A dog's personality isn't determined by their breed

A dog's personality isn't determined by their breed

Researchers found breed explained only around 9% of the variation in how a dog behaved (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)While the team found ancestry can affect behaviour to an extent, it’s much less than many might think.

The Surprising Secret to Getting More Eyes On Your Ads

The Surprising Secret to Getting More Eyes On Your Ads

Researchers also found that the same exposure to dogs and cats can make people more risk-averse if that's what the advertiser is trying to accomplish.

Small pets at risk of heatstroke as temperatures rise, study finds

Small pets at risk of heatstroke as temperatures rise, study finds

The researchers say their findings highlight the need for better public awareness of heatstroke and the risk to all animals, and that cases will continue to rise with warmer weather because of the climate emergency.

Deluge of dog pee and poo harming nature reserves, study suggests

Deluge of dog pee and poo harming nature reserves, study suggests

The researchers estimated the illegal levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in situations where dogs must be kept on leads and can only stray 2 metres either side of a path.

Dogs may be able to tell difference between speech patterns, study finds

Dogs may be able to tell difference between speech patterns, study finds

Researchers – who arranged for headphone-wearing dogs to listen to excerpts from The Little Prince, a novella – revealed the brains of our canine companions can tell the difference between speech and non-speech when listening to human voices and show different responses to speech in an unfamiliar language.

The real ‘dog n bone’: New invention lets dogs video call their owners

The real ‘dog n bone’: New invention lets dogs video call their owners

While Zack made some ‘accidental’ calls when he slept on the ball, researchers said several of the calls involved the dog showing his owner his toys and approaching the screen, suggesting he wanted to interact with her.

Is getting a cat or dog bad for the planet?

Is getting a cat or dog bad for the planet?

Dry pet food production emits 106 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, more than countries such as Mozambique and the Philippines, according to a 2020 study by researchers at the University of Edinburgh.

UK has almost 250,000 urban stray cats, claims first detailed study

UK has almost 250,000 urban stray cats, claims first detailed study

In the first study of its kind, researchers have calculated there are nearly a quarter of a million stray cats living in urban areas of the UK – or an average of 9.3 a square kilometre.

Gadgets for cats and dogs: 6 best wearable pet tech and innovative toys

Gadgets for cats and dogs: 6 best wearable pet tech and innovative toys

It comes from a three-year study conducted by Mars Petcare veterinarians, researchers and scientists, who studied more than 5,000 videos from 2,500 dogs submitted by owners (more than 11 million days of pets playing), to understand what various behaviour changes – and eventual vet appointments – added up to.

Can your pup remember their toys’ names? They might be a genius like these dogs

Can your pup remember their toys’ names? They might be a genius like these dogs

In the study, the researchers wanted to push the limits of their talent, so they challenged the owners to teach their dogs the names of six and then 12 new toys, for one week.

When our intentions really go to the dogs

When our intentions really go to the dogs

Your article (Paws for thought: dogs may be able to figure out human intentions, 1 September ) was interesting, although like most dog owners, I smile at some of the efforts of scientific researchers to find out what we know already.

Study: Pets help your child sleep better at night!

Study: Pets help your child sleep better at night!

Researchers at Concordia's Pediatric Public Health Psychology Lab (PPHP) found that the sleep quality of children sharing beds with their pets is much better than the ones who sleep alone.Sharing their bed with a pet brings positivity and sound sleep to children at night.

The UK’s most popular dog and cat breeds during lockdown - Revealed

The UK’s most popular dog and cat breeds during lockdown - Revealed

The UK’s most popular dog and cat breeds during lockdown - Revealed.(Image: Getty)The researchers also revealed the most popular dog breeds and the names most commonly assigned for each:.The most popular names for British Shorthair cats was also Luna.

You can teach an old dog new words, researchers find

You can teach an old dog new words, researchers find

Now researchers say they’ve found some dogs are indeed able to learn the names of new objects, and rapidly – and that this occurs through play.“It is similar to the situation [by] which human children learn words, but we don’t know if the mechanism [in the brain] is the same,” said Dr Claudia Fugazza of Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary , an author of the new study.

Dogs' brains can only learn a few words, scientists confirm

Dogs' brains can only learn a few words, scientists confirm

Researchers measuring brain activity with non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) on awake dogs to find out how they learn words.(Credits: Vivien Reicher / SWNS)A dog’s brain cannot tell the difference between similar sounding words such as dog and dig, according to a new study.

Dogs are humankind’s oldest companions, DNA research shows

Dogs are humankind’s oldest companions, DNA research shows

Lead author Anders Bergstrom, a post-doctoral researcher in the Ancient Genomics laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute, said: ‘The dog is the oldest domesticated animal and has a very long relationship with humans.

Interactive: see how your favourite dog breeds are related to each other

Interactive: see how your favourite dog breeds are related to each other

Photograph: Phil Crowder/Alamy This created a messy, intertwined relationship between different dog types, with the details of a breed’s origin sometimes recorded only in oral history.The German shepherd shares DNA with Italian dog breeds, including the cane paratore, according to researchers.

Your dog may love you, but doesn't love the sight of your face, study finds

Your dog may love you, but doesn't love the sight of your face, study finds

Both dogs and humans, however, do have a brain region that sparks when a member of the same species comes into view.“Faces are central to human visual communication … and human brains are also specialized for faces,” study co-author Attila Andics, an animal behavior researcher at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, said in an email.

Coronavirus: Millions of wild animals imported to UK from hot spots of emerging disease, risking new pandemics, study warns

Coronavirus: Millions of wild animals imported to UK from hot spots of emerging disease, risking new pandemics, study warns

Millions of live wild animals are being legally imported into the UK from hot spots of emerging diseases , risking the spread of lethal viruses , researchers have discovered.

Track your furry friend's fitness levels

Track your furry friend's fitness levels

Masks made with common household fabrics help prevent the spread of viruses like Covid-19 as researchers have found that they are considerably effective at blocking droplets similar to those that may be released by speaking, coughing and sneezing, even as a single layer.

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