Arizona Canine Cognition Lab
About The Arizona Canine Cognition Center
The Arizona Canine Cognition Center is a group led by Dr. Evan MacLean, focusing on studying dog psychology in comparison to humans, primates, and other animals. Our research is driven by the broad questions of what makes animal minds the way they are, how they got that way, and why.
Research at the Arizona Canine Cognition Center aims to understand the nature of dog minds. Our studies investigate how dogs perceive and reason about the world around them, what makes dog psychology distinct, and how dog minds are similar to and different from our own.
Behavioral studies at the Arizona Canine Cognition Center involve problem-solving games that are designed to provide mental stimulation and enrichment while addressing fundamental questions about the workings of the mind. We embrace the idea that animal intelligence comes in many forms and conduct studies exploring diverse aspects of dog cognition.
One of the most amazing things about dogs is their incredible diversity. Many studies at the Arizona Canine Cognition Center aim to understand the origins of this diversity, probing the genetic and environmental factors that make each dog unique. By understanding and characterizing cognitive and behavioral diversity in dogs we aim to attain a deeper understanding of these amazing animals with whom we share our lives, and to improve the processes through which we care for and partner with dogs in society.