Friday, November 13, 2026
Science

Not afraid of ghosts: Curiosity and fearlessness apparent in German shepherd genes

German shepherd dogs bred for working are more curious and less neurotic than German shepherds bred for show. A new study from Uppsala University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has shown that the differences are not only apparent in the dogs' behavior, but also in their genes. I...

Not afraid of ghosts: Curiosity and fearlessness apparent in German shepherd genes
Image: Phys.org
German shepherd dogs bred for working are more curious and less neurotic than German shepherds bred for show. A new study from Uppsala University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has shown that the differences are not only apparent in the dogs' behavior, but also in their genes. In previous studies, similar genes in humans have been associated with neuroticism. The research is published in the journal Animal Genetics.

Originally published at Phys.org

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