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
fuck yes. hell yes. gonna crispr a new dog with 1000 legs. millidog. Also, will contribute to the struggle sesh while I'm here, literally all large dogs should require the same level of licensing + certification as a motorcycle if they're not gonna be banned. If something can kill a kid that quick it's bad news
I grew up with a near 200 lb fila brasileiro/great dane mix. She was incredibly well trained, and because of that I think it should require licensing. I remember just playing around with her when I was younger and I never got hurt because of how well trained she was but damn sometimes you would feel the strength when you got a little rough with like tug of war or whatever, and it was always kinda a quick back-to-reality moment.
100%. You have to go out of your way to teach dogs to be gentle, and with large dogs, that’s a lot easier to do when they’re puppies.