Are you a dog lover? You can’t help it. It’s in your genes.

Until recently, most scientists believed that environmental roles were entirely responsible for whether people liked dogs or not. People who like dogs are typically also those who grow up with dogs. A recent study however, shed light on our love of dogs and how genetics might play a role.

The study used the Swedish Twin Registry, a registry that includes about 85,000 twins, to look at twins that owned dogs. In Sweden, it’s easy to determine who owns dogs and who doesn’t, because all dogs must be registered with the Swedish Board of Agriculture.

Between these two registries, scientists knew that 8,503 people were dog owners. The scientists then used computer models to represent both genetic and environmental differences. The data showed that genetics are actually slightly more likely to play a role in whether you are a dog owner or not, compared to environmental roles.

It’s a very narrow difference. The genetic role is about 51% in men and around 57% in women. Still, it opens a conversation about a lot of things we thought we knew about dog ownership. As an example, many previous studies have linked dog ownership to better heart health in owners, as well as owners being more likely to exercise.

Scientists have theorized that these health benefits come from dogs needing walked, and petting them reducing stress levels. With this new information linking dog ownership to genetics, it’s possible that those who have the genetics to enjoy dog ownership may also have a genetic predisposition for exercise and heart health as well.

More research will need to be done in order to find out more, but in the mean time one thing is likely—if you love dogs, it’s probably in your genes.

https://www.livescience.com/65537-dog-affinity-dna.html