I just read a fascinating article in the Royal Society Open Journal finding that dark-eyed dogs were rated friendlier and less mature than light-eyed dogs by people viewing photos of just their eyes and muzzle. It included dogs of multiple breeds, whose images had eyes that had been both darkened and lightened (toward yellow, not blue as above) by the researchers. (If you’re interested in the evolution of eyes in dogs and primates, in relation to social communication, you’d enjoy reading the entire article.) The authors, noting that wolves have yellow eyes while most domestic dogs have significantly darker eyes, speculate that selectionary pressures might account for the difference.
Besides finding the article interesting in its own right, it got me thinking about preferences that many of us have for the physical characteristics of our dogs. I suspect most of us want to be in the “pretty is as pretty does” camp, but don’t many of us also have preferences, beyond temperament, that relate to what a dog looks like? I admit to liking medium to long-haired dogs over short-haired ones, a preference I rue every time I comb burrs out of Skip’s lion-like mane.
Some of our preferences related to looks also relate to function, of course. I’m most attracted to dogs whose physical characteristics are closer to wild-type, and allow them to function well in a variety of environmental circumstances. Border collies, for example.
Oh, yeah, wait, uh . . . here’s our dog Tootsie before she died:
Granted, we only got her as a rescue from a horrible puppy mill, but, still she’s hardly “wild-type,” and Jim and I thought she was adorsable.
Why are we attracted to some characteristics, and not others? Certainly, we know that infantile, or paedomorphic, characteristics–large eyes, large foreheads like those found in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels–elicit care-giving behavior. In addition, first impressions of people’s faces result in evaluations of traits like warmth and competence, evaluations that are, by the way, often incorrect. Most researchers believe that “symmetry” is universally important in the attractiveness of the human face.
But the variety of a dog’s color, shape, and facial expression is almost endless, in part because of the remarkable genetic plasticity of dogs, and in part because of our species’ tinkering to create both function and form to its liking. We all know that tinkering doesn’t always serve dogs, but what I want to focus on here is WHAT and WHY.
What visual traits make you smile when you look at a dog? What makes one dog at a rescue look more attractive to you than another? Of course, form and function are hard to separate–what I most want to see is a dog with an open, relaxed face, but I’m more attracted to one with a fluffy rather than a smooth coat, other things being equal. Why is that? I honestly have no idea. Fudge, our family dog, was a terrier mix who was mostly smooth-coated, and I adored her. I would think that past history would have an important effect on what traits are attractive–did you have a smooth-coated collie when you were young, for example? But clearly that’s only one possible variable, otherwise my house would be filled with terriers.
So many of these preferences seem to be unconscious. If I had to choose between two dogs almost exactly alike, one was all black, and the other all black except for one white paw, I’d choose the one with white paw. Yet, I know others who would pick the other dog.
Perhaps, by talking this through, we can add some light to this issue? Tell us what traits you like, don’t be shy. And, no judging here! I just find this an interesting topic on a sort of cold, sort of not, winter’s day, with snow that partially melted and then refroze overnight, making the footing pretty much a nightmare for person, dog, and sheep.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Every year we put out the Christmas tree for the sheep. Every year they look at it as if it was THE TROJAN TREE, with a wolf hiding within its boughs.
After about 1o minutes, (feel my fingers freezing on the camera in what was then 5 degree weather), one brave ewe goes to investigate.
Twenty four hours later, this is what is left. Frazier fir to sheep = dark chocolate to Trisha.
Here’s me showing off my new winter parka with my handsome husband behind me. I think it was about five or six degrees that day, Farenheit.
Please supply a caption for this photo, after you’re done laughing.
Here’s my DOSE OF DELIGHT, in an otherwise black and white world: Our bulb garden from White Flower Farm. You can see it’s starting to fade, but I’ll keep it until the last flower petal has dissolved into dust.
I hope your life this week includes lots of delight, from colorful flowers to the color of your dog’s fur, whatever it might be.
lak says
I have had only two dogs as an adult, and both were American Staffordshire terriers, both rescued, and when I entered the shelter that is really all that was there, am staff/pitbull type dogs. I grew up with fluffy cocker poos and wire hair terriers. Even buying a brush was foreign to me for this type of dog! I like the wrinkled foreheads, large smiles, and golden brown eyes! It just eats me up! And I love a golden tan/brown to my deep reddish brown coated dog! Have no idea why. Although they have both been self cleaning even after rolling in the mud, once dry it flakes off these short hair dogs! I will have to think about this more. I am not opposed to a black dog as I have read that they are the last to be adopted, who knew? Love the photos in the post, and yes I did laugh out loud at your surprised expression!
LisaW says
Caption: Doing my best Lara-from-Dr. Zhivago-impersonation except it’s beyond cold and this isn’t real fur! And we aren’t in an ice palace.
Ahh, attraction based on looks. As any sane female will tell you, it’s a man’s world, and our collective norms of beauty and expectations are hardly anyone’s reality (but many’s fantasy).
And yet, I have been attracted to dogs based on looks or color of their coat or some notation of what they might be like based on “standards” etc. Our first several dogs were all red and all female—two Goldens, one Bloodhound, and one red Lab (Phoebe). In the middle somewhere was Grace, a Shepherd mix who was quite unstable and so skittish that you couldn’t look in her direction never mind directly when I first met her. She eventually blossomed with the help of our stable Golden. Grace was wry and wily, and we loved her! So, four conscious and/or subconscious red dogs and one black and tan. Then came Olive.
It was love at first thumbnail. She was crooked and had a beard and looked like a rendering of what someone thought a dog that sat just left of center might look like. Rendered by someone who may have never seen a dog in real life. She looked perfect to me. Scruffy, interesting coloring, just a bit off, and did I mention scruffy? She had a beard! And then we got her and wowzer, life was never the same. The “rescue” made up a story that we swallowed whole, and I wonder if I was so taken by her appearance that I didn’t connect the inconsistencies. I think I’m attracted to what’s a little off–curiously not quite right (but not too weird).
