Breed has little to do with dog personality and should not be used to inform decisions relating to the selection of a pet dog, new research has found.
According to a study published in the journal Science, breed is a “poor predictor” of individual behaviors, accounting for just 9% of variation in behavior among pups. Whether you’re wanting to adopt a Labrador Retrievers or miniature Dachshunds, dog personality is down to their environment rather than breed.
In order to conduct the research, scientists analyzed the DNA of more than 2,000 mixed and purebred dogs, mapping genes associated with physical and behavioral traits. While the breed does have a slight effect on behavior (Border Collies, for example, are more energetic than others), it is a weak predictor of how any dog will behave.
Some of the behaviors that are not specific to the breed of a dog include:
Sociability towards humans
How often a dog howls
Retrieving objects
Playfulness around other dogs
Whether dogs circle before going to the toilet
Each dog is individual, something which the researchers want owners to remember when considering a new pup.
“Even if the average is different, you’ve still got a really good chance of getting a dog that doesn’t match what people say that breed is supposed to be,” Dr Elinor Karlsson of the University of Massachusetts Umass Chan medical school, told Guardian. “For the most part, we didn’t see strong differences in breeds, but there are some [behaviours] that are connected to breed more than others.”
Photos by R. A. KeartonGetty Images
Elsewhere in the study, researchers found that Pit Bulls were not more aggressive than other dogs, despite their bad reputation. Meanwhile, the team discovered that breeding for appearance is much easier than breeding for behaviour.
“Match what the dog world has told us—that the behavior of these animals is shaped by their environment, not their breed. You shouldn’t shop out of a catalog. Each dog is an individual,” adds Elinor Karlsson, director of vertebrate genomics at the Broad Institute, who oversaw the study.
12 best dog shampoos for dry skin, shedding, odor and more
Groomers Performance Calming Dog Shampoo
groomers amazon.co.uk
£5.95
Does the sound of running water in the bathroom give your dog anxiety? This shampoo uses commonly used aromatherapy scents to help pets relax. It can be used on any breed for a soothing experience, and is enriched with relaxing lavender and mint for a clean, happy, fresh-smelling pet. It’s also a great product for older pets, to help soothe away those aches and pains.
Furminator DE shedding Shampoo
Furminator amazon.co.uk
£11.70
FURminator shampoo and conditioner offer ingredients that help reduce and control excessive shedding.
Using this omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, calendula extract and papaya leaf-infused shampoo once a month will leave your dogs coat looking and feeling as good as new.
Burt’s Bees Tearless 2 in 1 Shampoo and Conditioner for Puppies
Burt’s Bees amazon.co.uk
£14.23
This product works as a shampoo and a conditioner to give you the best of both worlds without compromising on quality. The ultra-gentle, pH-balanced buttermilk and linseed oil formula will clean your dog and leave their coat feeling soft.
Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiparasitic & Antiseborrheic Medicated Dog Shampoo
Veterinary Formula amazon.co.uk
£19.99
The specially formulated shampoo is ideal for combatting issues that go deeper than just a bad hair day. This product will help relieve skin scaling caused by seborrhea and relief mange and parasitic infections.
This medicated dog shampoo works fast to relieve symptoms including inflamed scalp, greasy or waxy skin, red skin rashes, bald spots, itch, and flaky skin associated with seborrhea, mange, and parasitic issues.
Animology Flea and Tick Shampoo For Dogs
animology amazon.co.uk
£6.97
Are you looking to treat your dog for fleas without damaging his coat or skin? This dog shampoo has a gentle pH balanced formula, based on pro-vitamin B5 and tea tree oil, to ensure it is compatible with all skin types.
This tick remover shampoo also helps eliminate ticks and fleas from the thickest coats, while providing a soothing, calming effect on the irritated, bitten skin.
D.Dog Shampoo – Deodorizing
D.dog lookfantastic.com
£19.50
Pamper your pet with the D.Dog Deodorizing Shampoo. The formula works to deeply cleanse hair of impurities, while fighting against unwanted odours.
A pre and probiotic DoggyBiome system offers protection for your dog’s skin and coat, working to minimize excess sebum and the risk of irritation. A natural Stop-Odor Plex helps to remove odors often caused by dirt, smoke and smog, leaving your dog feeling fresh and clean.
Dog Shampoo
Anicura Dog Shampoo only contains natural and naturally derived ingredients. It gently supports sensitive skin and nourishes the coat at the same time. The mild shampoo is especially suitable for dogs with sensitive skin, dry and itchy skin, or flaky and chapped skin.
Curly Coat Dog Shampoo
Curly Coat is a shampoo specifically designed for curly-coated dogs. Enriched with conditioners, oatmeal and shea butter, it helps to remove knots from your dog’s coat and improve overall appearance. It’s 100% vegan.
Dirty Dawg No Rinse Dog Shampoo
Dirty Dawg is a mild no-rinse dog shampoo spray that helps to effectively remove dirt and odor from your dog’s coat. Ideal for use as a ‘spot cleaner’, the spray is great for use on the go or for a quick clean between washes. Simply spray it on your dog’s coat and groom it through.
PRIDE & GROOM The Shedder Shampoo for pets
PRIDE u0026 GROOM selfridges.com
£25.00
Formulated with natural ingredients, this shampoo is designed to soothe your dog’s skin and clean their coat to ensure it remains soft and silky.
Cuddly-Coat Cleansing Spritz
Give your dog’s coat a quick refresh with this no-rinse dog grooming spray. Formulated with chamomile flower extract and glycerin, this freshly-scented formula helps spot clean and deodorize pups on the go.
Baby Powder Dog Shampoo 5L
Pritty Pets amazon.co.uk
£24.99
Is your dog prone to jumping in puddles and rolling in the mud? Maybe it’s about time you invest in an industrial size bottle of shampoo.
This vegan-friendly product comes in a 5L bottle so you will be ready for bath-time at the drop of a hat. Plus, it’s PH balance makes it suitable for all breeds and coat types from Poodles and Cockapoos to Bulldogs and Labs. You can also use this shampoo on puppies over eight weeks.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
we use cookies to optimize our website and our service.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
