SPEAKERS
Explore our eleven speakers from eight countries at the Canine Science Forum 2025, featuring outstanding topics!
MIA COBB
Researcher
Advancing dog welfare: Translating interdisciplinary science for impact
Understanding and advancing dog welfare is crucial for scientific progress, community relationships, and the ethical sustainability of industries relying on dogs. This presentation explores bridging research and real-world application through interdisciplinary approaches in contemporary animal welfare science. Drawing on two decades of experience in research and work in companion, shelter and working dog facilities, I will share practical strategies for welfare improvement. The integration of scientific insights with operational challenges has revealed key opportunities for promoting positive welfare experiences and understanding the nuanced dynamics of human-animal interactions. As emerging technologies provide new methods for welfare monitoring, we will examine both their potential benefits and ethical considerations. By combining animal welfare science, human psychology and insights from working, sporting, and companion dog contexts, this work demonstrates innovative pathways for turning interdisciplinary research into tangible outcomes that respect dogs as sentient beings who deserve a good life.
About Mia Cobb
Dr. Mia Cobb is a scientist at the University of Melbourne's Animal Welfare Science Centre, where she leads interdisciplinary research as the Chaser Innovation Research Fellow in Canine Welfare Science. Her work focuses on translating science into practice by connecting animal welfare science, human behaviour change, and technological innovation. Drawing on over twenty years of experience across dog management, welfare assessment, and science communication, she develops practical solutions for complex welfare challenges. Dr. Cobb serves on international advisory panels and shapes welfare standards development. Her current research emphasises the translation of scientific knowledge into measurable welfare improvements so that dogs can live their best lives with us.
ALEXANDRA HOROWITZ
Researcher
Centering the dog in dog research: Keeping dog umwelt in mind
One of the most meaningful findings of the last two decades of dog cognition research was not a finding at all: it was the gradual (ongoing) realization of how, exactly, to do research with this new study species. While comparative psychology prompted many early methods in the field, it has been increasingly clear that the methods suited to primates and cetaceans often do not fit dogs. In my talk I will discuss building a research program which keeps the umwelt of the dog in mind, from the species' perceptual and cognitive capacities and limitations, to their understanding of the tasks and stimuli we present to them.
About Alexandra Horowitz
Dr. Alexandra Horowitz is Senior Research Fellow and head of the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College, Columbia University, in New York City. She earned her Master's and Doctoral degrees in Cognitive Science from the University of California, San Diego, and her Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania. It was at UCSD that she began her research with dogs, studying dogs' communicative and attention-getting behaviors in dyadic rough-and-tumble play. She has since studied anthropomorphisms made of dogs, dogs' perceptual capacities, and dogs' understanding of themselves and of others. In addition to her many scholarly publications, she has published five books, including the New York Times bestselling Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, and, most recently, The Year of the Puppy, and edited Springer's Domestic Dog Cognition and Behavior.
KARIN JANSEN
Practitioner
Needs-based dog training – What does your dog really need?
I am often asked whether dogs in needs-based dog training are allowed to do everything they want. The answer is no. Having a need means requiring something to feel comfortable, relaxed, healthy, connected, loved, and respected. Failing to meet essential needs can harm a dog's personality development. We ask ourselves: What does my dog need? – and we strive to fulfill it. Of course, our dogs can also have many wants. However, we can only allow them to pursue their desires if they do not infringe upon the rights of others. What does my dog need, and how can I recognize it? What is my dog allowed to do? How can they act autonomously? Where should I set boundaries and where is it necessary? These questions will be explored in the talk, and we will illustrate them practically with a human-dog team.
About Karin Jansen
Karin Jansen is author and lecturer in the fields of communication, psychology, dog behaviour, and personal development. In her books, lectures, and seminars, she examines the connection between body and mind, as well as the complex relationships that influence our behaviour and coexistence with our dogs. Her experience working with people in challenging life situations allows her to support difficult dog-human relationships and assist individuals in personal reorientation. With great sensitivity, Karin Jansen sheds light on the broader context—not only concerning the dog (breed-specific traits, instinctive behaviour, needs, body, and mind) but also the interaction between both team partners. Beyond working with people and their dogs, Karin Jansen trains dog trainers, teams for animal-assisted therapy, education, and visitation programs at her Institute for Kynogogy, which she founded. Additionally, she offers various advanced training programs for consultants to elevate their guidance for people with dogs to a new level.
JULIANE KAMINSKI
Researcher
Can a dog learn a 'word'?