Of course, I can’t even imagine a life without Olive, but it was initially based on looks and a good story. She has a few qualities that I’ve never seen in a dog before and most likely never will again.
Here’s her original online photo: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m7exse3xk98i518fbs3fq/Online-Photo.jpg?rlkey=1eko7prfha02cy6dg9x7o2bnc&dl=0
Here she is today: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m7exse3xk98i518fbs3fq/Online-Photo.jpg?rlkey=1eko7prfha02cy6dg9x7o2bnc&dl=0
Who could resist?
Diane says
I can supply lots of captions which would involve the husband with surprise pinches…..but I’ll stick with “did that bird just poop on my new jacket!”
All my dogs had longer hair which I prefer over short haired dogs. I don’t know why as I did not have dogs when growing up. Perhaps Lassie was a big influence, though, because I was infatuated with Lassie as a child.
My last two dogs were Labrador/ Golden and Poodle mixes. I was very attracted to their wavy hair and happy go lucky faces. Alas, my current Golden Doodle graced us with more poodle hair and those eyes are sometimes hard to find when the curls grow. I like when his hair is longer because he looks like a teddy bear. Unfortunately I can’t keep it too long as grooming becomes a nightmare (or more of a nightmare than normal).
Chris from Boise says
Caption: OMG, the TROJAN TREE!”
LisaW – Olive hasn’t changed a bit over the years! (Or you loaded duplicate photos?). Yes, irresistible!
Our late, beloved Habi had one blue and one brown eye, and when her pupils were dilated, as they were so often till we got her reactivity under control, the blue eye shone spooky-red. The brown eye always looked sweet. Strangers cooed over her bicolored eyes, but I’ll take a dark-eyed dog any day. Or gold. Rowan has golden eyes, and they go well with her red border collie coloring.
We have loved all our herding breeds, short-haired and long-haired, over the last few decades. People literally stopped their cars to comment how handsome our blue merle Aussie Bandit was. But my heart is with the bristly, whiskery ones, in memory of my childhood dog, a scruffy little mutt. Someday…(LisaW, I can hear you thinking “be careful what you wish for”).
Frances says
Soft hair, warm eyes (which usually means brown), expressive ears, symmetrical face markings – I am definitely influenced by look and feel! Size is more a matter of practicality – I have a yearning for a cream lurcher, but know it would be utterly impractical – carrying my 4 kilo toys up and down stairs when it has been necessary is quite challenging enough these days. At the same time I am not drawn to dogs that veer too far from the basic “wild type” shape – no flat faces, no short Queen Anne legs, etc. Toy poodles and papillons may be small and fluffy but when well bred they are square bodied and long muzzled and move beautifully. How much the interpretation of that balanced shape as meaning good health is based on atavistic intuition and how much on research and experience I don’t know, probably mostly the latter. Research tells us that symmetry can be a marker of genetic health and that is probably why we humans find it attractive when seeking a partner, but that our attraction to dogs is more often because they press all the “Oooh, baby!” buttons. I think I am attracted to dogs that press all the buttons: oxytocin and
health and the visual signals of the easy going temperament that I prefer.
No caption, but just what was Jim doing to you?!
Mary Beth Stevens says
I grew up with collies, but now I find that I LOVE my short-coated terrier-mix mutts. I think because one of them has a beautiful body (especially when she runs), and I love seeing her move through space in a full-on, tear-a** dash. There’s less hair around the house – another plus, and I remember well hearing my mother complain about dog hair as she pulled the vacuum out yet again to try to conquer the collie hair. “What’s wrong with her?” I used to think. So sorry, Mom. Now I get it.
Judy says
The photo did make me laugh. Very cute!
I actually dislike the bulging eyes and foreheads. But I do enjoy symmetry in multi-colored dogs. We have two ESS now, a b&w and a blue roan who is almost entirely black. But the dog of my childhood was a Bassett/Cocker mix, and I’ve had a cocker and a boxer mix before this. The boxer mix was definitely the least attractive but she was all white and I loved her. When I was a teenager I loved Irish Setters, and the Dobermans with cropped ears behind the wrought iron gate down the street fascinated me with their regal beauty. Uncropped, however? Cute, but not for me. Speaking of cute, I love Labs and Goldens, but only if they’re not fat.
Before we got our Springers I looked at tens and tens of dogs, trying to get a feel for how they’d look as adults. Their facial markings as adults needed to be at least approaching symmetrical to really be attractive to me, so I tried to choose those in a puppy. Of course our older pup has a mustache on only half his face, and that’s what reeled me in. So I guess I broke my own rule.
PS I definitely prefer brown eyes. Blue eyes in particular look so intense all the time—it’s a bit unnerving. Our current puppy had gray eyes when we first got her and I hoped they’d stay. They didn’t, but they’re now a beautiful deep brown.
minnesotamary says
My desirable traits in a dog are less about appearances and more about temperament. I try to take the time to get to know a dog before adopting. I’m interested in a calm dog that likes people (for therapy dog certification purposes). I do like the independence and intelligence of huskies. They are challenging to own, and I enjoy the mental stimulation of always trying to stay a step ahead of their antics. The first husky I adopted was the most homely dog I had ever seen. He eventually grew into his enormous ears and head, but his heart was so loving and kind. His capacity to love was my favorite thing about him.
Susan says
I am strongly drawn to slightly longer hair, medium to large size, “dog-shaped”, brown eyes, flag-like tails, and so on. Borders, Aussies, and many, many mutts fit this description. I like a brown dog, or a brown and white one, but black or tricolour are also favored. I also very much prefer dogs that are steady – brave, calm, and focused. That said, when the world turned upside down with Covid while we were looking for a new companion, we ended up with a small, white-ish, curly, somewhat skittish miniature labradoodle. She is ridiculous in every way, and immediately wormed her way into my heart. She delights me every day and I have learned about the pleasures and relative ease of a small friendly dog. One key thing is that I didn’t realize how lovely it would be to walk a dog that no one is afraid of! And when I watch her race off after critters on our off-leash rambles, I can see that despite appearances, she is all dog. Sometimes you don’t know what you need until you have it. That said, when I think about getting a second dog, or a next dog, my mind wanders back to my original preferences.
