SUNDAY, March 15, 2026 (NewsDay News) – Dogs and their people are more alike than you might expect.
Research on golden retrievers has identified genetic markers that explain why some pooches are more aggressive, anxious or aggressive than others — and that these genes play a role in anxiety. depression and intelligence in humans.
“The findings are really surprising,” said the study leader Dr. Eleanor Raffan Cambridge University in the United Kingdom “They provide strong evidence that humans and golden retrievers share the genetic roots of their behavior.”
Research – in publication Collections of the National Academy – He is believed to be the first to show that genes associated with dog behavior are also associated with human traits.
Understanding these connections could improve veterinary training and care and help pet parents better understand their pets’ reactions, the researchers said.
For the study, Raffan’s team compared the DNA of 1,300 golden retrievers with owners’ descriptions of their dogs’ habits and reactions.
In total, pet parents answered questions related to 73 different behaviors. The researchers grouped them into 14 categories that helped them measure specific behavioral traits.
The analysis identified specific genes linked to traits such as fear of strangers, aggressive behavior towards other dogs, agility and activity level.
In total, 12 genes associated with golden behavior were also associated with emotional and behavioral traits in humans.
In particular, a gene called ROMO1 stood out. It is related to intelligence and emotional sensitivity in humans and to learning in golden retrievers.
The researchers said this link means that training a dog may involve more than just reinforcing desired behaviors. How easily a dog learns can affect its emotional state.
Notably, a gene called PTPN1 has been linked to aggression towards other dogs. In humans, the same gene is associated with depression and intelligence.
Another variant of the gene was found in golden retrievers that are afraid of other dogs. The same variation in people plays a role in whether they are fond of embarrassing events or achieve high academic achievement.
The researchers said the findings could help dog owners tailor their training or care to the specific needs of their pets.
“These results suggest that genetics regulate the behavior that makes some dogs more prone to stress,” said the first author. Enoch Alexa Cambridge scholar. “If their life experiences exacerbate this condition, they may behave in ways that we understand as bad behavior when they are really upset.”
The genes they identified do not directly cause specific emotions or behaviors, the researchers said. Instead, they affect larger systems involved in emotional responses and behavior.
For example, dogs that are afraid of things like vacuum cleaners may have a gene that causes emotional sensitivity, nervousness, and “going to the doctor for nerves or” in humans. anxiety“said the researchers.
“If your golden retriever runs behind the couch every time the doorbell rings, maybe you’ll have some sympathy if you know they’re genetically sensitive and anxious,” he said. Anna Morros – NewPhD candidate who was part of the research.
The dogs studied are part of the 3- to 7-year-old group that participates Golden Retriever Lifetime Trainingwhich started in 2012.
More information
The ASPCA has more information on the basics aggression in dogs.
Source: University of Cambridge, news release, March 7, 2026
What does this mean for you?
Your dog may not just be behaving badly – how he reacts to the world has a genetic basis, just like you do.
