ManyDogs 1: Dog-Human Social Interaction

ManyDogs 1 setup with woman pointing to one of two cups while looking at black dog.


The first ManyDogs study investigated domestic dogs’ understanding of a common human gesture, the point. Previous research shows that dogs usually follow pointing cues, but whether they do so because they are following a communicative cue from a human partner or because they feel compelled to follow the gesture as a command is still debated. To answer these questions, we implemented an approach in which the core methodological details are standardized across all participating labs, but other aspects are allowed to vary and are recorded for subsequent exploratory analyses. Some of these other aspects include dog breed, sex, and age. When collected on a small scale in a single lab it can be challenging to gather enough data to get a satisfying answer. Collectively, this multi-lab study helps us gain a better understanding of the factors that influence dog behavior.

Infographic titled: Do dogs understand and act on human pointing as though it is a social communicative gesture? Participants: 9 countries, 20 research sites, 455 dogs, 74 researchers. Methods: 3 different conditions during which dog searches for hidden food. 1. Ostensive = eye contact, say dog's name, point. 2. Non-ostensive = looking down, clear throat, point. 3. Odor control = no social cues. Results: Dogs can and do follow points, but not all pointing gestures are created equal! In our current methodology, dogs only weakly follow points, regardless of condition. Consistent with many past studies, dogs did not use odor cues to find food.

Check out the newsletter for a quick summary of what we found. Interested in seeing/playing with the data? Check out our visualization tool!

We pre-registered our study’s method and analysis on OSF as a registered report which is published at Animal Behavior and Cognition.

ManyDogs Project, Espinosa, J., Stevens, J.R., Alberghina, D., Alway, H.E.E., Barela, J.D., Bogese, M., Bray, E.E., Buchsbaum, D. Byosiere, S.-E., Byrne, M., Cavalli, C. M., Chaudoir, L. M., Collins-Pisano, C., DeBoer, H.J., Douglas L.E.L.C., Dror, S., Dzik, M.V., Ferguson, B., Fisher, L., Fitzpatrick, H.C., Freeman, M.S., Frinton, S.N., Glover, M.K., Gnanadesikan, G.E., Goacher, J.E.P., Golańska, M., Guran, C.-N.A., Hare, E., Hare, B. Hickey, M., Horschler, D.J., Huber, L., Jim, H.-L., Johnston, A.M., Kaminski, J. Kelly, D.M., Kuhlmeier, V.A., Lassiter, L., Lazarowski, L., Leighton-Birch, J., MacLean, E.L., Maliszewska, K., Marra, V., Montgomery, L.I., Murray, M.S., Nelson, E.K., Ostojić, L., Palermo, S.G., Parks Russell, A.E., Pelgrim, M.H., Pellowe, S.D., Reinholz, A., Rial, L.A., Richards, E.M., Ross, M.A., Rothkoff, L.G., Salomons, H., Sanger, J.K., Santos, L., Shirle, A.R., Shearer, S.J., Silver, Z.A., Silverman, J.M., Sommese, A., Srdoc, T., St. John-Mosse, H., Vega, A.C., Vékony, K., Völter, C.J., Walsh C.J., Worth, Y.A., Zipperling, L.M.I., Żołędziewska, B., & Zylberfuden, S.G. (2023). ManyDogs 1: A multi-lab replication study of dogs’ pointing comprehension. Animal Behavior & Cognition, 10(3), 232-28. doi:10.26451/abc.10.03.03.2023

ManyDogs 1 Collaborators

These research groups registered collaborators in ManyDogs 1, and the Team Captains designated at each institution were responsible for organizing ManyDogs at their site.

ManyDogs 1 Team

Meet our team of individuals who were responsible for organizing ManyDogs 1 and moved the project forward to completion through their time and dedication.

Headshot of Mikey Bogese

Mike Bogese

Hunter College
Project Administrator

Headshot of Daphna Buchsbaum

Daphna Buchsbaum

Brown University
Project Coordinator

Headshot of Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere with Sadie the black Labrador/Golden Retriever Cross

Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere

Hunter College
Project Coordinator

Headshot of Julia Espinosa holding Winnie the Pembroke Welsh Corgi in a field of yellow flowers

Julia Espinosa

Harvard University
Project Coordinator, Data Team, & Website Team

Headshot of Gita Gnanadesikan

Gita Gnanadesikan

University of Arizona
Project Coordinator, Experimenter Video Team & Methods Team

Headshot of Elizabeth Hare

Elizabeth Hare

Dog Genetics LLC
Data Team

Headshot of Madeline Pelgrim with Loki the Golden Retriever

Madeline Pelgrim

Brown University
Methods Team & Experimenter Video Team

Headshot of Jeffrey Stevens with Koda the brown Catahoula leopard dog

Jeffrey Stevens

University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Project Coordinator, Data Team, & Website Team