What Your Dog Says About Your Personality

iStockphoto/Thinkstock(LONDON) —  They can’t talk, but dogs say a lot about their owners’ personalities, a new study has found.

“People tend to report that their dog’s personality is quite similar to their own, but we wanted to see if these stereotypes actually stand up to scrutiny,” said study author Lance Workman, a psychologist at Bath Spa University in the U.K.

Using an online survey, Workman and colleagues probed the personalities of 1,000 dog owners and found some surprising trends.

“Among the owners of seven breed groups, there were differences in personality,” said Workman, who is presenting the study on Friday at the British Psychological Society annual conference in London.

Here’s what your canine companion says about you:

— Sporting Dogs: People who owned sporting dogs, like Labrador retrievers and cocker spaniels, appeared more agreeable and conscientious in the survey.

— Herding Dogs: Owners of herding dogs, like German shepherds or sheepdogs, were more extroverted.

— Hound Dogs: People who owned hound dogs, like greyhounds and beagles, were more emotionally stable, according to Workman’s survey.

— Toy Dogs: Those who owned toy dogs, like Chihuahuas or Yorkshire terriers, were more agreeable, more conscientious and more open to new experiences.

— Non-Sporting Dogs: Owners of utility dogs, like 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, like the Staffordshire bull or the Scottie dog.

— Working Dogs: Like terrier owners, people who owned working dogs, such as Dobermans or schnauzers, had no standout personality traits.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio