Dog's Breed

Your dog's behavior probably isn't due [blank] its breed, according to a large-scale genetic analysis. The findings suggest that stereotypes associated with certain breeds have little basis. Kathleen Morrill [blank] the University of Massachusetts and her colleagues studied the DNA of more than 2000 dogs using a genome-wide analysis. The team wanted to determine if any common genetic variations could be linked to behaviors typically associated [blank] particular dog types. In other words, could genetics explain why Rottweilers often seem so aggressive or why Border collies are thought of as sociable? The researchers combined this analysis with survey responses from the owners of more than 18,000 dogs, mostly [blank] the US, who had been asked to detail the behaviour of their pets. After collecting all this information, the team focused their analysis on the differences between pure-bred and cross-bred dogs.