Journal of Animal Breeding and Genomics (J Anim Breed Genom)
Jin Hyung Kim1, Eunjin Cho2, Minjun Kim3, Kun Ho Song4, Dongwon Seo5*, Jun Heon Lee1,2,3*
1Department of Bio-big data, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
2Department of Bio-AI Convergence, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
3Department of Animal Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
4College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
5Research Institute TNT Research Company, Jeonju 54810, Korea
Correspondence to Jun Heon Lee, E-mail: junheon@cnu.ac.kr
Volume 8, Number 4, Pages 97-105, December 2024.
Journal of Animal Breeding and Genomics 2024, 8(4), 97-105. https://doi.org/10.12972/jabng.20240402
Received on 20 September, 2024, Revised on 24 October, 2024, Accepted on 19 November, 2024, Published on 31 December, 2024.
Copyright © 2024 Korean Society of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0).
The pet industry in Korea is rapidly growing with social changes such as an increase in single-person households and an aging population. As ownership of companion animals increases, problems related to dog behavior, especially aggression, become more prominent. Based on recent research, this paper comprehensively analyzed the methods to assess the behavioral characteristics of canines and the roles of genes and hormones influencing dog behavior. In particular, the effects of genes (DRD4, OXTR, SLC6A4, HTR1A, HTR1B, and HTR2A) and hormones (Testosterone, Cortisol, and Oxytocin) were examined. The genetic study confirmed that these genes are associated with various behavioral characteristics such as aggression, impulsiveness, and social interaction. Hormone research investigated the effects of testosterone, oxytocin, and cortisol such as aggression, social interaction, and stress relief. This study provides important basic data for understanding problems related to dog behavior. Furthermore, the current study will aid in developing programs to correct aggressive canine behaviors through genetic markers. It is anticipated that future research on canine behavior in Korea will advance substantially, ultimately making a notable impact on effectively addressing behavioral issues in dogs.
Dog, Canine behavior test, Gene, Genetic marker, Hormone
This research was funded by the Rural Development Administration, South Korea (grant number RS-2023-00231965)
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article is reported.
American Kennel Club. (2024). https://www.akc.org/. (2024.09.12).
Bence M, Marx P, Szantai E, Kubinyi E, Ronai Z, Banlaki Z. 2016. Lessons from the canine Oxtr gene: populations, variants and functional aspects. Genes, Brain and Behavior 16: 427-438.
[DOI][PubMed]
Benjamin J, Li L, Patterson C, Greenberg BD, Murphy DL, Hamer DH. 1996. Population and familial association between the D4 dopamine receptor gene and measures of novelty seeking. Nature Genetics 12: 81-84.
[DOI][PubMed]
Borud LJ, Friedman DW. 2000. Dog bites in New York city. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 106: 987-990.
[DOI][PubMed]
Cimarelli G, Viranyi Z, Turcsan B, Ronai Z, Sasvari-Szekely M, Banlaki Z. 2017. Social Behavior of Pet Dogs Is Associated with Peripheral OXTR Methylation. Frontiers Psychology 8: 549.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Cone RD,Mountjoy KG. 1993. Molecular genetics of the ACTH and melanocyte-stimulating
[DOI][PubMed]
hormone receptors. Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism 4: 242-247.
[DOI][PubMed]
C-BARQ. (2003). https://vetapps.vet.upenn.edu/cbarq/about.cfm. (2024.09.12).
Daniels DM, Ritzi RB, O’Neil J. 2009. Analysis of nonfatal dog bites in children. Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery 66: S17-S22.
[DOI][PubMed]
Ebstein RP, Novick O, Umansky R, Priel B, Osher Y, Blaine D, Bennett ER, Nemanov L, Katz M, Belmaker RH. 1996. Dopamine D4 receptor (D4DR) exon III polymorphism associated with the human personality trait of novelty seeking. Nature Genetics 12: 78-80.
[DOI][PubMed]
Galac S, Knol B. 1997. Fear-motivated aggression in dogs: patient characteristics, diagnosis and therapy. Animal Welfare 6: 9-15.
[DOI]
George EM, Rosvall KA. 2022. Bidirectional relationships between testosterone and aggression: a critical analysis of four predictions. Integrative and Comparative Biology 62: 474-486.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Hejjas K, Vas J, Topal J, Szantai E, Ronai Z, Székely A, Kubinyi E, Horváth Z, Sasvari‐Szekely
M,Miklosi A. 2007. Association of polymorphisms in the dopamine D4 receptor gene and the activity‐impulsivity endophenotype in dogs. Animal Genetics 38: 629-33.
