Image courtesy University of Helsinki and Kaisa Eskola

The University of Helsinki, in partnership with Wisdom Panel™ and others, has recently released a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) entitled “Me and My Dog”. The course takes students on an educational journey through the evolution of dogs as companions to humans, covering their origin, the domestication process and creation of modern breeds with unique genetic makeup, behavior and appearance. Particular emphasis is given to the latest research on dog behavior and personality, their variability across breeds, and the methods used to measure them. 

The course explores dog behavior and the cognitive and environmental factors that influence it. Students learn how genetics, life experiences, and the environment shape a dog's behavior, and how to apply this knowledge to improve their dog's well-being and strengthen their bond with them. The most common problematic behaviors in dogs, their causes, and effective management methods are also covered. 

Students also gain deeper insights into not only their dog’s, but also their own personality and behavior by taking interactive research surveys as a part of the course. They receive personalized reports about their own and their dog’s personality and behavioral traits, which helps them to understand their dog and its unique needs as well as their relationship with them. The reporting also enables comparison of their dog’s behavioral traits to other dogs of the same and other breeds. The collected information ultimately has promise to help improve the physical and mental well-being of both dogs and people.  

The course additionally reviews the essentials of genetic research in dogs, explaining how genetic tests are developed and interpreted based on research findings. The distribution and prevalence of inherited disorders across the dog population is discussed in light of recent insights gained through large-scale screening of disease variants in a diverse study cohort of one million dogs. Examples are used of hereditary diseases in both dogs and humans, and insights into their genetic causes. 

After completing the course, students have the chance to conduct Wisdom Panel’s™ comprehensive MyDogDNA™ genetic test on their own dog. The test provides valuable information about their dog’s genetic predispositions to certain health conditions, as well as information on its hereditary traits such as coat color, coat type and a variety of body features. 

No prior knowledge is required for taking the course. It’s available free of charge through the University of Helsinki MOOC center.