Exploring Dog Personalities: How Your Pet Reacts to Strangers

Understanding Your Dog's Personality and Their Social Interactions

Pet Medical Support Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato, Tokyo, CEO: Akihito Yonemitsu) conducted an insightful survey regarding the social behaviors of dogs. The survey involved 903 dog owners across Japan, aged between 20 to 69 years, with valid responses collected from 393 participants. The focus was to observe how dogs' personalities influence their reactions to unfamiliar people, dogs, and small animals.

Survey Overview

- Date: December 23, 2025 (1 day)
- Participants: Nationwide dog owners aged 20 to 69
- Method: Internet research
- Valid responses: 393 out of 903 (43.5% response rate)

If citing this data, please mention “Survey conducted by Pet Insurance 'PS Insurance'.”

Survey Findings: Dog Personalities and Their Social Responses

The survey categorized dogs into four main personality types: sociable, active, cautious, and gentle. Each type displayed distinct reactions to unfamiliar people, other dogs, and small animals, illustrating the variety of behaviors based on personality.

Sociable Dogs

- Reactions: These dogs tend to approach unfamiliar dogs (44.7%) and people (43.3%), embodying a welcoming attitude. With small animals, observing (28.5%) is the most common behavior, indicating a balance between curiosity and caution.
- Socialization Efforts: Owners often enhance social interactions through varied walking routes (26.6%) and frequent visits to dog parks (24.1%).

Active Dogs

- Reactions: Active dogs predominantly express a desire to play with all types of unidentified stimuli (dogs: 35.4%, people: 31.6%, small animals: 29.6%). They tend to close the distance (dogs: 22.1%, people: 23.0%) but are slightly more reserved when approaching small animals (11.6%).
- Socialization Efforts: Many owners focus on stimulating environments, attempting to refine strong reactions (15.1%).

Cautious Dogs

- Reactions: This personality type primarily exhibits defensive behaviors toward strangers, often warning (28.1%) before cautiously observing (20.2%). They also approach with care (dogs: 18.4%, people: 14.9%), although interest in small animals comes through as playful (16.7%).
- Socialization Efforts: Owners favor gradual adjustments to social encounters, with many reporting no special efforts (22.6%).

Gentle Dogs

- Reactions: Gentle dogs tend to observe (31.6%) with a calm demeanor, approaching softly (26.5% for dogs, 29.0% for people) and showing little fear (6.0%) towards small creatures.
- Socialization Efforts: While they also find value in varying walking paths, their focus often centers on establishing comfort with home visitors (13.8%).

Conclusion

The reactions of dogs to unfamiliar entities reflect their unique personalities. Whether they are innately curious, cautious observers, or playful interactors, each dog is invaluable to their owner. To ensure a well-rounded life for our pets, it’s crucial to provide daily care alongside contingency preparations.

Highlighting this aspect, Pet Medical Support offers pet insurance, ‘PS Insurance,’ featuring a 24/7 veterinary consultation line to assist pet owners during emergencies or outside regular veterinary hours. Furthermore, the broad coverage of PS Insurance includes a range of medical treatments, manageable premium rate increases, and a commitment to long-term affordability.

For more information on PM Support's insurance services, visit Pet Insurance 'PS Insurance'.