Hunting For the Genes That Influence Dog Behavior

Darwin's Dogs

Ironically, it was Elinor Karlsson’s successful discovery of a gene responsible for compulsive behavior in dogs that made her realize she was going to have to completely redesign her research. Karlsson was on the hunt for genes affecting canine behavior, and her study of flank-sucking Doberman Pinschers had led to publication in a high-profile journal—a researcher’s bread and butter. Her discovery of a gene influential in the development of this behavioral disorder was a substantial step forward for the field of canine behavioral genetics.