Dogs at Work a Treat for Researchers

This Friday is “Take Your Dog to Work Day,” but you probably won’t see faculty or staff with their furry friends in campus offices June 26.

Unless, of course, it’s at Duke’s Canine Cognition Center in the basement of the Biological-Sciences Building, where a variety of dogs visit research staff every week. Faculty and staff at the Center run dogs through a variety of tests to determine learning capabilities and canine understanding, with outcomes used to help improve programs in which dogs are bred and trained to help humans, like service dogs for the disabled.

Just in time for the annual Take Your Dog to Work Day, which encourages adoptions from local shelters, rescue groups and humane societies, Working@Duke visited the Center to hear from employees and student interns what it’s like to spend time with dogs as part of their work. 

Kerri Rodriguez, lab manager, who monitors testing over closed circuit TV feeds

“Sometimes with research on lemurs or other animals, you can’t always see the real world application of what you’re doing, but with service dog research, you get to see the direct application to society. We’re helping dogs that are going to change people’s lives.”

Evan MacLean, co-director and senior research scientist, with his Labrador, Sisu

“We have a unique interface with the community here, which is an opportunity to expose people to science who otherwise might not get that chance. It’s almost like there’s an inherent outreach component to our research – a fun way to share science with people.”

Christina Burt, center, Duke undergraduate and summer intern, with Mollie, a Golden Retriever who was tested at the Center

“Most people doing research at Duke over the summer are doing things with microscopes or entering in data, but I feel very lucky to be working with live animals. Working with dogs is interesting because I have never had a dog - I am a cat person - so it’s taken a little bit of getting use to, but I am definitely an all-around animal person.”  

Seraphina Wong, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill undergraduate and summer intern, with Mollie

“There’s not really any opportunity like this out there. We get to work with dogs so closely and learn how they think, what makes them so special and how they can communicate with humans so well. I don’t have pet dogs at home, so it’s a big plus I get to come here and get my fill every week.”

Additional reporting by Alexandria Glenn