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Participate in our fun, cognitive games.
Contribute to citizen science.
For Students
Are you a student interested in research?
Do you want to join our team? Learn more!
FAQs
Do you have questions? We have answers!
Learn more by clicking the link below!
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR RESEARCH
Let’s do some dog science! How does it work?
1. Complete the above Google Form
We use a short Google Form to collect basic information about your dog, the kinds of research you’re interested in, and learn how to reach you when we have studies available. Have more than one dog? Please fill out the form for each of them (For example, if you have two dogs, complete the form twice).
2. Get study invitations by email
We will contact you when we have studies available, providing a summary of what the study entails and inviting you to complete a prescreen. The prescreen tells us a little more about your dog and whether they would be a good fit for that specific project!
3. Start doing science!
If your dog meets the specific eligibility requirements for a study, we will invite you to participate! Some studies are remote, and others may be in person. Our research team will work with you every step of the way to explain the process. You can withdraw at any time, and we are always happy to answer questions. If your dog isn’t eligible for one study, don’t worry! They may be perfect for the next.
For Students
At the Boston College Canine Cognition Center, we proudly mentor a team of dedicated, brilliant undergraduates. Every year we recruit new research assistants who are ready to contribute to the field of academic inquiry.
We take students of all experience levels and ages, with an interest in supporting academics from all walks of life. Our lab deeply values mentorship and education; as a research assistant of the BCCC, you’ll have all the information and guidance that you’ll need.
Do you want to be a part of this elite crew of researchers? Click below to find out more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why study dogs?
Humans and dogs share an environment. Don’t believe us? Well — don’t you, your family, or your neighbors have dogs? Additionally, dogs and humans engage in behavior that’s relatively rare, and that’s sociality. The fact that humans and dogs can co-exist with many other individuals is a special trait that may have evolutionary implications. All of this to say, dogs and humans have a lot in common. We’re interested in understanding the relationship between these commonalities to better understand what dogs can tell us about the evolution of humans.
What do dog cognition studies look like?
Our research involves lots of treats! We use simple games and custom puzzles to measure how dogs make choices in certain situations. We look at all sorts of things. Examples include measuring a dog’s gaze or asking a dog to choose between two locations.
The games we do are relatively simple, but en-mass give us insight into the ways dogs make decisions.
How do I sign up?
You can fill out the Google Form to get started. After you complete the form, you’re all set! We will have everything we need to reach out to invite you to participate in our research.
Do I need to live near Boston College?
You do not need to live near Boston College to help with our studies! We have a new remote research program that allows us to study dogs in their natural environment: home! This means we are able to accept participants from anywhere. When completing the sign-up form, you can indicate you are interested in virtual studies to be contacted when we are recruiting for remote projects.
How old does my dog have to be?
We don’t have an age limit!
How old do I have to be?
There must be at least one person who is 18 years or older to sign our consent forms. If there are under-aged individuals who wish to help with the studies, their parent or legal guardian needs to be present for them to participate.
When will a new study be posted?
We are a small team and put emphasis on mentorship. This allows us to create high-quality research projects that drives canine cognition forward, both through our research and in the students we train! Because of our size and process, it is hard to know when new studies will be ready. Keep an eye on your email, and check your spam for emails from canine.cognition@bc.edu to make sure you don’t miss any opportunities!
How can I join your research team?
Please carefully review the for-students page of our website. We strongly recommend subscribing to our application listserv, linked on the for-students page. Additionally, you will find detailed information for our semester and summer applications. Due to the small size of our team, we are unable to accept unpaid volunteers.