Researchers in Portsmouth are calling on dog owners to volunteer their canine friends to help uncover how facial expressions in dogs develop over time.
Labrador and golden retriever puppies of varying ages are needed for a new study by the University of Portsmouth, which will examine and compare facial expressions of the dogs at different stages of development.
Researchers are seeking puppies aged 10, 12, 14 or 16 weeks from anywhere in the UK to take part in the study.
There is no need to travel - owners will be asked to film their puppies at home for up to 4 minutes following guidance by Dr Juliane Kaminski, from the University of Portsmouth's Dog Cognition Centre and the footage will then be sent across for the team to analyse.
Dr Kaminski, from the University's Faculty of Science and Health , said: "We want to understand how facial movements in dogs change as they grow - do they become more or less expressive with age?
"Facial expressions are at the heart of how dogs communicate their emotions, yet we still have so much to learn about them. That is what makes this research so exciting."
Eligibility Criteria
The participants must be labrador retriever or golden retriever puppies.
The dogs must be of the ages 10 weeks, 12 weeks, 14 weeks or 16 weeks.
Owners must be willing to film their puppy in 4 different situations for 1 minute each.
The videos would then need to be shared with the University.
