The aim of the Precision Cohort study is a more precise look at how canine biology and physiology are related to aging. The Dog Aging Project has funding to pay for in-depth, laboratory analyses of blood, urine, fecal, and hair samples from 1500 dogs. Using this information, we will identify molecular biological predictors of disease and longevity and develop an epigenetic clock that predicts biological age in dogs.
Participants in this cohort will be invited to request a DNA Kit similar to that of Foundation Cohort members. After returning the saliva sample, the next step will be to request a Sample Kit for the collection of biological samples. Precision Cohort members will need to take their dogs to their primary care veterinarians for the collection of these samples using the Sample Kits we provide. (For safety, small dogs will need to have their samples collected in smaller quantities over the course of two visits.) In addition, we’ll ask participants to do other activities such as playing cognitive games with their dogs, taking body size measurements, and timing their dogs during mobility assessments. Members of Precision will continue to participate in annual surveys about their dog with the Dog Aging Project Pack.