If you were to describe yourself in dog terms...

[GoingNowhere]

Do you have a "hard" or a "soft" personality? Are you active or low-energy? High drive or low drive? Friendly or reserved? Busybody or content to chill?

And then, regarding your dog preferences relating to the above categories, what do you prefer? I'm curious if most people prefer dogs who are similar in personality or quite different.

If I had to describe myself, I certainly have a "soft" personality. I can be sensitive and I sometimes take criticism a bit too harshly. I don't forgive things easily and when I get my feelings hurt, it sticks around. I'd say I'm moderate energy. I love to hike, I do a bit of biking occasionally, and I generally like to explore and be outside, but I'm not on any sort of workout regime, despite my boyfriend trying to get me to run with him! I have a high drive to work hard for myself and in favor of things that I believe in, but a very low competitive drive. I am friendly in unstructured social situations, but reserved until I know someone or they initiate the conversation. I do tend to need to keep myself busy, even if that just means occupying myself with cooking a meal or a TV show. I don't spend much time just sitting around being introspective (apart from this very moment, it seems!).

Frankly, I generally prefer dogs who are very similar to me temperamentally, but I do like dogs who are more content to "chill" than me. I like soft dogs who have enough energy to do the things that I like to do, but are content to relax the remainder of the day away. I like dogs who are friendly or reserved, so long as they are not aggressive. I want a dog with enough drive to get excited about tricks and training, but don't need more than that.

How about you?

 

[SpaceMutt]

What's funny is that I was just thinking about this, because I've wound up with another resource guarder. I realized that I myself am actually resource guardy as hell. I have had to teach myself to share, I was an only child. I like my space - get off my side of the bed, that's MY food, do not touch my laptop, etc. I wonder if I just gravitate unintentionally toward that sort of dog because it mimics me...and much like a lot of resource guardy dogs, I sometimes don't apply my own rules to others (ie I will come into your space without being asked but wait for my permission to intrude in the same way on me! I've had to work on it over the years but that's my baseline, pushy to others but guardy of my own stuff).

In other dog terms, I'd say I have a definite off switch but I love to explore, I have a fairly confrontational, hard personality but I have learned to taper that (it comes from my dad, who in dog terms would be a Malinois). I do have a pronounced sensitive side, and from people I care about and respect I take criticism very hard. I am fundamentally pretty stubborn but I can be very very biddable for the right people. I am very into planning, organizing, analyzing, and thinking through things; I am less good at coming up with stuff on the fly. I do have a touch of anxiety, I wouldn't say I have the BEST nerves, but overall I can cope with change. I can be drivey as anything when it comes to certain things (academics mainly). Pretty content to be social but also laze around at home.

I think Astro matches me quite well honestly. Like me he has things where his drive comes out (nosework) and they're fairly independent things; he thinks through carefully; he has a natural resource guardiness to him; he likes to cuddle but at the end of the day he wants his own space; he is stubborn; can take harsh tones very sensitively/be soft, but overall not an anxious dog; settles well.

Part of my stress with Tulip is that she's so...not like us. She is really impulsive and seems to just do things, in part because of stress sometimes but also largely because that's her basic mode of operation, and I'm just like "WAIT TULIP LET ME FIGURE THIS OUT AND WORK ON IT WITH YOU."

 

[Southpaw]

I'm drawn to dogs that are the exact opposite of my own personality, pretty much.

If I were a dog... I have a soft temperament, low drive, low energy, reserved. I'd prefer to just hang out and be lazy and I need a ton of motivating to get moving and doing stuff lol.

Which is exactly what I DON'T want in a dog.

 

[JacksonsMom]

I'm drawn to dogs that are the exact opposite of my own personality, pretty much.

If I were a dog... I have a soft temperament, low drive, low energy, reserved. I'd prefer to just hang out and be lazy and I need a ton of motivating to get moving and doing stuff lol.

Which is exactly what I DON'T want in a dog.

LOL... me too.

I think having a dog that is the opposite of this is motivating to me and kind of FORCES me to get out there.