Dogs appear to be well adapted to human forms of communication. Dogs pay attention to human speech, can be trained to discriminate between a variety of action commands, and appear to be highly attuned to both the tone and structure of human speech. A rare group of dogs appear to be able to discriminate hundreds of object referents (names of objects or labels), with Rico, a Border Collie, being described in the literature as one of the first dogs to do so. In 2004 we described this as "word learning in domestic dogs". But is it true? Can dogs learn a 'word'? And what is it about these 'label-learner' geniuses that might make them unique compared to other dog.
About Juliane Kaminski
I am Associative Professor of Comparative Psychology in the School of Psychology, Sports and Health Sciences at the University of Portsmouth. I am the director of the Centre for Comparative and Evolutionary Psychology (CCEP) and the director of the Dog Cognition Centre (www.port.ac.uk/dogcognition). Previously, I was group leader of the research group ‘Evolutionary Roots of Human Social Interaction’ at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, where I also obtained my PhD in 2005 (together with Michael Tomasello and Josep Call). I also led the Dog Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for over 10 years. My research interests include social cognition, communication and co-operation in human infants, primates and dogs. Most famously, I was the first to show that a dog named Rico learns labels for objects in a similar way to children. I am recognised as a leading expert on canine cognition and have been featured in BBC, National Geographic, Discovery News and the NOVA documentary ‘Dogs Decoded’, which aired on American television, among others.
MIIAMAARIA KUJALA
Researcher
Canine emotions in interaction with humans
Where do we stand in comprehending canine emotions, or affective experiences? This talk delves into the complexities and limitations of understanding canine emotions from a scientific perspective. The objective study of non-human emotionality is highly challenging, as human social cognition and individual differences affect the way we perceive and interpret the world, especially its social and emotional constituents. This also applies to companion dogs – as we interact, cooperate and share parts of our lives with them, acknowledging the differences in our experiences can be difficult. Examining the canine behavioral, hormonal and nervous system correlates within emotional situations provides an overview of the underlying, basic emotional reactivity where our emotions overlap. Dogs show hormonal and behavioral responses when reuniting with their caretakers, listening to a crying infant, or interacting with their close ones. These emotional responses may be further affected by breed, individual variability and past experiences, and they deserve closer consideration in future research. Clarifying social emotions is more complex, as dogs detect many social cues from their caretakers and react in meaningful ways. Despite our shared mammalian emotional mechanisms, and the co-evolution of our species, canine brains differ from the human brains in the general cortical formation and connectivity. This creates differences in the human-canine perspectives, causing potential for misunderstanding. Ultimately, the talk underscores the importance of continuing research in this area to deepen our understanding of the emotional lives of dogs. This knowledge has the potential to inform better practices in animal care, strengthening the cross-specific bond, and to highlight the unique canine perspective of the world.
About Miiamaaria Kujala
Dr. Miiamaaria Kujala is an adjunct professor (docent) of Comparative Cognitive Neuroscience and an Academy Research Fellow of the Research Council of Finland. She completed her PhD in cognitive science and neurobiology at the University of Helsinki and examined the brain basis of human social cognition using MEG, EEG, fMRI, and gaze tracking at the Aalto University School of Science in Finland and Lyon Neuroscience Research Center in France. In 2011, she joined the canine cognition research group at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, pioneering non-invasive measurements of event-related potentials in dogs and comparative research methodologies in humans and dogs. Since 2020, she has led a research group focusing on human-canine interaction in the Department of Psychology of the University of Jyväskylä. Her current research combines behavioral research with accelerometry and cardiac measures. Dr Kujala’s profound research interests include improving measurement methodologies and understanding cross-species interaction from both human and non-human perspectives. She is also dedicated to making scientific findings accessible to companion animal caretakers.
ENIKO KUBINYI
Researcher
From kin to canine: Understanding modern dog-human relationships from both biological and cultural evolutionary perspectives
Over the past decades, the number of dogs has increased, and the pet industry has grown significantly while fertility rates have declined. Many individuals, including parents, report that their pets are more important to them than any human. It is plausible that declining fertility rates contribute to the rising value of dogs in people's lives, as dogs may fill an empty niche. According to our companion dog cultural runaway theory, the change in dog keeping habits has both biological and cultural evolutionary roots. Humans evolved to live in cooperative breeding systems, where survival depended on extensive kin networks. However, due to socio-economic and cultural factors, such as urbanisation, mobility, and smaller households, people today often do not perceive the level of social support and trust to which they are biologically adapted, leading them to seek alternatives. One of the many coping strategies may involve transferring the genetically based prosocial attitudes such as the tendency to seek relationships and engage in parental behaviour, to another target: pets, primarily dogs. Western culture supports this shift and portrays dog ownership positively, although benefits are not universal. In parallel, artificial selection for childlike traits such as brachycephalism, and treating dogs as "fur babies" can result in health and behavioural problems. The presentation also examines whether caring for companion animals might decrease the opportunity and the desire for child-rearing; how dogs influence human social relationships; how dog-keeping practices vary across cultures; and why women tend to form stronger bonds with dogs than men.
