I do believe dogs choose their owners when they have the opportunity to. My first Beardie, Merlin, picked me out. I had actually planned to take home one of his brothers, who was a pick-of-the-litter fawn, but the little blue boy insisted that I take him instead. Most of my other dogs have been rescues or rehomes, and I believe they were just the right dogs at the right times. We would have picked one another anyway.

I do agree with Yzabel about dogs having affinities for certain people — they certainly do for other dogs. That could indeed play a part in the “selection” process.