Regina R. Allen DVM says
I’m fixated on black or mostly-black (black & tan) dogs with smooth coats, erect ears & dark eyes, thus my household of Manchester Terriers & a cropped black Doberman. I don’t like the look of uncropped or other-colored Dobes at all, and light eyes really turn me off. In the past, I’ve had a black Lab & German Shepherd, which mostly aligned with these preferences. Interestingly enough, I love grey & brown tabby cats, especially the fluffy kind because they are so soft & huggable! Go figure.
Jan Z says
Thank you for the giggles this morning – both the Trojan Tree and your coat pic. I would caption that photo: “OMG, Jim, the sheep were right!!”
If there is a senior dog with a face greyed into the heart above and between its eyes and “those” eyes – deep, soulful, knowing – it’s coming home with me. Old Dogs are the Best Dogs.
LisaW says
Oh, sorry, I must have pasted the same link twice! Thanks, Chris from Boise for catching that (and for looking;-)
Here’s Olive then and now.
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/pqtk6tjffaw798yi7wxb1/h?rlkey=d046uwqwvxdxtz1uh0vsvasx1&dl=0
And Chris, you would give an amazing home to a scruffy terrior!
Mary Ann says
I breed, train and compete with Weimaraners in multiple venues. Over the decades many people have expressed fear toward my dogs because of their light colored eyes. I have heard several people call them “devil dogs”! Others find their eyes human-like.
Bri says
Hahaha, is this Trisha’s best imitation of the sheep upon seeing the Trojan Tree?
I love this topic, because we recently ended up recently adopting a black dog, which is a colour I have always veered away from. For no reason, of course, and now I see that even more clearly!
When we got to the sled dog yard to meet our potential retiree to adopt, it was clear that the beautiful light and tan husky with the enchanting eyes was NOT into my kids. However, there was another dog ready for the couch life. As we strode through the gorgeous huskies, she led me to a nearly all-black Alaskan with tan dots above her eyes like a Rottie. Surely that couldn’t be our dog? I would never look twice at a black husky, I realized with shame; there are some sad stats about the low rate of black dog adoption from shelters I believe. So I swallowed my prejudice and we brought her home because she seemed to love us immediately.
And now, despite my early black dog skepticism, we just think she’s the prettiest thing in the world ! (Ps her name in the yard was Evil lol. But now she is Pixie because her tiny brown dots are the horns between her gigantic pointy ears).
Adopt all the black dogs, and don’t let a dog’s looks determine its destiny—because you might miss out on your soul mate!
Laura Anne says
I am drawn to black coated dogs. The dog of my childhood was a brown, fluffy mix that we adored. We took in an unwanted Keeshond as newlyweds, her grey coast with black markings was an explosion of fluff, which matched her lovely character. We got another Kees after she died, more fur, more fun, although this one was our Valley Girl, who tended to do things without prior thought (think, got past the barriers to our upstairs to where workmen were putting on the addition, spun around in excitement, jumped out the un-windowed window opening and, thank god, landed in a shrub directly under the window. She was unscathed and we learned more about securing a dog.) Now we have Aussies, black tricolored. More fur carpeting the house, more fun.
Peg says
We’ve had all sizes, shapes, coat lengths, and colors of dogs (and their eyes–except no blues) over 45+ years, usually 3-4 at once: Pit Bulls to a Bichon mix, a Shepherd to a Border Collie, and many more, all rescues. Most weren’t a choice based on looks, they just needed a home.
We just rescued two seven-month-old puppies who were found running at large together. Very different from each other, one has a reddish coat, medium/short and one is black and white with more undercoat but still easy care. (I am far more inclined to easy coat management as I age.) Both pups have dark brown eyes.
I tell myself I look for a dog’s intelligence in their return gaze, and haven’t had a dumb dog yet, thankfully! The Border Collie took the prize for intelligence, hands down. She died at 15+ last June and I miss her every day.
Mary Graham says
We have shared our home with Labs, a golden, greyhounds, random bred, Shetland sheepdogs, Havanese and poodles- standard and mini. I’m biased towards dark eyes, and longer noses, and as I’ve aged, the benefits of smaller dogs being more manageable physically has become increasingly important. Thinking dogs are very attractive to me- the bright (sometimes trouble making) ones that love to learn new behaviors are my catnip!
An issue we deal with now- my sweet husband is allergic to dogs (so we only have 5…)Hence the move to the lower/ non shedding poodles and Havanese. With his allergy meds, the lower shedding dogs work well in our household. As someone very active with Therapy work with my dogs, an outgoing, stable, people loving dog is what I look for with regards to temperament- the appearance issue is more dictated by the above medical issue, and while grooming can be a lot- I no longer chase giant dust bunnies through the house!
Patricia Wildgen says
I fell in love with Golden Retrievers when we got the first one in 1985, so all my preferences reflect that – bigger dogs, longer fur, loves people, etc. And Trisha, Michelle told me I missed my chance to see you in person at the MWS anniversary party. Darn!!!!!!
Barb Stanek says
I am drawn to black animals. Black cats, black (dark brown? probably!) horses, black dogs. Love them all. No idea why. Just the way it is.
Lorraine says
I like many coated breeds but love my whippet’s short coat that shows off those long lean muscles. Bonus-no doggy odour and a bath once or twice a year.
Hard pass on anything cropped or docked. No mutilations for me as they just make me sad.
No brachycephalic dogs or extreme body shapes. Living with a whippet has made me value athleticism. I love the look of German Shepherds- until they move.
A hanging tail I find more attractive than an upright tail (a bit of cover over the business).