About Eniko Kubinyi
Dr. Eniko Kubinyi is a Professor and Head of the Department of Ethology at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University (Budapest), with a background in biology and ethology. Her current research focuses on the dog-human relationship, as well as the behavioural, genetic, and neuroscientific aspects of cognitive ageing and olfaction. She is the founder of the Senior Family Dog Project and the Canine Brain and Tissue Bank. Kubinyi has received several awards for her work, including the APA Comparative Psychology Award, Junior Prima, and the L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science. Her research has provided valuable insights into the evolution of dog behaviour and the unique bond between dogs and humans. She is an alumna of the Young Academy of Europe and was a founding member of the Hungarian Young Academy.
DANIEL MILLS
Researcher
Pain, discomfort and behaviour in dogs - the science of the individual
Discomfort and pain have important effects on the day to day behaviour of dogs, but producing scientific evidence about this is not straightforward. In my talk I will show how we can be scientific in our approach to the assessment of these states, even when working with individuals, using a psychobiological approach. I will also lay out future research priorities for this area of study.
About Daniel Mills
Daniel is a RCVS and European recognised specialist in veterinary behavioural medicine and CCAB-recognised clinical animal behaviourist. He has been based at Lincoln for more than 30 years, where he heads up the Animal, Behaviour Cognition and Welfare group within the Dept of Life Sciences. He has pioneered the development of a "Psychobiological approach" to clinical animal behaviour. This is a synthesis of contemporary psychology and behavioural biology with neuroscience that produces a systematic and scientific framework for the assessment and management of problem behaviour in animals. He has more than 200 full peer reviewed publications, and more than 60 books and chapters, for academics, professionals and members of the public.
MARIE NITZSCHNER
Practitioner
The personality of dogs – Between type tests and breed stereotypes
A dog’s personality is as unique as that of any human – yet in practice and popular discourse, we often encounter breed stereotypes or simplified personality classifications. This talk explores scientific models of canine personality and highlights why it is essential to view dogs as unique individuals. Breed classifications undoubtedly play an important role, as they can provide valuable insights into a dog’s behavioral tendencies and characteristics. However, there is a risk that this perspective becomes too dominant, leading to an oversight of individual differences. The talk also examines how popular type tests and labels such as ‘reactive dog’ can lead to an overly narrow view of a dog’s overall personality. The goal of this presentation is to encourage the audience to appreciate the diversity and uniqueness of each dog’s personality without relying on overly simplistic categories or stereotypes. It will illustrate why a nuanced and scientifically informed perspective is necessary to do justice to the individuality of dogs.
About Marie Nitzschner
Dr. Marie Nitzschner is a behavioral biologist and dog trainer based in Leipzig. During her scientific work at the Max Planck Institute, she focused particularly on communication and cooperation between dogs and humans. Today, she is primarily dedicated to science communication, sharing current findings in canine research through her blog, Instagram, and books. She is also a co-founder of the dog trainer education program KynoLogisch, where she serves as scientific director and lecturer.
NICOLE PFALLER-SADOVSKY
Practitioner
The researcher-practitioner loop: An introduction to companion animal behaviour management
Effective companion animal behaviour management relies on a dynamic interplay between research and practical application, forming a "researcher-practitioner loop" that bridges scientific inquiry and real-world practice. Researchers generate evidence-based insights into animal behaviour, cognition, and welfare, which practitioners apply to address behavioural challenges in pets. Conversely, practitioners contribute valuable observations, identifying gaps in knowledge and inspiring new research directions. Despite its benefits, the loop faces challenges, including communication gaps and difficulty translating complex research into actionable tools. Addressing these requires interdisciplinary collaboration, accessible dissemination, and integration of practitioner expertise into research frameworks. This presentation highlights how a robust researcher-practitioner loop, driven by collaboration, effective communication, and the integration of science and practice, is essential for advancing companion animal behaviour management, addressing challenges, and fostering improved welfare and stronger human-animal relationships.
