'Earning their Ph-Dog': B.C. researchers seek canines for cognition study
Researchers out of the University of British Columbia are looking for participants in a new study — but in order to qualify, they must have four legs and enjoy belly rubs.
In a news release, UBC's Vancouver campus says it has opened a human-animal interaction lab and will soon be inviting dogs and their owners to engage in canine cognition research.
"The goal is to uncover knowledge about why dogs do the things they do and how do we determine the individual differences of specific dogs," says the lab's director Dr. Alexandra (Sasha) Protopopova in the release.
Researchers say investigating dog cognition could help them discover new knowledge that will improve animal shelter practices and therapy dog programs.
"We'll also conduct studies on animal-assisted interventions using trained therapy dogs to benefit the well-being of dogs working in assistance roles, as well as refining methods of using therapy dogs in educational settings for the benefit of both the child and dog," researchers say.
The canine lab has undergone safety inspections by UBC veterinarians and is outfitted with 360-degree cameras, as well as a two-way mirror with an observation room next door.
Dog toys and other homey touches have been added to the space to make the laboratory feel more warm and inviting.
"The comfort of the animal is a priority," says Protopopova. "Our work is completely non-invasive, and we take that very seriously. All research is made to benefit the welfare of animals and the dogs that come in."
Protopopova says while many different studies will take place in the lab, the main goal is to understand the differences in dog cognition, in terms of both breed differences and individual differences.
"We take a behavioural angle to our research and look for differences between dogs on a small-scale level," she says. "For example, we will be looking at how dogs interact with the world and what kinds of differences we might observe in fundamental aspects of their learning, like speed of knowledge acquisition and how quickly or slowly the dog might engage with a new item."
Protopopova says an example of a cognitive experiment they could run involves the "touch" command, where a pooch is taught to touch its nose to the palm of the owner's hand. Researchers then would change the rules by having the dog learn to touch both palms of the owner's hands and then monitor how long it takes the pup to adapt to the new rules.
Researchers add that it won't just be up to the owner on whether or not to participate in the study, but the dog too.
"It’s important for us to ask the dogs if they would like to participate in the same way we would invite children to participate in studies," she says. "While we have consent forms for the owner, we also have assent procedures for the dog as well, just like we would have for children. The dogs are always given the opportunity to engage and re-engage in the experiment. If the dog does not want to go forward, or if we observe any stress signs, we let the owner know and immediately stop the experiment."
All pups are rewarded with a certificate, graduation cap and sash, regardless if they finish or not.
"We like to think of it as earning their Ph-Dog," says Protopopova.
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