20 AM PDT
by
Shimmer
(It's amazing how many ills and hurts are cured by the elixir of time.)
To: Daffynition
This is what you have to look forward to at maturity ...;-P We haven't had a puppy in decades, and kind of forgot the axiom
"Everything is a chew toy for a puppy..."
Towels
Clothes
Wires
Blocks of lumber
Toads in the yard...
On the bright side, having to get everything chewable out of puppy's reach meant the house got straightened up in ways it hasn't been for years.
14
posted on
10/27/2007 7:04:10 AM PDT
by
backhoe
(Just a Merry-Hearted Keyboard PirateBoy, plunderinÂ’ his way across the WWWÂ…)
To: Daffynition
I am a 67 year old woman and I have 3 Jack Russell Terriers. Does this mean I am going to start chasing squirrels?
15
posted on
10/27/2007 7:11:00 AM PDT
by
Ditter
To: Shimmer
Uh oh, are you going to look more and more like your pets???? LOL I'd love for my length to diameter ratio to be a little closer to that of my pets. The funny thing is that all of my guys and gals have slightly different personalities. I'm still trying to learn how much of each one's personality is individual and how much is related to his or her phase of maturity.
I agree that many of us pick pets based on our personality, and reptile owners probably do tend to be independent. I like it that my animals need relatively little attention.
Bill
16
posted on
10/27/2007 7:59:20 AM PDT
by
WFTR
(Liberty isn't for cowards)
To: DollyCali; Nowhere Man; DancesWithCats; A knight without armor
I thought you folks would enjoy this one.
17
posted on
10/27/2007 8:00:39 AM PDT
by
WFTR
(Liberty isn't for cowards)
To: backhoe
Isn't it wonderful? And if you lived in the NE, you and your furbee could enjoy the snow! ;-D
18
posted on
10/27/2007 8:26:32 AM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.)
To: Ditter
That should fall into place right after you learn to mark your territory "higher" and present yourself as a larger threat to others ... when you're smaller, you have to be smarter or is it just another "Guy Thing"? ;-D
19
posted on
10/27/2007 8:33:10 AM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear.)
To: Daffynition
Hummm.... that would require me to use a ladder and ladders are dangerous for older people. Maybe I should just go for the white hair with brown spots look.
20
posted on
10/27/2007 8:51:18 AM PDT
by
Ditter
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