Current Studies
Dog Cognitive Development Battery
The Dog Cognitive Development Battery (DCDB) consists of a series of tasks designed to measure different aspects of cognitive functioning, from inhibitory control to interest in humans. It is appropriate for use in puppies as young as 8 weeks all the way up to adult dogs.
Currently, the BRAY Lab is partnering with the Arizona Canine Cognition Center and has implemented the DCDB in over 1,000 dogs and counting. They are actively exploring correlations between cognitive performance, genetic factors, and career success in service dogs at Canine Companions.
This research has been supported by the Office of Naval Research, the AKC Canine Health Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health.
Click below for a detailed description of the DCDB tasks!
Image from Emily Bray
DCDB Publications
The following publications use DCDB data:
Bray, E.E., Gruen, M.E., Gnanadesikan, G.E., Horschler, D.J., Levy, K.M., Kennedy, B.S., Hare, B.A., & MacLean, E.L. (2020). Cognitive characteristics of 8- to 10-week-old assistance dog puppies. Animal Behaviour, 166, 193-206. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.05.019.
Bray, E.E., Gruen, M.E., Gnanadesikan, G.E., Horschler, D.J., Levy, K. M., Kennedy, B.S., Hare, B.A., & MacLean, E.L. (2021). Dog cognitive development: a longitudinal study across the first 2 years of life. Animal Cognition, 24, 311-328. doi:10.1007/s10071-020-01443-7.
Bray, E.E., Gnanadesikan, G.E., Horschler, D.J., Levy, K. M., Kennedy, B.S., Famula, T.R., & MacLean, E.L. (2021). Early-emerging and highly heritable sensitivity to human communication in dogs. Current Biology, 31(14), 3132-3136. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.055.
Gnanadesikan, G.E., Tandon, D., Bray, E.E., Tennanbaum, S., MacLean, E.L., & vonHoldt, B.M. (2024). Transposons in the Williams-Beuren Syndrome critical region are associated with social behavior in assistance dogs. Behavior Genetics, 54, 196-211. doi:10.1007/s10519-023-10166-7.
Gnanadesikan, G.E., Bray, E.E., Cook, E.N., Levy, K.M., Douglas, L.E.L.C., Kennedy, B.S., Tecot, S.R., & MacLean, E.L. (2024). Basal Plasma Oxytocin & Fecal Cortisol Concentrations are Highly Heritable and Associated with Individual Differences in Behavior & Cognition in Dog Puppies. Hormones and Behavior, 165, 105612. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105612.
Dog Aging Project
The BRAY Lab partners with the Dog Aging Project (DAP), a large-scale collaborative initiative to study canine health in aging dogs. The goal of the DAP is to help our dogs live longer, healthier lives. We also seek to learn more about ourselves and about human aging, by learning from our aging dogs.
This research has been supported by the National Institute on Aging and the Dogtopia Foundation.
Click below for more information on the DAP!
Image from Dog Aging Project
DAP Publications
The following publications use DAP data:
Hargrave, S.H., Bray, E.E., McGrath, S., Alexander, G.E., Block, T.A., Chao, N., Darvas, M., Douglas, L.E.L.C., Galante, J., Kennedy, B.S., Kusick, B., Moreno, J.A., Promislow, D.E.L., Raichlen, D.A., Switzer, L.R., Tees, L., Underwood Aguilar, M., Urfer, S.R., Dog Aging Project Consortium, & MacLean, E.L. (2024). Characterizing Dog Cognitive Aging Using Spontaneous Problem-Solving Measures: Development of a Battery of Tests from The Dog Aging Project. GeroScience. doi: 10.1007/s11357-024-01278-x.
Bray, E.E., Raichlen, D.A., Forsyth, K., Promislow, D.E.L., Alexander, G.E., MacLean, E.L., & Dog Aging Project Consortium (2023). Associations between physical activity and cognitive dysfunction in older companion dogs: Results from the Dog Aging Project. GeroScience, 45, 645-661. doi: 10.1007/s11357-022-00655-8.
Bray, E.E., Zheng, Z., Tolbert, M.K., McCoy, B., Dog Aging Project Consortium, Kaeberlein, M., & Kerr, K.F. (2022). Once-daily feeding is associated with better health in companion dogs: Results from the Dog Aging Project. GeroScience, 44, 1779-1790. doi: 10.1007/s11357-022-00575-7.
Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ)
The C-BARQ is a tool designed to provide pet parents, canine professionals, and researchers with standardized evaluations of canine temperament and behavior.
Alongside its collaborator Canine Companions, the BRAY Lab explores C-BARQ responses to learn more about service dog temperament and behavior.
Click below for more information on the C-BARQ!
Image from Canine Companions
CBARQ Publications
The following publications use CBARQ data:
Gnanadesikan, G.E., Tandon, D., Bray, E.E., Tennanbaum, S., MacLean, E.L., & vonHoldt, B.M. (2024). Transposons in the Williams-Beuren Syndrome critical region are associated with social behavior in assistance dogs. Behavior Genetics, 54, 196-211. doi:10.1007/s10519-023-10166-7.