Amy F. says
Melty eyes, regardless of color, are my weak spot in doggy faces. Eyes that are relaxed and almost sleepy as they look at me. Maybe I actually mean “puppy eyes” but I always call them “melty” and they make my voice instantly melt into a smooshy lovey tone.
And for tails, I do not care what style, but I want the dog to have its full tail. I immediately chastise humans as a species when I see a dog wag its stump. I’m surprised the superficiality of docking perpetuates as a desired trait. (And if I am ignorant to a health reason that docking provides to the breeds who are most commonly docked, I welcome real information.)
Donna Nuger says
The soft pleading eyes of beagles melt me everytime. Up until my current dog, all my beagles were tri-colored with black saddles, though the saddles of my 2 most recent dogs faded as they aged. The deep reddish warm color of their brown drew me in. I now have a tri color with a broken color pattern that charms me because she is different. I like their easy wear coats. I can’t have a dog that gets more grooming than me. LOL I also enjoy the beautiful conformation of a well bred dog with a lovely head. All that being said, we also rescue labs/lab mixes. Their eyes are also sweet and draw me in. We have 2 that are part of our current pack.
Beth says
I had many terroirs growing up, mainly Cairns, who had wire coats and didn’t shed. As an adult I’m so in love with chihuahuas! I love their small size (and VERY small size, as I had one once that was only 3 lbs), smooth soft coats, big eyes and upright ears. I also love that they are fiesty and obsessed with me as I am with them!
Leslie says
I like quirky looks. Odd eyed, (I’ve had two) mismatched ears and unusual markings or coat colors. That said, expression is the most important physical attraction for me. I want to see bright, curious eyes, no matter the shape or color.
Lynn Ungar says
I wonder if they would have gotten the same results if blue eyes were included in the lightened condition. No one could look into Tesla’s pretty blue eyes and think that he were either mature or unfriendly. My sweet little Peter Pan dude.
While there are many single-coated breeds that I think are beautiful to look at, I can’t imagine choosing to have a dog that isn’t furry, or at least silky. My dogs have a variety of jobs, but number one is for me to be able to bury my face in your furry neck.
Teresa says
I grew up with Afghan Hounds and still love dogs with longer hair! The older I get the more I like softer breeds in disposition as well as looks. I had great Pyranees. English Setters, and now a Cavalier! My Cav and ES are with me in my office every day. I’m a school counselor and the ES is a registered therapy dog 🐶
Teresa says
I grew up with Afghan Hounds and still love dogs with longer hair! The older I get the more I like softer breeds in disposition as well as looks. I had great Pyranees. English Setters, and now a Cavalier! My Cav and ES are with me in my office every day. I’m a school counselor and the ES is a registered therapy dog!
Stella says
I tend to be drawn to fluffier coated, brown eyed dogs. Terriers, because of their personalities, are my favorites. As for breed type I have grown to love the Schnauzer personality the best – my last 4 dogs have been Schnauzers and Schnauzer Mix rescues.
Cathy Balliu says
I like to tell people that those of us who use our border collies for working livestock don’t really care what our dog looks like as long as it works the way we want it to. And I’ve never been drawn to merle or red border collies or those with solid white heads. But I do live with 4 mixed nuts right now: Sean, split-faced with 2 blue eyes; Micah, rough-coated, 1 ear up one ear down and 1 blue eye and 1 brown; Pete, smooth tri with 1 ear downish and 1 ear down towards the front of his face; Spot, smooth black and white with prick ears. When I look at Micah, I see the blue-eyed side as crazed and the brown-eyed side as sweet. In reality she is not really sweet but more silly and ebullient. Sean’s eyes are ice blue and some people are put off by it but he’s really a big sweet fluffball. We think the sheep might react differently to the eye-color but I think it’s more the intent in those eyes. As far as other body-types and breeds, I cooed like a lovestruck nanny over my friend’s 10 week old Shih Tsu (2.8 lbs?!) and I admire the sleek athleticism of my sister’s whippet but I am completely turned off by the long naked toes lol. It’s a good thing there are some many types of dogs out there!
Bill J Widmann says
Had not really ever stopped to think about what makes one creature more attractive than another. I do know that my first border collie stood out due a lopped over tip to his left ear. Never saw both ears fully erect. And this is one of my strongest memories of Skip. My current border collie, Jake, was particularly attractive as he is a tri-color. Skip was a black and white smooth coat. Appreciated as there was almost no shedding with him. Jake is a long and rough coated guy. I never put any particular emphasis on their coats.
Terrie says
Fostering for rescue, I can say that “small and fluffy” goes fastest. Probably because they look like stuffed animals. (Which is not the best for the dog, since it leads some people to think they should tolerate being treated like stuffed animals).
Over time, looks have mattered less and less to me, and I’m more about personality. I love a velcro dog. But I admit, I do like dark eyes more. Dark brown eyes generally look “softer” than blue ones.
Elizabeth Smith says
I’m drawn most to wire-haired, yet have never owned one! Mainly I’ve had vizslas, bichons and bearded collies. Diverse looks, diverse traits, but all social, happy and easy to train. If I went for looks alone it would be the Grand Bassett Griffon Vendeen, and I’d be pulling my hair out within an hour 🤣 I know my limits and I’m not cut out to be a hound owner
Arnette Snall says
As a retired groomer of 50 years I have seen and handled thousands of different dogs , For me it comes down to the total package of appearance and personality , I can’t think of one thing alone that is attractive , some dogs just make me melt at first sight , size , color or coat don’t seem to matter.
Jan says
Very drawn to black dogs with dark eyes. Have a black lab mix, black and white Border Collie and a black and tan cattle dog mix. Always preferred floppy ears to prick ears, but have gotten past that!
Esther Olivier says
It is all about eyes.. When I first met Bou in the shelter, I loved his eyes although they were so sad. Today they are still what I like most on his physical aspect.
All soft and filled with love. Really orange when the sun mets them.. shining out of his lovely black coat..
