Dogs on the brain

Several labs are doing research about what dogs might have in mind (and what they might not). Some of the more prominent:

The Canine Cognition Lab at Harvard University, USA, which says “In the Canine Cognition Lab, we run non-invasive behavioral experiments to better understand how your dog solves problems, recognizes patterns of sound, reflects on what is known and unknown, and works out what you, an odd species with only two legs, believes, desires, and intends.”

The Family Dog Project at Eotvos Lorand University, Hungary.

The Clever Dog Lab at the University of Wien, Austria, which says it is “a cheerful place where often gather dogs and their owners with whom you will meet if you visit us. Also the test situations may include meeting unfamiliar people or dogs. This may cause some social stress in your dog – just as it is normal in the everyday life of a well-socialized dog! Since this is science in all “experiments” you will be asked to follow some instructions (sit silent, cover your eyes, hold your dog on leash, etc.) – we – and probably also you – are interested in your dog’s reaction.”

The DogStudies project at Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany, run by Professor Michael Tomasello, Director, Dog Studies.

(Thanks to investigator Dany Adams for bringing this to our attention.)