Animal behavior and eudaimonia researcher Karen Griffin wants to help shelter Canis familiaris find forever homes . Griffin is currently quest after a PhD at the University of Lincoln School of Life Sciences , where she studies the behavioral flexibility of shelter pawl and their human caretaker . The investigator lately launch a subject area on canine behavior and shelter detent “ rehoming”—and she needs your help , Scientific Americanreports .
Griffin ’s rehoming study , which is accept participants through May 31 , is design to analyze domestic dog owners and their dogtooth buddies . The destination is to determine which behaviors and disposition make for successful adoptions . Griffin desire to use her findings to ameliorate adoption appendage and ensure the welfare of dogs in pauperism of plate .
The study is currently await for pet owners and shelter employee willing to record themselves play with their four - legged admirer . In addition to a brief survey , the study asks preferred owners to enter in a series of games and exercises with their whelp , ranging from searches for hidden food to more freeform play .
Griffin has project the discipline to focalise specifically on the relationship between adopted dogs and their adopted parents , and even adapt her survey from an earlier study on foster parents and children .
“ There has been some research look at the effect of human surrogate parent and human foster child humor and personality type on the success of the placement , so I decided to extend and adapt methods used in some of these work to be relevant to the wiener - man relationship , ” she toldmental_floss . “ I believe that my research is unique in that it compare the dog - owner relationship to that of any other personal relationship . Within any kinship , engagement is inevitable at some full stop , so it is the conflict resolve potential of at least one party that will sham the success of the relationship . ”
get a line more about Griffin ’s study and regain out how to participate on therehoming subject website .
[ h / tScientific American ]
