Whenever life gets a little bit too much, we always tend to eat some comfort food, listen to feel-good music or just look at these adorable pictures of dogs on the Internet.
But have you ever wondered why we love dog photos so much?
Aside from being too cute for this world, there is a scientific reason behind our obsession with dog photos.
According to a psychological study published by The Independent, looking at these adorable pictures can bust stress and put us in an elated mood. It’s because we are visual creatures and our brain is biased towards visual information. These “visual cues,” help us sense if the environment is safe or risky based on the emotional responses (happy or sad) it evokes.
While it’s fun to know about all this “scientific stuff,” it’s also worth noting that our obsession with dog photos also dates back to centuries.
The Museum of English Rural Life, based in Reading, Berkshire, uncovered a book full of dog doodles from way back in 1784. In a series of tweets, the museum mentioned that the book was owned by Richard Beale, a 13-year-old boy from Biddenden, Kent.
Just like the rest of us, Richard used his math book, not for mathematical equations, but for doodling — with his family owned dog being his favourite subject.
We think his family owned this dog, which pops up all over the place. pic.twitter.com/nSHydhpK5o
— The Museum of English Rural Life (@TheMERL) October 6, 2018
He also drew his pet while chasing a rabbit.
Here it is chasing a rabbit with a friend. pic.twitter.com/45b34mQWiE
— The Museum of English Rural Life (@TheMERL) October 6, 2018
Not only that, he also drew an 18th century chicken wearing a pair of trousers.
Richard put an 18th century chicken in some trousers. pic.twitter.com/L57TGCSU16
— The Museum of English Rural Life (@TheMERL) October 6, 2018
It’s interesting to know that even before the Internet was born, humans already had this “obsession” with dogs. And whatever the reason behind it, dogs will always be one of the cutest animals eveeeeeeer!
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