Genetic structure and variability of the working dog inferred from microsatellite marker analysis

Working dogs serve as military watch dogs, search dogs, rescue dogs, and guide dogs with un-come-at-able character. They are drafted by in-training examination including concentration, capacity for locomotion, boldness and earthly desires. In this study, genetic diversity and relationships among two groups of working dogs (pass and fail group in-training examination) were assessed based on 15 microsatellite markers in 25 individuals of working dogs (military watch dogs and Korean search dogs). For the 15 microsatellite markers, the values of allelic richness ( A R ) ranged from 2.21 (pass group) to 1.60 (fail group) in military watch dogs, while A R ranged from 2.79 (pass group) to 2.72 (fail group) in Korean search dogs. Among 52 different alleles of military watch dogs, 22 alleles were detected in pass group only, while 8 alleles in fail group only. In case of Korean search dogs, 3 alleles were observed in pass group only, while 13 alleles in fail group only. These group-specific unique alleles reflect good biomarker for selecting working dogs (military watch dogs and Korean search dogs), indicating that those group specific microsatellite alleles could separate working dogs to be pass or fail group in out-training dog population. Taken together, this study demonstrates the feasibility of microsatellite analyses for the selection of superior working dogs objectively. Furthermore, this approach could be used for the proper selection of working dogs in combination with in-training examination.