Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School are studying how the dog genome has changed as dogs evolved from wolves to beloved companions and work partners. If researchers can understand how genetic changes can lead to behavior differences—even for normal behaviors—they will have new insight into psychiatric and neurological diseases in dogs and people. The Darwin’s Dogs project combines new DNA sequencing technology, which provides genetic information from each dog, with new analysis methods that can control for diverse ancestry. By including all types of dogs, the goal is to do much larger studies, and home in quickly on the important genes and genetic variants.


That’s where citizen scientists/dog owners come in. Researchers ask each owner 100 questions about their dog’s behavior and personality using short questionnaires on the Darwin’s Dogs site. Owners will also mail a saliva sample from their dog using a kit that the researchers provide. Researchers will study saliva samples from many dogs to look for differences in DNA connected to particular personality traits or behaviors. Results will be shared with participants.



Welcome to Darwin’s Dogs


At Darwin’s Dogs we are following the pawprints of evolution. We want to understand how dog DNA changed as dogs went from living in the wild to being part of our families. Do you have a dog in your family? We need your help!







Telling the tails of your dog’s DNA.

That adorable fluffball snoozing on your couch has a good reason to be sleepy. They are a living recording of thousands and thousands of years of evolution! We want to understand how small changes in DNA created the amazing dogs we live with today.





You have a lab? So do we.

Our lab at the U Mass Medical School uses cutting edge technology to closely examine the DNA of each dog and find differences that correlate with differences in behavior. We can then trace these changes back in time and figure out when and where they first arose.





You taught them to heel,
we’ll help them heal.

You know your dog is fascinating – and we agree! We want to understand better how minds work – and why sometimes things go wrong. Dogs have already helped us find genes involved in narcolepsy, epilepsy, and obsessive compulsive disorder. With your help, we will be able to do much, much more.