With new discoveries in canine behavior and genetics constantly reshaping the way we think about our furry friends. The study of canine science is constantly evolving, and the new era of canines is changing how we interact with our dogs.

Canine science has always been a fascinating topic of study, but with the advent of new research models and emerging technologies, it is becoming even more so. The study of dog behavior involves many disciplines, including ethology, which studies animal behavior in the wild; animal psychology, which studies the cognitive and emotional processes of animals; and psychology, which tries to understand human emotions.

The impacts of canine research on human health

Recent studies have also shown that dogs can help reduce stress and loneliness, and can improve mental health. In Australia, there is a growing trend for dogs to be trained to assist the elderly. A study from the University of Sydney found that over half the participants reported that their dogs helped them with daily activities such as eating and dressing. The ability of dogs to help with daily activities has been well documented in people who have had a stroke or other neurological event. Dogs are also used to help guide people with visual impairments. This technique is often referred to as Seeing Eye Dog, but there are other names for this type of service.

There is also some evidence that pets can help improve cardiovascular health, and there is also some evidence that pet ownership can help prevent dementia in older adults. There is also some evidence that pets can help improve anxiety and depression in patients with those disorders, which is another reason why pet ownership might be important for those who are working to treat the disorders.

There is growing research across the board in studying the benefits of owning a dog; pet owners are more likely to take better care of themselves and eat healthier foods than non-dog owners. People who own dogs tend to exercise more and live alone less often than other people. In addition to physical benefits, pet ownership can have a significant impact on mental health. Owners who have dogs experience less anxiety and depression. They are also more likely to be involved in social activities and have fewer social problems, such as loneliness. Owning a dog has been linked with lower blood pressure and heart rate, and increased levels of oxytocin, which is sometimes called the “cuddle hormone”.

Canine cognitive research

Recently, there has also been a shift towards using human cognitive models in canine research. Cognitive models are used by researchers to understand the role of cognitive processes (such as memory, attention and perception) in the understanding of complex human behavior. They give a mechanistic explanation of how these processes work together to produce an intelligent behavior. Canine cognitive models differ from human cognitive models in several ways. First, they incorporate the ability to see color or movement. They also use a different set of concepts and terminology. And finally, their abilities to do things like retrieve objects are limited by their size as compared to humans: dogs have short legs and can only walk short distances. A dog’s brain is structured very differently from a human brain. It has a different number of neurons and the size of their synapses are different as well. Dogs have large brains relative to their body size. The majority of the cortex in the dog brain is made up of the neocortex, which is responsible for higher cognitive functions. This includes complex learning, memory and problem-solving. The dog also retains many of its primitive reflexes like those associated with aggression. This does not mean that dogs are not intelligent. They have a very well developed social and emotional intelligence. Dogs are very aware of their surroundings and sometimes this awareness can be seen in their behavior towards other animals such as cats, rabbits, or even humans.

These findings are an important step in understanding canine cognition, and enable us to identify any possible parallels between human and canine, specifically in understanding complex cognitive functions such as language, perception, and memory. Dr. Adam Miklosi and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Austria and the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge found that dogs are capable of recognising human faces, in a study involving 32 different dogs. “We were able to make a number of surprising discoveries,” Miklosi said. They can see the eyes and nose, and they process these very quickly. "It is quite remarkable that they can do this. We also found out why dogs do not show fear towards humans. Dogs that went through the training showed a lessened response to human faces, which is good news for dog owners who are worried about their pets being fearful of people. When dogs are afraid of humans, it is often because they see them as a threat", said Miklosi. "Dogs do not like to be approached by a human and are afraid that the person may try to harm them. When the dog is afraid, it will freeze in place. If a person tries to approach the frightened dog, this will make the animal even more nervous and fearful of approaching people," explained Miklosi.

Genetic disorder research

Genetic testing and DNA analysis is now commonplace in the world of canine research . It is used to identify unknown genetic disorders, and for the identification of genetic markers associated with various diseases. Dogs that have been genetically tested are now routinely used in research studies on canine health and disease, and this has led to breakthroughs in understanding dog behavior, physiology, and disease. We are increasingly able to predict which dogs will develop certain diseases, and with the use of tissue samples from these animals we can now determine their genetic make-up. We can now not only detect these diseases early, but also monitor the progress of these conditions and determine what treatments are most appropriate.

Researchers have found that a suite of complementary tests can quantify changes in dogs suspected of suffering from cognitive decline. The approach could not only aid owners in managing their elderly canine's care, but could also serve as a model for evaluating cognitive decline progression in -and treatments for - humans with Alzheimer's disease.

In addition, new techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are being used to measure brain activity in dogs, which may help us better understand their cognitive abilities. Previous research suggested that dogs could only follow basic commands, such as "sit" or "stay." However, more recent studies have shown that dogs are actually capable of understanding a lot more than we give them credit for. They can not only interpret complex words and phrases, but they can also figure out what we're trying to say based on our tone of voice and body language. This means that we may be able to communicate with our dogs in a much more nuanced way than we previously thought possible.

New research modalities

The traditional approach to studying dogs has been to observe their behavior in natural settings and attempt to infer their cognitive abilities from that. However, this approach has its limitations. For one thing, it is difficult to ascertain what the dog is thinking or feeling from its behavior. Additionally, dogs may behave differently in natural settings than they do in laboratory settings.

Virtual Reality technology has allowed scientists to create realistic simulations of dog habitats. By walking through a simulated environment, researchers can study the behavior of dogs in different scenarios without having to disturb the animals in their natural habitats. The simulations can be adjusted to create different scenarios, such as adding a new dog to a pack or changing the terrain. This technology is also being used to help dog trainers create better training regiments by allowing them to see how dogs react in different situations.

This newfound knowledge has led to new discoveries about dog behavior and anatomy, as well as improved methods for training and treating dogs. The world of canine science is changing rapidly, with more and more research being conducted on dogs and their behavior.

Reference: “Exploring the dog–human relationship by combining fMRI, eye-tracking and behavioural measures” by Karl, Boch, Zamansky, van der Liden, Wagner, Volter, Lamm, Huber, 17 December 2020, Scientific Reports.

DOI: /10.1038/s41598-020-79247-5

Reference: “A Systematic Scoping Review of Human-Dog Interactions in Virtual and Augmented Reality: The Use of Virtual Dog Models and Immersive Equipment” by Oxley, Meyer, Westgarth, 15 March 2022, Frontiers.

DOI: /frvir.2022.782023