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Your dog’s behavior probably isn’t due to its breed, according to a large-scale genetic analysis. The findings suggest that stereotypes with certain breeds have little basis. Kathleen Morrill at the University of Massachusetts and her colleagues studied the DNA of more than 2000 dogs using a genome-wide analysis. The team wanted to determine if any common genetic could be linked to behaviors typically associated with particular dog types. In other words, could genetics explain why Rottweilers often seem so aggressive or why Border collies are thought of as sociable? The researchers combined this analysis with survey responses from the owners of more than 18,000 dogs, mostly from the US, who had been asked to the behaviour of their pets. After collecting all this information, the team focused their analysis on the differences between pure-bred and cross-bred dogs.