Belgian shepherds dogs Malinois. (Oppo Photography on Shutterstock)
Orange, California – For centuries, the police stations preferred German shepherds, research and elegance teams relied on blood sounds, and the Belgian Malinois military units trained. We have long believed that these strains were specially developed for excellence in their functions, thanks to the unique shapes of the skull that strengthened their capabilities. But new research indicates that we were wrong all the time.
A new study published in Science progress 3D skull shapes are analyzed from 117 Canids, including 40 local dog strains and 18 types of wolves and foxes. The amazing result? Despite centuries of selective education that created dogs ranging from small Chihuahua to the great Danish, there is little evidence that these skull differences make breeds better in their traditional functions.
Lindsay and the paths, an assistant professor in biological science at the University of Chapman, explains in A “statement.” We assumed that these dogs seem different because they are structurally specialized in these tasks, but our study shows that, at least for their skulls, is not specialized in the tasks that It involves the skull, such as biting tasks and work. “
The search team used advanced scanning technology to create detailed 3D models of dog skulls from the museum collections. They set main points on each skull – such as the length of the latitude, the jaw structure, and the cranial lineage – and compared these measurements across the breeds. What they found the challenges of many common beliefs about working dogs.
“I was surprised by the general similarity that we see in most dog skulls,” the main author Nicholas Hebron, who has completed the work as a later researcher at the University of Chapmann. “Humans have made a lot of reproduction work to change the visual appearance of these animals that I expected frankly to see really noticeable groups of what I haven’t seen much.”
When researchers specifically looked at the strains used to discover the smell or protection actions, they did not find any distinct adjustments in the skull that would give these dogs an advantage, although the smell strains showed some contrast in a limited range. They calculated the bite force compartments for different types of skulls and did not find any statistically significant differences between the strains used historically in the work of a bite and other strains of similar size.
This research directly challenges myths about some breeds more dangerous than others. “There are many news stories about dogs that attack people badly and often there are specific strains that are goals for this report,” Waldrop notes. “Some people claim that these dogs will bite more strongly than other dogs of the same size, or they have special features such as” jaws lock “that make them particularly dangerous for people. Our study shows that this is simply incorrect.
The only strains that have been truly different were those that contain a very short sling, such as clay and blog. These strains with a flat face contain skull shapes, unlike any wild boxes, indicating that these features came from human preferences instead of functional needs.
These results indicate that successful working dogs are not born with specialized equipment. Instead, it was conducted through training, mood and design. While we raised dogs to look significantly different from each other, their skull structures are still amazing. For institutions that choose working dogs, this means that the ideal filter may not come in the package you expect.
Paper summary
The collapse of the methodology
To analyze the dog skull shapes, the researchers used the main photography approach. The main method of tomography (CT)-the 3D X-rays mainly included-of 107 skulls. They completed this with surface tests of 10 additional samples. All skulls came from the museum collections, representing a wide range of strains and wild species.
After creating detailed digital models for each skull, the researchers have identified 41 specific points that can be constantly measured in all samples. These points captured main features such as Snout length, brain box shape and jaw structure. Then statistical analysis revealed how these features varied through different types and types.
The main results
The analysis revealed that most of the variation in the dog skull shapes focus on two main features: the length of the hook and the determination of the main skull structures such as the bone edge at the top of the head and the cheekbones. While breeds show a great diversity in these features, most of them combine together in similar patterns, regardless of their traditional functions or the classification of the group of breeds.
When researchers specifically examined the strains used in the smell work (such as detection or tracking) and a bite (such as protection or guard duties), they did not find any special adaptations that would enhance these capabilities. They even measured the potential of the sting power for each type of skull and did not find statistically significant differences between the strains used historically in the work of the sting and those that were raised for other purposes.
Study restrictions
Despite the comprehensive, the study focused only on the skull structure and did not examine other material features that may affect performance. In addition, researchers usually analyzed one sample for each breed, although previous research has shown that individual strains maintain consistent skull shapes. The study also did not address how to compensate for behavioral features or training for any structural restrictions.
Discussion and fast food
These results indicate that successful working dogs are likely to exceed due to factors that exceed the shape of the skull – especially their behavior, mood and training. This has important effects on the working dog programs. Instead of reducing candidates’ gatherings on traditional work strains based on supposed physical advantages, organizations may benefit from looking at a wide range of strains and more focus on behavioral features and training.
The research also helps to dispel harmful myths about some breeds that have special organic capabilities or dangerous jaw structures. This can teach discussions on the legislation of the dynasty and public safety policies.
Finance and disclosure
This research received support from the US Department of Defense Research Office. The researchers announced any competitive interests that may affect their results or conclusions.
Publishing information
“The skull of dogs formed the challenges of assumptions of performance from selective education” Science progress On January 29, 2025, the research team included Nicholas Hibdon, Alexa Ortega, Alexander Orlov and his colleagues from Chapman University and Duke University.