[DOI][PubMed]
Hori Y, Kishi H, Inoue-Murayama M, Fujita K. 2013. Dopamine receptor D4 gene (DRD4) is associated with gazing toward humans in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). Scientific Research. DOI:10.4236/ojas.2013.31008
[DOI]
Hsu Y, Serpell JA. 2003. Development and validation of a questionnaire for measuring behavior and temperament traits in pet dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 223: 1293-1300.
[DOI][PubMed]
Ilska J, Haskell MJ, Blott SC, Sánchez-Molano E, Polgar Z, Lofgren SE, Clements DN, Wiener P. 2017. Genetic characterization of dog personality traits. Genetics 206: 1101-11.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Inoue‐Murayama M. 2009. Genetic polymorphism as a background of animal behavior. Animal Science Journal 80: 113-120.
[DOI][PubMed]
Ji RL, Jiang SS, Tao YX. 2022. Modulation of Canine Melanocortin-3 and -4 Receptors by Melanocortin-2 Receptor Accessory Protein 1 and 2. Biomolecules 12: 1608. DOI:10.3390/biom12111608.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
KBFB (KB Financial Group). 2023. 2023 Korea Pet Report. KBFG, Seoul, Korea. [in Korean]
Kim MJ, Chae JS, Kim KJ, Hwang SG, Yoon KW, Kim EK, Yun HJ, Cho JH, Kim J, Kim BW. 2007. Negative regulation of SEK1 signaling by serum‐and glucocorticoid‐inducible protein kinase 1. The EMBO Journal 26: 3075-3085.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Kirsch P, Esslinger C, Chen Q, Mier D, Lis S, Siddhanti S, Gruppe H, Mattay VS, Gallhofer B, Meyer-Lindenberg A. 2005. Oxytocin modulates neural circuitry for social cognition and fear in humans. Journal of Neuroscience 25: 11489-11493.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Kis A, Bence M, Lakatos G, Pergel E, Turcsán B, Pluijmakers J, Vas J, Elek Z, Brúder I,Földi L. 2014. Oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms are associated with human directed social behavior in dogs (Canis familiaris). PloS one 9: e83993.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Kleszcz A, Cholewińska P, Front G, Pacoń J, Bodkowski R, Janczak M, Dorobisz T. 2022. Review on selected aggression causes and the role of neurocognitive science in the diagnosis. Animals 12: 281.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Konno A, Inoue-Murayama M, Yabuta S, Tonoike A, Nagasawa M, Mogi K, Kikusui T. 2018. Effect of canine oxytocin receptor gene polymorphism on the successful training of drug detection dogs. Journal of Heredity 109: 566-572.
[DOI][PubMed]
Kovacs K, Kis A, Pogany A, Koller D, Topal J. 2016. Differential effects of oxytocin on social sensitivity in two distinct breeds of dogs (Canis familiaris). Psychoneuroendocrinology 74: 212-220.
[DOI][PubMed]
Korean Kennel Club. (2024). https://kkc.or.kr/main/main.html. (2024.09.12).
Lancaster K, Goldbeck L, Pournajafi-Nazarloo H, Connelly JJ, Carter CS, Morris JP. 2017. The Role of Endogenous Oxytocin in Anxiolysis: Structural and Functional Correlates. Biol Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience Neuroimaging 3: 618-625.
[DOI][PubMed]
Lee H-J, Macbeth AH, Pagani JH, Young 3rd WS. 2009. Oxytocin: the great facilitator of life. Progress in Neurobiology 88: 127-151.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Lesch KP, Merschdorf U. 2000. Impulsivity, aggression, and serotonin: a molecular psychobiological perspective. Behavioral Sciences & The Law 18: 581-604.
[DOI]
MacLean EL, Snyder-Mackler N, VonHoldt BM,Serpell JA. 2019. Highly heritable and
functionally relevant breed differences in dog behaviour. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 286: 20190716. DOI:10.1098/rspb.2019.0716
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
McGreevy PD, Wilson B, Starling MJ, Serpell JA. 2018. Behavioural risks in male dogs with minimal lifetime exposure to gonadal hormones may complicate population-control benefits of desexing. PloS one 13: e0196284.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Morrill K, Hekman J, Li X, McClure J, Logan B, Goodman L, Gao M, Dong Y, Alonso
M,Carmichael E. 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Niimi Y, Inoue-Muramaya M, Muramaya Y, Iwiasaki T. 1999. Allelic variation of the D4 dopamine receptor polymorphic region in two dog breeds, Golden retriever and Shiba. Journal of Veterinary Medical Science 61: 1281-1286.
[DOI][PubMed]
Niimi Y, Inoue-Murayama M, Kato K, Matsuura N, Murayama Y, Ito S, Momoi Y, Konno K, Iwasaki T. 2001. Breed differences in allele frequency of the dopamine receptor D4 gene in dogs. Journal of Heredity 92: 433-435.
