Dog Training Program Study for Children with Developmental Differences
Children & Youth with Disabilities Lab
We are inviting children with developmental differences, their guardians, and their family dog to participate in our study by attending our Dog Training Program.
Upcoming study dates
Visit the Human-Animal Interaction Lab for upcoming study enrollment dates.
1st assessment
Participation begins with an initial assessment. During that assessment, guardians will fill out questionnaires and verbally answer questions about themselves, their dog, and their child. Children will also complete questionnaires and participate in simple behavioral assessments, along with their dog.
Groups
After these assessments, each child and dog pair will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, the “intervention group” and the “waitlist control group”.
Intervention group
The intervention group will receive 10 sessions of individualized training in the Do as I Do (DAID) dog training method. Each session lasts about one hour, and each child has their own personal trainer(s) who works one-on-one with only them and their dog.
Waitlist control group
The waitlist control group will not attend the dog training program but will be offered the opportunity to attend the following year.
2nd assessment
After the dog training class program study ends, all participants, including those in the waitlist control group, are asked to return for a second assessment that is very similar to the first.
3rd assessment
All participants are also asked to return one year later for a third assessment. At that time, children in the control group will be invited to participate in the dog training program study. Those who attend will be asked to return for a fourth and final assessment immediately after finishing the program.
Gift cards
At each assessment, participants are given a $25 gift card.
Location
The intervention dog training program takes place during winter, spring, and summer quarters at Oregon State University in Corvallis and also in Portland and Seattle during summer.
Contact
For more information please contact:
Program Manager
Saethra Darling, PhD
[email protected]
(541) 737-8117
