Why Dogs Look Like Their Owners

Fast Company:

If you spend enough time strolling along sidewalks or into public parks, eventually you’ll see a dog that bears an eerie resemblance to its owner. The experience is common enough for art to imitate it: recall the famous montage in the movie 101 Dalmatians with those uncanny human-canine couplets. And if for some reason these encounters have escaped you, just take a look at the following pairs of photos showing people and their twin-like pets:

The similarity is–well, pick whatever description you’re most comfortable with, but it’s certainly evident. And it’s evidence-backed, too. In several studies over the past decade, behavioral scientists have found that some people look so much like their pets that outside observers can match them based on pictures alone. The above image, for instance, comes from a 2005 study in which test participants identified owner-pet pairs at a success rate far greater than what you’d get with random guessing. The effect has held in the United States,South America, and Japan, suggesting it just might be universal.

Read the whole story: Fast Company