Puppy plea: Could your dog help with new study?

Do you have a dog with an expressive face?

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth are seeking four-legged recruits for a new study exploring the facial expressions of puppies.

The trial will ask multiple participants to film their pets at home to examine how expressions change at different stages of development.

Owners of Labradors or golden retrievers aged 10, 12, 14 or 16 weeks from anywhere in the UK can apply to take part.

Dr Juliane Kaminski, from the university's Dog Cognition Centre, said: "We want to understand how facial movements in dogs change as they grow. Do they become more or less expressive with age?

"Facial expressions are at the heart of how dogs communicate their emotions, yet we still have so much to learn about them. That is what makes this research so exciting."

Those taking part would be required to film their puppy in different situations for one minute each, following guidance from Dr Kaminski.

The university said the study had received approval from its ethics committee, adding that "all videos will be handled with care".