Dogs have been selectively bred for thousands of years to have similar facial expressions to HUMANS

With their large, child-like eyes and raised eyebrows, it can be difficult to say no to your dog when they give you the'puppy-dog eyes'. Now, a new study has revealed the precise anatomical features that could explain what makes dogs' faces so appealing. Researchers from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh found that dogs have similar muscles in their faces to humans, allowing them to form facial expressions close to our own. Their findings suggest that these features have been selectively bred by humans over the last 33,000 years, since our ancestors first started breeding wolves. 'Throughout the domestication process, humans may have bred dogs selectively based on facial expressions that were similar to their own, and over time dog muscles could have evolved to become "faster," further benefiting communication between dogs and humans,' said Professor Anne Burrows, senior author of the study.