Canine MRIs sniff out how human preferences shaped dogs’ hallmark traits
Science has spoken: Getting a border collie to stop herding city pigeons or a Doberman pinscher to be more companionable or a springer spaniel to stop flushing prey is going to be a heavy lift for even an expert dog whisperer. On the bright side, even humans who struggle to train their canine companion to leave the upholstery alone will almost certainly not mess up their whippet’s ability to hunt by scent, their miniature schnauzer’s talent for controlling vermin, or their golden retriever’s instinct for living up to its name.
In the first study of its kind, scientists have documented how brain structure varies across dog breeds and corresponds to the specific behaviors each breed is known for, the researchers reported on Monday in the Journal of Neuroscience.
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