Commitment Study for Adult Dogs

1+ year old dogs w/ adult owner (no child involved)

You would record yourself and your dog getting ready to go out for a walk on one occasion. Then, once a week for 3 weeks, you would record yourself complete one of the following 5-minute procedures. For procedure 1, you would ask your dog "do you want to go for a walk?", pick up their dog-walking materials, but then set them back down and ignore your dog for 90 seconds. For procedure 2, you would not speak or look at your dog while picking up their dog-walking materials, and then, you would set them back down and ignore your dog for 90 seconds. For procedure 3, you would not speak or look at your dog while picking up an object, such as a book, and then, you would set it back down and ignore your dog for 90 seconds. After completing the consent form, you will be redirected to our lab's website where you will find the instructions on how to complete the study on your own without a researcher present.

We are investigating whether dogs understand commitments like humans do. The aim of this study is to determine whether dogs show behaviours indicative of understanding commitments by investigating how dogs react when their owner makes a commitment to do a shared activity but does not follow through with the commitment.

5 minutes per day for 4 days spread out over 3 weeks

Within a month of completing the study, you will receive a $14 Amazon e-gift card via email from Amazon.com (or, an equivalent, £10 Amazon e-gift card from Amazon.co.uk). One e-gift card will be provided per dog that completes the study.