The Shocking Truth: Examining Research Methods Utilized in the Study of Dog Behavior & Welfare with Dr. Lisa Gunter & Dr. Erica Feuerbacher

Considering recent research attempting to investigate the relative impacts of shock collars and food-based training on dog behavior and welfare, being a well-informed consumer of science is essential in order to evaluate studies for their merits and limitations. Conducting research is a challenging endeavor, and even more so when asking applied questions.

When designing research studies, scientists must have a clear understanding of the question being asked, appropriate dependent measures to answer that question, a design that is free from bias or are biased against their hypothesis, and experimental conditions that are equivalent in as many ways as possible except for the critical variable of interest. Moreover, their sample of participants should be representative of the population, and their methodology consistently applied. Once data collection is complete, scientists need to use statistical analyses that are appropriate for their data and research question, ensure interpretations are consistent with the analytical results, and be transparent in their reporting.

In this webinar, we will discuss the essential features of carrying out such a research study, and how a study investigating the question of training methods would need to be designed in order to fulfill these aims and obtain applicable results. Following this webinar, attendees will have a better understanding about the challenges of conducting applied research and be a more informed consumer of science, including being able to discuss the strengths and limitations of a given study more knowledgeably.

Your Presenters

Dr. Lisa Gunter is an Assistant Professor of Animal Behavior & Welfare at Virginia Tech in the School of Animal Sciences and directs the Center for Applied Animal Behavior & Education (CAARE). Before beginning her graduate studies, she worked for nearly a decade in animal shelters and with pet dogs and their owners. Her research focuses on the behavior and welfare of companion animals with a special focus on our interactions with them. The goal of Lisa’s research and extension is to better lives of people and their pets. Prior to joining Virginia Tech, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Coastal Carolina University and the Maddie’s Fund Research Fellow at Arizona State University. Lisa earned her PhD and MA degrees in the behavioral neuroscience and comparative psychology program at Arizona State University.

Dr. Erica Feuerbacher is an Associate Professor in the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech and director of the Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare Lab, where she focuses her research on dogs and horses. She also coordinates the online Masters program in Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare at Virginia Tech. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Florida and her Master’s in Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas. She is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Her research focuses on understanding domestic animal behavior and learning from a behavior analytic perspective, using applied animal behavior to solve behavioral issues in dogs and horses, and identifying interventions that improve shelter dog welfare. She has published her research in a variety of scientific journals and has won awards for her research and teaching. She is passionate about humane, effective animal training, and working with owners, trainers, and shelter staff to improve our interactions with animals.

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