What Kind of Pet Would an INTJ Have?

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So, last week I decided to follow Gina Carano on social media in an effort to support her while Di$ney tries to erase her. In doing so, I found that she owns two French Bulldogs, and while I think Gina is real cute, I was sickened by her dogs. French Bulldogs are some of the most hideous and disgusting creatures to ever walk the face of God’s green earth. And that is what led to this week’s blog—what kind of pet would an INTJ have?

Now, the decision to get a pet is usually a very personal one. It depends on a lot of factors about you and your life. Sure, some people put no more thought into it than they would if they were buying a houseplant, but INTJs are very different. They put a lot of thought into what sort of pet to get, and because INTJs are not all the same, different pets will appeal to them differently. So, while I like to think I have a good idea of what sort of pet an INTJ would buy seven times out of ten, I really don’t. Therefore, I’m going to cover the main categories of pets and go over how likely an INTJ is to own them, what sort of breed or species, and why they would be interested in that type of pet.

Dogs

Starting this off with the bog standard pet, let’s talk about dogs.

Most people like dogs and most dogs like most people. I myself feel a very strong connection to dogs, which is part of the reason why I went for a dog training certification. Some people would think that odd since they believe INTJs don’t do feelings and are as solitary as oysters. That’s true, but like most introverts, their disdain is for people, not animals. Something about an animal’s inability to judge you but love you simply because you feed them appeals to a lot of people. And while it is true that INTJs are generally cold creatures, that doesn’t mean that we want those around us to be cold. There’s a reason people think ENFPs, despite their upbeat attitude, are INTJs’ soul mates.

If INTJs were to turn their noses up at dogs though, it could be for a variety of reasons. While dogs come in many diverse breeds, groups, and archetypes, 99% of dogs require time with their family, including pets, playtime, training, exercise, and grooming. If an INTJ is particularly ambitious and fills his schedule with task after task, taking care of a dog may seem like too much responsibility or may get in the way of the INTJ’s goals. Add to that, it can be very hard to own a dog if you’re a very fastidious person. But like I said, there are many different types of dogs, and most INTJs are likely going to find a breed that works for their schedule and lifestyle. There are some breeds however that are not likely to make the grade, such as particularly ugly breeds, like French Bulldogs, designer breeds, like Labradoodles due to rarity and price (and I’ve heard they’re not that great anyway), and extremely common breeds, like Pit Bulls.

The sort of breeds an INTJ would be interested in though are likely to be ones of a particularly strong intelligence, extreme loyalty, and aesthetically pleasing. Dobermans and Rottweilers are very likely to be at the top of any INTJ’s list, especially those INTJs who aren’t afraid of exercise, but who may not have the time to groom a dog. If, however, an INTJ doesn’t mind a bit of maintenance, then most herding breeds are also likely to be on the list. Everything from German Shepherds to Collies, and from Shetland Sheepdogs to Welsh Corgis. Other possible dogs include mutts if an INTJ wants a low-maintenance dog, and if an INTJ is a family man, he may be interested in Golden Retrievers.

Cats

So, like I said when discussing dogs, most people tend to liken INTJs to cats. I mean, INTJs do tend to be more of loners, insufferably arrogant despite having no reason to be, and only open to affection when they want it. However, I’ve seen many INTJs prefer dogs, and there are several reasons why someone would. For starters, insufferably arrogant people don’t like other insufferably arrogant people, and cats tend to be insufferably arrogant and have no reason to be. Further, their urine stinks! I mean, canine waste does smell worse, but feline urine is far more pungent. Additionally, cats have a habit of hunting critters and bringing you the body, even if the prey is still alive, there’s the great clawed versus de-clawed debate (some say it’s cruel but others disagree—all I know is that I’m going to find a way to spend all 9 lives in one shot if my furniture gets clawed), cats like to climb the furniture and jump on things which can be annoying, and while a lot of dog breeds are guilty of this too, most cats walk around with their tail in the air, showing the whole world what they really think of it.

But I have met several friendly cats in my life. My uncle’s cat Polly is genuinely warm and approachable, my cousin has a funny cat, and my friend John used to have a cat named Harry who loved curling up in my lap. So, cats are not without their virtues, especially when you consider their food is cheaper than dogs’, they don’t require as much exercise or mental stimulation, they take up less space than dogs (usually), and they’re more independent, all of which may be seen as boons to the individualistic INTJ.

However, as to what breeds an INTJ would get, I can’t really say because I’m totally ignorant about cat breeds. The only two I know of are the Russian Blue, which doesn’t shed, and the Ragdoll, which isn’t prone to movement. But, I’m not going to research cat breeds because cat breeds are not as well known as dog breeds, and that’s likely because feline breeding is very different from canine breeding. Most dogs were bred for a purpose, whether that was hunting, herding, exterminating vermin (terriers), or working. Other than being bred to be hypoallergenic or to have certain aesthetic characteristics, I can’t imagine what else cats would be bred for as they all seem to do the same things more or less. Sure, you can train a Doberman to herd sheep and train a Collie to protect you, but honestly, you’d be better off doing it the other way around. So, differences between cat breeds aren’t that important. And I maintain that INTJs are still more likely to choose dogs over cats due to their more initial warmth.

Birds

There are a number of reasons birds appeal as pets. For one thing, they’re often colorful. For another, they can have a lot of personality and some can be quite intelligent. They can be taught a multitude of tricks and commands, and some can even learn how to speak and have some idea of what their words mean—some birds are even as intelligent as a five year old kid! But even those that don’t speak can still make very pleasing noises. The song of a male canary is very beautiful indeed.

