Study Finds Golden Retrievers and Humans Share Genes for Anxiety and Intelligence
By Jacqueline Garget, University of Cambridge
November 30, 2025
5 Mins Read
The study showed that ‘trainability’ in golden retrievers is associated with a gene, ROMO1, that in humans is linked to intelligence and emotional sensitivity. This means owners should appreciate that there’s an emotional component to training their dogs, in addition to rewarding desired behaviors. Credit: Shutterstock
Researchers have found that the genes linked to certain behavioral traits in golden retrievers, such as trainability and fear of strangers, also influence human personality and mental health.
The work, published on November 24 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first to demonstrate that genes influencing canine behavior are also connected to traits such as anxiety, depression, and intelligence in humans.
To investigate these links, the team examined the genetic data of 1,300 golden retrievers and compared it with detailed behavioral assessments gathered through an extensive owner questionnaire. This comparison identified genes associated with traits like trainability, activity levels, fear of unfamiliar people, and aggression toward other dogs.
When the researchers matched these canine findings with similar data from humans, they found that twelve of the genes present in golden retrievers also play roles in human behavior and emotional characteristics.
“The findings are really striking – they provide strong evidence that humans and golden retrievers have shared genetic roots for their behavior. The genes we identified frequently influence emotional states and behavior in both species,” said Dr. Eleanor Raffan, a researcher in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience who led the study.
More:
https://scitechdaily.com/study-finds-golden-retrievers-and-humans-share-genes-for-anxiety-and-intelligence/
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