[DOI][PubMed]
NFA (National Fire Agency). 2021. Status of 119 Emergency Transport for Dog Bite Incidents. NFA, Sejong, Korea. [in Korean]
Park H-A, Kim Y-G, Yuk K-C, Joo Y-Y, Choi Y-S, Hwang S-G. 2023. Analysis of domestic standards through overseas dog Aggression evaluation analysis. Journal of The Korea Contents Association 23: 565-576.
[DOI]
Persson ME, Trottier AJ, Belteky J, Roth LSV, Jensen P. 2017. Intranasal oxytocin and a polymorphism in the oxytocin receptor gene are associated with human-directed social behavior in golden retriever dogs. Hormones and Behavior 95: 85-93.
[DOI][PubMed]
Popa N, Bachar D, Roberts AC, Santangelo AM, Gascon E. 2022. Region-specific microRNA alterations in marmosets carrying SLC6A4 polymorphisms are associated with anxiety-like behavior. EBioMedicine 82: 104159.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Reisner IR, Mann JJ, Stanley M, Huang Y-y, Houpt KA. 1996. Comparison of cerebrospinal fluid monoamine metabolite levels in dominant-aggressive and non-aggressive dogs. Brain Research 714: 57-64.
[DOI][PubMed]
Rigterink A, Houpt K. 2014. Genetics of canine behavior: A review. World Journal of Medical Genetics 4: 46-57.
[DOI]
Romero T, Nagasawa M, Mogi K, Hasegawa T, Kikusui T. 2014. Oxytocin promotes social bonding in dogs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111: 9085-9090.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Mountjoy KG, Robbins LS, Mortrud MT,Cone RD. 1992. The cloning of a family of genes that encode the melanocortin receptors. Science 257: 1248-1251.
[DOI][PubMed]
Shan S, Xu F, Brenig B. 2021. Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveal Neurological Genes for Dog Herding, Predation, Temperament, and Trainability Traits. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 8: 693290.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Switonski M, Mankowska M, Salamon S. 2013. Family of melanocortin receptor (MCR) genes in mammals mutations, polymorphisms and phenotypic effects. Journal of applied Genetics 54: 461-472.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Tandon D, Ressler K, Petticord D, Papa A, Jiranek J, Wilkinson R, Kartzinel RY, Ostrander EA, Burney N, Borden C. 2019. Homozygosity for mobile element insertions associated with WBSCR17 could predict success in assistance dog training programs. Genes 10: 439.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Thiesen-Moussa D, Hettwer A, Hackbart A. 2018. Der Niedersächsische Wesenstest: Ergebnisse des Testens der Gefährlichkeit von Hunden. Berl Münch Tierärztl Wochenschr.
Tops S, Habel U, Radke S. 2018. Genetic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) and the (clinical) implications for social behavior. Hormones and Behavior 108: 84-93.
[DOI][PubMed]
Våge J, Wade C, Biagi T, Fatjó J, Amat M, Lindblad‐Toh K, Lingaas F. 2010. Association of dopamine‐and serotonin‐related genes with canine aggression. Genes, Brain and Behavior 9: 372-378.
[DOI][PubMed]
Van den Berg L, Kwant L, Hestand MS, Van Oost BA, Leegwater PA. 2005. Structure and variation of three canine genes involved in serotonin binding and transport: the serotonin receptor 1A gene (htr1A), serotonin receptor 2A gene (htr2A), and serotonin transporter gene (slc6A4). Journal of Heredity 96: 786-796.
[DOI][PubMed]
Van den Berg L, Vos-Loohuis M, Schilder M, Van Oost B, Hazewinkel H, Wade C, Karlsson EK, Lindblad-Toh K, Liinamo A, Leegwater P. 2008. Evaluation of the serotonergic genes htr1A, htr1B, htr2A, and slc6A4 in aggressive behavior of golden retriever dogs. Behavior Genetics 38: 55-66.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]
Van Tol HH, Bunzow JR, Guan H-C, Sunahara RK, Seeman P, Niznik HB, Civelli O. 1991. Cloning of the gene for a human dopamine D4 receptor with high affinity for the antipsychotic clozapine. Nature 350: 610-614.
[DOI][PubMed]
Willis-Owen SA, Flint J. 2006. The genetic basis of emotional behaviour in mice. European Journal of Human Genetics 14: 721-728.
[DOI][PubMed]
Wojtaś J, Karpiński M, Czyżowski P. 2020. Salivary cortisol interactions in search and rescue dogs and their handlers. Animals 10: 595.
[DOI][PubMed][PMC]