MULTIPLE AND VARIED DESCENDANTS
Owing to the permanent presence of the dog among humans, we were able to start a process of selection that resulted in dogs who were adapted to the functions assigned to them: guarding, hunting, tracking, companionship, etc. Empirical at first, this selection improved over time and resulted in the creation of more than 300 canine breeds, each with distinct physical and behavioral characteristics.
Despite their differences, the Chihuahua, Shar-Pei, German Shepherd, Weimaraner, Afghan Hound, and Great Dane all have a common ancestor. If they wanted, they could mate and have viable offspring, which, if nothing else, would be original!
A DIFFERENT GENOME
Comparing the genomes of wolves and dogs, researchers have discovered that some genes involved in brain development and starch metabolism were modified during domestication. Thus, due to contact with humans, dog has lost his large head (30% less head volume than that of the wolf) and has gained a better ability to digest starch. Just look at the speed with which a dog goes for the leftover pasta!
AT HUMAN SCHOOL
The communication between dogs and their human companions is only slightly similar to the communication that dogs have among themselves. At human school, the dog, without losing his first language, perfected a second one. Over time, this hardworking student learned to communicate better with his teachers, and they have built a wonderful, unique relationship that is based on love, trust, and companionship.
Dogs have learned to read the emotions on human faces.
A study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria, shows that dogs can distinguish between happy and angry facial expressions.
Dogs have learned to decipher finger-pointing gestures.
An experiment conducted to compare the interspecific communication skills of dogs and wolves showed that dogs have greater ability to decipher finger-pointing than wolves do. This proves that the dog’s ability was not inherited from his ancestor but rather was developed while evolving alongside humans.
In the experiment, a dog was given two opaque containers, an empty one and one with food inside it. A person pointing to the food container allowed the dog to find the food more quickly. Dogs trust humans to such an extent that if someone were to point to the wrong container, the dog would choose it—even though his strong sense of smell clearly tells him which container is the food container.
Dogs have learned to ask for help with their eyes.
When a dog is faced with an unsolvable problem—for example, not being able to reach his ball—research has shown that the dog seeks to establish eye contact with a human, as if to ask for help. In contrast, a wolf will instead look at the object of the problem.
Dogs have learned to recognize a human’s attention.
A dog is sensitive to and aware of his owner’s eyes and perceives them as an indication of where his owner’s attention is focused. For example, if you give your dog the cue to lie down while looking at him, he is much more likely to respond correctly than if you are looking at your phone or facing another direction. This behavior is similar to that of a student who ignores the classroom rules when the teacher’s back is turned.
Dogs have learned to recognize the emotions conveyed through voice inflections.
Thanks to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Hungarian researchers have proven that the brains of dogs and humans react in the same way to similar sounds, especially to emotionally charged sounds, such as crying or laughing. Both the dog and the human would have inherited this ability from their common ancestor, who is at least 100 million years old. This shows the richness of the interactions between humans and their dogs.
Dogs have learned to show their affection for humans just by looking at them.
Works published in the American journal Science show a rise in oxytocin (the hormone associated with love, trust, attachment, pleasure, and social connection) in the brains of dogs and their owners when they look into each other’s eyes. However, this is not the case when the dog is replaced by a wolf, even one that is raised by humans. This confirms that the dog did not inherit this trait but developed it during domestication.
This kind of hormonal response also occurs between a mother and child. This explains why, when a woman looks into a puppy’s eyes, she experiences the irresistible urge to take care of him. Dog owners often use the term “my baby” to refer to their dogs, and that finds its full meaning here. If your dog looks at you, it’s not just because he wants a treat but because he loves you.
A Unique Personality
A dog’s personality reflects the way he perceives and reacts to the environment. It mainly develops during the initial months of a dog’s life; nevertheless, it can evolve throughout his life, depending on his experiences. Personality helps explain a dog’s behavior. It depends on the dog’s character traits.
CHARACTER TRAITS
Character traits result from both genes (innate) and environmental factors (acquired). According to some researchers, a dog has five primary character traits, all of which together form his personality.
A COMPLEX FORMULA
A dog’s personality is like a pizza: the dough is the genes, and the toppings, the oven, the cooking time, and the temperature comprise the environmental factors. All pizzas have a common, similar base, yet each one is different.
Personality is the result of a subtle mixture of genes and environmental factors.
Genetic Influence
At birth, a puppy has 39 pairs of chromosomes and approximately 20,000 genes; half of them are inherited from his father and half from his mother. Some of these genes affect brain development, particularly the ability of neurons to interconnect. The impact of these genes on the dog’s personality is undeniable; however, if a dog,