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Calling all things cute and cuddly.

Researchers at the University of B.C. are looking for participants with babies to help with a study looking at whether having a dog in the home contributes to enhanced language development in infants.

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Post-doctoral fellow Nicole Sugden and Prof. Janet Werker in the UBC department of psychology are trying to figure out whether having a family dog can change infants’ brain response to language or boost their ability to understand an adult.

Sugden says families with infants between two and six months of age are invited to participate. Both families with and without pet dogs are eligible.

Researchers are hoping to find 100 participants: Fifty families with a dog and a baby, and 50 with a baby and no pet.

Sugden says participating infants will take part in two “fun tasks” over about an hour at the UBC Infant Studies Centre, and after the study, all babies will receive an honorary UBC degree certificate, as well as a little infant scientist T-shirt.