Dogs Always Seem To Be Drawn To People With These 11 Beautiful & Rare Traits
Harbucks | Shutterstock Even if we overlook their intuitive nature, research, like a study from Biology Letters, found that dogs can often read human emotions and differentiate between positive and negative feelings in their owners. They can smell an owner's stress levels and notice if they're in a good mood or not based on the language they use, so it's not surprising that certain people, with certain energies and emotions, are loved by animals over others.
Dogs always seem to be drawn to people with certain beautiful and rare traits, not only because they're offered more attention, but because they can sense a person's emotions and intentions. That's why we often trust a dog's instinct around new friends and partners — they can sense things we can't see.
Dogs always seem to be drawn to people with these 11 beautiful and rare traits
1. They have a calm nervous system
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Dogs always seem to be drawn to people with a regulated nervous system. They appreciate the calmness of a human who's regulated in their behaviors and actions, largely because they often adopt the stress and anxiety levels of their owners. The calmer their owners are, the calmer they get to be.
Of course, even for people who lean on the anxious side in their everyday lives, having dogs and pets around can actually be a productive regulation strategy. They not only co-regulate our nervous systems, but quality time with them releases oxytocin that strengthens our bonds together.
2. They're patient
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People and pet owners who are patient with animals often craft better bonds and relationships with them. Dogs who truly love their owners, as research suggests they often do, appreciate positive attention and praise from them, and that's only possible when they're patient enough to work through stress and frustration.
Patient people are more likely to enjoy their lives and craft healthy relationships with everyone around them, including their pets, because their patience is a coping strategy. As a study from Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin explains, patience is a coping mechanism for dealing with life's stressors, and compared to things like avoidance and aggression, it promotes better mental health and well-being for everyone.
3. They're empathetic
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Especially considering dogs act and behave differently depending on their owner's emotional state, it's not a surprise that dogs always seem to be drawn to people with an empathetic, positive, and calming attitude.
Much like humans cultivate strong relationships based on trust and security, animals craft these bonds in similar ways with their owners — feeling a sense of security when a human they love and trust is around.
4. They're grounded and mindful
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Like any other relationship, our pets appreciate and enjoy quality time with their owners. Of course, dogs always seem to be drawn to people with the grounded and mindful energy that protects that quality time, but that doesn't mean that their owners aren't also getting something from leaning into this type of energy.
According to a study from Stress & Health, this intentional quality time with your animals, especially in the morning before starting your day, can actually boost your mood, improve your interactions with others, and improve positive experiences throughout the day. So, dogs are attracted to people who spend quality time with them for a reason — it's a mutually beneficial experience.
5. They're attentive
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All humans and animals are driven by attention and a desire to belong. That's part of the reason why dogs always seem to be drawn to people with beautiful and rare traits like attentiveness.
Whether they're reading into someone's tone of voice or noticing body language that offers them attention, dogs are more likely to appreciate and love humans who offer them warmth and positive attention. It's this kind of attention that bonds humans with their animals, much like quality time and deep conversations craft our human relationships.
6. They're caretakers
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While life is generally better when you have a pet, the truth is that it takes certain beautiful and rare traits to be a good pet owner. Not only do you have to be consistent and follow a healthy routine for both of your well-being, but you have to be a caretaker and lead with patience and empathy to form a strong bond.
Dogs, like any other living thing, appreciate being cared for, which is why they're often drawn to people who are natural caretakers at heart. The people they love genuinely care about the things and people around them, and that calm, consistent energy is contagious.
While noticing a dog's love can be difficult and subtle without human communication, some signs remind you that a dog loves your presence — especially when they feel truly cared for.
7. They're consistent
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Pet ownership is often associated with better brain health and cognition for a reason, according to a study from Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience — it requires consistency. You have to follow certain healthy habits — like walking your dog or going outside — regularly to nurture a healthy, happy relationship with your pet, which in turn helps you.
Dogs always seem to be drawn to people with beautiful traits like consistency because they offer an aura of security and attention. They know what to expect, and the more their owner or the humans around them reinforce a healthy, happy routine, the safer and happier they feel.
8. They're intentional
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If someone is intentional about showing love, spending quality time, and acting with compassion in mind around their pets, chances are that the dog will be most excited to see them when they enter a room.
It's this kind of energy and bond that's truly informed by the most basic kinds of love and attention we desire at our core.
9. They're trustworthy
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According to a 2014 study, dogs are often attentive to humans depending on their relationship with them. The more trusting and bonded with someone they are, the more likely they are to be drawn to them.
Outside of human-dog bonds, the presence of a pet can often boost trust and positive connections amongst humans in their daily lives. So, it's not only a beautiful trait dogs seem to be drawn to in people, but something they spark and promote in their owners' lives.
10. They respect boundaries
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Just like in any other healthy relationship, our connections with animals and pets at home require some level of boundaries. Not only do we craft unspoken boundaries and rules without pets about the behaviors we're willing to tolerate, but our pets also set them with behaviors like rolling on their stomachs or giving us "whale eyes."
The more we read into these signals and respect a dog's boundaries, the more trusting and safe they feel in our presence.
11. They're gentle
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Whether it's a calm nervous system or slow, mindful behaviors, dogs always seem to be drawn to people with a beautifully rare sense of gentleness. Ironically, the connections we share with dogs also teach us to embrace this gentle energy — crafting a sense of gentleness in our interactions that we can apply to every other aspect of our lives.
Dogs appreciate feeling safe and secure with people, and sometimes, they can read into someone's behaviors and sense that gentle energy before they've even formed a strong bond.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
