Pedigree is not destiny: new massive study of pet dogs shows interesting facts

It is generally accepted that the character of a dog depends on its breed. This is a long-established opinion among dog lovers.

But a sweeping study comparing the behaviour and ancestry of more than 18,000 dogs finds that although ancestry does affect behaviour, breed has much less to do with a dog’s personality than is generally supposed.

Breeds as we think of them today — distinctive canines such as beagles, pugs and Labradors — are a by-product of more recent evolutionary meddling. According to Nature, breed explained only around 9% of the variation in how a dog behaved.

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