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Genetics of canine behavior: A review
Amanda Rigterink, Indiana Veterinary Behavior Services, LLC, West Lafayette, IN 47906, United States
Katherine Houpt, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Cornell University, CVM Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401, United States
Author contributions: Rigterink A reviewed domestication and breed differences in behavior; Houpt K reviewed aggression and other behavior abnormalities.
Correspondence to: Katherine Houpt, Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Cornell University, CVM Cornell University, 3065 E Dixon Lake Road, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401, United States. kah3@cornell.edu
Telephone: +1-989-4488083 Fax: +1-989-4488083
Received December 26, 2013; Revised May 20, 2014; Accepted June 10, 2014;
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Abstract
The past decade has seen rapid progress in the field of canid behavioral genetics. The recent advances are summarized in this review. The identification of the genes responsible for tameness in silver foxes is the culmination of a half century of behavioral testing and, more recently, genomic investigation. There is agreement that domestic dogs evolved from wolves, but when and from which population remains controversial. The genetic differences between wolves and dogs identified include those for neurotransmitters and digestion. Breed differences in behavior are well known, but only recently have the genetics underlying these differences been investigated. The genes responsible for flank sucking in Doberman Pinschers and for several other obsessive compulsive problems in other breeds have been identified. Aggression is the least desirable canine trait, and several laboratories have detected differences in neurotransmitters and their receptors between aggressive and non-aggressive dogs. In English Cocker Spaniels, the genes linked to aggressive behavior code for dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate receptors. A dopamine transporter gene has been associated with impulsive behavior in Malinois.
Keywords: Dog, Wolf, Fox, Canine aggression, Dopamine, Serotonin, Canid
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Core tip: This review incorporates the latest findings in the rapidly moving field of canine behavioral genetics. The genes involved in tameness of foxes and in domestication of dogs from wolves are discussed. The genes involved in several obsessive compulsive behaviors such as flank sucking and circling are mentioned. The genetic and physiological differences between aggressive and non-aggressive dogs of various breeds are emphasized.
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Monday 25 May 2015
Finally, we review the current knowledge of the genetic basis of aggressive behavior in dogs.
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