“Do as I Do” Dog-training Research Program for Children with Developmental Differences

Enrollment is currently closed for this project

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Cute picture of child shaking paws with a Bernese mountain dog

Who participated?

  • Children ages 10-17 years
  • with a developmental difference
  • and a pet dog
Child and dog giving each other a "high five"

What are developmental differences?

  • Examples include
    • Anxiety/depression
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
    • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
    • Dyslexia
    • and more

About the program

  • Each child and dog pair participated in ten training sessions, each lasting approximately 55 minutes
  • Each family participated in three assessments – one before training, one after training, and one 1 year later. Assessments included answering survey questions and dog behavior activities
  • In gratitude for participation, we provided a $25 gift card at each assessment

This project is conducted in partnership with OSU College of Health: Children and Youth with Disabilities Lab

Learn More

Our purpose

The primary purpose of this research study is to investigate the potential benefits of a dog-assisted intervention on the physical activity and social wellbeing of children with developmental differences.

Participation in this program might also offer an engaging experience for your family dog, potentially fostering a deeper bond between your child and their dog.

Child training dog
  • child offering treat to dog during training session
  • Cute dog sitting up on chair
  • dog leaning against chair to get pets from a person sitting in the chair during an assessment
  • small child petting their very large Bernese mountain dog
  • child showing dog treat while dog sits nicely and pays close attention
  • engaged child offering a treat to his dog while training dog to jump over an agility jump
  • volunteer shaking paws with a golden retriever and offering a treat
  • close up of a large whiteish husky-type dog face with a happy expression
  • volunteer trainer and black dog looking at each other sweetly while dog stands in between two orange cones during training session
  • collage of 6 cute dogs one of which is the fake dog used in the dog behavior assessment
  • youth training his service dog, luring around orange cone
  • child gesturing for dog to jump over the agility jump
  • small dog with red toy and intense concentration on a person not visible - probably a treat up there
  • very very large dpg sitting in very very small chair next to smiling person
  • golden retirever and child sitting on floor similarly, child wearing Covid mask
  • volunteeer and child training small dog to jump over agility jump
  • volunteer training small dog to sit on a platform
  • Bernese mountain dog successfully going over agility jump with child offering treat on the other side
  • black and white long haired corgi sitting pretty
  • large brown and black dog getting pets from person in chair during assessment

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Saethra Darling darlings@oregonstate.edu

Email Dr. Saethra Darling
program manager with her adorable black and white cat draped over her shoulders like a scarf
Ethical oversight and funding information:

Oregon State University Institutional Review Board (Human Subjects) Protocol #: IRB-2020-0816
Oregon State University Animal Care and Use Protocol #: IACUC-2022-0313
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant #: RO1HD101098
Title: “The evaluation of a multi-site novel imitation-based animal assisted intervention for children with developmental disabilities and their family dog”.

Primary Investigators:

Megan MacDonald, Ph.D.
Megan.MacDonald@oregonstate.edu
541-737-3273

Monique Udell, Ph.D.
Monique.Udell@oregonstate.edu