Dogs Really Do Look Like their Owners, Here’s Why
Many people say dogs look like their owners, and there’s scientific proof to back up that notion. While some might say it just a coincidence when we see pets that generally resemble their owners in some way, at least one study shows it’s possible to match a dog with its owner based on how they both look. Here’s how many dog owners and their pets look alike.
There Is A Facial Tell To Consider
A 2015 study done to test the notion that dogs looked like their owners limited what people could see, such as only the eyes of dogs and people, and asked them to pair the animal with its likely owner. The photos included real sets of pets with their owners and fake sets. The test participants could determine the genuine pairings more often based on the eyes and other facial features of dogs and their owners.
Owners Unwittingly Pair With Animals That Look Like Them
It’s safe to say pets never try to look like their owners, but the owners sometimes overtly try to adopt and raise canines that look like them. Others might unknowingly seek out a companion that reminds them of themselves. A 2004 study showed how long someone owns a dog doesn’t correlate to how much it might look like that person. When there is a resemblance, it almost always is due to the decision made when adopting it at the outset instead of occurring over time.
It All Comes Down To Options
There are many ways in which a dog might look like its owner. A tall man might have a very tall dog, like a Great Dane. A short and stocky man might have a short and stocky pit bull or maybe a French bulldog. A blonde woman with long, flowing locks might have a yellow lab or maybe a collie with similarly long, flowing blonde hair.
Given the nearly universal love of dogs in most societies around the globe, it’s only natural that some study has been devoted to the matter of how a dog might resemble its owner and why. It’s not a universal occurrence and instead happens often in developed societies where a dog owner might have more options when adopting a pet. The owner also might have a greater ability to get a dog that looks or could like that person.
The Purebred Connection
Still, there is evidence that supports the notion that many people get canines that look like them, at least on a superficial level. Purebred dogs in particular are more likely to resemble their owners than mixed-breed canines. People who buy purebred animals instead of going to the local shelter and adopting a rescue dog are more likely to choose a dog that resembles them.
Or Maybe We’re Just Projecting
It might be a matter of projecting how particular dog owners view themselves when choosing pets that more closely resemble the image they try to project. That might be why a short and stocky man might choose to raise a pit bull instead of a poodle or maybe a beagle. Some celebrities, like Paris Hilton, are known for carrying around smaller pets that they can dress up and make to look as stylish as the owner.
Source: Live Science
