There are a series of preconceived ideas that associate the behavior of dogs, such as a greater tendency to aggressiveness or, on the contrary, to attachment, affection for humans, or obedience to their masters, with the breed to which they belong , however, a genetic analysis of these animals has found that their personality has been shaped over thousands of years of adaptation and is not directly related to the concept of modern breeds, which differ above all for aesthetic reasons.
The new study, which has been published in Science, has been carried out by scientists from several North American institutions who used genome-wide association studies to search for common genetic variations that could predict behavioral traits in 2,155 purebred and mixed dogs. They then combined data from 18,385 pet owner surveys from Darwin’s Ark, an open-source database of owner-reported canine traits and behaviors.
“For some traits, we found genetic variations that are significantly associated with behavioral differences. The most notable includes a region of DNA linked to howling frequency. It is not within a gene, but rather it is next to another possibly regulator, and that, in the case of humans, if it does not go well, it affects the speech development area in the brain”, explained Kathleen Morrill, main author of the I work at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (USA), in statements to SINC.
Genetics, environment and experience influence canine behavior
In these tests, data from 78 breeds were included and the researchers identified 11 specific chromosome locations strongly associated with behavior, although none of them were specific to breed, and only 9% of the variation in behavior of individuals was linked to it. .
“This study highlights that blanket statements about race that assume it is predictive of individual behavior is a flawed approach.”
These scientists point out that the behaviors perceived as characteristic of modern dog breeds “derive from thousands of years of polygenic adaptation prior to the formation of the breed, and that modern breeds are distinguished primarily by their aesthetic features.” “Most of the behaviors we consider characteristic of modern dog breeds are the result of thousands of years of evolution, from the wolf to the wild dog, through the domestic dog, and finally to modern breeds,” he said. co-author, Elinor Karlsson.
The dogs’ ability to respond to human cues was one of the behaviors most predicted by genetics, although this varied significantly between individual dogs. “We are not referring so much to the training capacity itself, as to the motivation to carry out orders. Docile dogs are internally motivated, that is, eager to please people. On the contrary, those who are more independent may be more externally motivated (through treats or toys), they need you to make it worthwhile for them. Both are traits that can be trained, but more autonomous dogs may need more positive reinforcement, “says Morrill.
This researcher gives as an example a breed that on average seems more independent, such as the Great Pyrenees, which comes from working dogs (which were in charge of taking care of livestock), for which she considers it incorrect to say that they cannot be trained or that they cannot they are intelligent, but they are actually more independent.
“Environment and experience were shown to be a huge component in determining dog behavior. In addition, age was significant for several traits such as toy practices, and sex for only one trait: the ‘raise paw to urinate’ command, but that may be because there aren’t many unneutered or unspayed companion dogs , or specifically in this study”, continues the expert.
Differences were also found between pure and mixed breeds. The mixed-breed dogs had more complex genomes and lower levels of inbreeding than purebred dogs, although that was the expected result. “What is surprising is that both, together, are useful for the genetic mapping of these characteristics. Previously, scientists almost always focused on purebreds, thinking that the DNA of mongrels would be too complicated. New statistical methods and genomic technology have made the latter feasible in studies”, he highlights.
Currently, in some countries there are laws specifically aimed at breeds considered potentially dangerous that include necessary requirements for their possession or restrictions. This no longer happens in Spain, because the Government decided that dogs should be classified according to their behavior, and not their breed. “Although we do not provide any statements on laws directly in this study, it does highlight that general statements about race that assume it is predictive of individual behavior is a flawed approach,” Morrill concluded.
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