Our research and development
Look back through our years of groundbreaking research and see what we have planned for the future.
Since 1998, we’ve been involved in groundbreaking research that provides the evidence for what we see every day – that dogs and the bond we share with them can have a transformative impact on individuals, families and communities, and society as a whole.
Research and development are integral to what we do. As we seek to understand our dogs and the people our dogs support, we’ll continue being involved in research projects that develop our understanding of how bringing people and dogs together helps to make life possible.
Our groundbreaking research
Across Dogs for Good, our teams are always exploring new ideas, asking questions, and looking for better ways to support people and dogs.
While we don't conduct or publish research ourselves, we play an active role in making high-quality research possible through collaborations with universities, researchers, and sector partners. Alongside these partnerships, we carry out our own internal evaluations and innovation projects to understand what works, improve our services, and shape future practice.
Our Research Committee helps ensure this work is scientifically robust, ethically sound, and aligned with our mission, so that every project contributes to meaningful learning and better outcomes.
Explore some of our recent research collaborations, evaluations, and innovation projects here.
Published in 1998 by D.R Lane, J McNicholas, and G.M Collis.
Published in 2016 by Sophie Susannah Hall, Hannah F. Wright, and Daniel Simon Mills.
Published in 2024 by Emily Shoesmith, Selina Gibsone, Ed Bracher, Iris Smolkovic, Kelly Jennings, Laura Viles, Kate Easton, and Elena Ratschen.
Published in 2025 by Emily Shoesmith, Heidi Stevens, Selina Gibsone, Cari Miles, Hannah Beal, Kelly Jennings, and Elena Ratschen.
Published in 2025 by Emily Shoesmith, Selina Gibsone, Hayley Ring, Lucy Purchese, and Elena Ratschen.
Published in XX as part of a collaboration between Dogs for Good, Alzheimer Scotland and the Dementia Dog Project which received a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund. This report is based on the evaluation done by Jacki Gordon and Associates.
Published in 2020 as part of a collaboration between Dogs for Good, Alzheimer Scotland and the Dementia Dog Project which received a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund. This report is a summary of the evaluation from The Dementia Centre, HammondCare. The research was done by Dr Julie Christie and Oonagh Thompson-Bradley
This report is based on the findings of Dogs for Good's 2025 impact survey, carried out in partnership with Vet AI and funded by Ceva Animal Health.
What's next for our research and development?
Real-world impact
We're interested in how the people we support can make practical savings to other social or medical care. Although this part of our research won't be strictly limited to Animal Assisted Services and Animal Assisted Activities, there will be a key focus on these.
Understanding volunteering
We're looking at what motivates people to start volunteering, the key factors in volunteer retention, and the impact of volunteering on people's health and wellbeing. We're also interested in perceptions of service delivery, and the demographics of our volunteers.
Secondary benefits of our services
We're gaining a better understanding of the benefits that come from connection with our services. Examples of the secondary benefits could be things like improvements in family relationships and friendships, a positive increase in mental health, or reducing stigma in local communities.
We're also interested in exploring these topics...
1. Perspectives, building public trust and confidence in our work
2. Dog wellbeing and welfare assessments, and our dogs' quality of life
3. The relationship between our dogs and the volunteers who care for them, and attachment styles
4. Understanding dogs' wellbeing and outcomes
5. The design of our services
6. Enhancing data usage to improve partnerships and fundraising
7. Other client outcomes, such as socioeconomics, employability and impact on young adults
Interested in collaborating with us on a research project? Fill out our enquiry form and we'll be in touch.
A message from our team
Great ideas start with curiosity! Every question we ask, every project we support, and every evaluation we carry out is about understanding what helps life-changing bonds between people and dogs.
Our work is guided by the same promise that shapes everything we do. We seek to understand by listening to the experiences of the people and dogs we work with. We respect all needs by recognising that no two journeys are the same. And we make positive connections by bringing together colleagues, researchers, partners, and communities to share knowledge and learn from one another.
We don't have all the answers, and that's what keeps us curious. By working collaboratively, embracing new ideas, and continually learning, we can keep improving our services and help create lasting, positive change.
A message from our team
Great ideas start with curiosity! Every question we ask, every project we support, and every evaluation we carry out is about understanding what helps life-changing bonds between people and dogs. Our work is guided by the same promise that shapes everything we do. We seek to understand by listening to the experiences of the people and dogs we work with. We respect all needs by recognising that no two journeys are the same. And we make positive connections by bringing together colleagues, researchers, partners, and communities to share knowledge and learn from one another. We don't have all the answers, and that's what keeps us curious. By working collaboratively, embracing new ideas, and continually learning, we can keep improving our services and help create lasting, positive change.
Selina Gibsone
Research and Development Manager
Monica Soldevila Rubio
Development Officer
Victoria Maclennan-Jones
Development Officer
Get in touch
Whether you're interested in collaborating with us on a research project, or would like to chat to us about something else, please fill out our enquiry form and a member of our Research and Development Team will be in touch.