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Indeed. The selection dogs have undergone is not, in the final analysis, artificial. The many breeds of dogs are simply seeking out ecological niches in a com
by Dove 17y ago
Indeed. The selection dogs have undergone is not, in the final analysis, artificial. The many breeds of dogs are simply seeking out ecological niches in a complex fitness landscape which humans partly define.
I'm not even sure the selection process is all that different from nature's. Is an odd feature in a pet striking a fancy all that different from an odd feature in a mate doing so?
- stan_rogers 17y agoIndeed it is -- fixing traits (creating homozygosity) in standard breeds involves intense inbreeding, which also makes normally-recessive and harmful traits much more likely to be expressed than in any natural pattern (inbreeding is normally abhorred by nature). Purebred dogs are far more likely to fall victim to cancers, hip displasia and other ailments that would naturally be selected against.