Come. Sit. Stay. Read.
Given how alpha-dominant dogs have become over beta-subservient humans in the last 15,000 or more years, it probably shouldn’t shock anyone that two-legged scientists invest so much research in the furry, four-legged rulers of so many households. Because dogs invest so much time eating and sleeping whenever and wherever they please before leading obedient humans for regular walks with plastic bags in hand, they have not paid much attention to canine research. Why bother, right? The chow comes anyway.
But it might be useful for creatures who think they own dogs to be aware of two important new studies. One explores why dogs are the way they are, and another examines why people think dogs resemble them.
The first, by researchers at Seattle’s Hutchinson Cancer Center, analyzed DNA from 414 dogs in 85 breeds, almost all human creations. They sought clues to genetic disease links, easiest to track in purebreds. But the results also showed surprising gene groupings among dogs. For instance, huskies and malamutes, those powerful descendants of wolves, are more closely related to Pekingese, Shih Tzus and Lhasa apsos than to German shepherds, which are bulldog cousins.
Compulsive herders included, as expected, collies and sheepdogs but, genetically, greyhounds fell in there too. Some breeds, such as pharaoh hounds and black-faced Norwegian elkhounds, were believed to be ancient lines but actually were bred centuries after the Vikings and pharaohs retired.
The other study, led by Nicholas Christenfeld of UC San Diego, examined whether dogs and owners come to look alike. They (the humans) asked strangers to match pictures of dogs with their people. That proved much more difficult than popular myth attests. People have rudimentary stereotypes about the type of dog someone would have. Like most stereotypes, they’re often wrong, unless the dog is purebred with predictable adult characteristics. Evidence indicated friendly-looking people did seem to own and be associated with friendly-looking dogs. Another observation: Women with long hair saw floppy-eared dogs as more friendly and attractive than those with pointed ears.
“Results suggest,” the study notes, “that when people pick a pet, they seek one that, at some level, resembles them, and when they get a purebred, they get what they want.” By the way, Christenfeld and his shelter mutt, Alex, are both very friendly, even around children. Their ears differ greatly, however, and only one of them has a doctorate.