I never would find cool hiking spots, or just... go for a walk if I didn't have a dog that LOVED it.

It would be really easy for me to just lay around on the couch all day if I didn't have a dog who is going to whine at me and be a terror later if I don't get out there and get some exercise or do something.

I just find an athletic dog to be really cool. And even though sometimes it would be awesome to have a dog that was just a couch potato, and there ARE days where I wish he was, overall I get bored with a dog like that.

 

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

This is really interesting.

I would say I have a soft personality - I don't take criticism well, and I don't like confrontation. I'm fairly low energy - not lazy, per se, but I don't require or enjoy a lot of physical exercise. I can get obsessive about certain things, but outside of that I'm content to chill - I'm not fidgety, I don't need to constantly be doing something. I'm introverted, I need more alone time than people time. I'm reserved with new people. I don't share well, I'm possessive, and my things are MY THINGS. My personal space bubble is quite large, and I don't like to be touched. I have a lot of sensory issues.

This pretty much describes Jack. He's the dog that I connect the most with out of the three. He's soft, even verbal corrections make him stop engaging. He is content to laze around the house most of the time, but gets obsessive about chews and squeaky toys. He likes to do his own thing, he doesn't want to be constantly on top of me. He's a resource guarder, he doesn't like strangers, and he has handling issues.

While I say that I wouldn't seek out another dog with some of the above characteristics, because they make life harder, it is true that I get along with him more than the others. I love them all, but Missy's gogogo attitude and anxieties wears on me. Heidi is a shadow, she's constantly following me from room to room, and sometimes I just want her to STOP FOLLOWING ME.

I feel like there's benefits to both. Jack and I coexist in the house the best. But Missy and I train together best - she just keeps trying, over and over, enthusiastically. I don't stress about making mistakes with her, she bounces back. When I make a training oops with Jack, it takes a long time to fix it. Taking him in public is always a training outing, never a shopping/socializing with friends outing. If I try to multitask, I'm stressing, and he's stressing, and the I stress more, and it's a cycle. Heidi is my best in public dog. She likes pretty much everyone, and I don't have to worry about her. She's just there, happily trotting behind me.

I can't say that I prefer either, I guess. I like having the variety in personalities.

 

[Elrohwen]

Hmm ... I would say I have a soft personality, medium drive but always willing to chill (need more mental stimulation than physical). I'm reserved with strangers. I'm fairly sensitive to criticism and others reactions (though becoming less so with age). I used to be shy with strangers but now I would say I'm just reserved and it takes me a while to warm up. I like to stay mentally stimulated and get bored easily, but I don't need much physical exercise to keep me sane.

I find that dogs with a similar personality to mine are the easiest for me to work with. I *get* dogs who are a bit soft, and who aren't crazy high energy but love to learn. I'm fairly observent and in tune with my dog and prefer dogs who respond similarly.

The dog I have is a training challenge for me because he doesn't have a lot of those traits. He's pretty hard tempered most of the time, and needs some physical outlet for his energy before he can focus his mental energy.

I don't find him at all hard to live with as a pet though, because he is sweet and velcro and hilarious, which are all traits I prefer (despite being pretty opposite of my own personality). I prefer a dog to be more cuddly than I am naturally, and less independent than I am.

 

[sassafras]

Not biddable, but food motivated lol.

 

[Shai]

Oh I'd say I'm food motivated, very toy motivated, a bit of a resource guarder but with pretty good bite inhibition...

 

[PWCorgi]

I'd be the softest dog in the world, I'd hate myself in dog form.

 

[AllieMackie]

This is a pretty great thread idea.

Me? Soft personality, by far. I shut down easily as a human, so I can imagine as a dog I'd be cowered in a corner easily haha.

Balanced energy. Love to go go go for awhile, then content to rest.

Medium to high drive passion-wise. I'm a small business owner, I have to be!

Very social with everyone and everything. Busybody.

Finn matches most of this, except he's pretty balanced in terms of hard/soft and not super high-drive.

