Delving into why dogs are so friendly
By James Gorman, New York Times
Tail-wagging, face-licking, jump-in-your-lap friendliness is what dog lovers adore and cat people scorn. But like it or not, the incredible sociability of many — although not all — dogs is universally recognized. It sets dogs apart from their wild relatives.
Even the most socialized, friendly wolf is cold company compared with a Labrador retriever in full face-licking mode.
But what produces this social exuberance? A team of researchers reported in the journal Science Advances that the friendliness of dogs may share a genetic basis with a human disease called Williams-Beuren syndrome.