Abstract
Canine behaviours that are both desirable and undesirable to owners have a demonstrable genetic component. Some behaviours are breed-specific, such as the livestock guarding by maremmas and flank sucking seen in Dobermanns. While the identification of genes responsible for common canine diseases is rapidly advancing, those genes underlying behaviours remain elusive. The challenges of accurately defining and measuring behavioural phenotypes remain an obstacle, and the use of variable phenotyping methods has prevented meta-analysis of behavioural studies. International standardised testing protocols and terminology in canine behavioural evaluations should facilitate selection against behavioural disorders in the modern dog and optimise breeding success and performance in working dogs. This review examines the common hurdles faced by researchers of behavioural genetics and the current state of knowledge.
Highlights
In the space of 30,000 years, dogs have moved from camp-side scavengers to being considered ‘man’s best friend’
This review examines the common hurdles faced by researchers of behavioural genetics and the current state of knowledge
While domestic dogs retain many of the behavioural vestiges of their wolf ancestors, both their morphology and behaviour have been greatly altered by artificial selection
Summary
In the space of 30,000 years, dogs have moved from camp-side scavengers to being considered ‘man’s best friend’. Such programmes could include standardised temperament evaluation tests in addition to screening for important canine health traits, such as hip and elbow dysplasia This would almost certainly be of enormous value in enabling breeders to produce companion and working dogs most suited to their purpose and potentially lead to a reduction in fear-based behaviours. The involvement of serotonin 2A receptors in different canine behavioural disorders has been recently evaluated [94,95] Anxious dogs in these studies were shown to have a decreased binding index of 5-HT2A in their right frontal cortex while there was an increased binding index in dogs showing impulsive aggression. This modest amount of success speaks to the underlying genetic complexity of such disorders in all species
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