Survival of the cutest

New research shows that how we value the “cuteness” of our pet dogs could influence a breed’s survival, variation and overall evolutionary pattern.

The University of Manchester released a new study today that compared the skull shapes of domestic dogs with those of different species across the order Carnivora, to which dogs, cats, bears, weasels, seals and walruses belong.

Researchers found that the skull shapes of domestic dogs varied as much as other species across the whole order. In other words, a Collie’s skull shape is as different from a Pekingese’s skull as a cat’s skull shape is distinct from a seal’s skull.