Every breed of dog, from the muscular Rottweiler to the loveable French Bulldog, holds a special place in the hearts of countless devoted dog enthusiasts. After all, we’re all suckers for an adorable pup. But it’s safe to say some of our canine companions seem just a little more aesthetically blessed than others.
We know looks aren’t everything when it comes to falling in love with our four-legged friends. What really matters are a dog’s loyalty, playfulness, and unconditional love. However, it’s still interesting to consider the most classically beautiful breeds. So, we turned to the golden ratio.
The golden ratio is approximately 1.62 and is believed to create aesthetically pleasing proportions. It appears repeatedly in nature, such as in seashells and trees, and has been incorporated into many famous art pieces, like Dali’s The Sacrament of the Last Supper.
We applied this ratio to the faces of some of the most popular dog breeds in the US. We measured ratios between features like the eyes, nose, mouth, and overall head shape to give each one a number. The closer this aligned with the golden ratio of 1.62, the more beautiful the dog is based on this mathematical concept of ideal proportions.
The Catahoula Leopard Dog claims the number one spot with a perfect 1.62 golden ratio score. These striking dogs with an athletic build can be found in a vivid blend of merle, brindle, and solid-colored patterns. Their floppy ears and short coats round out their distinctive appearance, while their intelligent and loyal personalities ensure that anyone who meets them risks falling instantly in love.
Nipping at the heels of the Catahoula is the Alaskan Malamute with a 1.61 ratio, just 0.01 under the ideal. These Arctic sled dogs are born for ice-cold temperatures and have thick double coats, pointed ears, and well-plumed tails. Their appearance closely resembles that of a wolf, while their personalities are more playful and affectionate.
The German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP), at 1.64, takes the third spot. This versatile hunting breed is just 0.02 over the ideal golden ratio and has a short, smooth coat that may be liver or black in color, with or without white that creates stylish patches, ticking or roaning. GSPs are perfect for anyone who wants a canine companion that is always up for vigorous exercise like running and even swimming.
There are 13 US states with official state dogs. While some opt for broader categories, such as “adoptable dog” in Georgia or “working dog” in New York, others have designated a specific breed.
But which of these are the most beautiful according to the golden ratio?
As the most beautiful breed overall, it’s no surprise that the Catahoula Leopard Dog is also the most beautiful state dog. First bred in Louisiana and used for hunting game and herding livestock, this breed has been beloved within the Bayou State for centuries.
The Alaskan Malamute and the Great Dane complete the top three. The latter breed was originally bred to be a boar hunter, but the dogs gradually became better suited over time to being watchdogs and have made great companions ever since.
We created a seed list of 25 of the best-known dog breeds in the US from the American Kennel Club. Alongside this list of popular breeds, we also made a list of the 13 official state dogs (only noting those breeds that were not on the list of the 25 best-known dog breeds).
We then measured these dogs’ facial features using face-on images. As we were only concerned with ratios, the difference in size between images did not impact the overall result.
We took measurements for the following features before running the numbers through a golden ratio calculator to get the ratio score for each dog breed:
With this ratio score, we determined the difference between each breed’s score and the golden ratio of 1.62, ranking each dog breed on how close their ratio score is to the ideal.
The golden ratio is a mathematical concept with a value of 1.62. It is used to judge beauty as many people find this unique ratio pattern, based on the famous Fibonacci sequence, visually pleasing and ideally proportioned.
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