A new study by a research team that included the University of Washington examined the role of genes in dog behavior. Kasper Luijsterburg
Dog breeds tend to have signature traits: Border collies love to herd, greyhounds love to chase, and German shepherds make good guard dogs. There's a reason for that: Traits like these are highly heritable, according to a study of 101 dog breeds that identifies genetic differences in behavior. The study , published Oct. 2 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, points to 131 genetic variants, and offers new evidence to support what scientists have long suspected: that some of the behaviors that help characterize breeds - a drive to chase, for example, or aggression toward strangers - are associated with distinct genetic differences among them. "Dogs present a good model for understanding what portion of the variation in their behavior is attributable to differences in genetics, and how much to their environment and experiences," said Noah Snyder-Mackler , an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington and a co-author of the study. Most dog breed diversity has arisen in the last few centuries. People have bred dogs for their looks, but the bulk of breeding efforts have taken aim at eliciting particular behaviors, said James A. Serpell, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine.
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