Genetic analysis of behaviorial test results in German Shepherd Dogs and Labrador retrievers.
der Waaij EH van, Erik Wilsson, Anna-Elisa Liinamo
8th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, August 13-18, 2006, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil, 2006
Abstract
Over 400 different dog breeds exist in the world, and each of them has been selected according to a number of criteria that make that breed different from others. The result is a large range of sizes and shapes, but differences in temperament and behaviour can also be found between breeds. Studies have revealed that genetic variation exists in a large number of behavioural traits in various dog breeds (e.g. Mackenzie et al., 1986; Wilsson and Sundgren, 1997, Ruefenacht et al., 2002; Strandberg et al., 2005). This could be of great additional value for directional selection in dogs. However, to help making selection decisions also the (genetic) correlations among the behavioural traits are required. These genetic correlations may also help to increase the understanding of the physiological background of the different types of behaviours. The purpose of the present study was to study genetic(co) variation in a number of behavioural traits in German Shepherd Dogs (GS) and Labrador Retrievers (LR), and to discuss possible breed differences.