Elizabeth says
Always longhaired – except when not, of course. We’ve had a Komondor, a golden retriever and two doodles – but also a shepherd??? mix and a Bullmastiff who were definitely not longhaired. My childhood dog was a beagle and I have never wanted another (not his fault, my father didn’t believe in training or neutering so he ran off a lot and got hit by a car fairly young). I do like darker eyes, and I have no reason for that. We also like fairly large dogs, although after our Bullmastiff collapsed and my husband couldn’t carry her he vowed never to get another dog he couldn’t carry – our current doodle is about 60 pounds, so qualifies.
Esther Olivier says
And actually.. I do not believe physical aspects can be looked at alone. Any time we decided to adopt a dog, I went out with a definition of THE dog I was looking for. But then you meet them.. and generally one not matching any of my criteria just hits me.. actually I never managed to adopt THE dog I was initially looking for because looks are only a small part. That male dog with boring coat hitting at you when you are trying to envolve with the perfect looking female you came for in the first place.. ends up moving in..
Gayla says
Haven’t read the article yet. But I’m struck by the impression of ‘less mature.’ Maybe we also equate good naturedness with a lack of wisdom in other humans?
Medium to long haired dogs for me too. But that’s more about how they feel than how they look.
Rondi Potter says
I’ve always preferred drop ears and medium in just about everything else…coat smooth and not too long or short, size medium and balanced, and solid or mostly solid medium to dark color. You will not be surprised that I’ve had all Labs or Lab mixes 😉 But have worked with many other kinds of dogs and they are all lovable!
Jane Craig says
When we met (back in our 40s) my now-husband and I discussed which (theoretical at the time) dogs we liked and both of us liked Goldens and labs (I always loved seeing-eye dogs as a young child; back then they were all black labs).
We have had two male Goldens–well, the first one was a Golden mix but it was hard to tell anything but Golden. Smart, affectionate, loyal, uber playful, unforgettable dog who left a pretty big hole in his mama’s heart.
Our second was perhaps one of the most beautiful dogs we’d ever seen–the lighter-colored (but not white) English Golden with large, square head and muzzle, stocky body and shorter legs, just–well, to us, perfect, with a calm and laid-back temperament as well. When we lost him to cancer at age eight, still bereaved seven months later I decided it was time to save a life–in tribute, because I couldn’t save him, and because I could not imagine life without a dog, despite our creeping ages. So to Petfinder I went to the (dubious) “lab mix” category.
So, our third and alas, probably last dog, our first female, is a real, absolute mix: black/brown brindle with a black mask, long muzzle, shiny long fur with especially crazy long black-and-brown fur on her floppy ears, that kind of sticks out every which way (think Australian Shepherd), medium-sized at 55 lbs (we are now over 70, so this was an attempt to size down), deep thin chest nipping up to a very small middle and longish legs. We did the DNA test, and she’s pit, lab, GSD, boxer, collie, border collie, and chow–with about 16 percent “supermutt” meaning “who knows.”
She kind of reminded me of a dog we had growing up, so there is that.
I imagine I can see ALL of these breeds in her (the chow is a bit hard, but she has black gums). She is actually quite beautiful; high energy and with such a good temperament–she loves all people, including children. I adore her. I don’t know who could have let this wonderful-natured girl go stray at 12 months, but I’m glad they have the “Northern transport” to our snow-country rescue groups.
Jane Craig says
ps–You don’t need to post this, but it occurred to me that one might wonder about older people adopting young dogs.
I wanted to mention two things since we’re 72 and 71 and she’s now almost 3: my husband is athletic, but we still pay for extra exercise for our high-energy girl–a play group with several dogs run by a family she’s crazy about, out on two fenced acres, 3-5 days per week, as well as for walks with another family who’ve grown very attached to her. Young families need the extra income and Pip loves kids.
Also we’ve provided for Pippin in our wills; financially, and with a very willing and suitable young family.
Julie Rice says
I respond to many different types of dogs but definitely to an open, soft, unwinking gaze (cue Burt Bacharach’s The Look of Love here). Growing up we had a German Shorthaired Pointer who traveled all over the world with us and then a Viszla but as a young adult I saw a female red Doberman at a dog show and she made such a huge impression that my next 4 dogs were Dobes. The other type I react strongly to are fuzzy faced dogs like terriers. I’m on my 3rd.
Dee says
Both my dogs have been rhodesian ridgebacks. I’m a sucker for a short, single coat. Both have had quite dark eyes. Neither have more than a tiny amount of white.
I’d love a ridgie with white feet or a big white chest, but so far I just take what turns up and is a good match for me.
The dogs we had around home when I was growing up were a real mix of breeds – a GSD, a lab, a curly coat retriever, a GSP, a west highland terrier and from time to time my nana’s mini poodle. I saw a rhodesian ridgeback as a teenager and thought it was the most stunning looking dog I had ever seen.
Although I love the short smooth coat on a dog, the bully breeds just don’t do it for me. I’m not sure why, but I can see why others find them cute, but I do not find them appealing.
Kat says
I grew up with giant dogs, first a Bloodhound, then a pair of Pyrs. I am and probably always will be a sucker for the giants of the canine world. I like rough coats rather than smooth. I love dogs with dramatic markings so of course I have two all white Great Pyrenees. I was actively searching for a 3 or 4 year old Pyr or Pyr mix with dramatic markings when I saw a photo of all white, one year old Falkor Bash and just knew he was my dog. I love independent dogs that think for themselves. I’m very attracted to tri-color dogs and a dog with a white shirt front will get me every time.
Shalea says
One of the first physical things that attracts me to a dog is, amusingly enough, one of the same things that attracts me to a person: a good smile. Beyond that, I’m a little contradictory. I love a terrier-fuzzy face, particularly on a pointy muzzle. I love a gorgeous medium-length coat (border collie or windhound length) with smooth feathers and a plumy tail. Color-wise, I tend to prefer dark glossy colors.
Of course, the two dogs I’ve owned as an adult have both been greyhounds: one black and white cow-spotted and ticked, one mostly black.
