FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·March 15, 2023·3 min readCharacterizing Abnormal Neural Networks in Dogs With AnxietyDogs with anxiety have stronger neural connections between the amygdala and other areas of the anxiety network in the brain compared to less anxious dogs.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·January 16, 2023·4 min readStudy Questions Whether Toddlers Choose to Help Dogs ImpulsivelyToddlers are twice as likely to help a dog reach a toy, even when the animal showed no interest in the object. The findings suggest toddlers' prosocial and goal-reading abilities extend beyond other humans and to animals.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·December 8, 2022·4 min readCanine Brain Wiring Influenced by Human-Driven Breeding PracticesAreas of the genome associated with brain development harbor variants that seem to account for behavioral differences between dog breeds. The genomic differences between dog breeds are related to the development of their nervous systems. Researchers say genes associated with different dog lineages may relate to genes involved in the development of human behavior.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·October 8, 2022·6 min readDogs Can Smell People’s StressThe ability of dogs to "sniff out" certain diseases including COVID-19 infection and cancer has been well documented over recent years. Now, a new study reveals dogs can detect a person's stress level by odor alone.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·October 5, 2022·2 min readPetting Dogs Engages the Social Brain, According to NeuroimagingInteracting with dogs leads to greater activation in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with emotional and social processing.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceNeuroscience VideosPsychology·June 13, 2022·5 min readA Glimpse Into the Dog’s Mind: A New Study Reveals How Dogs Think of Their ToysDogs have multi-modal mental imagery of items and objects that are familiar to them. When a dog thinks about an object, they imagine the object's different sensory features.Read More
FeaturedOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·July 15, 2021·4 min readDogs May Not Return Their Owners’ Good DeedsA new study demonstrated dogs do not reciprocate food-giving, nor do they act more favorably toward a friendly human.Read More
FeaturedPsychology·July 12, 2021·6 min readYou Can Snuggle Wolf Pups All You Want, They Still Won’t ‘Get’ You Quite Like Your DogAfter 14,000 years of domestication, dogs have an edge in both cognition and people-reading skills over wolves.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·February 11, 2021·5 min readScent Detection Dogs Can Identify Individuals Infected With COVID-19Trained scent detection dogs are able to detect organic compounds associated with COVID-19 in patients. Researchers report the dogs are better at detecting coronavirus infection than standard tests.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·December 18, 2020·4 min readLiving Environment Affects the Microbiota and Health of Both Dogs and Their OwnersThe living environment has a significant impact on the skin microbiota, but not gut bacteria, in both humans and dogs.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·December 16, 2020·4 min readTraining Methods Based on Punishment Compromise Dog WelfareUsing aversive stimuli and punishments to train dogs leads to increased stress and anxiety in the animals.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·December 10, 2020·5 min readDogs and Their Owners Share a Risk of Developing DiabetesDog owners whose pets are diabetic are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with healthier pets. The study supports the hypothesis that pet owners may share certain behaviors, such as physical activity level, with their pet.Read More
