Questions

Different dogs have their own distinct personalities and cognitive abilities. But how do these affect their real world behavior as they make decisions and interact with others? How do dogs' hormonal responses and microbiome composition correspond to their behavior? I created the Centre County Canine Cognition (C4) Project to answer these questions.

Methods

This research took place at Tudek Dog Park in State College, PA. I observed dogs' behavior in the dog park as they interacted with other dogs and people. The dog owners filled out surveys about their dogs' personality traits. The dogs also participated in a series of fun cognitive games to reveal how they think and solve problems. Finally, I collected saliva, hair, and fecal samples from the dogs to analyze their cortisol levels and microbiome composition. Data collection for this project has now been completed. Findings were presented in my dissertation and are now being readied for publication.

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Upcoming Publications

A comparison of dog cognitive tasks, owner perceptions, and observations in a dog park. Dissertation chapter being prepared to be submitted for publication.

Rethinking cortisol as a measure of stress in dogs: insights from salivary and hair samples. Dissertation chapter being prepared to be submitted for publication.

Microbial correlates of domestication and stress physiology in domestic dogs. Dissertation chapter being prepared to be submitted for publication.

Collaborators

Nancy Dreschel

Brian Hare

Laura Weyrich

Aashish Jha

Bridgett vonHoldt

This research was made possible by the support of Centre Region Parks & Recreation and Ferguson Township. Funding came from the Hill Fellowship and the Center for Human Evolution and Diversity.