The canine genome

why all dogs are individuals

All dogs are individuals

When many people look at a dog, they often will take a guess at the dog’s breed or breed mix and then make behavioral assumptions about that dog based on those guesses. 

The assumption that all dogs who look a certain way also behave a certain way is not based in modern science.

We know what the canine genome looks like and there is substantial peer-reviewed research showing that looks, and even breed, do not equal behavior.

Dogs are complex animals influenced by many factors. Those factors include genetics and environment, among other things.

The only real way to learn about a dog’s behavior is looking at their actual, observable behavior.

When we focus on guesses and assumptions instead of actual facts, we end up with:

Download the infographic in English, French, or Spanish.

Our All Dogs Are Individuals infographic summarizes peer-reviewed studies about modern canine behavior science and genetics.

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