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Why do most dogs have dark eyes? New research explains this phenomenon.
Scientists argue that humans may be responsible for the eye color of domesticated dogs. The dark and brown shades are believed to appear less threatening. Hence, in the past, when intervening in dog evolution, this shade was selected.
When we look into dogs’ eyes, we usually see a warm and brown iris. Of course, there are breeds that are exceptions to this rule. These include the Siberian Husky, Australian Shepherd, Border Collie, Dalmatian, Weimaraner, and Catahoula Leopard Dog.
Dogs’ Eye Color
A recent study published in the ‘Royal Society Open Science’ suggests that the eye color of our four-legged companions is largely influenced by humans. Researchers argue that people intuitively select dogs with darker pupils because they appear less threatening and more friendly.
The study was led by a team under the direction of Professor Akitsugu Konno, a behaviorist from Teikyo University of Science in Japan. Alongside colleagues, they selected photos of 33 breeds of dogs (both small and large). The researchers edited the photographs to lighten or darken the animals’ eyes, providing each dog with two different eye color versions.
