Does the size of your head predict your speed or strength?

Can the size of your head predict your speed or strength? This is something I have never really thought about, but someone else did, at least as to how it pertains to the animal kingdom. In an article I found at Discovery News, Dog Head Size Predicts Strength, Speed by Janet Viegas, the author relates what was reported in the latest issue of the journal "Behavioral Processes".

Just looking at the size, width and basic shape of a dog's head can  inform the viewer about the dog's ability to fight, pull and run.

Brachycephalic, or broad-headed, dogs that participated included American Pit-Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs and Bernese Mountain Dogs. Dolichocephalic, or more narrow-headed, breeds consisted of Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes.

... all of the more broad-headed dogs in the study were able to pull substantially higher weights than their narrow-headed competitors. Other studies indicate dolichocelphalic breeds are faster and more efficient runners than the brachycelphalic dogs.

Just looking at the size, width and basic shape of a dog's head can then inform the viewer about the dog's ability to fight, pull and run.

American Pit Bull Terrier- wide head- strong doggie! Teach him to shot put!

 

 

 

greyhound- narrow head- fast doggie! Keep him on the track!

Other observations from the article:

Conditioning, nutrition, personality and other factors can also affect the health and physical capabilities of an individual.

Phew, there is more to this running stuff than just having a narrow head!

"The narrower (or wider) head is simply a skeletal trait that is an indicator of other skeletal traits,"

Lisa Peterson, a spokesperson for the American Kennel Club, agrees with the study's conclusions."They make total sense, especially as breeders over the years have looked to enhance certain traits, such as speed and endurance," she said. "The same holds true for horses. Race horses do have more narrow-shaped heads versus those of draft horses."

It is sort of an interesting study, I don't know what it means for runners. We do tend to be thin, but I guess it is a warning for us to not to let our heads get too big, as well as to not be so narrow-minded that we start checking out the noggin sizes of our running buddies!