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

  • BoldTake [e/em/eir, comrade/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    This x:10000-com:. Don’t trust dogs you don’t know. They can be exceptional companions, but they need people willing to train/ raise / socialism them.

      • BoldTake [e/em/eir, comrade/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        For real though. People fixating on pitbulls (which aren’t even an actual breed of dogs), ignores the reality that all dogs (especially large ones) require a lot of training and attention.

        Dog breed bans don’t really work, especially in the US, and are mostly used as a tool for housing discrimination against marginalized groups.