文摘
Background The domestic dog represents an important model for studying the genetics of behavior. In spite of technological advances in genomics and phenomics, the genetic basis of most specific canine behaviors is largely unknown. Some breeds of hunting dogs exhibit a behavioral trait called 鈥減ointing鈥?(a prolonged halt of movement to indicate the position of a game animal). Here, the genomes of pointing dogs (Large Munsterlander and Weimaraner) were compared with those of behaviorally distinct herding dogs (Berger des Pyren茅es and Schapendoes). We assumed (i) that these four dog breeds initially represented inbred populations and (ii) that selective breeding for pointing behavior promotes an enrichment of the genetic trait in a homozygous state.