Here we are in early August, a time some call the Dog Days of Summer.  The dog days reference goes all the way back to ancient Rome.  The Dog Star Sirius is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, and is also the brightest star we can see in the northern hemisphere.

Fascinating but what has all this to do with the nature of this post?  Well, as you take your family pet out for an evening stroll and as you and Fido look to the sky for the Dog Star, know that others will be looking at you…in fact other people may even be judging you!

Why? The type of dog you choose to own says something about your personality, according to researchers at Britain's Bath Spa University and the Kennel Club's Discover Dogs. Researchers surveyed 1,000 dog owners through an online questionnaire designed to test   personality traits: conscientiousness, intelligence and creativity, emotional stability, extroversion and agreeableness.

Here’s what they say your dog's breed says about your personality:

Sporting dogs
People who owned sporting dogs, such as Labrador retrievers and cocker spaniels, appeared more agreeable and conscientious in the survey.

Herding dogs
People who owned herding dogs, such as German shepherds or sheepdogs, were more extroverted.

Hound dogs
People who owned hound dogs, such as greyhounds and beagles, were more emotionally stable.

Toy dogs
People who owned toy dogs, such as Chihuahuas or Yorkshire terriers, were more agreeable, more conscientious and more open to new experiences.

Non-sporting dogs
People who owned utility dogs, such as English bulldogs, Shar-Peis and Chow Chows, were more conscientious and extroverted.

Terriers
No personality traits stood out in the survey among people who owned terriers, such as the Staffordshire bull or the Scottie dog.

Working dogs
Just like terrier owners, those who owned working dogs, such as Dobermans or schnauzers, had no standout personality traits.

A study found that dog owners were nicer or "more agreeable" than the general population and that people were able to correctly match dogs with their owners, based on the way that they looked. But this study shows that the similarities between dogs and their owners may be more than skin deep.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images
Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images
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