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The close relationship between dogs and humans has reached the point where, according to World Population Review, 30% of families in the world have a dog. This connection has led to greater and greater progress in understanding the behavior of these animals.
Thus, science has not been spared from asking questions The relationship between the breed of these animals and the way they developed Behaviorally.
Traditionally, it is attributed to a strong and fierce attitude Dogs are adapted to hunting and herding; In addition to the more aloof and reserved behavior of animals that are more accustomed to life at home.
However, these stereotypes are often debated due to the evidence supported by those who live with these animals. It's not strange for someone to think they have itA pitbull that acts like a chihuahua.
This idea can be supported by job From a group of researchers, in an emerging branch of neuroscience, as reviewed by Harvard University, who consider that canine personality It is not determined by race, but by a combination of genetic factors associated with brain development.
Erin Hecht, an assistant professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, researches canine personality through the Dog Brains Project, which is trying to advance the emerging field of “Canine Neuroscience.”
Hecht and his team perform and perform MRIs on the brains of approximately 100 dogs a year It surveys dog owners to compare skull shape, body size and breed With the ability of dogs to hunt, protect the home, or herd.
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According to Hecht, modern dogs have a larger neocortex, which helps them have improved cognition, reasoning ability and motor function. This makes them possessive Behaviors are more flexible and make it easier for them to adapt to new environments.
“About 80% of the dogs living on the planet today are what are known as village dogs. They are free-ranging animals that live as a reward for humans. They live in human society, but they are not pets.“, according to the author.
In addition, Hecht's team linked differences in personality and ability in dogs to six different parts of the brain: areas that control motivation and cognition. Reward, smell, taste, spatial navigation, and communication Social coordination, fight or flight, smell and vision.
More than the breed itself, behavior is influenced by the shape and size of a dog's head. For example, the Hecht lab discovered that larger dogs had larger neocortex than smaller ones, which led to… Greater willingness to train and less anxiety.
This is what the world confirms. This is especially true for on-the-job skills and trainingBecause these results do not necessarily mean that dogs have a certain brain constitution They are predetermined to behave in a certain way.
“Training is almost always necessary. “I have yet to hear of any breed of working dog, in particular, that was born knowing what to do,” Hecht says.
