Is my dog the way they are because of their breed?
No…. well…. yes.
It’s complicated.
It’s widely accepted knowledge that DNA determines what you look like. The same is true for dogs, of course. The color of their eyes, the length of their hair, the size of their paws. Every tiny physical detail is a combination of the DNA combination they inherit from their parents.
But… does DNA also determine the way someone behaves? I think so.
Look. I’m not a scientist. I love science, behavior, and have long been fascinated by genetics and all things related. I’m not a scientist, but I am a full blown nerd about the topic.
That being said… I am absolutely convinced that our furry friends of the feline variety are genetically wired to yeet whatever they can off of high surfaces. Convinced until someone proves me otherwise.
For dogs and humans alike though… there is a lot of solid science already on the subject, and I’m sure that new details will continue to be discovered with new research.
It is scientifically proven that DNA impacts behavior.
The debate often comes with the amount that DNA impacts behavior. How much of our own behavior (or our dog’s), is influenced by our DNA, instead of the environmental experiences that occur throughout our lives?
Then when you throw the idea that your DNA might be able to change as a result of outside influences…. like the experiences a mother dog has while pregnant with her puppies. There is evidence to suggest that those experiences can alter or “activate” DNA in the body for generations.
It all just becomes even more complicated.
That being said… there is still a lot we don’t know about the impact genetics have on our dogs behavior.
Behavior in dogs who are siblings
Nature vs. nurture… which one is more important? I’m not going to give you a definitive answer on that, because again, I am not a scientist. Science seems to be up in the air on this one anyway.
What I can do is tell you a story… of a litter of orphan puppies I helped raise years ago. They were the tiniest, most adorable puppies. Little chihuahua mixes, who unfortunately lost their mother and had to be hand raised.
To make the burden of puppy raising a bit easier… the litter of puppies was split between multiple homes and caretakers. I had a few of the puppies, while other volunteers raised the other half of the litter.
From the moment I got them at just a few days old, I did handling and socialization exercises with them. Starting with ENS (early neurological stimulation), and then a series of introductions to new surfaces, obstacles, sounds, and experiences as they got older.
By the time they were 9 weeks old they had experienced water, fireworks and thunder sounds, the vacuum cleaner, the household cat, the blow dryer on low, nail trims, navigating obstacles on the floor, car rides, the Starbucks drive through, umbrellas and trash bags being waved around, learning how to navigate stairs, met several (human) neighbors, and dozens of other brand new experiences
Every single day I found something new for them to do, to see, or to experience. We played games with their food, and challenged them to solve problems and overcome small challenges as soon as they could get their feet under them.
My little puppy warriors were brave, confident, enthusiastic, and social. They were chihuahua mixes… but I often joked that they were “miniature labradors”.
This was the experience that put the power of socialization and exposing puppies to novel experiences right in front of my eyes, in a way that was impossible to ignore.
When they were about 2.5 months old, the time came for them to have their big debut…. their first adoption event. Where the rescue showed off all the adoptable dogs and puppies they had… including my little foster puppies.
It was also their first reunion with the other half of the litter, which they had not seen since they were days old.
So the entire litter of puppies were placed into a puppy pen inside the busy brewery so that they could take in all the sights, sounds, and be snuggled by passing people.
There was a dramatic difference in the way the two sets of puppies were behaving. Even though they were all siblings from the same litter.
One half of the litter was sitting in the far corner of the puppy pen, hiding. They were snuggled up in a little pile of puppies, trying to avoid everything around them. They skittered away when visitors reached for them, and acted nervous and unsure. They weren’t exploring much, and when they did, they stretched their entire body out like a rubber band to carefully sniff something… ready to spring back to the safety of their siblings at any moment.
The other half? The half that I had been raising for the last several weeks? They were being absolutely insane. They were grabbing onto leashes hanging off the side of the pen to play tug of war. They were jumping on the sides of the gate to try to say hello to every new person they saw, with their tails wagging furiously. They were wrestling with each other, exploring, and even trying to play with the other puppies. Every time someone picked them up, they licked faces and wiggled excitedly.
