Decoding the genetics of behavior in dogs

By Carol Beuchat PhD

In the decade since the first sequencing of the dog genome, an explosion of research has revealed fascinating things about their evolution from a wolf ancestor to our closest animal companion. 

Of course the traits that brought us together are those that have made them useful for guarding, herding, hunting, companionship, and so much more. The breadth and plasticity of canine morphology and behavior have fascinated scientists for decades, and now with modern genomic tools the hunt is on to discover the genes that make the dog so special.

We have made progress in identifying some of the major genes that define structure, but nailing down the genes for particular behavioral traits has been harder. It's clear that the behavioral complexity that makes dogs so wonderful is a reflection of equally complex genetics that will not be giving up its secrets too easily.

This is a great seminar given by Dr Mark Neff in 2011 in which he describes the search for the genetic basis of specific innate canine behaviors. He uses as an example pointing behavior in sporting dogs to describe the process of identifying which of the 20,000 genes are responsible for this behavior. He shows how the characteristic herding behavior of the Border Collie is genetically "hardwired", and will be exhibited by dogs with  no previous herding experience and even by young puppies. It's a fascinating peek behind the curtain into the scientific process of identifying the genetic basis of canine behavior. 

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You can learn more about the genetics of dogs in ICB's online courses.

Our next course:

The Genetics of Behavior and Performance in Dogs  
Information & Registration
Starts 13 July 2015

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