How Eye Color Affects Dog Friendliness: Scientific Research and Discoveries

24.01.2024 06:10

Dogs are man's best friends, but what eye color makes them especially friendly?

An interesting topic that scientists have pondered. Researchers from the Japanese universities of Teikyo and Showa conducted an experiment to find out how eye color affects a dog's perception.

Domestication and Eye Color: A Scientific Explanation

Researchers suggest that differences in eye colour in dogs may be a result of the domestication process.

According to them, dogs with dark eyes may appear more affectionate and open to communication, while dogs with light eyes evoke associations with their predatory ancestors, such as wolves. This is explained by the evolutionary process and the influence of the home environment on dogs.

Experiment: How People React to Photos of Different Dogs

In the study, participants were asked to rate images of dogs with different eye colors – light and brown. They were asked to describe each dog using a set of characteristics.

dog
Photo: © TUT NEWS

The results of the study showed that most domestic dogs had brown eyes and were described as calm, kind, sociable and non-aggressive.

This serves as confirmation of the hypothesis put forward by scientists about the existence of a connection between the color of a dog's eyes and its perception by others as a friendly creature.

Study Results: What the Scientists Say

Photographs of 22 gray wolves and 81 representatives of various breeds of domestic dogs were analyzed. The survey participants were 76 people aged 18 to 38 years.

Scientists have concluded that the color of a dog's eyes has a significant impact on the perception of its friendliness.

Dark-eyed dogs are associated with security and kindness, while light-eyed dogs may evoke more predatory qualities.

The Importance of Eye Color When Choosing a Pet

These scientific discoveries about the influence of eye color may be helpful when choosing a pet.

If you are looking for a particularly friendly dog, then you should pay attention to dark-eyed representatives. However, do not forget that the character of the dog depends on many other factors, such as upbringing and socialization.

Conclusion

Scientific research supports the idea that a dog's eye color influences how we judge its friendliness.

Dogs with dark eyes tend to be more friendly and harmless, while dogs with light eyes are associated with more predatory behavior.

These findings can be helpful when choosing a pet, but other factors such as training and socialization must also be considered.

Previously, we listed other unusual animals that you can keep at home.

Valeria Kisternaya Author: Valeria Kisternaya Editor of Internet resources


Content
  1. Domestication and Eye Color: A Scientific Explanation
  2. Experiment: How People React to Photos of Different Dogs
  3. Study Results: What the Scientists Say
  4. The Importance of Eye Color When Choosing a Pet
  5. Conclusion