TTU Human-Animal Interaction Lab

09/15/2026

09/03/2026

Fourth publication of this year!!🎉

We are so excited to share that pur lab has new research!

Alissa work explored how Combined enrichment and pharmaceutical intervention reduces excessive arousal in shelter dogs. 🐕

The main highlights are:

🐾 The winning combo- Paring short term calming medication + calm enrichment (human-animal interactions and walks) produced the biggest drop in arousal in dogs.

Excessive arousal isn't permanent. With enrichment and interventions, shelter dogs can settle — and that could also improves their chances of finding a home. 🏡

If you wish to learn more click on the link in the bio!

Huge congratulations to Alissa and her team! 🎉🎉🎉

08/31/2026

📢 Our first study of the fall is here!

Calling all Lubbock cat owners — we are launching a new study exploring cat play behavior with different types of toys, and we would love your cat to take part.🐈🐱

Interested? Register your cat through the link in bio!

08/25/2026

New publication alert! 🐾

In this exploratory observational study, veterinary students at the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine performed routine wellness exams on dogs, where we examined relationships between handling techniques, dogs’ behavioral responses, and students’ emotions. Dogs showed less fear behaviors when passive handling was used, compared to more restrictive techniques.

Students also generally underestimated the dog’s level of fear during the exams, highlighting the importance of stress recognition and low-stress handling practices.

The full paper is open access and available to read in our bio! 🐶🩺

07/09/2026

HAI Lab had a wonderful time presenting their work at Sceince for Animal Welfare Conference at London and International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) Conference at Paris, France.✨️

Dr. Linsay Nakonechny presented - Veterinarians’ perspectives on dog handling decisions during routine examinations. 🐕💉

Dr. Kristina O'Hanley presented - Assessing the impact of enrichment and pharmaceutical interventions on mitigating excessive arousal in shelters dogs. ⚕️🐕

Dr. Rituparna Sonowal presented -Tugger, Fetcher or Chewer? Tailoring toys to play preferences to increase engagement. 🥎🐕🐾

06/18/2026

We are thrilled to celebrate Rituparna Sonowal and Lindsay Nakonechny on the successful defense of their dissertations. Congratulations, Dr. Sonowal and Dr. Nakonechny!🎉🎉🎉

Dr. Sonowal’s research focused on the influence of scented enrichment on owned dog behavior and welfare.

Dr. Nakonechny’s research explored factors that influence veterinary staff interactions with dog patients during routine care.

06/16/2026

Last chance to participate in the cat scratching study!

Are you tired of your cat scratching household items?

The TTU Human-Animal Interaction Lab is looking for 10 more cats in the Lubbock area to participate in a two-week study exploring ways to reduce unwanted scratching.

Visit the following link to sign up:
bit.ly/CatScratchStudy

05/15/2026

Congratulations to Ilea Chapman for graduating as an Outstanding Senior in Animal Science!

Ilea has been an integral part of the Texas Tech Animal Behavior Clinic, and we are so excited to see her begin her next journey as a veterinary student at Texas A&M this fall!

🎓🎉

05/06/2026

What shapes how veterinarians handle dogs during exams?

Our latest paper explored this question through in-depth interviews with veterinarians about their real-world experiences.

🔍 What we found:

🐾 Handling decisions reflect a balance between patient needs, safety, time pressures and clinic constraints

🩺 Even though veterinarians value stress-reducing handling, it is not always perceived to be feasible

🧠 The well-being of veterinarians and workplace factors play important roles in how dogs are handled

🐶 Improving dog welfare isn’t just about training - it also means supporting veterinary teams and individuals in ways that allow stress-reducing practices to be applied effectively.

Read the full paper in our bio!

03/30/2026

Looking for cat parents in Lubbock 🐱

If you have a cat that’s 1 year or older, we would love for you to join our study on cat water consumption using scented water bowls!

Incentives are included as part of your participation. ✨

Tap the link in our bio to register!