Inside the Minds of Puppies: How Do They Develop Their Thinking Skills?

In 2018, Hannah Salomons began a research journey that would span five years, several cities and more than 100 puppies training to be service animals. A project that began in her first year as a Ph.D. student evolved into one of the most detailed longitudinal studies ever conducted on puppy cognition. The goal? To understand how puppies develop thinking skills such as memory, impulse control, and the ability to interpret human gestures. She also is looking to uncover clues about how these skills evolved, and whether early cognitive traits can predict future behavior. “I’ve always