An Oldie But Goodie...Nature versus Nurture

One of my favorite authors, is also one of my favorite speakers and he's a professor at Stanford to boot. His name is Robert M. Sapolsky and if you've never read any of his books, you really should. Particularly, if you have an interest in behavioral evolution. His books are not overly science-y, but they do include research amid fascinating anecdotes as he is a fan of using humor to keep his readers engaged.  I loved "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" and "A Primate's Memoir: A Neuroscientist's Unconventional Life Among the Baboons."

His new book coming out in May is titled, "Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst." This time around, he is trying to help us better understand our own contradictory behavior with an eye to aggression and competition. When he addresses genetic influences on behavior he suggests that we, "don't ask what a gene does; ask what it does in a particular context." I found this to be worth thinking about with respect to dogs as well with all this talk about breed-specific legislation. So, the fact that bully breeds were bred initially to be fearless when bull-baiting (thus their genetics) means that was what worked in that context. Now, these breeds are existing in a different context, families and home environments. We need to think about how those genetics have been and can continue to be altered to fit their current situation. It shouldn't be about banning any particular breed, but about selecting out those individual dogs whose disposition, temperament, and behavior don't fit with family life.

As Sapolsky states, "You don't have to choose between being scientific and being compassionate." By using a more scientific approach to the issue of dog aggression and the safety of the general public, we will ultimately be a more compassionate and caring society with dogs whose behavior is adaptive and helps them to thrive in our world, regardless of their breed.