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College of Veterinary Medicine
Comparative Behavioral Research
The Thinking Pets Program

Behavior and Cognition

To read more about our research on dog behavior and cognition, explore the articles and abstracts below

Behavior

Dog raises paw to human's outstretched hand

The Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome Working Group guidelines for diagnosis and monitoring of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome

Olby NJ, Gruen ME, Araujo J, Johnson P, Kubinyi E, Landsberg G, Latimer CS, McGrath
S, Moreno JA, McKenzie B, Tarantino M, Volk H. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2025 Dec 24;264(4):498-505. doi: 10.2460/javma.25.10.0668.

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dog sitting attentively outdoors

Current Practices for Diagnosis and Management of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome in the United States

Simon KE, Gruen ME , Olby NJ. Front. Vet. Sci. 12:1685430. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1685430

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apprehensive cat lying down

Considerations for Behavioral Euthanasia

North M, Gruen ME. Behavioral Euthanasia (accepted in Today’s Veterinary Practice
July 2025).

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dog in field with clinician

Longitudinal Evidence for the Emergence of Multiple Intelligences in Assistance Dog Puppies

Salomons H, Ferrans M, Cusato C, Moore K, Woods V, Bray E, Kennedy B, Block T, Douglas L, Roberts A, Gruen ME, Hare B. 2024 Sep 26:2024.09.26.615218. doi: 10.1101/2024.09.26.615218.

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sheep dog herding sheep

A Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Compression Wraps as an Anxiolytic in Domesticated Dogs

Mathis S, Schoolfield S, Gross P, Gruen M, Dorman DC. Animals (Basel). 2024 Nov 28;14(23):3445.

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time lapse photo of a sunset

Pilot Study on the Efficacy and Safety of Long-Term Oral Imepitoin Treatment for Control of (Thunder)Storm-Associated Noise Phobia/Noise Aversion in Dogs Using an Individualized-Dose Titration Approach

Munoz AC, Jones JM, Griffith EH, Gruen ME. (2024) Animals 14(4), 545

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protected red wolf in captivity

Response to Hansen Wheat et al.: Additional analysis further supports the early emergence of cooperative communication in dogs compared to wolves raised with more human exposure

Solomons H, Smith K, Callahan-Beckel M, Callahan M, Levy K, Kennedy BS, Bray E, Gnanadesikan GE, Horschler DJ, Gruen M, Tan J, White P, MacLean E, Hare B. (2023), Learn Behav 51, 131–134

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Relationship Between Engagement with the Impossible Task, Cognitive Testing, and Cognitive Questionnaires in a Population of Aging Dogs

Relationship Between Engagement with the Impossible Task, Cognitive Testing, and Cognitive Questionnaires in a Population of Aging Dogs

Khan MZ, Mondino A, Russell K, Case B, Fefer G, Woods H, Olby N, Gruen ME. (2023) Front. Vet. Sci. 9:1052193.

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sad dog

Randomized, Placebo-controlled Prospective Clinical Trial Evaluating the Efficacy of the Assisi Anti-anxiety Device (Calmer Canine) for the Treatment of Canine Separation Anxiety

Pankratz, K., Korman, J., Emke, C., Johnson, B., Griffith, E. H., & Gruen, M. E. (2021). Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8, 1-10.

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Veterinary Education and Experience Shape Beliefs About Dog Breeds. Part 1: Pain Sensitivity

Veterinary Education and Experience Shape Beliefs About Dog Breeds. Part 1: Pain Sensitivity

 Caddiell RMP, White P, Lascelles BDX, Royal K, Ange van-Heugten, Gruen ME. Sci Rep 13, 13846 (2023).

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canine participant in clinical study attentively waits to begin

Veterinary Education and Experience Shape Beliefs About Dog Breeds. Part 2: Trust

Caddiell RMP, White P, Lascelles BDX, Royal K, Ange van-Heugten, Gruen ME. Sci Rep 13, 13847 (2023)

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sad puppy looking out window

A Literature Review: Pet Bereavement and Coping Mechanisms

Park, R. M., Royal, K. D., & Gruen, M. E. (2021). Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 24(2), 1-16.

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Pain Sensitivity Differs Between Dog Breeds But Not in the Way Veterinarians Believe

Caddiell RMP, Cunningham RM, White P, Lascelles BDX*, Gruen ME. (2023). Frontiers in Pain Research, 4.

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bull dog with its owner

Evaluation of Pexion® (Imepitoin) for Treatment of Storm Anxiety in Dogs: A Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial

Perdew, I., Emke, C., Johnson, B., Dixit, V., Song, Y., Griffith, E. H., . . . Gruen, M. E. (2021). The Veterinary Record, 188(9), e18.

