Most of us have been told that we’ve got a doppelganger - one out of the billions of people walking the earth that looks exactly the way we do. What are the chances, realistically speaking, of it being true?

According to research by Australian Scientists, finding a pair of matching faces is nearly impossible (excluding identical twins who have the same DNA). Sure, you might have matching hazel-brown eyes, the same pointy nose or a few similar facial features, but studies show that the chances of seeing your twin casually strolling the streets are one in a trillion. The slight possibility, however, is spine-shivering. Ancient Egyptians believed that an encounter with one’s double is a bad omen and that meeting two of your doubles meant death. Whoa!

What if you met your dog double? Would you touch noses or roll over, belly up? Maybe you already have. If you have a dog, you might be surprised to discover that he or she does, in fact, look like you.

Why doggie doubles?

 We sometimes choose pups with similar facial traits and personalities without even knowing it. Dr Kate Adams from Bondi Veterinary Clinic, Australia, says, “it’s definitely something I’ve noticed in my profession and it can happen on many levels: the blonde with a blonde dog, an anxious owner whose pet is also anxious, or the fit person with an active dog”. American psychology professor and neuropsychological researcher, Stanley Coren, believes the truth may lie in the principal of familiarity, which means we choose what is familiar to us because it’s likeable and safe. This explains why people like to see movies from their childhood – it’s familiar and comforting

Psychologists also believe that we may subconsciously choose a partner who looks like us because their genes are compatible with our own. Thanks to this imprinting, it’s possible that we prefer anything that looks a little like us because we secretly love our own looks.

The Studies: DOGGLE-gangers

Michael Roy, a psychologist from the University of California, went to three dog parks. There, he took images of pooches, and of their owners. Afterwards, he asked a group of participants to match the pictures up. The group was given no insights at all.

The Result: By only looking at facial features, the group matched dogs and their humans with reasonable accuracy.

 Coincidence? We think not, since science backs it up.

In another study by Kwanesei Gakuin from a University in Japan, participants also matched pictures of dogs and their humans. Participants “sniffed” out the doubles with surprising accuracy.

The Result: A whopping 8 out of 10 of participants correctly identified the dog/human pairs!

Okay, so now that we’ve got the answer, we want to see if you and your pooch are twins. Even if all you share is a matching hairdo or the same goofy smile. Send us your pic by Instagram Direct Message or upload it to your public Instagram account and tag us @dotsure_pet and we’ll share it with the world. Remember, we can’t see it if your account is set to ‘private’.