Laura says
Yes, personality is important, but I’m unabashed about my belief that it’s *fine, actually* to care what your pets look like and choose (in part) accordingly. Something’s gotta carry you through their first few egregious behavioral outbursts, expensive vet visits, or other thoughts of “what have I done to my nice quiet life” before you’ve had time to develop the relationship!
Talking to my friend who fosters kittens has only reinforced this—we both think calicos, torties, and grey tabbies are particularly beautiful, and orange and brown tabbies leave us totally unmoved, but she hears from people as strongly drawn to some homely little muddy tabby as I was to my gorgeous green-eyed calico the first time I saw her photo. Why try to tell yourself you love the looks of the mini poodle whose white coat seems weirdly translucent when you know your heart flips over for brown dogs with pointy ears and someone else will find that poodle’s funny face the very picture of canine beauty?
And yet, although people have literally stopped their cars in the middle of the street to tell me how beautiful my dog is (she’s—presumably—a red heeler crossed with hound, and is indeed cute as a button) her looks didn’t immediately catch my eye (she’s a foster fail).
Susan Hamilton says
I love soft coated, long-eared dogs and so have chosen, when I’ve been given a choice as an adult, spaniels. I simply adored my two spaniels’ loose, easy gait as they trotted along. I came across a breed description of spaniels as ‘merry’ and that certainly captured their spirit. As a child, we had a beagle X, whose soft brown eyes and soft ears were like catnip to me. But I’ve also lived with a husky-great dane cross, have admired the elegance and litheness of friends’ greyhounds, and now find myself with a mini poodle-cross. Her bright, curious face and soft curls work for me! She has teddy-bear levels of cuteness combined with a confident independence and cleverness that I find entirely fetching.
Charmaine T says
I have always loved scruffy terriers. My current Russell Terrier has big brown eyes and drop ears (one of my favorite characteristics). However, I also have a Spinone Italiano whom I call my “golden-eyed boy.” His eyes are almost human-like with gold irises surrounded by a dark circle.
Pam Kramer says
I can’t remember when I actually picked out a dog. They are usually rescues or dogs that we inherited. An 8-year-old Great Pyr we fostered who had never lived with people before – she stayed. Several Dobie rescues, a collie mix we got from a daughter who came to school with me, a lab/golden facility dog. Now I have a pittie mix who was returned after being fostered. She and my East Asian village dog bonded, so she stayed. I love dogs who don’t need grooming. I’m fostering a papillion/cocker (?) 13-year-old mix who needs grooming. He’s adorable, but the time and expense! Give me a short-haired dog any day. And temperament. It’s all about temperament for me. Calm, sweet, gentle.
Tommy Neblett says
I loved this post. I’ve had a sheltie, a chow chow, and most recently a siberian husky. I guess I like long fur and lots of shedding! All three were wonderful, but I loved the wolf-like personality of the husky.
Kathleen says
I have had only West Highland and Scottish Terriers my entire 60+ years.My childhood dog was a Westie.My family choose the breed from books we got from the library for the description of personality and of course it’s looks. The entire family was drawn to the smaller dogs then narrowed it down to terriers then to a Westie. I have never been without at least one Westie since the early70’s.Close to thirty years ago I fell in love with a Scottish Terrier puppy and have had 5 since then.Apparently coat color is not important to me ,nor is the shape of the head .I most certainly do prefer a long harsh coat, short legs,definitely the prick ears and jaunty tails,the dark pigment and eyes and the confident attitude of my breeds.I do admire many bigger long haired dogs yet I have never ever wanted any breeds but two I have had most of my life.WYKYK!
Saralyn says
I love molloser type dogs. Especially when they drop their ears back and give you that “seal face” look. It started with a mast off mix that I hand raised and has continued with my current cane coral who has the temperament of a labrador. I love brindle short coats, and wire coats, as evidenced by the my rough jack Russell terrier. I am also fostering a standard poodle for a year for a service dog organization. This girl is my 3rd standard poodle puppy, however the first two were white, she is black. I think the black dogs take longer to get adopted because they are so hard to photograph. I prefer athletic dogs, hence the corso, and would probably be open to any breed, except the flat faced breeds. I work in the veterinary field and I can no longer support the breeding of dogs who gasp for air just walking.
robin says
I definitely have a preference for fluffy herding dogs: collies, shelties, border collies, aussies. And I love blue-eyed dogs! I like blue heelers’ temperament, but their short coats make them less attractive to me.
Corinne says
I’ve always had black, lab-mix dogs and I love them. My bestest boy Gus who just passed in December was a black, lab/boxer mix with amber eyes. He had the prettiest eyes of any dog I have ever seen, people commented on them often when they would meet him. I don’t like one dark eye and one blue eye for some reason. I don’t mind two blue eyes but not just one! I also prefer short, smooth coats, not wiry or scraggly or requiring a lot of care to keep them neat. I don’t like wavy/whorly hair on guinea pigs either, they have to be smooth!
Liane says
I definitely have a liking for dogs with darker eyes. Also long hair and black fur! Having spaniels I’m quite partial to floppy ears too!
Tamba says
I’m a border collie person, and the preference is more to do with their temperament and intelligence than with their looks… but they definitely also tick the boxes in terms of what I find attractive in dogs. I’d rather have a medium to long haired dog (a Border collie, Irish setter, Golden retriever) than a short haired dog (like a Malinois or Labrador .) And I prefer the morphology/face shape of the herding dogs (German Shepherds, border collies) than the brachycephalic look of a boxer, bulldog or pug.
It’s true that I’d rather have a brown eyed border collie than a yellow or blue eyed one. But I also have a preference for non-pointy ears and very little white marking on the face…. However, my current border collie has erect ears and a big white flash on her face, and I love her to bits. It’s the personality and the bonding that could more than the appearance in the end.
