ManyDogs 1: A Multi-Lab Replication Study of Dogs’ Pointing Comprehension
Authors: Project ManyDogs , Espinosa Julia , Stevens Jeffrey R. , Alberghina Daniela , Alway Harley E. E. , Barela Jessica D. , Bogese Michael , Bray Emily E. , Buchsbaum Daphna , Byosiere Sarah-Elizabeth , Byrne Molly Byrne , Cavalli Camila M. , Chaudoir Leah M. , Collins-Pisano Courtney , DeBoer Hunter J. , Douglas Laura E. L. C. , Dror Shany , Dzik Marina V. , Ferguson Beverly , Fisher Laura , Fitzpatrick Hannah C. , Freeman Marianne S. , Frinton Shayla N. , Glover Maeve K. , Gnanadesikan Gitanjali E. , Goacher Joshua E. P. , Golańska Marta , Guran C. N. Alexandrina , Hare Elizabeth , Hare Brian , Hickey Mia , Horschler Daniel J. , Huber Ludwig , Jim Hoi-Lam , Johnston Angie M. , Kaminski Juliane , Kelly Debbie M. , Kuhlmeier Valerie A. , Lassiter Lily , Lazarowski Lucia , Leighton-Birch Jennifer , MacLean Evan L. , Maliszewska Kamila , Marra Vito , Montgomery Lane I. , Murray Madison S. , Nelson Emma K. , Ostojić Ljerka , Palermo Shennai G. , Parks Russell Anya E. , Pelgrim Madeline H. , Pellowe Sarita D. , Reinholz Anna , Rial Laura A. , Richards Emily M. , Ross Miriam A. , Rothkoff Liza G. , Salomons Hannah , Sanger Joelle K. , Santos Laurie , Schirle Angelina R. , Shearer Shania J. , Silver Zachary A. , Silverman Jessica M. , Sommese Andrea , Srdoc Tiziana , St. John-Mosse Hannah , Vega Angelica C. , Vékony Kata , Völter Christoph J. , Walsh Carolyn J. , Worth Yasmin A. , Zipperling Lena M. I. , Żołędziewska Bianka , Zylberfuden Sarah G. 
Published: August 2023

To promote collaboration across canine science, address replicability issues, and advance open science practices within animal cognition, we have launched the ManyDogs consortium, modeled on similar ManyX projects in other fields. We aimed to create a collaborative network that (a) uses large, diverse samples to investigate and replicate findings, (b) promotes open science practices of pre-registering hypotheses, methods, and analysis plans, (c) investigates the influence of differences across populations and breeds, and (d) examines how different research methods and testing environments influence the robustness of results. Our first study combines a phenomenon that appears to be highly reliable—dogs’ ability to follow human pointing—with a question that remains controversial: do dogs interpret pointing as a social communicative gesture or as a simple associative cue? We collected data (N = 455) from 20 research sites on two conditions of a 2-alternative object choice task: (1) Ostensive (pointing to a baited cup after making eye-contact and saying the dog’s name); (2) Non-ostensive (pointing without eye-contact, after a throat-clearing auditory control cue). Comparing performance between conditions, while both were significantly above chance, there was no significant difference in dogs’ responses. This result was consistent across sites. Further, we found that dogs followed contralateral, momentary pointing at lower rates than has been reported in prior research, suggesting that there are limits to the robustness of point-following behavior: not all pointing styles are equally likely to elicit a response. Together, these findings underscore the important role of procedural details in study design and the broader need for replication studies in canine science.