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Association Between Dog Owner Demographics and Decision to Seek Veterinary Care

Park, R. M., Gruen, M. E., & Royal, K. (2021). Veterinary Sciences, 8 (1), 1-19.

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Evaluation of Repeated Dosing of a Dexmedetomidine Oromucosal Gel for Treatment of Noise Aversion in Dogs Over a Series of Noise Events

Gruen, M., Case, B. C., Robertson, J. B., Campbell, S., & Korpivaara, M. E. (2020). Veterinary Record, 187(12), 489-495.

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A Systematic Literature Review of Animal-Assisted Interventions in Oncology (Part I): Methods and Results

Holder, T. R. N., Gruen, M. E., Roberts, D. L., Somers, T., & Bozkurt, A. (2020). Integrative Cancer Therapies, 19, 1-19.

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A Systematic Literature Review of Animal-Assisted Interventions in Oncology (Part II): Theoretical Mechanisms and Frameworks

Holder, T. R. N., Gruen, M. E., Roberts, D. L., Somers, T., & Bozkurt, A. (2020). Integrative Cancer Therapies, 19, 1-18.

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Preliminary Evaluation of a Wearable Sensor System for Heart Rate Assessment in Guide Dog Puppies

Foster, M., Brugarolas, R., Walker, K., Mealin, S., Cleghern, Z., Yuschak, S., . . . Bozkurt, A. (2020). IEEE Sensors Journal, 20(16), 9449-9459.

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Effect of Wearing a Telemetry Jacket on Behavioral and Physiologic Parameters of Dogs in the Open-field Test

Fish, R. E., Foster, M. L., Gruen, M. E., Sherman, B. L., & Dorman, D. C. (2017).. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, 56(4), 382-389.

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A Test for the Evaluation of Emotional Reactivity in Labrador Retrievers Used for Explosives Detection

Sherman, B. L., Gruen, M. E., Case, B. C., Foster, M. L., Fish, R. E., Lazarowski, L., . . . Dorman, D. C. (2015). Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 10(2), 94-102.

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The Use of an Open-field Model to Assess Sound-induced Fear and Anxiety-associated Behaviors in Labrador Retrievers

Gruen, M. E., Case, B. C., Foster, M. L., Lazarowski, L., Fish, R. E., Landsberg, G., . . . Sherman, B. L. (2015). Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 10(4), 338-345.

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cognition

Cooperative Communication with Humans Evolved to Emerge Early in Domestic Dogs

Salomons, H., Smith, K. C. M., Callahan-Beckel, M., Callahan, M., Levy, K., Kennedy, B. S., . . . Hare, B. (2021). Current Biology, 31(14), 3137-3144.

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Dog Cognitive Development: A Longitudinal Study Across the First 2 Years of Life

Bray, E. E., Gruen, M. E., Gnanadesikan, G. E., Horschler, D. J., Levy, K. M., Kennedy, B. S., . . . MacLean, E. L. (2021). Animal Cognition, 24(2), 311-328.

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Dog relaxing in a field

A Brief Report of Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Quotas in a Population of Dog Owners in North Carolina, USA

Patel, U. A., Gruen, M. E., & Samson, D. R. (2021). bioRxiv, 1-14.

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dog in field with clinician

Cognitive Characteristics of 8- to 10-week-old Assistance Dog Puppies

Bray, E. E., Gruen, M. E., Gnanadesikan, G. E., Horschler, D. J., Levy, K. M., Kennedy, B. S., . . . MacLean, E. L. (2020). Animal Behaviour, 166, 193-206.

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dog lying in field being petted by owner

A Functional Linear Modeling Approach to Sleep-wake Cycles in Dogs

Woods, H. J., Li, M. F., Patel, U. A., Lascelles, B. D. X., Sampson, D. R., & Gruen, M. G. (2020). Scientific Reports, 10, 1-8.

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dog laying in owners lap

Does the Cognitive Bias Test in Dogs Depend on Spatial Learning

Gruen, M. E., Foster, M. L., Lazarowski, L., Jeffries, A., Sherman, B. L., & Dorman, D. C. (2019). Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 33, 1-6.

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closeup view of dog sniffing camera while photo is being taken

Acquisition of a Visual Discrimination and Reversal Learning Task by Labrador Retrievers

Lazarowski, L., Foster, M. L., Gruen, M. E., Sherman, B. L., Case, B. C., Fish, R. E., . . . Dorman, D. C. (2014). Animal Cognition, 17(3), 787-792.

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