Like owner, like dog

What do Isaac Newton, Paris Hilton and Michelangelo have in common? Answer: they’ve all owned a fluffy little Pomeranian dog, which may reveal something about their disposition.

Psychologists at Bath Spa University recently carried out an online survey to assess the personalities of 1,000 dog owners. They found that owners of toy dogs (like the Pomeranian and the Chihuahua) tended to be more imaginative and open to new experiences.

On the other hand, owners of ‘gun dogs’ such as the Golden Retriever scored highest on friendliness, hound dog owners tended to be more emotionally stable, and those who kept ‘pastoral’ and ‘utility’ breeds (like collies and bulldogs) were generally more extroverted.

So it seems that the personality of a dog owner can subconsciously draw them towards certain breeds, which may explain why Newton was the owner of a cute little thing called Diamond.

Read more about the science of dogs in this month’s Focus, on sale now.