Pet Personality Traits: What Your Dog or Cat’s Breed Says About Them

While their own life experiences and temperament can affect a pet’s personality, certain personality traits are inherited based on his or her breed. Biological factors can have a big impact on your pet’s day-to-day behavior. So, how much do these biological traits affect your pet’s overall personality? Keep reading to learn what your dog or cat’s breed says about their pet personality traits. If your cat is a mix, which traits do you see coming through?

Dog Breeds and Their Pet Personality Traits

The personality traits of certain dog breeds can affect the kind of home that would be the best fit for them. 

Herding Breeds

Herding dogs like shepherds, collies, cattle dogs, and even corgis are known for being alert, smart, affectionate, and easy to train. They are also high-energy, though, so they need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to feel their best.

Hound Breeds

Certain hound breeds like beagles, fox hounds, and Afghans have been bred to hunt, and many still have hunter instincts. This means they might run after small animals and need plenty of space to run. 

Retrievers

As their name suggests, retrievers were bred to…retrieve. They are still very eager to fetch things. They are typically very energetic, loyal, and friendly.

Terriers

These tiny dogs were also bred to hunt small prey and are still likely to run and dig very voraciously. They have a lot of energy that needs to be expended, and they need to be mentally stimulated as well. 

Cat Breeds and Their Pet Personality Traits

While every breed of cat displays the most common feline traits, a cat’s breed can impact his or her overall personality. Here are some traits you can expect from some of the most popular cat breeds:

Sleepy Persian Cats

As a whole, Persian cats are known to be calm, cool, and collected. They prefer to lounge on the couch and binge-watch a show rather than run around and play. They’re great additions to low-key houses or apartments.

Tabby Cats

Tabby cats have a lot of contradictory personality traits that form the lovable, energetic furry friends we all know and love. Tabbies are known to be friendly and intelligent, vocal and quiet, and affectionate and independent. 

Maine Coons

These large cats are known for being brave and independent. While they like plenty of time exploring on their own, they also can be very loving and cuddly with their owners and pet siblings. 

Bengal Cats

These popular cats are known to be incredibly affectionate, but they also have a troublemaker streak. Many people describe the breed as “rambunctious.” They can also be needy for affection, so don’t bring one into your home unless you have plenty of time and attention to devote to them.

Pet personality traits are common to their breed (or breed mix) but also very individual to each dog or cat. That is part of the magic of loving an animal. 

At Oakland Veterinary Referral Services, our behavioral experts can help you deal with any of the quirks of your breeds. We also offer plenty of pet owner resources to help you and your furry friends live the happiest, healthiest lives together. To learn more about our extensive specialty services, please call (248) 334-6877.