Dog behaviour has little to do with breed, study finds

There are no end of stereotypes when it comes to canine behavior. Research shows that such traits have less to do with breed.

The Victorian era saw the emergence of modern dog breeds, which are often physically distinct. Breed can predict behavior too.

Researchers say there is little sign that it is the case.

The research showed a huge diversity of behaviours within each breed, according to Dr Elinor Karlsson of the University of Massachusetts Umass Chan medical school, a co-author of the study.

Even if the average is different, you still have a good chance of getting a dog that isn't what people say it is.

Almost half of the 18,385 pet dogs analysed by the US researchers were purebred, with genetic data analysed for 2,155 of them, according to a report in the journal Science.

The survey results suggested 9% of the variation in behavior was explained by breed.

There are some behaviors that are connected to breed more than others, but for the most part, we didn't see strong differences in breeds.

Dog howling was more common among beagles, while pitbulls and retrievers were more friendly with strangers.

There were differences based on dogs' ancestral functions. herding breeds were more biddable.

It is difficult to predict a dog's behavior based on its breed because of the high degree of variability.

The team analysed the behavior of mutts that had different levels of ancestry. Some traits have a stronger genetic component than others.

Labrador retriever ancestry was associated with mutts who had few qualms about getting wet, yet such ancestry appeared to have no link to human sociability.

If Labrador retrievers are more human social, we should see mutts with more Labrador retriever ancestry.

The team's other analyses found human sociability is highly heritable, but the mutt results suggest the genetic variant involved do not appear to be more common in particular breeds. Differences between breeds for this trait may be down to environmental influences or even owners.

A finding that suggests that how aggressive a dog is may have little to do with genetics is one of the things that wasn't found to be heritable.

The study has implications for owners.

They should pay less attention to the stories about their dog's breed ancestry and more attention to the dog sitting in front of them.

Genetics can give insights into populations but often reveal less about individuals according to Daniel Mills, professor of veterinary behavioural medicine at the University of Lincoln.

It was not surprising that genetics played little role in canine aggression.

Potentially risky behaviours are not likely to be controlled by simple genetic mechanisms since animals have to make judgement calls based on the wider environment.

A study published in Scientific Reports showed that different breeds have different life expectancies.

Jack russell terriers have a life expectancy of over 12 years at birth, but flat-faced dogs have shorter lives.

brachycephalic dogs are known to be prone to many health problems due to their extreme physical characteristics.

While the study doesn't prove a direct link between these breeds, the findings of lower life expectancy for flat-faced breeds is concerning.