How Dogs and Their Owners' Personalties are Similar
The following are the results of a survey, that is broken down by breed.
Conducted by Carrie Ann Pryor.
My friend and I had to take a statistics class in college. We found this class quite tedious, so we
decided to 'liven' things up a little, as we came up with an idea that would become our semester
project for this class. We passed the class with a fairly good grade, and we had immense fun doing
what we loved best - playing with dogs, and their owners. We got a list of dog owners, that had
been 'in the breed' for a while, about 20 per breed, the following criteria was followed:
- been in the breed for more than five years
- owned more than four of the same breed
- consistently returned to this breed whether in conjunction with another or not
- had more than 5 years solid knowledge of the breed in question, including conformation,
obedience or other showing experience.
- people who found things in common with the breed they selected, that kept them returning to it.
Then we created a questionnaire. We did telephone interviews, and asked them to fill out sheets and sheets of questions. In telephone and personal interviews we "tested" each individual on their response to certain stimuli: questions and statements such as: "How do you feel about a person who leaves their dog out all year" or "I have a poor dog that was (insert very sad rescue or abuse story, try to solicit help and monitor response)". Finally, we made statements, after getting to know the individual, about them such as: "I believe your breeding practices are very poor," or "I think it is a shame you leave your dog in the elements all the time" and we judged their reaction. We would then would try to make it up to them, so as to see how long it took for them to regard us with a friendly attitude again. If they hung up on us, we would continue trying until we got what we felt was a satisfactory result. For obvious reasons, the insults were left until last, or we would have never completed our survey. In the end we did tell each breed lover that the insult was part of the study (if they would listen, and most did, but SOME DID NOT). In compiling the results of the survey we found criteria that seemed constant, and based on these, we entered a critique. Some of the breed profiles will have the statement: "Survey was not able to draw an inclusion or conclusion", if this appears it is because we either:
a) received results we felt were inconsistent - OR -
b) did not receive results as in: situations where people, for whatever reason, were not willing to provide data about jobs worked at, school level attained etc.
Summary for Doberman Owners
Doberman Pinscher owners, things found most common by a margin of 82%:
The Doberman owner is generally sweet and outgoing. They have the ability to be very optimistic as a general rule. They can be a little suspicious, and by own general admission, a little conceited. The Doberman owner is very dedicated and very loyal to home and family as a general rule, but this owner, of all the breeds surveyed was one of the ones who scored highest by a margin of (66%) in the "single" category, as in non-attached and/or not married, and so by personal choice. The "married or attached" Doberman owner (34%) also enjoyed and valued a certain amount of independence. Therefore, it is this breed survey's conclusion in this study surveyed, that the Doberman owner driving force is personal freedom. The Doberman owner is not necessarily stubborn, although he has strong opinions and values and is loathe to dissuaded. This breed lover has a distaste for argument or discordance, and prefers not to be involved, although when called upon he makes a staunch defender. Controversially enough, this breed lover is capable of extreme gentleness and caring concern as well, if he trusts you. In this study, the Doberman owner showed gentle and very prompt compassion when prompted, by a margin of (90%), but yet retained a reserved detachment, that in this study concluded, seemed to stem from protecting him/herself from unnecessary emotional attachment. Therefore, alongside of the compassion, it is easy for this breed lover to make a hard decision without much of a shadow of a doubt. The man, like his dog, similar to the rottweiler owner, also has a fierce protective instinct about personal property, including, but not limited to, family, friends and\or pets. When insulted, this breed owner is moderately difficult to jolly out of his\her mood.
INCLUSIVE FACT: The average owner of this breed has above average to far above average intelligence and\or schooling (88%).
INCLUSIVE FACT: (82%) In this study surveyed, have included pets beyond the back yard, and into the home. (top 7% of breeds surveyed, 1% of large, working type breeds surveyed)
INCLUSIVE FACT: (98%) In this study surveyed, agree that this breed is a difficult one, and not for everyone.
INCLUSIVE FACT: (79%) In this study surveyed, have no intentions of abandoning their breed for another, while only (43%) In this study surveyed, have no intentions of owning a dog of another breed in conjunction to the Doberman.
UNRELATED FACT: In this study surveyed, a Doberman owner has been found to be generally a calm and gentle individual, that when angered can become quite unpredictable by a margin of approximately (83%).
UNRELATED FACT: The Doberman owner responded, in this study surveyed, in a range of emotions from aggression, to softness and empathy when prompted, but despite this has been found, in this study only, to have been quite steady and even until prompted to anger, at which stage the Doberman owner responded in fashions varying with the individual, and the responses being so diverse, did not allow for the survey to make a conclusion on this issue.
UNRELATED FACT: The Doberman owner, in this study surveyed, present a very interesting package, insofar as he seems so varied except for the few issues mentioned. Also, this breed owner was one of the most difficult to question, in this study surveyed, and not because of unwillingness to help but rather because of their seemed unwillingness to offer information that may or may not cause friction - seemingly portraying the Doberman owner as a diplomat. Of all breed surveyed they ranged in the top (4%) of most difficult to survey and question, and get close to. The breed surveyors concluded that this was directly related to their reticence of strangers and their innate loyalty and protectiveness of their personals - family, friends, pets and interests.