Dark-eyed dogs have indeed captured the hearts of humans, and it appears our preferences have influenced their evolution. Let me share some fascinating insights:

- Domestication and Canine Eye Color:
- Humans have been selectively shaping dog traits since the domestication of canines, which occurred between 15,000 and 50,000 years ago.
- Researchers in Japan found that dark eyes are more common in domesticated dogs compared to their wild counterparts.
- Why? One reason could be our affinity for puppy dog eyes. Dogs have evolved specific facial muscles that allow them to pull a doleful expression, triggering nurturing responses in humans.
- This advantage may have led to the prevalence of dark-eyed dogs in our homes 1.
- Human Perception of Dark-Eyed Dogs:
- When shown images of dogs with light eyes versus dark eyes, people consistently rated dark-eyed dogs as:
- Friendlier
- Easy-going
- Sociable
- Dependent
- In contrast, light-eyed dogs were perceived as:
- Less aggressive
- Less intelligent
- Less mature
- The illusion of a larger pupil associated with darker irises may evoke a perception of infant-like friendliness.
- When shown images of dogs with light eyes versus dark eyes, people consistently rated dark-eyed dogs as:
So, yes, it seems that humans have unintentionally favored dark-eyed dogs during the fascinating journey from wolves to our beloved canine companions. 🐾👀
In conclusion, our results suggest that the iris colour of dogs is darker than that of wolves, and that dark eyes of dogs positively affect human perception toward dogs.
Akitsugu Konno leading author of the study: Are dark-eyed dogs favoured by humans? Domestication as a potential driver of iris colour difference between dogs and wolves.
Note: this article was prepared by Bing’s copilot. I found the story on the internet and then found the study (link is above) which looked at domestic dog eye colour and how humans have artificially selected, over many centuries, dogs with darker eyes to the point where they are on average darker than the eyes of wolves, their ancient forebear.
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