Sometimes journalists can be real dogs…
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We were tickled to read recent story in the Daily Telegraph citing a Swedish study which, the paper claims:
found strong evidence that breeding for appearance has led to a decline in intelligence [in dogs].
Intrigued, The Local set about getting in touch with the study’s author, Kenth Svartberg, who, according to the Telegraph, was affiliated with Stockholm University.
But Svartberg wasn’t listed on the school’s personnel roster, although an employee in the biology department told us he had authored a study about dogs back in 2006.
Finally getting in contact with Svartberg, we learned that he no longer works at Stockholm University, but instead operates a dog training business.
He confirmed that the study cited by the Telegraph was published several years ago. What’s more, he was a bit hot under the collar at the way his research had been portrayed.
“The study had nothing to do with intelligence in dogs, per se,” he told The Local.
He claimed the paper had “misrepresented” his findings and suspects it did so in order to contribute to an ongoing debate in the UK about the breeding of so-called “hand-bag” dogs.
So much for journalists being a man’s best friend.
January 29th, 2009 at 4:36 am
I am a dog columnist for El Vocero daily newspaper in San Juan Puerto Rico (USA). Would like to reach the author to do an article. The anti- pure bred eople are circulating this on the internet. Your article is most interesting.