Ida G Boijsen says
It feels like we’ve had every type of dog by now, haha! Throughout the years we have adopted a bull terrier (mainly because she was the happiest dog you’d ever meet), a mutt who looked like a meerkat or a small monkey (obviously why we fell for her) and a podenco mix. The two rescues we have now are nothing alike; one is a black and white chihuahua mix with long fur, and the other is (probably) a collie/amstaff mix. The latter looks very much like a dingo or the “classic mutt”; she has short fur, light brown/tan, and a “healthy build”.
When looking at other dogs I’m very drawn to galgos (Spanish greyhounds) because of their adorable snouts and their calm temper, but also to quite the opposite: small dogs like chihuahuas or more scruffy looking mutts. And I love podencos with beards and massive eyebrows, and not to mention all kinds of bull breeds!
However, the only one of our dogs chosen for their looks was our little monkey mutt. When it comes to choosing dogs in the future, the only thing I know is that I’ll never ever want a dog with long fur – it’s just too much work.
lin says
I grew up with a shepherd mix, so I’ve always been partial to the look of GSDs. On the other side, my husband was bitten on the face by a GSD, so never liked them, even after we got to know a friend’s shepherd, who had one of the best temperaments I’ve ever encountered.
I love petting a dog, so wiry coats were never appealing. Naturally, I now have a wiry dog, and he does get tons of petting (although I still love petting friends’ soft dogs!)
I do find gold or blue eyes inscrutable, unless they’re accompanied by a big smile.
For our next dog we’ll look for size and temperament (I would dearly love a therapy dog) and my husband would like a dog he can take on the boat (B hates water). For everything else, well, never say, “Never.”
Maria says
Hi Trisha,
Loved your photos! You and your husband look very fetching in your parkas. The sheep and their Trojan Tree made me laugh.
Dog looks. A very interesting topic, because there really is a dog-look for every taste, isn’t there? I’m less attached to looks than I am to temperament, truly–if there’s a dog that has a temperament and personality I love, I won’t fuss too much about what she looks like.
So far, I’ve had two Papillons, a Cavalier, a hound mix, and a terrier mix–except for the Paps, they all looked very different from each other, except for the size (around 15-20 lbs., all of them). I love big and medium dogs too, but find owning small (not tiny) dogs very convenient.
But I do have some definite “turn offs” in dog looks:
–flat faces. I loved my Cavalier, but thought his muzzle was way too short. I worried constantly about his eyes getting hurt when he stuck his face somewhere, chasing a good sniff. Flat faces are a danger, and cause dogs so many problems, from eye problems to breathing problems. I like a more “normal” snoot on a dog!
–docked tails. This has kept me from getting other kinds of spaniels, although I love spaniel personalities. And it has kept me from getting the dogs of my heart–a red female Dobie. I need a tail on a dog, and I hate the barbaric fashion of amputating part of the dog’s spine when it’s a puppy. (There! I said something inflammatory, but it’s something I feel strongly about.) Dog tails are things of joy! I love a waggy tail!
–cropped ears. I also have inflammatory feelings about the barbaric practice of cutting off a dog’s ears. Another reason I don’t have the Dobie of my heart. Ears are so expressive! I don’t care if they are pricked, dropped, tulip/rose, or any other configuration–ears are necessary for a good dog face.
–super-wrinkly faces. I don’t like the “look” but I also worry about medical issues from all the wrinkles.
–super drooly, saggy jowls. I’m not a fan of buckets of drool. We had a friend with a bloodhound who always carried a towel around to sop up her dog’s drool. He was a good boy, but so, so messy!
–beards that hold water or drool when the dog eats or drinks. So messy! The look is fine–the function, not so much.
–super saggy lower eyelids that show the red underneath the eye. I hate that “look” and also worry about possible medical issues with the dogs’ eyes. Our friend’s Bassets are sweet doggos, but I don’t find them very cute.
In the more “matters of personal taste” arena:
–I prefer small dogs in the 10-25 lb. range. Tiny dogs smaller than that I’m afraid I might squish. I like medium-sized and large-sized dogs, but smaller dogs are cheaper to feed, cheaper to house, and more convenient to travel with (I like to take our dogs with us wherever we go, and many places don’t allow big dogs).
–I prefer single coats to double coats. The single coat can be longish or short, but single coats are much easier to groom and care for, and I like the look better as well.
My favorite look is a mostly-smooth single coat with a little ruff around the neck, maybe a bit of hair on the legs, and a flag of a tail. So, long hair, but sparse? Long, but not really long?
I don’t like a double coat or wiry or curly coat. Basically, I don’t like to do a lot of involved grooming (or paying for a lot of grooming), and hate vacuuming up tons of dog hair. Our Cavalier *broke* two vacuum cleaners from the sheer volume of hair he produced!
–I don’t care about coat color, coat markings, or eye color. I’ve had brown dogs, black dogs, white dogs, parti-color dogs. All are wonderful. My yearned-for red-female-Dobie was because I’ve fallen in love with the intelligence and temperament of every red female Dobie I’ve ever met, not because that’s a look I especially like. The color, coat, snoot length, and size are all fine–but the lack of ears and tail are not negotiable for me.
Lots of dogs I think are handsome, but are dogs I’d never own–like German Shepherds. Very handsome dogs! But the shedding! eek! that double-coat gets you, even if it’s usually short in Shepherds. (also, so many have health concerns…)
I’d love to see a list of “dogs we think are beautiful but would never own”!
Karie says
Flat faced fluffy dogs! I am on my 3rd Shih Tzu and Misty is tricolor…gold, white and gray. Gorgeous coloring! Super sweet playful temperament. 30 foot lead arrived today so she ran in the snow to her heart’s content!
