AUSTIN, Texas - TelAve -- Nonprofit Every Dog Behavior and Training (http://www.everydogaustin.org/) has partnered with the University of Tennessee's Center for Pet Family Well-Being (https://csw.utk.edu/cpfw/) to launch the first national research project focused on access to dog behavior and training support. Funded by a $170,000 grant from Maddie's Fund (https://www.maddiesfund.org/index.htm)®, a national family foundation established by Dave and Cheryl Duffield to revolutionize the status and well-being of companion animals, the Access to Behavior Care Research Project will build the foundation for a new and urgently needed area of study: who has access to behavior care for their dogs.

Nearly half of U.S. households share their lives with a dog, yet many families struggle to find and afford training and behavior support. Behavioral challenges such as fear, anxiety, and aggression are among the leading reasons pets are surrendered to shelters. Despite this, there has never been a comprehensive national effort to examine how behavior services are delivered, who provides them, or what barriers families face in accessing care.

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This groundbreaking project will address that gap through two national surveys by audience: one of families with dogs and one of dog trainers and behavior professionals. The research will generate the first comprehensive data set on both the supply and demand sides of the behavior care landscape. It will examine workforce demographics, training approaches, employment conditions, and geographic distribution, alongside family decision-making, financial and cultural barriers, and lived experiences navigating behavior challenges.

"We are deeply grateful to Maddie's Fund for believing in this vision and investing in our research," said Miranda Hitchcock, Executive Director of Every Dog. "It's an honor to work alongside the research team at the University of Tennessee, whose leadership in pet health equity is helping shape a better future for our field. This project has the potential to transform how we understand behavior care in this country and ultimately make a lasting difference for both people and the dogs they love."

Findings from the study will inform initiatives aimed at keeping pets with their families and strengthening the human-animal connection. Results will be shared publicly through an open-access report and data summaries to support action across animal welfare, community health, and education sectors.

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"By investing in this foundational research, Maddie's Fund will help to extend the equity-focused lens already applied to veterinary access into the realm of behavioral and relational well-being," said Dr. Michael Blackwell, Director for the Center for Pet Family Well-Being at University of Tennessee. "Together, Every Dog and the University of Tennessee are building the knowledge base needed to ensure that every family, regardless of income, geography or background, has the opportunity to thrive alongside their pets."