Posted on 11/21/2005 6:18:45 PM PST by blam
Only 40 genes separate your pet dog from a wolf
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor
(Filed: 22/11/2005)
The difference between an obedient, friendly dog and a big bad wolf could be down to as few as 40 genes, according to a study into tameness.
The research also found that to adapt to a life on the farm or in the home takes many more changes in gene activity than that required to love humans.
A Swedish team compared two groups of farm-raised silver foxes in Siberia, one where for 40 generations the foxes have been selected for their friendly nature, while the other was raised in the farm but not selected for tameness. The comparison was reported yesterday in the journal Current Biology by Dr Elena Jazin and colleagues at Uppsala University, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and the Norwegian University of Life Science.
In the tame foxes, they found surprisingly limited changes in gene activity in the brain compared with the non-selected silver foxes. Foxes have about 25,000 genes.
When compared with wild foxes both groups had 3,000 differences. There were a similar number of differences with dogs revealing that being friendly to humans takes far fewer genetic changes than being domesticated.
Whole Foods is the only grocery company growing at double digits for a reason.
Over time, the wolves that prospered were the ones that got along with humans and that were able to read our intentions. They were brought into the human camp, and then breeding changed them even more.
I had always assumed that wolves were domesticated when humans nabbed a few pups and started raising them, but some research indicates that that would not have worked, because the wolves had to change first before they would be compatible with people. Who knows, but it's fascinating stuff.
You don't need to fear the "gene splicers" just watch them like a 12 year old boy with a knife, a bike, a magnifying glass, and a boring afternoon. The insulin that anyone has been using since the eighties is human insulin generated by bacteria that were "gene spliced". I'm not trying to lecture you. It can be good or evil, just like most children they need parental supervision.
I seem to recall a children's book and/or story about that man/wolf relationship. Makes sense.
I love that story! God loves all dogs. And as we all know, "God" spelled backwards, is "dog". ;)
When our elderly black lab was losing her sight, and then lost her hearing, she still came to us when we used hand signals and eventually she just "sensed" our presence and came to us, tail wagging as if she had spotted us a mile away and I swear she could even sense the smiles on our faces, and the "good girl" words we spoke. God bless Niki's soul.
Terriers don't KNOW they're little dogs . . .
My cats are in constant battle with our new pup - and the pup is learning to dodge the kitty claws and swat just like them.
We have more fun watching them fight!
Is it any surprise that conservatives tend to be dog people and libs tend to be cat people? Not from where I sit (with two springers curled at my feet). Life is better with dogs!
How he sees himself:
Count on it.
Excellent advice.
Dogs will "seize the day" largely if they can (the strong 1s) - or if they think they have to (the wimpy dogs). Wimpy sappy owners = cuckolded humans = dangerous dogs.
Those who think dogs're somehow "better" than cats - due to temperament obviously, saying wolves are better too - fool themselves and obviously don't read the papers much.
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Add 100 pounds to your pet dog and he will still think you are the smartest person in the world and will lick your face to prove it.
Add 100 pounds to your cat and it will think you are lunch.
Nice story. My old dog, Ruff, who died last year, was getting very deaf (he could just barely hear you if you shouted as loud as you could in a small room) and slowly going blind, as well. I don't know what I would have done with him if he'd gone completely blind. I've heard of people raising deaf-blind dogs from when they're young, but I imagine it would be very hard on an old dog to get used to. As it was you could startle him really badly by sneaking up on him - apparently dogs' alertness when sleeping is triggered by sound, which he could no longer hear.
Sorry to hear about you losing your dog.
I lost one that was my best friend for 13 years. They are the most loyal friend one can have. I lost her in 2001 and still miss her. I even dream about her a lot.
Thanks for the ping. Good story.
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