Nature vs. nurture: Can you affect your pet’s personality?

Have you ever noticed that many pets match their owners’ personalities? Outgoing owners often have outgoing pets; shy owners often have shy pets. 

This is because we are one of the biggest influences on our pets’ personalities. Our pets become comfortable with the activities we share with them, and they take cues from us on how to behave in these situations.

This effect is most pronounced during a critical period of puppyhood and kittenhood, when young pets are learning about the world around them. Up until about four months of age, puppies and kittens are open to many new experiences, and anything they experience in a positive way during this time they accept as a normal—and most importantly, non-scary—part of life. Whatever they don’t come into contact with, they will be uncertain of—and possibly even scared of—in the future.

This is why it is so important to properly socialize puppies and kittens. The more pets and people they meet, the less likely they are to develop future social fears or anxieties. 

Good socialization should also introduce them to many sights, sounds, smells and situations. For example, puppies should be allowed to walk on different surfaces, such as concrete, grass, hardwood floors and carpet, and kittens should be encouraged to play and eat in their carrier.

Whatever is important to you to have your puppy or kitten comfortable with in their future, make sure to introduce it to them during this time. Do you love to take road trips? Make sure your puppy is comfy in the car. Do you have a lot of house parties? Make sure your kitten isn’t fazed by loud music or guests. Picture your perfect future together, and then use this vision to create a complete socialization list from which you can check off a few items every day.

The key to success is to keep all these new experiences positive for your pet. A scary or overwhelming experience will have the opposite effect, potentially ingraining a fear from a young age. So be sure to make introductions with lots of praise, pets and treats. Before long, you will have a pet that loves all the things you do.

Plus, check out these tips on how to socialize your puppy while staying socially distanced.

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