Link to the paper in Science: Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes.
Environment and socialization remain the largest determining factor.
Unsurprisingly, most stereotypes about dog breeds are pseudoscience that come from the eugenics movement. In particular, “popular knowledge” around pitbulls and bulldogs is just thinly veiled racism.
interview on the study from the verge: https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23043508/dog-breed-behavior-genetics-study-stereotypes
The research did find some genes associated with traits like human sociability and howling frequency. But overall, only around 9 percent of dog behavior was explained by breed.
“Dogs are individuals,” said Marjie Alonso, a study author and executive director of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. “What a dog looks like is not really going to tell you what the dog acts like.”
Edit: modern “purebred” breeding literally came from eugenicists, that’s why this old political cartoon even exists. Documentary on pedigree dogs and their many issues: https://vimeo.com/166015460
:morshupls:
The bazinga is off the charts in this one.
look up the history of where the dog breeds you care so much about came from :)
the study speaks to this. it is present, but extremely limited. clearest example was hounds barking more and border collies being a bit more proficient at learning commands.
You posted a science article to c/science. It's not "bazinga" to criticize shitty (or in this case, poorly messaged) scientific research in a science comm.
You and I both know that the main use of this study in discourse will be over pitbulls, whether they exhibit breed specific aggression and attack behavior (latching, etc.), and whether they overall pose a danger to own as a pet.
Interesting you shift to pitbulls. That topic has been covered in other threads. Pitbulls are fine and the fear around them is largely based in racism.
example on how connected "dog breeds" and eugenics are:
https://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2008/12/eugenics-man-at-kennel-club.html
This seems like an American or western specific issue, 52 countries worldwide have dog breed specific bans/laws, and even more counties have further restrictions. Countries outside of the west can implement bans on dog breeds without being racist. It seems that the west has become so mind fucked that they try to ban dog breeds mostly owned by minority groups and/or POC in an attempt to do segregation. Which is just something else. Sounds similar to how voter ID laws are actually racist in the US because of the way the system is.
I know that Shanghai and Beijing ban most large dog breeds, including pitbulls. I know certain cities in sub Saharan Africa, like Gaborone, ban what they think are dangerous dogs. Then there's countries like Tunisia that straight up have country wide bans on dogs like pit bulls and boerboels. I don't think these areas have pit bull bans for racist reasons.