ProcedurePlay sessions took place in an indoor laboratory containinga cordoned-off play arena measuring 5.5 m × 3.5 m. This areaincluded a door that opened into a small room in which the targetdog was placed before the session began. Each session involved onlythe target dog and a single partner. On arrival, owners brought theirdogs into the laboratory, placed them in the arena and remainedwith them until they had settled in. Once the dogs were relaxed,the owners left the laboratory and the target dog was released fromthe holding room. Two researchers remained to record the sessionand to manage the dogs. A pilot study indicated that dyads thatwere left alone in the arena tended to focus their attention on theresearchers