Research on Dog Cognition 

Prof. Dr. Catholijn M. Jonker (Interactive Intelligence groups of Delft University of Technology), Dr. Tibor Bosse (Radboud Universiteit Amsterdam), and MSc. Arjen van Alphen from Stichting “De Roedelmethode” initiated a long term research programme on dog cognition. The research is based on a set of aspects that are important to De Roedelmethode(R) which aims to improve the relation between handler and dog. 

Over the years MSc. Arjen van Alphen, Francien Koeman, dog behaviour therapists have spent much time on empirical research. Coming in contact with Prof. Dr. Catholijn Jonker they discovered a mutual interest in cognitive behaviour. Prof. Dr. Catholijn Jonker and her colleague Dr. Tibor Bosse are researchers in the field of Artificial Intelligence, with an interest in understanding and modelling cognition and how to incorporate that into software agents. MSc. Arjen van Alphen and Francien Koeman as dog behaviourists have an interest in a better understanding of dog cognition to improve dog-handler therapy. 

Topics of the research are: 

• The relation between scent- and body-language. 

• How does this relation affect behaviour and how do other stimulants from the environment influence this behaviour. 

The aim of the research involves a better understanding of dog behaviour thus supporting improvements in dog education methods. 

We confirm that every effort will be made to ensure that studies will not result in pain or suffering of participating animals as a result of this research.