The biggest difference I saw in this litter of puppies… is that one half of them was confident, exploring, and optimistic about the world around them.
The other half was suspicious. Cautious. Unsure. They did not feel good. They were incredibly overwhelmed and did not know how to handle the new experience.
It’s important that I say that the nervous half of the litter were not mistreated. They were raised by a wonderful volunteer, who did not limit the amount of love they received. They were cuddled, fed, given toys, and raised with care.
The difference in the results of the socialization that was provided was very apparent in the puppies… and was one of the most obvious examples of how dogs with the same DNA and parents… could act so drastically different based on the nurture side of the coin.
So…. both. Nature (DNA)… and nurture (socialization, experiences, & training) are both important. Dogs with the same DNA can have completely different outcomes based on the things they experience during their most crucial developmental periods (0-16 weeks).
Behavior In Dogs Who are the same breed
So far I think I’ve done a good job convincing you that socialization experiences will drastically alter the behavior of a dog… so where does the DNA influence come in?
Remember… it’s both. Most people in the community believe that both nature and nurture play a role in the eventual adult behavior of a dog.
So now I’m going to mention some patterns that have surfaced over the last 10 years I have worked closely with dogs of all breeds and mixes.
A majority of herding breeds that I have worked with (Cattle Dogs, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, German Shepherds) are intense with their eyes. They target and stare at movement, and usually want to control it. That’s what can makes them so good at sports… and herding. I’m almost always called about them wanting to chase cars, kids, bikes, scooters… and anything else that moves.
Bully breeds (think pit bulls, boxers, and the like), tend to go from 0-100 in arousal level at the drop of a hat. They are some of the most over the top, easily adrenalized dogs I have ever met. They are quick to amp up, and often slow to come down and relax.
Great Pyrenees and other livestock guardian breeds are notorious for wanting to protect their resources. When someone calls me to help train a breed in this group, it’s almost always related to being protective over food, bones, toys, a person, their house, yard, or something else they find valuable.
And German Shepherds. Let’s talk about how they love to talk. They talk about everything!
Siberian Huskies who holler and yell at you.
The list goes on.
Different breeds are known for different things for a reason. These behaviors and quirks are so common in the breed that it’s normal to expect it.
So…. yes. DNA does help determine how your dog behaves. Some breeds are naturally more cautious or more aloof. Some are naturally more social, and some are naturally hard workers who never want to quit whatever job you give them.
Some of that is influenced in the way you raise them. Some of that is influenced by the way their DNA comes together from their parents.
Why I think it’s a good idea To dna test your dog
Because science, of course! The more data scientists collect, the better the science becomes. Not only the breed research, but the genetically related behavior research too. The more samples they have to reference, the better the results.
Because it’s fun. You might gain new insight about your dog that you never thought you would. Realizing how they got their weird beard hairs, or why they have two weird back toes on their feet.
Because you can better prepare to care for their health if you have a bigger picture of the DNA that they inherited. The Embark DNA + Health Test checks for copies of genetically inherited disease risk, so that you can know what your dog might be impacted by. This is how I learned my Shih-Tzu mix was part Australian Shepherd and carries the MDR1 Gene… which impacts what kind of medications he can safely have.
As I always say… with better understanding comes better results. If you want to better understand why your dog is the way that they are… knowing what breed influences they have can help you get a bigger picture of who they are. DNA tests are never 100% accurate, but I test all of my dogs with Embark because of the increased level of research they do compared to other companies.
in conclusion……
Yes. Your dogs DNA does impact the way that they behave. Getting them a DNA test can help you understand them better.
How they are socialized and how they are trained also impacts their behavior. In my opinion, supporting them from all angles is the best way to take a big picture approach to helping our dogs be their best selves and celebrating them for who they are.