Cindy Jensen says
As a child staring at the World Book Encyclopedia of dogs, the long haired collie was a favorite. Warm, cozy, and fuzzy, they were a favorite. The German Shepherds and Dobies were more elegant but Lassie on TV, and Lad a Dog, my book, were favorites of mine. After getting shelties as a kid and a collie as my first adult dog and then a Lhasa Apso, I could not handle any more stripping( of their coat) and the constant grooming I did with the dogs. After working at our local Humane Society for several years, we got a doberman puppy through them. My love affair with dobies has remained through our fouth one we got last year. We also had two whippets, (another love affair with elegant dogs), all having dark eyes but short hair. Two English Pointers we had/have, have golden eyes. They seem almost human- like, being lighter, which bothered me at first, but now I love this about them. I rely on my dobies facial expressions, body language and tail wagging to know what she feels as her eyes are so dark they are unreadable. But one thing has remained- no desire to clip a beautiful long haired dog into oblivion and a back at 72 yrs that will not tolerate that! Make what you will of all of this, but loved them all no matter what!
Pam Lemon says
I have always loved big dogs of just about any breed. As a child we had a medium-sized, smooth coated mutt. As an adult I have had a Lab, 3 Greyhounds, a long-haired GSD, and currently have a very large Bull Arab cross. I volunteer at an animal shelter, and encountering a huge variety of dogs has changed my negative feelings towards small dogs, if they have a sweet temperament, but I always gravitate straight to the really big dogs. I don’t like flat faced breeds. I have no coat or eye colour preference, but I’m a sucker for ears. It doesn’t matter what breed, but I love floppy ears, big ears, and especially wonky ears.
Martin N. D. says
Behaviors are a major part of why a dog is cute to me – if they’re friendly and playful, they’re probably cute, though there are some exceptions:
Characteristics associated with pain and suffering (flat faces, bulging eyes, no tails, cropped ears, excessive wrinkles, dropping eyelids, etc.) hurt to look at. It’s like seeing pictures of surgeries. I think it’s because of mirror-neurons, but I don’t know.
Drool tends to disgust me.
There are some things I find extra cute, though. I love dark noses – the darker, the better. I also love soft fur. That said, I’m gaining more and more appreciation for Ria’s coarser fur because it’s so much more practical. It’s middle length and double-coated, yet hardly needs brushing, dries extremely quickly, and never gets burrs in it. I mean, they’ll technically be on her, but they fall off by themselves after she walks a few steps. With my Goldens and my Golden-Spitz-Mix, those same burrs can take up to an hour of painful work to remove. Besides, it’s still pleasant to touch, even if it isn’t as soft (actually, it’s plenty soft if you stroke her, but she strongly prefers scritches, so that’s what she gets).
I also appreciate clear communication, so I prefer dogs with expressive bodies. I don’t mind black faces, floppy ears, extra long fur, curled tail, etc. in and of themselves, but I prefer it when a dog has only a few of those things if any.
But most of the “extra cute” things I can’t pinpoint.
It is funny that you mentioned eyes, however. I almost passed Ria by because I did not like how she looked like in the photos (https://shelta.tasso.net/Hund/467383/RIA is where I first saw her, it’s archived even though I’ve had her for over a year now. If that doesn’t work, see https://www.glücksnäschen-stuttgart.de/gluecklich-vermittelt/?kwm_pf_id=1947&kwm_pf_page=105&kwm_pf_v=details). Something about her face bothered me. Once I enlarged the photos though, I found her adorable. I finally figured out that it was because of her eyes. They are brown, but with three distinct rings: a dark rim, then a fairly light brown and finally a brown that is so dark that it can be hard to distinguish from her pupil, especially in thumbnail. If her pupil was actually that large, her expression would be a bit disturbing. She would have hard eyes, too, and that combination would be troubling enough – but the mismatched body language makes it kind of creepy. As soon as I could see that the dark brown is not actually a black pupil, I found her much cuter. They’re still not the best photos of her, though – and the description, like so many, isn’t quite accurate.
Linda says
I prefer dark eyes in dogs and I prefer the herding breeds. They’ve all been rescues that were mixed breeds–beardie/lab, golden/border, border/lab, smooth collie/St Bernard.
My cats wandered into the farm & were adopted. I adopted one from a rescue because he had been there for 6 months, was 5 years old and had FIV so I figured no one was going to adopt him. He has been a great companion!
All of the cats and dogs had thick, soft fur and all learned hugging was wonderful–as long as it’s a quick one.
Irene Stoller says
As a child I wanted a German Shepherd (too much Rin Tin Tin) but my parents got me a Schnauzer mix for my 12th birthday. A wonderful sized dog for a kid and I loved him even if I still wanted him to turn into a German Shepherd. My first dog as an adult, an Old English, came along with a washing machine. The guy who owned the appliance store had a litter. She was a great dog, even if she did sprinkle when wagging her tale when company came over. The best thing about her was that she was a homebody, not a wanderer, which was good because we lived in the mountains of Colorado. When she passed away we got Snowy, a blue eyed Old English who was truly a dumb dog but beautiful. (After living in Wisconsin I’ve mentioned that Snowy reminded me of Ron Johnson..but with a kind personality). Then I saw One Man and His Dog in Scotland while visiting family there. I found out you could herd in the US and we found our breed. Our first ones were all tri colored and one had 2 blue eyes but now we have 3 black and whites with brown eyes (there have been 11 of them over the last 25 years). No particular intention, just how it happened.
Stella Louis says
Great read. This post reminded me of a similar article I’d read on PetCareRx. Thanks for putting this up.
Sileah says
»I would think that past history would have an important effect on what traits are attractive«
I’m not sure.
As a teenager I really liked long-haired dogs. My aunts’ dogs were all long-haired, and I really liked some of them.
I’m now leaning towards stick-haired dogs. I really like it when you can clearly see the dog’s muscles and silhouette.). I like medium-sized dogs (around 50 to 65 cm) with around 20-35 kilograms. And I pay attention to ears, now I love prick ears.
As a result, I love Shepherds: German, Belgian and Dutch.
Regarding eye color: I love yellow eyes and regret that this is often a point of exclusion from breeding.
Since I often walk dogs in animal shelters, I don’t know whether a different-looking dog won’t win my heart.