Dr. Miklósi is a professor and the head of the Department of Ethology at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. In 1994, with Vilmos Csányi and József Topál, he founded the Family Dog Project for the purpose of studying human-dog interaction from an ethological perspective.
They hypothesized that during the process of domestication dogs had gained skills that allow specific behavioral adjustments in the human social environment. In their research, they have showed that dogs develop specific attachment relationships with their owners, that dogs are able to communicate with humans using a range of fine-tuned visual and acoustic signals, and that dogs are also able to learn through observation and to utilize the knowledge gained for their own benefit.
Dr. Miklósi and the Family Dog Project are pioneers in research on dogs and their relationship with humans, and on 2008, they organized a first-of-its-kind conference for researchers and experts to share results and insights on the topic. Dr. Miklósi has published many journal articles, and is the author of “Dog Behavior, Evolution, and Cognition,” one of the foremost books on the topic, which is now in its second edition.
Dr. Miklósi earned his Masters from Eötvös Loránd University and his Doctorate and Doctorate of Science from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Miklósi brings his pioneering work in canine cognition and unique experience studying dogs in the context of humans to National Canine Research Council, where he has been an advisor since 2014.
See Dr. Miklósi’s 2014 video interview (right) where he discusses the importance of canine research in the context of humans, social competence, why dogs are individuals, and why we shouldn’t rely on breed to predict behavior.
This 2011 exploratory study used a large owner survey in an attempt to quantify behavioral commonalities among breeds and breed groups.
This study is included because the assessment developed has been adopted by other researchers due to its brevity and reported validity.
This is a two-part study that investigated factors that might mediate “aggression,” “fear,” and “anxiety” on behavior evaluations of shelter and pet dogs.
Dr. Miklósi’s 2014 video interview: