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kristen johnson 2.
Hello,
I’d like to ask whether any of the data will ever be used in support of experiments on dogs or other animals that may be intrusive or painful in nature. Thank you!
Hi Erica,
That is a great question.
Many times when people hear the word “research” or “study” they automatically think of a laboratory. But in this study, the owners and dogs are safely participating from the comfort of their home! We do not and never will use laboratory dogs.
The research is strictly computational, as we gather data from owners via the behavioral surveys. We send owners a saliva swab for them to collect from the mouth of their dog. It is a very easy and non-invasive collection process.
The data that we acquired in this study is used to better understand behavior and genetics in pet dogs. Our methodology and outcomes of the study are by no means intrusive or painful, and cannot be applied that way.
If you have any other questions about our methods or how the research works, we are happy to help! 🙂
Best,
Brittney
are these tests safe?
Hi Jennifer,
Yes the collection is very safe for you to handle and for your dog!
It is a dry swab that is put into your dog’s mouth to collect the saliva, then you invert the swab into a tube of a liquid, which preserves the DNA at room temperature.
We have a video avaliable on how to collect the sample here:
I was able to use the test on both of my dogs and by myself. Honestly my dogs did better with this than when I brush their teeth.
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