Genetics of Canine Behavior
ACTA VET. BRNO 2007, 76: 431-444; doi:10.2754/avb200776030431 Review article Genetics of Canine Behavior K.A. HOUPT American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, Animal Behavior Clinic, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA Received February 6, 2007 Accepted June 5, 2007 Abstract Houpt K.A.: Genetics of Canine Behavior. Acta Vet. Brno 2007, 76: 431-444. Canine behavioral genetics is a rapidly moving area of research. In this review, breed differences in behavior are emphasized. Dog professionals’ opinions of the various breeds on many behavior traits reveal factors such as reactivity, aggression, ease of training and immaturity. Heritability of various behaviors – hunting ability, playfulness, and aggression to people and other dogs – has been calculated. The neurotransmitters believed to be involved in aggression are discussed. The gene for aggression remains elusive, but identifi cation of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with breed-specifi c behavior traits are leading us in the right direction. The unique syndrome of aggression found in English Springer Spaniels may be a model for detecting the gene involved. Dog aggression, heritability, temperament Behavior is a result of nature (genetics) and nurture (learning or experience). We shall review the history of canine behavioral genetics and explore the latest fi ndings. The publication of the canine genome allows us to make some inferences (Kirkness et al. 2003). Foxes One of the most thorough studies of canid behavioral genetics deals with foxes, not dogs. Selection for a tame and for an aggressive strain of silver foxes over 30 years by Dmitry Belyaev and Lyudmila Trut resulted in large differences in behavior and in morphology (Trut et al.
[Show full text]