Study Shows that Some Dog Owners Believe They Can Read Their Pet's Mind

We adore canines. Almost everyone does. Big dogs, tiny dogs, yappy dogs, fluffy dogs - we call them pups and puppies, woofers and boofers, pupperinos and cutie-booties, and we cherish them like no other, the joy that pets offer to our lives, and for many people, it's a psychological bond.

Dog — Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Human-Dog Bond

Suppose you ask a dog owner why they love their dogs so much. In that case, they'll probably tell you that they have a strong and lasting link with them, care about them deeply, and know their dogs care about them in return, providing them with companionship, love, and irrefutable devotion.

In fact, over three-quarters of dog parents believe they can read their pets' thoughts.

Prefered Pet Behavior

Rescued dogs — Joseph Eid/AFP via Getty Images

The latest poll findings coincide with Animal Welfare Advocate Colleen Paige's annual calendar day, which she started in 2006 to encourage adoptions.

74 percent of the 2,000 dog owners polled believe they know what their pet wants at any one time. Moreover, 71% believe their dog understands them.

Half of the respondents said it took roughly six months to reach that point after bonding activities like playing fetch with a ball or taking them on walks.

Teaching some of the simplest orders for dogs, such as "sit," "lay down," or "stay," began communication skills, while other commands, such as "down," "dinnertime," and "no," required longer.

Most dog owners are so familiar with their pets that 70% regard their dogs as mini-me since they have similar traits.

The study, conducted on Ollie's behalf by OnePoll, also asked respondents to describe their dog's amusing or unusual attributes and behaviors.

Owners are inclined to characterize them as "The Guardian" (protective, imposing, devoted), "The Family Dog" (easy to get along with, wonderful with children, gentle), or "The Class Clown" when it comes to personality (goofy, entertaining, clumsy).

Eighty-four percent of parents with Guardian dogs or Dedicated Workers (reliable, obedient, high-energy) feel they can read their dogs' minds.

Similarly, 72% of dog owners believe they know what their dog will do before it happens. And, according to 62 percent of "The Class Clown" owners, they understand what wacky acts their dog will engage in next, with two-thirds of those owners claiming to be as amusing as their dogs.

Why do we love dogs?

Florida Conservation Group Uses Dogs To Hunt Invasive Pythons — FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - MARCH 23: Paula Ziadi works with Truman, a black labrador retriever, as they hunt for Burmese python along a levee in the Florida Everglades on March 23, 2021 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is using the dogs to sniff out Burmese pythons. A black lab named Truman and a point setter named Eleanor hunt five days a week with a dog handler and an FWC biologist to search for pythons on different public lands across south Florida. The FWC is implementing dog sniffing python hunters to help find and eliminate invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades ecosystem. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The partnerhsi[ started-well, no one knows when it began. Human and dog bones were first interred together 14,000 years ago, although some unsupported findings are thought to be more than twice as ancient. The discovery's significance is the broader point: humans lived with dogs and then decided to be buried with them. Think about it.

In recent decades, dog research has surged. Canine cognition labs have been established at universities, and scientists have studied dogs' intellect, behavior, biology, and talents.

Clive Wynne, a psychologist and the founder of Arizona State University's Canine Science Collaboratory, has a new book that takes readers through the burgeoning field of canine science. In it, he believes that what distinguishes dogs is their ability to create intimate connections with other animals - in other words, their ability to love.