Bray, E.E., Levy, K.M., Kennedy, B.S., Duffy, D.L, Serpell, J.A., & MacLean, E.L. (2019). Predictive models of assistance dog training outcomes using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire and a standardized temperament evaluation. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 6:49. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00049.
Bray, E.E., Sammel, M.D., Seyfarth, R.M., Serpell, J.A., and Cheney, D.L. (2017). Temperament and problem solving in a population of adolescent guide dogs. Animal Cognition, 20(5), 923-939. doi: 10.1007/s10071-017-1112-8.
Service Dog & Veteran Experiences Study (SERVES)
In collaboration with the Organization for Human-Animal Interaction Research and Education (OHAIRE) Lab and the Arizona Canine Cognition Center (ACCC) at the University of Arizona, the BRAY Lab is actively involved in SERVES, a study to evaluate how service dogs impact veterans with PTSD. We are partnering with assistance dog organizations Canine Companions, K9s for Warriors, and America’s VetDogs.
This research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Dogtopia Foundation.
Click below for more information on SERVES!
Image from SERVES Study
ManyDogs
The BRAY Lab is a member of ManyDogs, an international consortium of researchers interested in canine science. Dr. Bray is the Assistant Director of Communications and Community Building.
In 2023, we wrapped up ManyDogs1, which focused on dog-human social interaction and enrolled 455 dogs over 20 research sites across 9 countries. You can read about our findings in our March 2024 newsletter. We will soon kick off ManyDogs2, a collaborative project exploring overimitation in dogs.
Click below to get involved!
Image from ManyDogs Project
ManyDogs Publications
The following publications have resulted from the ManyDogs consortium:
ManyDogs Project, Espinosa, J., Stevens, J.R., Alberghina, D., Alway, H.E., Barela, J.D., Bogese, M., Bray, E.E., Buchsbaum, D., Byosiere, S.E., Byrne, M., Cavalli, C.M., Chaudoir, L.M., Collins-Pisano, C., DeBoer, H.J., Douglas, L.E.L.C., Dror, S., Dzik, M.V., Ferguson, B., Fisher, L., Fitzpatrick, H.C., Freeman, M.S., Frinton, S.N., Glover, M.K., Gnanadesikan,G.E., Goacher, J.E.P., Golańska, M., Guran, A., Hare, E., Hare, B., Hickey, M., Horschler, D.J., Huber, L., Jim, H., Johnston, A.M., Kaminski, J., Kelly, D.M., Kuhlmeier, V.A., Lassiter, L., Lazarowski, L., Leighton-Birch, J., MacLean, E.L., Maliszewska, K., Marra, V., Montgomery, L.I., Murray, M.S., Nelson, E.K., Ostojić, L., Palermo, S.G., Parks Russell, A.E., Pelgrim, M.H., Pellowe, S.D., Reinholz, A., Rial, L.A., Richards, E.M., Ross, M.A., Rothkoff, L.G., Salomons, H., Sanger, J.K., Santos, L., Schirle, A.R., Shearer, S.J., Silver, Z.A., Silverman, J.M., Sommese, A., Srdoc, T., St. John-Mosse, H., Vega, A.C., Vékony, K., Völter, C.J., Walsh, C.J., Worth, Y.A., Zipperling, L.M.I., Żołędziewska, B., & Zylberfuden, S.G. (2023). ManyDogs 1: A multi-lab replication study of dogs’ pointing comprehension. Animal Behavior and Cognition, 10(3), 232-286. doi: 10.26451/abc.10.03.03.2023.
ManyDogs Project, Alberghina, D., Bray, E.E., Buchsbaum, D., Byosiere, S.E., Espinosa, J., Gnanadesikan, G.E., Guran, A., Hare, E., Horschler, D.J., Huber, L., Kuhlmeier, V.A., MacLean, E.L., Pelgrim, M.H., Perez, B., Ravid-Schurr, D., Rothkoff, L., Sexton, C.L., Silver, Z.A., & Stevens, J.R. (2023). ManyDogs Project: A Big Team Science Approach to Investigating Canine Behavior and Cognition. Comparative Cognition & Behavior Reviews, 18, 59-77. doi:10.3819/CCBR.2023.180004.
Future Directions
In addition to continuing our current work on understanding early development, potential genetic components of success in service dogs, and impacts of service dogs on veterans with PTSD, the BRAY lab is also interested in investigating diverse topics in canine cognition in the coming years. From connections between physical activity and cognitive functioning, to raising future service dogs in novel environments, to the impact of pet dogs on older adults, and more… we believe that dogs have incredible untapped potential to make change in individuals’ lives and in society, and we plan to explore this potential in new and exciting ways.
