The Dog Aging Project - An Open Data Resource

The Dog Aging Project (DAP) is a community science project through which volunteer dog owners share information about their dogs for the purpose of long-term, longitudinal scientific research intended to identify the biological and environmental factors that maximize companion dog health and longevity. The project is primarily funded by grants from the National Institute on Aging, a part of the National Institutes of Health, and is an open data project, meaning that raw data are regularly made available through periodic public releases. The first public release contains data on 27,541 living dogs, including physical activity, environmental features, behavior, diet components, medications, and health status and history of the dog, and demographic characteristics of both the dog and owner. This exceptionally well-characterized group of companion dogs provides an unparalleled resource for exploration of diverse dimensions of health and aging, through collaboration with veterinarians, human health researchers, and basic scientists. This presentation will introduce the design and demographics of the cohort to the veterinary research community, and will highlight key findings from the initial data relsease. Additionally, audience members will learn how to access the data, and how to propose collaborations with the DAP team.