Familiarity breeds contempt. That’s right, we tend to choose our furry friend based off what we look like.
Our own face is something we see often and because it’s our own we know it well. As a result, we tend to choose a dog that shares features that resemble our own because we find those features to be inviting and attractive, according to Dr. Stanley Coren of Psychology Today.
Think about your dog and the features they have you find to be cute, pretty or attractive. What were the reasons you chose their little face over the others? Chances are your pooch shares similarities to you that are more obvious than you may realize.
My dog Grace is a pit bull, and quite adorable if I do say so myself. She has a brindle coat, is small, lean and has these expressive brown eyes. She looks like she is 1 year old but in fact she is six years old.
I have brown hair, brown eyes, a small stature and often get mistaken for being seven years younger than I actually am. Perhaps we share more in common than I ever realized.
In a study conducted by Dr. Coren he asked women to pick a dog they found to be the most appealing to them. Women with shorter hair chose dogs with shorter ears, exposing more of their face and eyes. Women with longer hair chose dogs with longer ears over the dogs with shorter ears.
It all came down to what was familiar to them, and what they saw as familiar translated into what was the most physically attractive dog to them.
Seeing similar features to ourselves in our pet makes us feel connected to the dog because we see features we are comfortable with. Positivity exudes when we feel happy and comfortable with what we see.
So, yes, you may look like your pup, but that’s okay because your pup shares some of your cutest features, floppy ears and all!
