In fact, these common genetic traits may help explain why dogs and humans took up together some 14,000 years ago. Relating dogs to human genomeThe researchers focused on chromosome 6 in both dogs and humans. Princeton's Emily Shuldiner, the study's other lead co-author, first pinpointed the commonalities in the genetic architecture of Williams-Beuren syndrome and canine tameness back in 2010. But what we do know is that individuals with Williams-Beuren syndrome, they tend to have deletions in that area," Udell said. "It's a real combination of humans choosing the friendlier dogs and the friendlier dogs choosing humans," Udell said.

Source: CBC News July 22, 2017 09:00 UTC