About Nicole Pfaller-Sadovsky
Nicole has been working as a dog trainer and companion dog behaviourist since 2008, helping clients address a wide range of problematic behaviours in their dogs. She holds a BSc in Applied Animal Behaviour from the University of Portsmouth (UK), an MSc in Applied Behaviour Analysis from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB, UK), and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences with a specialization in Applied Animal Behaviour Analysis from QUB. As a Visiting Scholar at QUB, Nicole conducts research on canine learning, human-dog interactions, and owner training. She also teaches Applied Ethology of Domestic Animals in the Master’s program in Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare at Virginia Tech, drawing on her academic expertise and practical experience to inspire and educate students.
FRIEDERIKE RANGE
Researcher
The dogs' perspective: Effects of domestication, socialization, and ownership
This talk explores the essence of what defines a dog, examining the potential effects of domestication, socialization, and whether or not dogs are defined through their relationship with humans. Wolf-dog comparisons at the Wolf Science Center reveal minimal differences in early tendencies to seek social support from humans. However, with age and experience, dogs - but not wolves – exhibit increased dependency on humans, potentially influenced by differential human interactions with the two species. Thus, socialization emerges as a key factor shaping both behavioural and hormonal differences in dogs. Interestingly, while socialization maybe be important for establishing good relationships with humans, studies on free-ranging dogs challenge the notion that this relationship with humans defines a dog and demonstrate that dogs do form functioning social organizations. Ultimately, dogs' remarkable adaptability allows them to thrive with or without owners.
About Friederike Range
Dr. Friederike Range studied biology at the University of Bayreuth, Germany (1992–1998), where she developed a strong interest in animal behavior. She pursued her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania, USA, focusing on the behavior of monkeys in West Africa. In 2004, she returned to Europe for postdoctoral research at the University of Vienna, where her interests shifted to canine behavior and cognition. In 2007, she co-founded the Clever Dog Lab (www.cleverdoglab.at), followed by the establishment of the Wolf Science Center in 2008. Since September 2011, she has been affiliated with the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, becoming an Associate Professor and head of the Domestication Lab in 2019, and a Full Professor in 2024. Her research explores the effects of domestication, particularly through comparative studies of wolves and dogs. She investigates the mechanisms underlying cooperation and factors influencing social relationships, including human-animal interactions. Recently, her work has expanded to free-ranging populations of wolves and dogs, aiming to understand how socio-ecological contexts shape their social and cognitive skills. This integrative approach highlights the interplay between evolutionary history and environment in shaping animal behavior and cognition.
JULIANE BRÄUER
Researcher
Beyond weird dogs - Cultural differences in dog human interactions
Dogs show an extraordinaire capacity to understand, communicate, and cooperate with us. However, what we know about the social-cognitive skills of dogs comes from observations and experiments performed in WEIRD societies. Around the world though, dogs are kept for various functions, they are perceived and treated differently, suggesting cross-cultural diversity in the strength of dog-human relationships. In our project about Cultural Differences in Dog Human Interactions we take to distinctive approaches to address this issue, hypothesizing that dog-human relationships will be closer in societies where dog functions require intense cooperation between dogs and humans. In the first study, we collected data on the function and perception of dogs in 124 globally distributed societies using the eHRAF cross-cultural database and investigated how function and relationship are related. In the second study, we investigated how dogs’ cognitive skills and dog-human interactions vary cross-culturally comparing dog-owner interactions in Germany and in four non-western cultures: Vanuatu, Mongolia, Madagascar and Peru. We developed a test battery with short tests on the following aspects of dog-owner interaction: education, communication, visual perspective-taking, social referencing and physical cognition. We found cultural differences, but also striking similarities. The results of this project do not only contribute to a better understanding of the dog-human relationship, but also of the relationship between cultural evolution and domestication, i.e. how cultural and evolutionary processes influence each other.
About Juliane Bräuer
Dr. Juliane Bräuer studied biology in Würzburg and Leipzig and then completed her PhD at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig. Her subject is comparative psychology, i.e. she compares the cognitive abilities of animals and humans, looking for similarities and differences. Over the past 20 years, she has conducted and published numerous behavioral studies with great apes, dogs, wolves and pigs. She is particularly interested in the cognition of dogs, as they have developed some special skills to cope with the human world during their long history of domestication. She is the author of the books “Klüger als wir denken: wozu Tiere fähig sind” (Springer Spektrum, 2014) and “Was Hunde wissen” (Springer Spektrum, together with Juliane Kaminski 2021). Juliane Bräuer is the head of the “Dog Studies” group at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology in Jena since 2016 and completed her habilitation in psychology at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena in 2021.