This talk will discuss the efforts of the Canine Brains Project at Harvard University to understand the neural mechanisms of behavioral variation in dogs. In one study, we determined that historical selection for skills like hunting and guarding has produced differences in brain networks across breeds that appear to underlie those skills. Breed differences in temperament are also reflected in brain organization. Furthermore, the anatomical differences are evident between ancient and pre-modern dogs versus modern dog breeds like Labrador retrievers and border collies. Modern breeds show enlargement of neocortex, which is involved in learning and behavioral flexibility; cortical measurements predict trainability scores in individual dogs. This suggests that modern dogs have been under selection for increased learning capacity. One important aspect of learning in dogs’ daily lives includes the ability to understand human speech, and a pathway connecting comprehension and vocalization centers predicts the vocabulary size of individual dogs. Together, these findings suggest that neuroscience research can support a deeper understanding of canine behavior.

Sponsor:IAABC Foundation
Speaker(s):Erin Hecht, PhD

Contact:
 Email: questions@iaabcfoundation.org
 Web: https://iaabcfoundation.org/animal-behavior-conference/