Description: Village dogs – also called pariah dogs, free-roaming dogs, and street dogs – make up approximately 75% of the world’s dog population. A small proportion of village dogs are adopted into human households and live as cherished pets. But how do these dogs compare to “normal” dogs from Western breeds? Do they show the same behaviors? The Canine Brains Project aims to address this question with our Village Dog Behavior Study. Through a series of surveys and experiments, we are investigating behavioral traits in adopted village dogs from different regions of the world. The behavioral experiments emulate situations that dogs regularly encounter in their daily lives, including meeting a new person, interacting with their human, and solving food puzzles.
Study Details: The study takes place in the Canine Brains Project’s laboratory suite at Harvard University’s Center for Brain Science in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Free parking is available. Participants will take part in the behavior experiments with their dogs. The experiments take 1 hour to complete.
Eligibility: The study is open to village dogs who are at least 1 year of age. Participating dogs should have no history of inappropriate aggression towards humans.
Scheduling: We are currently enrolling village dogs. Enrollment will end December 1st, 2024.
Enrollment: To enroll your dog in this study, please fill out the pre-registration form and/or email Sophie Barton at sbarton@g.harvard.edu. Please note that only certain dog-owner pairs will be selected for participation in the behavioral experiments. If you’re interested in the study but not sure yet if you’d like to participate with your dog, please reach out to Sophie for more information.