Personally, I feel that pets highly reflect their owners’ personalities.

It may just be subtle things, but there’s something about when pets become part of a person’s life: They take on the traits of his or her family.

Some people may choose a certain breed of an animal based on specific traits they give off.

For example, my family owns a golden retriever named Honeybear. Golden retrievers are best know for their enthusiasm and friendly nature, and I would consider my family to be an easy-going, loving, and friendly group.

A few KHS students feel the same as I do about their pets.

Freshman Anthony Fisher has a pet turtle named Snappy.

“I feel that mine (Snappy) does give me someone to talk to that doesn’t talk back,” Fisher said.

Fisher shares a special bond with his turtle, whom he’s had for years, and Fisher feels that Snappy is part of his family.

Junior Audriana Counelis has a dog named Maggie and two cats named Meow and Chloe.

Counelis said her pets fit in with her family and reflect the personality of her family. In addition, Counelis said her pets get plenty of attention.

“My animals are playful,” she said. “There are a lot of children in my family (to play with them).”

Junior Niccos Patrick feels that his pets are just like his family as well.

“My pet is very lazy, and so are we,” Patrick said. “My cat is crazy. My dog is the lazy one.”

A simple explanation as to why so many of us can see how our furry friends relate to us so easily is that we’re around them enough to have them take on our traits.

According to Psychology Today, “It is easy to imagine how an anxious, neurotic owner could raise the neuroticism level of his dog by acting inconsistently, showing exaggerated emotions toward and around their pet, or being overprotective.”

Animals that live around us for long enough will develop the same traits that we carry.

So, in short, it appears that there truly is a bond between pets and their owners just as if they are another member of their families.