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Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Research topic

Open research questions in Human-Animal Interaction Studies

557 gap statements mined from Human-Animal Interaction Studies papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 2,932 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

Choosing where to publish on Human-Animal Interaction Studies? See the ranked Biology journals.

What the literature leaves open

  • Prior methods for studying cognitive aging and dementia in dogs are labor intensive or do not provide direct functional assessments of cognition. There is a need for an efficient, repeatable, and sensitive evaluation for studies of cognitive aging in community dwelling dogs.

    Cognitive assessment for neuropsychological impairments in dogs (CANID): an efficient, repeatable, and sensitive evaluation for studies of cognitive aging · 2026 · DOI

  • Little is known about forensic practitioners’ experiences and perceptions of dog-based AAIs across Scottish prisons and secure forensic mental health services.

    Forensic practitioners’ perspectives on the feasibility and acceptability of implementing dog-based animal-assisted interventions in Scottish custodial and forensic mental health settings: a qualitative study · 2026 · DOI

  • While dogs’ behavioural indicators of psychological stress are widely used, their function as reliable stress markers remains debated.

    Rethinking dog stress behaviours: contextual and physiological insights from the attachment framework · 2026 · DOI

  • The perspectives of therapy dog handlers and the impact of their presence in service on AAS process and outcomes remain underexplored.

    The positive transformation of therapy dog handlers throughout the animal-assisted services: An exploratory qualitative study in Hong Kong · 2026 · DOI

  • Little is known about changes in heart rate during scent-based detection in companion dogs.

    Heart rate variability and behaviour in dogs during and after scent work · 2026 · DOI

  • Dogs are known to follow human pointing gestures, but the influence of life history on this ability remains poorly understood.

    The role of life history in the ability to follow pointing gestures: A comparative study of pet, shelter, and free-ranging dogs · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should investigate adopter uptake of support offered for various dog behaviours, to provide further evidence on how to support adopters and their dogs following adoption.

    Behaviours of concern reported by owners of dogs during the first four months of adoption · 2026 · DOI

  • However, the consistency of handlers’ decisions, and the behaviours they are based on, remain understudied.

    How does the behaviour of bio-detection dogs correlate with handler decision-making? · 2026 · DOI

  • The relationship between horses and humans is often described as cooperative and affective, yet empirical studies on horse-rider bond remain scarce.

    Horses prefer their rider: A strange situation test adaptation shows behavioural evidence for partner-specific bonding · 2026 · DOI

  • Previous findings on horse-human relationships yielded conflicting results on whether and how horses show bonding like behaviour toward their owners.

    Horses prefer their rider: A strange situation test adaptation shows behavioural evidence for partner-specific bonding · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should investigate effects of dog ownership using device-based measures of physical activity and physical function and changes in health following changes in dog ownership.

    Dog Ownership, Physical Activity, and Mental Health in Mid-to-Older Aged Adults: Findings From the HABITAT Cohort Study · 2025 · DOI

  • However, the specific ways in which dog ownership impacts substance use and mental health remain underexplored.

    Dog ownership for people with substance use disorder: self-reported influence on substance use and mental health · 2025 · DOI

  • While generalizability to other detection dog populations and identification of alternative behavioral predictors remains uncertain, this study provides valuable insights into the predictive accuracy of trainer ratings in a dog behavior assessment system.

    Prediction of successful training outcomes for drug detection dogs using subjective ratings and behavioral test measures: A case study in Japan customs · 2025 · DOI

  • Previous research on detection dogs in Japan focused on genetics, but behavioral assessment methods for training have been understudied.

    Prediction of successful training outcomes for drug detection dogs using subjective ratings and behavioral test measures: A case study in Japan customs · 2025 · DOI

  • However, the effects of prenatal enrichment on puppy behavioural development remains to be explored in domestic dogs.

    Gestational enrichment of commercial breeding dams (Canis familiaris) influences offspring behaviour · 2025 · DOI

  • Reasons for the excluded dogs’ inability to meet the criteria, especially in the absence of major stressors or procedural errors, remain uncertain, whether stemming from variations in cognitive capacities, reward motivation, or lack of specific experiences in dogs’ learning history.

    Factors influencing a hand-touch learning task outcome in the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) · 2025 · DOI

  • This possibility warrants further exploration across a broader range of cognitive tasks and contexts.

    Factors influencing a hand-touch learning task outcome in the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) · 2025 · DOI

  • Human-horse interactions can have positive outcomes for people, but not much is known about their effects on horses.

    Straight from the horse's mouth: Changes in salivary oxytocin, cortisol and behaviour in horses interacting with unfamiliar humans · 2025 · DOI

  • Studies on the relationships and interactions within human-dog teams in the French Army are scarce.

    Human-dog trust and cohesion within French military canine teams · 2024 · DOI

  • In this Commentary, we integrate evidence from genomics, neuroscience, microbiome research, evolutionary anthropology, and palaeoepigenetics to examine whether multispecies living environments may represent an under-recognised biological exposure shaping human regulatory biology.

    The epigenetic archaeology of human-dog companionship · 2026 · DOI

  • The factors that reduce or prevent chewing behaviour in companion dogs are poorly understood, as is the type and variety of chewable substrates provided.

    Cross sectional survey: Owner-reported influences on dogs’ opportunities to chew · 2026 · DOI

  • Many of these factors are discussed in, and supported by, the scientific literature; however, some areas are identified that appear under researched.

    Factors influencing the expression of human directed dog aggression. A qualitative study of professional opinion · 2026 · DOI

  • Since trainers and handlers typically assess explosives detection dogs (EDDs) without standardised tests, questionnaires can provide valuable insights into expert decision-making.

    Expert-based breed and trait preferences in explosives detection dogs and their underlying rationale · 2026 · DOI

  • The study did not provide direct comparisons to other cognitive assessments, - The study relied on a specific population of community-dwelling dogs, - The study used a limited number of data collection…

    Cognitive assessment for neuropsychological impairments in dogs (CANID): an efficient, repeatable, and sensitive evaluation for studies of cognitive aging · 2026 · DOI

  • Professional opinion about risk factors for human directed dog aggression was sought Risk factors relating to a dog, a dog’s owner and the environment were reported Under researched risk factors were suggested…

    Factors influencing the expression of human directed dog aggression. A qualitative study of professional opinion · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Human-Animal Interaction Studies

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) There is a need for an efficient, repeatable, and sensitive evaluation for studies of cognitive aging in community dwelling dogs (“Cognitive assessment for neuropsychological impairments in dogs (CANID): an…”, 2026); (2) Little is known about forensic practitioners’ experiences and perceptions of dog-based AAIs across Scottish prisons and secure forensic mental health services (“Forensic practitioners’ perspectives on the feasibility and acceptability of…”, 2026); (3) The perspectives of therapy dog handlers and the impact of their presence in service on AAS process and outcomes remain underexplored (“The positive transformation of therapy dog handlers throughout the…”, 2026); (4) Little is known about changes in heart rate during scent-based detection in companion dogs (“Heart rate variability and behaviour in dogs during and after scent work”, 2026); (5) Dogs are known to follow human pointing gestures, but the influence of life history on this ability remains poorly understood (“The role of life history in the ability to follow pointing gestures: A…”, 2026). 557 gap statements have been mined from Human-Animal Interaction Studies papers in our 7.9M-paper local library, which holds 2,932 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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