[ExI] genetics

[spike at rainier66.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of
BillK via extropy-chat


>...The internet knows everything.   Dobermans don't have the retriever
instinct that Labrador Retrievers or  Golden Retrievers have.
Dobermans were bred as guard dogs, not for retrieving shot game birds.
Dobermans can be trained to play fetch, but it has to be a job to be learned
and can take a while for them to understand what you want them to do. They
are smart dogs, though, but it demonstrates the difference between
instinctive behavior and learning for work tasks.

BillK
_______________________________________________


Ja.  All three dobies loved to chase squirrels, but only one of the three
could ever catch them.  He would devour them if he managed to catch.

If I saw a squirrel before the dogs, I would point it at.  Two of the dogs
would sit and look at my hand pointing, but never figured out to look out
that way.  I could snap and jab my finger toward the squirrel, look out that
way, make it clear I wanted something (go get him you stupid hound!) but two
of the three would just look at me, look at my snapping pointing hand,
completely puzzled.  The third dog would look the direction I pointed.  If I
told her GO she would run that way, looking around, even if she hadn't seen
the squirrel.

We all thought that was the smartest dog of the three, but it depends on the
test.  She was the one would loved people the most, and could open doors.
She was the best at interacting with her peoples.  

This is all a good lesson for those of us who think about IQ tests.  The
outcome really does depend on what you are measuring.

spike