Golden retrievers and humans share ‘striking’ genetic similarities

You probably don’t understand much about your dog’s mood: According to researchers at the University of Cambridge, some genes that influence Golden Retriever behavior are also attributable to human emotions, including intelligence, depression and anxiety.

“The results are really striking,” said Eleanor Raffan, a neuroscience researcher and co-author of a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciencessaid in a statement. “They provide strong evidence that humans and golden retrievers have common genetic roots for their behavior.”

Raffan and his colleagues recently analyzed the genetic codes of 1,300 golden retrievers and compared them to their behavioral traits assessed by an owner questionnaire. From there, the team matched specific genes to traits such as energy levels, shyness, aggression and trainability.

Using similar genetic analysis for humans, Raffan’s team then corroborated 12 genes in golden retrievers that also influence human behavior. For example, the PTPN1 gene associated with a golden retriever’s aggression toward other dogs is linked to depression and intelligence in humans. Another variant related to fear in golden retrievers is related to the anxieties that follow embarrassment to humans.

“These results show that genetics govern behavior, making some dogs predisposed to finding the world stressful,” added study co-author and neuroscientist Enoch Alex. “If their life experiences make this problem worse, they might act in ways that we interpret as bad behavior when in reality they are distressed.”

Potential solutions to some of these training problems also likely lie in the same overlapping genetics. Raffan and Alex showed that the trainability-related gene ROMO1 in golden retrievers is associated with human emotional sensitivity and intelligence. With this in mind, the study authors suggest that training golden retrievers might be more effective when it is linked to emotional elements instead of only rewarding good behavior.

Nonetheless, the team emphasized that genetics does not offer a 1:1 link between specific traits and moods. Instead, they influence broader emotional states and behaviors.

“The dogs in our home not only share our physical environment, but may also share some of the psychological challenges associated with modern life,” said Daniel Mills, an animal behaviorist from the University of Lincoln and co-author of the study. “Our pets can be excellent models of certain human psychiatric conditions associated with emotional disorders.”

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