 

[LostAndConfused]

Soft towards people - raise your voice to me and I might go piddle in the corner.
Reserved toward stranger - I have a very large personal bubble. Please leave me alone. I do not like you.
Easy to motivate with food - specifically ice cream. My college roommates used to bribe me with it.
Good off switch, but busy inside - i am content to just chill in the house, but I have the attention span of about 3 seconds so it's best if I'm watching TV & surfing the internet. My husband likes to tell me it's a good thing I don't have a job that requires me to focus on any 1 task.

 

[Toller_08]

Do you have a "hard" or a "soft" personality? Are you active or low-energy? High drive or low drive? Friendly or reserved? Busybody or content to chill?

I'm an inbetween personality. I can be really sensitive and worry easily and constantly, stupidly think that I've upset somebody (and I usually haven't). Sometimes if I get in 'trouble' by somebody who means something to me my tears betray me out of embarrassment and anger... which just makes it worse haha. However, I can also be very bold and outspoken at times too, and can stand up for what I think is right. Especially with people who don't mean anything to me. But I think I lean way more to soft than hard in general. If I had a dog like me in that way, I'd be super frustrated. Actually, Ripley is very much like this, and it's one big thing about him that clashes with me hugely. Even if I can relate.

Energy wise, I like to be active, but I also just like to hang out and do nothing sometimes. I'm definitely not an athlete, but I love being outdoors, hiking, and walking through nature. I like quiet, serene environments, which is why I love to be outside. But walking and enjoying things, not running around lol.

Drive is hard. I wouldn't call myself high drive. Medium I guess, as I'm not low either. I have a good work ethic. But I do what needs to be done, and I try my best. But if it's something I really enjoy or am passionate about, I'd say my drive is higher. Depends on how much I care I suppose.

I am friendly but not "omg I just met you and you're my new best friend" friendly. I'll happily talk to somebody if spoken to, although sometimes I don't know what to talk about haha. But I'm definitely not the person to interact first, so in that way, I'm reserved. And even if I know you well, I'm not very open necessarily depending on what we're talking about. I have a personal bubble that I don't like invaded. So yeah, I'd say that I am friendly and approachable but with reservations.

As mentioned above, I like to just hang out but I also like to be busy. I have a hard time spending an entire day doing nothing at all. I like to go out and have a good time or at least accomplish something, but then I like to come home and do not much of anything.

Before I wrote all of this out, I thought that I enjoyed a dog the complete opposite of me. Turns out, I enjoy a dog that is very similar to me. Active but able to settle, friendly but not to an extreme, not soft but not hard (but if I had to lean, I'd take a hard dog over soft any day - I can't do soft), high drive with the right motivation etc.

 

[Oko]

Fun thread idea!

Pretty hard, in some areas. I don't like people yelling at me, but I'm more likely to be pissed than upset. Not easy to shut down when working on something I like lol. Easily overstimulated by noise, crowds, etc. unless I'm 'in drive' and then I tune it out well. Easily motivated. Bored by repetition. I'd say high drive, high energy, I'm kinda a bouncing off the walls type person, I have a so-so offswitch but do enjoy a good nap. :rofl1: Very friendly, but won't go seeking others out first usually, and a bit cautious.

I am pretty similar to my dog, except Feist is not bored by repeating things over and over.

I am amused.

 

[*blackrose]

I'd be an interesting mix, for sure.

I have a soft personality. I get anxious under pressure and absolutely wilt when I think I'm in trouble/did something stupid. I would be a basket case if I was every yelled at, or physically intimidated. That being said, I'm also defensive, and if you push me to far I'll snap back. Strong arming me in to doing something brings put my stubborn streak and I won't do it.

I'm very much a weekend warrior. Love to go for walks and hikes, but I'm perfectly content to sit on my butt and read all day. However, I do need mental stimulation or I go insane. I'd say I have moderate drive. When I get it in my head to do something, I don't quit til it's done. BUT, sometimes I have to be goaded in to doing said thing.