However, birds are not without their faults. Like any animal, birds are messy, and because they live in trees, anything that falls on the ground may as well cease to exist to them because that’s where all their garbage goes. Further, bigger the beak, the more damage it can do. I am speaking of bites, but also, birds have a desire to chew like dogs do. It helps trim their beaks and kill boredom, but if you have a lot of wood in your house and you own a macaw, you’ll soon find out how destructive they can be. Additionally, birds require specific veterinary treatment and their diets can be difficult to manage unless you yourself are a vegetarian. And the same trait that makes birds so loquacious can also make them extremely annoying. Some scream, some scream loudly, and some scream loudly early in the morning. And finally, birds can bond to one person in the house and hate the rest, which can be frustrating for the rest of the family.

So, with everything considered, what sort of birds might an INTJ own? Well, due to all these factors, as well as the fact that some birds can be long lived and expensive, INTJs are prone to choosing smaller species like parakeets, cockatiels, canaries, quaker parrots, parrotlets, lovebirds, and even doves. Although, if an INTJ can become a falconer, that will trump every other bird in existence. The only think about that though is that falcons, hawks, and eagles aren’t really pets. They’re used for hunting.

Small Animals

The next group of pets is the cute and cuddly small animals. Here we’re talking about rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, and rats. Hamsters and guinea pigs are fairly popular with children as first pets, and rabbits have seen a great increase in popularity over the past couple of years. As for gerbils and rats, rodentia aren’t very popular due to their reputation for being vermin, but it is very important to note that pet mice and pet rats are different from their wild cousins. Rats are actually very intelligent, affectionate, and love interacting with their owners. Another small animal that is often overlooked, but usually popular is the chinchilla, but I’m going to pass over ferrets because they stink.

Speaking of stink, that is one negative about small animals. They are stinky, especially their urine. Another issue is that, aside from rabbits, they don’t usually live very long. Rats for instance are usually known to top out at two years. Another problem is that some of these animals are so small that if they escape, you could lose them for good. And finally, vets specializing in these little guys can be hard to find, are usually expensive, and too much stress during treatment can expedite expiration.

So, would an INTJ own any of these small animals? Well, rabbits can have quite a bit of character, they love being pet, and they’re independent enough to look out for themselves for most of the day, but they can make a rather big mess. The others are mostly the same as small furry animals do need to chew and they are vegan, so they’re gastrointestinal system does work overtime, if you know what I mean. Further, there is the urine smell and many of these guys are nocturnal by nature, but for an INTJ, that could be a benefit. However, ultimately, I don’t think INTJs are prone to small animal ownership. Don’t get me wrong—I like rabbits and I laud rats for their intelligence and affection, and I think they’re all cute, but I don’t see many INTJs owning small animals due to the smell and mess they make. And some of them, like guinea pigs and hamsters, are disgustingly common and fairly uninteresting. Another problem I just thought of is that INTJs are already a little weird and recluse with an interest in science, so owning something usually associated with animal testing might not be good for their image.

Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish

Lastly, we come to reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and I’ll be honest, despite snakes being my favorite animal at one point, I can’t think of many good things to say about these creatures now. I generally don’t believe that they make good pets, except certain species of lizard, because generally a pet likes to spend time with you and likes being pet. Snakes and fish don’t care. In fact, if you interact with fish too much, you’ll stress them out and they’ll expire. Some lizards do like being pet and held, like monitor lizards, believe it or not (they’re also super intelligent), and other lizards like bearded dragons and leopard geckos are gentle enough to be owned by children. But is that enough to draw the attention of INTJs?

Well, speaking for myself, my interest in reptiles and fish is mostly academic. Sure, there are a lot of pretty fish out there, and all these animals generally require little handling making them low maintenance, but if I owned a snake, I wouldn’t own it as a pet—I would own it as a “zoological specimen”. It would be something to examine and “run tests on” because it is so different from everything else. I would also be interested in seeing the intelligence and seemingly affectionate nature behind monitor lizards, but once confirmed, I’m not really sure I would be that interested in keeping it long-term. Some of these animals require very specific (read as expensive) caging, and I am averse to feeding snakes rats due to the fact that rats can be cute, affectionate, and are more intelligent. Although, there are a lot of lizards out there that are herbivores. And I haven’t even mentioned turtles, frogs, and other amphibians, but again, some of these require very specialized care, and you can’t always interact with them.

Additionally, INTJs are already sort of cold-blooded. We don’t really need to keep animals that are likewise. It could serve to make us even colder. INTJs need a bit of happiness and warmth in their lives, hence their dispensation toward Feeling types. Unfortunately, I don’t know if there are enough Feelers to go around for all the types that like them, so furry animals have to make up the remainder.

Miscellaneous

So, I know I said that reptiles and fish were the last of the pets, but there are other types of animals that people keep, such as horses, goats, chicken, pigs, other livestock and even wild animals like raccoons and squirrels. But I’m not sure if these animals count as pets. Just like with reptiles, some of them aren’t domesticated, and the ones that are, are usually raised for utility, either riding, wool, or food. Plus, most of them can’t live in the house with you. And some of them are expensive. I can see an INTJ keeping a farm, but I can’t see an INTJ claiming any of these animals as pets. 

The Most Likely Pet for INTJs

So, returning to the question at hand, what kind of pet would an INTJ have? Well, the answer is disappointingly simple—any pet they fricking want. I know I’ve banged on about dogs this whole time, but INTJs are individuals—they’ll do as they please, and move Heaven and earth to do so. It doesn’t matter if they get scratched and bitten, they’ll keep something wild as a pet; they’re stubborn enough to try to. Although, I think many would prefer the easy route and just get a dog. But I think I may have overlooked the most obvious pet any INTJ would want. You can actually talk to them, they clean up after themselves, they feed themselves, and they can worry about their own health—any Feeling type.  All they need from an INTJ is love and affection.

But what do you think? Are you an INTJ with a pet? What do you have? Let me know in the comments below.

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