Research at Queen’s University, led by Dr. Valerie Kuhlmeier from the Social Cognition Lab, investigates the dynamics of dog-human relationships. The study focuses on how dogs think, behave, and interact with people, providing insights into communication and cooperation between species that have coexisted for millennia.
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Dr. Kuhlmeier emphasizes that dogs, often overlooked in comparative cognition research due to assumptions about domestication, offer unique perspectives because of their long-standing relationship with humans. Nearly 300 dogs of various breeds, training backgrounds, and human relationships have participated in in-person studies at the lab.
One key project, titled Who’s a Good Dyad?, is conducted by PhD candidate Hannah Burrows and examines the interactions between pet dogs and their owners. The research involves video-recording each dog-human pair during lab sessions to capture the evolution of their interactions.
Sessions start with playtime, after which food is placed within the dog’s reach. The dog must wait for permission to eat, allowing the owner to use their usual strategies to manage the situation. This transition from play to a moment of conflict and back provides valuable insights into both the dog's and owner's behaviors during tension and resolution.