Dog-Centred Design Philosophy
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Among the many species humans share the planet with, dogs have for millennia been our closest companions. They share our homes and often work alongside us, using their extraordinary abilities to help us. Some learn to search for people in disaster zones, others to detect deadly diseases, others still to carry out daily tasks for people with disabilities. But the environments dogs share with us are not always dog-friendly and we don’t always make the job of working dogs easy. 
At The Open University’s Animal-Computer Interaction Laboratory, we want to make the job of working dogs easier, give all dogs more control over aspects of their environment, and improve human-dog interactions by rethinking how we design the interface of devices with which dogs might need or want to interact in our homes and cities. This is Dogosophy, our dog-centred design philosophy.​
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Developed with the support of Petplan Charitable Trust and in collaboration with UK Charity Dogs for Good, our Dogosophy Button is the product of our animal-centred philosophy and the result of years of interaction design research for and with dogs, to develop a wireless control designed with dogs’ sensory, cognitive and physical characteristics in mind, allowing them to easily switch on and off a range of domestic appliances.  
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Dogosophy Button
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This wireless control's dimensions are optimised to work best for dogs of different sizes. Its blue push-pad is highly visible for dogs and the contrasting white casing allows it to stand out against any background. Its lightly textured surface provides a comfortable grip, whilst making it easy to keep the pad clean. Its convex profile makes it possible to approach and press it comfortably from different angles. The button responds to gentle nudges, for dogs who prefer to use their nose, and withstands energetic pushes, for dogs who prefer to use their paws. A soft light inside the button’s chamber flashes the moment the control is activated, showing that the interaction has been successful without dazzling dogs’ eyes. Since it is wireless, the button can be placed or fixed where it is most accessible for the dogs who need to use it, regardless of where the appliance is located, within its 40 metres range. 
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The Dogosophy Button will make it easier for your working dog to assist you in daily tasks and will give your companion dog more control over aspects of the home you both share. Importantly, teaching your dog to use the button can be an enjoyable and enriching activity for you both that helps you strengthen the bond with your canine friend. 
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The Button is distributed in the UK by Ravencourt Ltd. and is available to purchase from their sales website Story & Sons.
