Labradors finally have an excuse for hoovering their food

It’s the excuse every pet has been looking for. And finally one breed can actually explain away their complete and utter obsession with food. And it all comes down to a gene all dogs have...

It turns out the Labrador, well known for it’s love of eating (aka hoovering), actually has a faulty gene that means the signal for hunger never gets turned off. The gene, called POMC, is present in all breeds but doesn’t express itself properly in Labradors. It also means a full and unreserved apology for every Labrador owner that’s ever looked on in confusion when I’ve told them that doggy diet plan just hasn’t worked!

But there is an upside to this never ending hunger. Dogs with this faulty gene tend to make better assistance dogs as their motivation to learn in return for a food reward is so strong.

So those ‘hungry eyes’ aren’t just real, but they also belong to some of the most caring, compassionate and generous dogs around...