“Do as I Do” Dog-training Research Program for Children with Developmental Differences

For more information, or to sign up for the program, please contact:

Dr. Saethra Darling darlings@oregonstate.edu

Email Dr. Saethra Darling
Cute picture of child shaking paws with a Bernese mountain dog

Summer 2024 Program at Capacity

Stay Tuned for Future Research

Who can participate?

  • Children ages 10-17 years
  • with a developmental difference
  • and a pet dog
Child and dog giving each other a "high five"

What are developmental differences?

Not sure if your child qualifies? Ask us at darlings@oregonstate.edu!

  • Examples include
    • Anxiety/depression
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
    • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
    • Dyslexia
    • and more

About the program

  • Each child and dog pair participates in ten training sessions, each lasting approximately 55 minutes
  • Each family participates in three assessments – one before training, one after training, and one 1 year later. Assessments include answering survey questions and dog behavior activities
  • In gratitude for participation, we provide a $25 gift card at each assessment

This project is conducted in partnership with OSU College of Health: Children and Youth with Disabilities Lab

Learn More

Dates, Times, and Locations

  • Portland, OR: OSU Extension Education Center
    • Begins July 1st, 2024
      • (no sessions over July 4th holiday or the week of July 22nd-27th)
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays
      • 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, or 2pm
  • Seattle, WA: Ahimsa Dog Training Studio
    • Begins June 24th, 2024
      • (no sessions over July 4th holiday)
    • Monday through Thursday
      • July 15-30th, 2024 or
      • August 5-20th, 2024
        • 9am, 10am, 11am, or 12pm
  • Corvallis, OR: OSU Campus
    • Begins June 24th, 2024
      • (no sessions over July 4th holiday or on August 8th)
    • Tuesdays and Thursdays
      • 10:30am, 12pm, 1:30pm, or 3pm

Our purpose

The primary purpose of this research study is to investigate the potential benefits of a dog-assisted intervention on the physical activity and social wellbeing of children with developmental differences.

Participation in this program might also offer an engaging experience for your family dog, potentially fostering a deeper bond between your child and their dog.

Child training dog
  • child offering treat to dog during training session
  • Cute dog sitting up on chair
  • dog leaning against chair to get pets from a person sitting in the chair during an assessment
  • small child petting their very large Bernese mountain dog
  • child showing dog treat while dog sits nicely and pays close attention
  • engaged child offering a treat to his dog while training dog to jump over an agility jump
  • volunteer shaking paws with a golden retriever and offering a treat
  • close up of a large whiteish husky-type dog face with a happy expression
  • volunteer trainer and black dog looking at each other sweetly while dog stands in between two orange cones during training session
  • collage of 6 cute dogs one of which is the fake dog used in the dog behavior assessment
  • youth training his service dog, luring around orange cone
  • child gesturing for dog to jump over the agility jump
  • small dog with red toy and intense concentration on a person not visible - probably a treat up there
  • very very large dpg sitting in very very small chair next to smiling person
  • golden retirever and child sitting on floor similarly, child wearing Covid mask
  • volunteeer and child training small dog to jump over agility jump
  • volunteer training small dog to sit on a platform
  • Bernese mountain dog successfully going over agility jump with child offering treat on the other side
  • black and white long haired corgi sitting pretty
  • large brown and black dog getting pets from person in chair during assessment

For more information, or to sign up for the program, please contact:

Dr. Saethra Darling darlings@oregonstate.edu

Email Dr. Saethra Darling
program manager with her adorable black and white cat draped over her shoulders like a scarf
Ethical oversight and funding information:

Oregon State University Institutional Review Board (Human Subjects) Protocol #: IRB-2020-0816
Oregon State University Animal Care and Use Protocol #: IACUC-2022-0313
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant #: RO1HD101098
Title: “The evaluation of a multi-site novel imitation-based animal assisted intervention for children with developmental disabilities and their family dog”.

Primary Investigators:

Megan MacDonald, Ph.D.
Megan.MacDonald@oregonstate.edu
541-737-3273

Monique Udell, Ph.D.
Monique.Udell@oregonstate.edu