We’re officially a nations of dog owners, with the UK’s most popular pet living in around one-in-three households (and rising).
That means that there are around three million pooches living here, with more people choosing to join the army of dog lovers every week.
If you are looking to welcome a dog into your family, there are 221 different breeds of pedigree dog to choose from, alongside numerous crossbreeds, so there’s plenty of thinking to do before you select your family’s latest addition.
Choosing the right breed is absolutely essential – for example opting for a small dog if you don’t have much room at home, or a hypoallergenic dog if you suffer from allergies.
There’s even academic guidance to seek out, with Psychologist Stanley Coren’s book ‘The Intelligence of Dogs’ ranking breeds by instincts, obedience, and the ability to adapt.
Meanwhile, a new study by experts at pet insurance company Waggel has analysed images of the most popular dog breeds and measured their facial features according to the golden ratio of 1.618—the same mathematical proportion used to assess beauty in human faces.
It came to some interesting conclusions, with the Bichon Frise and Pembroke Welsh Corgi topping the list of most mathematically beautiful dogs.
At the other end of the scale were there 10 breeds - who will always be beautiful to their owners, no matter what the science says.
9. Dachshund
The Dachshund can be tricky to train and strong-willed - something their fan would even be forced to admit - but we've never heard them called anything other than beautiful. Apparently the golden ratio disagrees. | Canva/Getty Images
10. Rottweiler
The bold and loyal Rottweiler completes our list - with its face just not making the cut when it comes to scientific beauty. | Canva/Getty Images