Genetics and Behaviour

Genetics is a fascinating topic in the animal world because we are discovering more and more how they play a part in animal's behaviour.

Do you know what breeds of animals are in your pet? DNA Tests can be done quickly and show incredible insight into the behaviours your animal may display.

Did you know that a female dog or cat can be mated by different males and produce other breeds in the same litter?

Do you know what lines your pure-bred animal has come from? Did their parents have jobs, or were they from show lines - was their great-great-grandfather a cattle dog from down the road who jumped the fence when no one was looking?

Some Border collies may be more driven, pushy, and outgoing if they come from parent dogs working in stockyards. This can be different to a Collie that stays more aloof and round up things from a distance because they may have come from Paddock dogs who are bred to keep their distance from stock.

Studies have been done over the years that have demonstrated that by creating a breed, we can have that animal show consistent predispositions towards specific behavioural patterns.

Dalmations were bred initially to trot with carriages as guard dogs. Some dogs preferred being at the front wheels, some preferred being at the back, and some went under the centre of the carriage.

The study showed that when dogs that preferred the back wheels were bred to other back wheel dogs, the resulting pups were naturally predisposed to going to the rear wheels of the carriage.

Even if they were swapped into a litter of front wheel dogs and trained with other front wheel dogs when given the freedom to choose, the back wheel dogs reverted to the rear wheel position.

This shows that genetic predispositions can trump learned behaviours.

This means that sometimes we struggle a little if we try to force an animal to do something different from what it was bred to do.

This is why we help people with breed selection to match them with the right dog. We are not saying you have to get a Pure bred pet. However, suppose you're looking at mixed-breed animals. In that case, it's wise to consider what has gone into that animal's make-up if you can find out before adoption or purchase because it may not be ideal for your needs.

If you want a dog to chill out on the couch with you 24/7 and only need one walk a week, then ideally, a Husky bred to run 50km a day in the snow will not enjoy that lifestyle. Look for a greyhound. They like a 15 min zoom session and are happy to chill out with their family and they shed just as much :)