Researchers at the University of Cambridge say they have uncovered new clues about the emotional lives of dogs, helping explain why some golden retrievers are more anxious, energetic, or aggressive than others.
In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team reports that several genes linked to canine behavior are also associated with human traits, including anxiety, depression, and intelligence.
Genetic Clues Behind Golden Retriever Personality
To explore the biological foundations of temperament, scientists analyzed DNA from around 1,300 golden retrievers and compared the results with detailed behavioral profiles for each dog. Owners completed extensive questionnaires describing their pets’ typical habits, reactions, and responses to different situations.
The analysis highlighted genetic links to traits such as trainability, activity level, fear of unfamiliar people, and aggression toward other dogs. When the researchers compared the findings in dogs with large-scale human genetic studies, they found that 12 genes associated with behavior in golden retrievers are also connected to emotional traits and behavior in people.
Dr. Eleanor Raffan, who led the study in Cambridge’s Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, said the overlap suggests shared genetic roots influencing behavior across both species, with many of the identified genes affecting emotional states.
One gene, PTPN1, was particularly notable. In golden retrievers, it was linked to aggression toward other dogs, while in humans it has been associated with intelligence and depression.
The team also identified a genetic variant found more often in dogs that are fearful of other dogs. In people, this same variant has been linked to tendencies such as dwelling on embarrassing experiences, as well as educational attainment.
Researchers say the results could help owners better understand why a dog reacts the way it does and encourage training and care that match an individual animal’s emotional needs. Enoch Alex, the study’s first author, noted that some dogs may be genetically predisposed to find the world more stressful, and that stressful experiences can intensify behaviors people may interpret as “bad,” even when the animal is distressed.
Implications for Dog Training and Veterinary Care
The study also connected trainability in golden retrievers with a gene called ROMO1, which in humans has been linked to intelligence and emotional sensitivity. The researchers suggest this supports the idea that learning and training are influenced not only by reinforcement and practice but also by a dog’s emotional state.
The findings may also be relevant to veterinary care. If certain fearful behaviors have a genetic component related to anxiety, that could inform approaches designed to reduce stress and improve welfare.
How Genes Shape Behavior and Emotion
The researchers emphasized that the identified genes do not directly “cause” specific behaviors. Instead, they appear to influence broader biological systems that regulate mood and behavioral responses.
As one example, the team examined “non-social fear,” such as being frightened of buses or vacuum cleaners. They identified a gene associated with this trait in dogs that, in human studies, has been linked to irritability, emotional sensitivity, and anxiety-related complaints.
Dr. Anna Morros-Nuevo, also involved in the research, said that understanding a genetic tendency toward sensitivity and anxiety may help owners respond with more empathy when a dog reacts fearfully to everyday triggers.
Professor Daniel Mills, a specialist in problem animal behavior at the University of Lincoln and a co-author, added that dogs share not only people’s environments but may also share some psychological challenges associated with modern life, making them valuable models for studying certain human psychiatric conditions.
Linking Canine Behavior to DNA
The behavioral data came from golden retrievers aged three to seven enrolled in the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study, a long-running project established in 2012 by the Morris Animal Foundation. Participating owners complete questionnaires covering 73 behaviors, which are grouped into 14 categories to quantify specific traits.
Researchers combined these behavioral measures with blood samples from the dogs. By scanning the full genome, they identified genetic markers that appeared more frequently in animals showing certain behavioral patterns, allowing them to link particular regions of DNA with differences in temperament.
