New Research Suggests That Domesticated Dogs Were Selectively Bred To Have Darker Eye Colors Since The Illusion Of A Larger Pupil Leads To A More Friendly And Youthful Appearance, Causing Us To View Our Pets Like Babies

On the other hand, dogs with lighter eyes were often seen as more aggressive and mature. This suggests that humans may have a preference for brown, puppy-like eyes, potentially influencing breeders to select for this trait in domestic dogs.

However, what captivates people isn’t the color of the eyes per se but rather the apparent size of the pupils.

Humans are naturally born with comparatively large pupils, which diminish in size as the eye muscles weaken over time.

The association of large pupils with youthfulness plays a key role here, and the darker the iris, the more challenging it is to discern the boundaries of the pupil.

So, the researchers hypothesize that brown eyes might create the illusion of larger pupils, leading us to perceive our pets as vulnerable babies requiring our care, even if they are big breeds like German Shepherds or Labrador Retrievers.

Additionally, color also isn’t the sole characteristic contributing to the appearance of larger, more endearing eyes in dogs.

In fact, domestic dogs have even developed the skill to lift their eyebrows when gazing at their owners. This gesture is commonly referred to as “puppy dog eyes.”

To read the study’s complete findings, visit the link here.