I think that a dog tends to act more like a sort of familiar, or like the spiritual companions that often attend animistic traditions (and some pantheistic ones, like the Roman demon and the Grecian genius, to say nothing of the Muslim jinn companions). They are balance and counterbalance, I think, to their owner's personality when there is a good bond. I know it's hilarious how much Annie mirrors me in so many ways, and yet where her personality diverges from mine has been a gift in bringing out the best in me by dragging out honorable traits I neglect to embody.
Then again, dogs can be the best mirror for the worst in their owners as well, I think. I see this everywhere. I think it's a good thing, bringing attention to the owner's shortcomings. I know that I struggled to rehab Annie by embodying reassurance even when I felt scared, anxious, stressed, suspicious, etc. But I think in my struggle to help her, I was made much stronger.
However, I think that the ways breeds are typified above are ridiculous. I definitely feel that breed characteristics come into play in an owner/dog match, but because temperaments can vary even within a litter, it gets complicated. My SO and I were just talking yesterday about how it's odd that we always get dogs that were the runt. I wonder what it says about us?
"Nothing is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so."
Hamlet Prince of Denmark