I'm politely reserved. I don't mind making small talk, but it is usually fake, and I'd rather be minding my own business. I don't welcome everyone through the door with open arms, that's for sure.

Food, toy, and praise motivated. Gets along with other animals in the family, but can be annoyed by strange animals. Good natured and protective with family members and children, but reserved with strangers. Heavy shedder. Wash and wear coat. Stubborn. Intelligent. Not a barker, but will make grumbly/talking noises when excited.

Hmmm. Starting to sound like a Chessie. Hahaha

One thing I have learned is that I need a dog that is bomb proof. I have a hard enough time with my own anxieties in new/public areas, that I need a dog that just goes with the flow. I also need a dog that is not soft in temperament, again to offset my own personality. When I deal with an overly soft/anxious dog, I get frustrated easily.

 

[BostonBanker]

I am Meg, essentially. Soft, oversensitive to reprimands, can't stand overly boisterous members of our own species, rarely ever seek physical comfort from members of our own species but love cuddling with other species, happy to go out and be active but fully capable of being quiet around the house, easily frustrated if we think we are failing, need a certain amount of alone time to stay sane, and really excited about food.

Obviously she is my little soulmate dog, although not what I'd go out and seek again at this point in my life. She is insanely easy for me to live with, but getting her reach to my sports goals was harder than I ever want to work again!

 

[Raegan]

Extremely sensitive to correction. Extremely unforgiving of poor handling. Will bite, lol. Enjoys the sound of her own voice. Loud XD Great off switch, but easily motivated by play.

Maybe I am a toller hahaha

 

[Slick]

HA! I just discovered that I would describe myself pretty much exactly how I would describe Leo. Guess we are meant for each other

- High energy, but with a good off switch in the house. I like to be active, but don't mind spending time inside. I do get a bit stir crazy if I don't get out of the house at least once a day. Leo is the same.

- High food and toy drive. When I was in college, I totally even treated myself. One gummy bear per textbook page read :rofl1:

- Medium "hardness", leaning on the hard side. I can get my feelings hurt, but mostly just take criticism with a grain of salt. I also forgive and forget pretty easily.

Leo is more social than I am. I am more "slow to warm up" to new people.

 

[Lyzelle]

Good thread idea!

Friendly with family, but reserved leaning on distrustful towards strangers.
Medium energy. Decent off-switch, but will go, go, go when motivated.
Would do best with +R training, easily holds grudges and remembers bad experiences.
Food motivated, toy motivated, handler oriented.
Suited for any living situation, but would do better with lots of room to run.
Kid friendly.
Tolerates all weather.
Overall healthy, but suffers from skin and food allergies and reactions.
Noise reactive.
Same-Sex Aggressive.
Resource Guarder.

....That doesn't explicitly sound like a Siberian Husky or a Border Collie. But, I do like dogs that get me up, moving, and motivated. Also bombproof dogs. Because I am not. I also prefer dogs that are more likely to work with me than against me doing their own thing.

 

[JazzyTheSibe]

Soft personality. I can't take much criticism from others,& I tend to be sensitive. However, there are times where I do want criticism, so I can improve a few things here, & there. I have trust issues.Due to this, it can take me awhile to trust people.

I'm easily overstimulated by crowds,& noises, but I usually won't shut down.Though, too many people can overwhelm me, & I have issues confronting people I don't know/know well.

I can be go,go,go, if that situation applies. I do have a lot of energy, so I go hours on end, & being do things. I can get bored really easily, & I really don't like sitting around the house on the weekend. I am starting to calm down, & there are days where I don't do much. While I have a lot of energy, I don't always to let that energy out. I'm usually just sitting around.

I'm really food motivated.Very. Especially if it's chicken, even moreso if it is hot wings:rofl1:

 

[SpaceMutt]

I'm coming back to this topic, I really like it! It's so fun to read how everyone sees themselves and their dogs matching up

The past few posts have made me realize that I'm also exactly like Astro in despising loud, repetitive noise (sirens, barking, etc). I don't know if I inadvertently made him that way or what, but neither of us have any kind of resilience when it comes to that.