Description: Dogs are “man’s best friend”, but many of us have experienced the special relationship that forms between humans and dogs well before adulthood. Social bonds form between children and their pet dogs too, but we do not fully understand how this relationship develops at an early age. How do social bonds form between children and their pet dogs over time? Does the relationship between children and pet dogs reduce stress for the child and dog? These are the questions that we are interested in answering in the current study. Children and their pet dogs that participate in this study will complete a behavioral test together that involves saliva sample collection to measure stress hormone levels, as well as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan for both the dog and the child.
Study Details: Dog scans are supervised by experienced veterinarians on the Canine Brains team. In order to participate, your dog must not have metal anywhere in or on their body, must be generally healthy, and must have had a vet exam with blood work within 3 months prior to the exam. A member of our veterinary team will confer with your dog’s attending vet prior to the exam and will perform an additional exam on the day of the scan. Similarly, children that participate must not have metal anywhere on their body and must be in good health. Children will be awake during their scan, and will receive a picture of their brain upon completion of their scan.
Who can participate? We are currently recruiting children between the ages of 8-10 who have a pet dog in their home. The dog should be at least one year old at the time of the scan, and should not have a history of aggression. For more information about getting involved in the study, please fill out this pre-registration form or send an email to Dr. Olivia Reilly at oliviareilly@g.harvard.edu.
Scheduling: We will be collecting scans during weekdays and weekends beginning in January 2024. Study and scheduling will be ongoing.
Coming to the Lab: Our dog MRI scans take place on Harvard campus in Cambridge, MA. The address of the parking garage is 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138. Your parking pass will be pre-purchased for you and a study team member will walk you from the garage to our lab. The study visit will take approximately 3.5 hours, but the MRI scans themselves only take about 1 hour each. We have a private waiting room with comfortable seating, a TV, and wifi where you can relax during your child and dog’s scan. There is also a cafe in the building.