Studies that ask participants to match dogs with their owners reveal that pooches do indeed often resemble their people. One reason could be that familiarity breeds content.

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We love our human family and so are drawn to dogs with similar features, but the phenomenon could also be a spin-off from the way we have evolved to choose our human mates.

People who select a physically similar partner may inadvertently be selecting for genetic compatibility, and although our canine relationships are purely platonic, we may subliminally apply the same standards.

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Asked by: Laura Rayner, via email

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Authors

Helen Pilcher
Helen PilcherScience writer, presenter and performer.

Helen Pilcher is a tea-drinking, biscuit-nibbling science and comedy writer, with a PhD in cell biology.

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