The idea that animals mirror human behavior is common, and it’s one that most pet owners can understand. But that doesn’t mean they are automatons that simply mimic the behaviors of their humans. They think, they feel, and they have their own personalities, but just like you may feel tense if you’re in a difficult situation with an anxious person, your pet’s emotions may also mirror your emotions in certain situations.
Dogs are a prime example. They are social creatures that form strong bonds with their owners. They can’t always tell what’s happening around them, so they rely on environmental and social cues. In other words, they look to their owners for guidance, and if they sense that you’re stressed and anxious, they may feel the same way.
Understanding Animal Sensitivity
Animals and their companions share an unspoken language. You can tell when something isn’t quite right with them, and they can sense the same in you.
They detect almost imperceptible changes in your posture, body language, and voice—from the way you anxiously shuffle to the pitch of your voice. As pack animals, dogs are finely tuned to these changes. They rely on them to understand what’s happening within their social group.
Cats often display similar behavior. You may have noticed that skittish cats give you a wide berth when you’re drunk, as they know you’re more clumsy, or how they run and hide when you follow a routine that usually results in them visiting the vet.
Cats, like dogs, pick up on changes in your mood and behavior—as well as their environment—to read the situation and decipher what it means for them, whether it’s a trip to the vet or the visit of a friend they don’t like.
Ways Animals Mirror Our Behavior
It’s clear that animals can detect certain emotions, but why would they mirror them?
It likely comes down to the pack mentality and their need to maintain the status quo. If you’re anxious or stressed, they become anxious or stressed because it indicates that something is amiss.
Look at things from their perspective. If you’re a young child heavily reliant on a parent, you’ll be happy and content when they are happy and content and worried when they’re not. You’ll sense that something isn’t right, and as that change could indicate everything from health issues to an impending difficult situation, it will directly impact your comfort levels.
It’s not just negative emotions, either. A dog will also mimic your energy levels, pushing for more play when they know you’re in the mood and relaxing by your side when you’re not. They look up to you. They rely on you. More importantly, they want to please you, so it makes sense for them to mirror you.
This is why consistency and intent are key when it comes to training your pet or establishing a routine. If you’re asking them to stay quiet and calm while being active and making a lot of noise, they won’t understand. If you’re telling them one thing but indicating another—such as trying to tell them off while laughing at their mistakes—they will struggle to process that information.
Identifying Your Animal’s Reflections
Consider how you react to certain situations and how those reactions may influence your animal’s behavior. A little self-reflection can go a long way here—are you consistent with your training? Are your anxieties influencing their behaviors?
It helps to keep a journal of your interactions with your pet. Make a note of the times that they react negatively or act strangely, and record your own feelings and actions. Over time, you may notice a pattern, one that suggests those bad behaviors always match your own emotions.
Learning and Growing from Animal Mirroring
Once you notice how your animal companion mirrors your behavior, it’s time to make some changes. Of course, you can’t click your fingers and suddenly stop feeling anxious, but you can try to project more confidence when approaching those situations and express assertiveness when communicating with your pet.
Routine is also key. Your pet doesn’t have the same complicated thought patterns and stresses as you do. They don’t spend their days thinking about work and their nights quietly watching TV. They want food, exercise, and companionship—that’s it. If they don’t know when those things are coming, they will get antsy.
Healthy human-animal relationships are built on strict routines, love, and companionship. Feed them and walk them at set times. Devote specific times to play with them or cuddle with them. And if you sense that something is wrong, consider how they may be influenced by you and their environment, as well as their own physical and mental health.
Case Studies and Examples
Animals mirror their humans so much that they often adopt similar personalities. It’s why dogs that live with older, single people often have sedate personalities, while those raised in households full of energetic children are typically more boisterous.
A study conducted a few years ago confirmed this fact, noting that dogs adopt more of their owners’ personality traits the longer that they live with them. They fall into the owner’s routine and mimic their energy levels, gradually shaping their personality to become more like their owner’s.
The same study found that the old joke of dogs looking like their owners is also true, although it suggested that this could be influenced by owners choosing animals that look like them, either consciously or not.
Conclusion
Your animal can and will learn a lot from you, but you can also learn from them. They are loving, carefree creatures, and if they are suddenly riddled with anxiety for no reason, it could indicate an underlying issue in your own psychology. Pay attention to how their behavior changes, influence them positively, and let them influence you.
The more you learn about them, the more you can understand about yourself, allowing you to harness animal mirroring for personal development.
