Current Studies
​In both studies below, studying dog-owner interactions and dogs’ sense of olfaction are a part of a greater interest we have in understanding the dynamics of the dog-human bond and the umwelt of dogs.

Play Time

How owners interact with their dogs and the type of engagement they provide, impact their dog's wellbeing. This study looks at the cognitive and behavioral impacts of the time owners spent with their dogs on dog welfare and stress.

Play Sense

Olfaction is presumed to be a primary sensory modality in dogs and their aptitude for discerning odors applies to dogs across numerous settings. In this study, we will investigate how smells and the way they’re represented affect how dogs perceive their experiences. ​

Ongoing Studies

Circling Behavior

This citizen-science study aims to procure a more well-rounded characterization of the domestic dog’s environmental exploration and sensitivity—particularly in the context of sleep. This is done by observing the effects of different substrates, preference in spatial orientation, and directionality with regards to limb dominance in dog circling behavior.

Cross-modal Visual-Olfactory Correspondences

This citizen-science study strives to determine if dogs are subjected to cross-modal correspondences that are similarly observed in humans in their perception of food. Specifically, this study examines the interaction of vision (color and size) and olfaction in two odor intensity-discrimination tasks.

Interspecific Play Behaviors

This citizen-science study explores the self-handicapping behavior and signals of interspecific play behavior in domestic cats and dogs. This is done in hopes of characterizing and understanding the social interactions between animals of different size, species, and methods of communication. ​