Companion Animal Psychology

We like to think about the rosy side of pet ownership, but it can also be tough at times. My latest post at Psychology Today looks at the downsides to consider before getting a pet . Photo: Kat Jayne/Pexels. By Zazie Todd, PhD From doing research on sources of pets (something many people skip) to the daily chores, and recognizing the emotional burden of caring for a sick or dying pet, pet ownership isn't all fun all the time. Perhaps it helps to consider the negatives as well as the positives before getting a new pet. Read more in the post . 

The most popular posts of 2020 on Companion Animal Psychology.  Photo: David Pastyka/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd, PhD This has been a tough year for everyone, and one in which our relationship with pets has often been in the news. I hope that you are ending the year safe and sound, and wish you all the best for 2021. While we continue to wear masks, keep our distance, and stay home as much as possible, hopefully 2021 will be better. This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Against the backdrop of everything else, 2020 was the year my book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy was published. Mid-March was not the best time to publish a book, but somehow Wag became a BC bestseller. I am grateful for the interviews and Zoom chats that took the place of various cancelled events. In particular, I’d like to thank everyone who was part of the Wag Team for their cheer-leading and encouragement. It was really f...

 Season's Greetings from Companion Animal Psychology. Photo: dezy/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd PhD What a year it's been! I wish you all a lovely respite over the holiday season. Thank you to everyone who has supported Companion Animal Psychology and my book, Wag , this year and who is part of our community of people dedicated to happier lives for our pets. Special thanks to my amazing Ko-Fi supporters and all my wonderful Wag Team peeps. Happy Holidays! And I wish you a hopeful, healthy, and happy 2021. Zazie

My latest piece on my Fellow Creatures blog at Psych Today is Five reasons dog training is increasingly shifting positive . By Zazie Todd, PhD . Photo: Cottonbro/Pexels We know that reward-based training methods are better for dogs. The piece looks at the societal trends - such as thinking of dogs as family - that play a role in the increasing popularity of positive reinforcement in dog training. Check it out here .  I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported my blog on Ko-fi this year, and in particular Dr. Jill Bradshaw and an anonymous person for their recent support. Thank you, too, to everyone who has supported the blog by buying Companion Animal Psychology merch . Your support helps keep this blog going and I appreciate it very much! As well, a portion of proceeds from all merch sales goes to the BC SPCA Maple Ridge. 

The classic fairy tale has been given a modern and canine twist by The Academy for Dog Trainers. Watch the video and read my interview with Kristi Benson about how she got these cute dogs to take part. 

Maureen Fergus on her latest picture book, Glory on Ice: A Vampire Hockey Story, and how her dog Buddy inspires her writing. Buddy dressed as Sir Barksalot. Photo: Maureen Fergus. No. 9 in the series The Writer's Pet by Zazie Todd PhD . This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Maureen Fergus is an award-winning author of books for children and teens. In her latest book Glory on Ice: A Vampire Hockey Story , a vampire decides to join the local hockey team. But can a hundreds-of-years-old vampire learn new tricks? This hilarious book is for readers aged 3-7 years and is illustrated by Mark Fearing. Maureen told me about the book, her upcoming new releases, and how her dog, Buddy, has inspired some of her stories. What is your pet’s name?   He’s a dog and his name is Buddy, although we also call him Bud, Spud, Spuddy, Spuds Finnigan, Baby Bear, Little Guy and Old Man Dog (he’s fourteen)  Type of pet? Buddy’...

“Separation anxiety is fixable... If people just understood that this is fixable, and it gave them that hope, that would make me thrilled.” By Zazie Todd, PhD Malena DeMartini’s second book, Separation Anxiety in Dogs: Next Generation Treatment Protocols and Practices , was published in September this year. It brings her latest protocols for helping dogs with separation anxiety to dog professionals and interested dog guardians. I had the honour of writing the foreword, and I caught up with Malena to learn more about why she wrote the book.  This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Zazie: Because this blog is read by a very wide audience, let’s start with the question, what is separation anxiety? Malena: I’m really glad you asked because not everyone really understands it. There are two things I’d like to say. Separation anxiety is a bit of an umbrella term that we use much like as if I was to say “Pass the K...

“Brilliant, eye-opening, and absolutely inspiring—and a riveting read. Hare and Woods have written the perfect book for our time.”—Cass R. Sunstein By Zazie Todd, PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. This month, the Animal Book Club  is reading Survival of the Friendliest: Understanding Our Origins and Rediscovering Our Common Humanity by Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods. From the inside cover, "For most of the approximately 300,000 years that Homo sapiens have existed, we have shared the planet with at least four other types of humans. All of these were smart, strong, and inventive. But around 50,000 years ago, Homo sapiens made a cognitive leap that gave us an edge over other species. What happened? Since Charles Darwin wrote about “evolutionary fitness,” the idea of fitness has been confused with physical strength, tactical brilliance, and aggression. In fact, what made us evolutionarily fi...

“ Chew This Journal really came out of a desire to support people having more fun with their dogs and to make everyday interactions as enriching as possible.” By Zazie Todd, PhD . This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Sassafras Lowrey’s Chew This Journal: An Activity Book for You and Your Dog is part activity guide and part bullet journal, with a bucket list of activities and challenges for you and your dog. I spoke to Sassafras about hir book (for which I had the honour of writing the foreword!), all the different kinds of activities, and the importance of being an advocate for your dog. Chew This Journal is out now on Kindle and will be published in paperback on 15th December. Zazie: Why did you decide to write Chew This Journal ? Sassafras: Chew This Journal really came out of a desire to support people having more fun with their dogs and to make everyday interactions as enriching as possible. I wanted...

Jenni Keer on her latest heart-warming book and how her blind cat Seymour provides inspiration. Seymour. Photo: Jenni Keer. No. 8 in the series The Writer's Pet by Zazie Todd PhD . In The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows , Maisie takes a new job at an auction house, where pieces from a tea set inspire her to reunite her family members. The book is described by Fiona Harper as “A magical story about love and friendship, full of fun and sparkle.” Jenni Keer told me about The Unlikely Life of Maisie Meadows , her cats – including her blind cat, Seymour (above) – and her writing routine. What are your pets’ names? Currently, we have three cats, the most precious of which is Seymour – our black and white blind cat – and the pet I would like to focus on. He had his eyes removed after entropion damage limited his sight (when the eyelids turn inwards) and was then later attacked by a neighbourhood cat. We also have a black and white shorthair, Boo-Boo, and Molly – a gorgeous petite ginger ...

Nicole Blades on her most recent novel, Have You Met Nora?, and her adorable dog Murphy. Murphy, photographed by Nicole Blades. No. 7 in the series The Writer's Pet by Zazie Todd PhD . This page contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. About to marry into one of New York’s richest families, Nora seems to have the perfect life. But she has a big secret–for years, she’s been “passing” as white–and it looks like it’s going to come undone. In this suspenseful book, we learn what Nora will do to protect herself. Taylor Jenkins Reid says Have You Met Nora? is  “a deft and searing commentary on identity and race.” Nicole Blades told me about Have You Met Nora? , where she gets her writing inspiration, and her adorable dog Murphy. What is your dog’s name?   His name is Murphy Type of pet? He's a black and tan Cavalier King Charles Spaniel  What do you love most about your dog?   He's such an adorable, sweet do...