Know how to recognize your animal family
There would be dog people and cat people. A priori, everyone should be able to express their preference, just like when trying to find out if we are more salty or sweet, tea or coffee, owl or late riser. This attractiveness for one or the other of these two animal species has of course been the subject of numerous investigations: are there any character traits that would favor a fondness for dogs or cats? Even if the results do not show diametrically opposed profiles, some trends have emerged.
People with cats would be more lonely, less conventional in thought patterns and their way of acting, would have a more heightened curiosity and artistic flair, but would also be more easily prey to worry and anxiety.
On the dog side, we find personalities a little more outgoing, sociable and open to others, energetic and conscientious, endowed with a sense of duty, a certain rigor and a more pronounced need for control.
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Understand what guides us unconsciously
To understand the process of selecting an animal, we benefit from more perspective in the case of the human-dog duo than in that with the cat.
It is moreover common to evoke the phrase: "Like master, like dog."
And indeed, many tandems associating human beings and dogs have astonishing similarities.
Like master, like animal
Like master, like animal
Identical hairstyles.
Gerrard Gethings
Like master, like animal
Curly hair.
Gerrard Gethings
Like master, like animal
Matching outfits.
Gerrard Gethings
Like master, like animal
Similar colors.
Gerrard Gethings
Like master, like animal
Like master, like animal
Like master, like animal
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Many things can be explained by unconscious mechanisms that come into play when acquiring an animal. On the one hand, we tend to be attracted to what will return a rather satisfying and rewarding image of us. On the other hand, it has been shown that interpersonal attraction (therefore the construction of a relationship, whether friendly or romantic) is based on the similarities that we perceive in the other: it is the pledge of a relationship that is more likely to be lasting. Finally, when we choose a dog, we are often guided by another saying: "Birds of a feather flock together." A fact brought to light by teams of scientists, psychologists and ethologists in different countries.One test consisted in proposing to strangers to match existing human-dog duets from photographs of the two, taken separately. Result: the initial master-animal pair was reformed in significant proportions.
Does our dog end up looking like us by being around us?
This observation was established on a human scale for male-female couples, whose faces ended up looking more alike after twenty-five years of union than when they met. What about dogs? Physically, the only convergence that potentially arises within a human-dog duo - and can develop over time - is a tendency to obesity. On the other hand, common points often appear concerning energy, attitudes and psychological profile: it is behavioral synchrony and emotional contagion. And the influence goes both ways: a very energetic dog will encourage his owner to put on the sneakers much more often, thus allowing the animal accompanying him in his jogging to let off steam elsewhere than in the living room. Same process for a very sociable dog,in the permanent search for contacts, which will push his master to increase the opportunities for outings.
Appeal to your reason
A good human-animal duo is one that will allow the development of both parties to the relationship.
Beyond the search for the companion that suits us the most, it is also always advisable to ask the following question: which dog or which cat will be happy in the living conditions that I am going to offer him?
There are indeed behavioral trends specific to each dog profile: sheepdogs, terriers, mastiffs, hunting dogs have very different needs for activity, education, socialization and stimulation.
These individual characteristics are written into their genes by a human-initiated selection process that dates back several centuries, although there are, fortunately, individual variations.
In the purebred cat, too, we find sometimes opposing temperaments, as between the Persian, the Maine Coon and the Siamese.
Not to inquire about it beforehand would be to anticipate disappointments and to risk not meeting the needs of an animal which one will have selected only on aesthetic criteria.
Choosing the right animal
This mismatch between the chosen companion and the lifestyle of its owner is today the major cause of abandonment.
If you opt for a purebred animal, it is advisable to do your research beforehand.
On the SCC (Central Canine Society) and Loof (Official Book of Feline Origins) websites, you will find all the breed files and especially the contact details of the clubs where you will find a wealth of information.
If you make the generous choice of choosing an animal in a refuge, be transparent with the teams about your lifestyle, your availability, your possible involvement for him: they will be able to guide you as best as possible.
Also avoid certain traps: the fashionable dog sold on social networks, by non-professionals, or the kitten born to a stray cat in the countryside, which will have no chance of adapting to apartment life. .
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