Some photos for those who need a distraction from the news cycle, as Companion Animal Psychology reaches 8 years of blogging.
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQkFEKB57ty54DPslZBE_OG1W3sGYXmbU7emiomdMKXJOhJTY9D83JJriYWNbHTJMgpH8JQsm-s1e9BhIjIKfn9Toc4Q0O2i9goBwaJR0o-60UjR2yCDsFyUniMaqOvnRq8VpsArQ8oY/s640-rw/papillon-lilac.jpg) |
Photo: Dora Zett/Shutterstock |
By Zazie Todd, PhD
Today is exactly 8 years since I started Companion Animal Psychology blog. It's something I'm very proud of, especially my book,
Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy. But this feels like a strange time to be celebrating, when we are all so anxious and the world is upside down. So here are some photos of dogs and cats to help provide some respite from the breaking news cycle.
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8; terrier sniffs lilac flowers](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1aM3A_1xXzuqK8HGLQ4ILBOxTjw5MBlkyD5ufdTRqrIJLvPxMjl7442gCxAvbu2Lr9Ra5HiCUKsZcwzMjJXy1lKkAtmJIahTBSGbM1LJpZ2zwA6CcoQf5_GUpAcWQUaD_E56R2993sI/s640-rw/terrier-lilac.jpg) |
Photo: Heirloom Portrait/Shutterstock |
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8; kitten and purple primulas](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxYxyHjMMmnZxcN34lHjeC7HBaSUxEsKTL4hqdo58qXTV-cS46S9MOJKMuOVyalaJiKX7RlTD1SFWCc11y3tukvO1HitEFwYzztPkMLhgR5Am5agFaT6qeJMy4bfAvflxtQYjCUb5BpbU/s640-rw/kitten-primulas.jpg) |
Photo: Pasichnyk Anna/Shutterstock |
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8; cat looks up from wash](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGotWvx9atdsFmatACweDvrbQ8hqh_1VEnPD7DHowNmFBJMoLCdOSIF5WN8O2AAup2EeLUIiRhsEMqxyeqpYb9B_XQAWkaMUyRjoc2DJB16k1xEreOPAMDyfMsH56dUw4nYm-rKiYHYVo/s640-rw/cat-purple.jpg) |
Photo: Evdoha_spb/Shutterstock |
Symbols of an 8th anniversary include bronze, pottery, lilac, clematis, and lace, so they loosely form the basis of the cat and dog photos I've chosen.
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8; lace curtains with dogs](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdltqcZn-2SZiXn-XKz8RXUwaZlKV71Vqb9T9PZ1QPl1fim0nWgL5uL7EWJEjQZp5GGvJV5KLJnHSW7ijT62hbzXnClULTi-dZi9cJSjOVPAZ4DnFOVcI8-SWdYCkblu1XSCEutBOHJ_Q/s640-rw/dog-lace-window.jpg) |
Photo: Elena Dijour/Shutterstock |
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8; two cats look out of a window](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBARriQJ8wWtzW4ayyvK7y62mcbB9xbaPmQS7UhsdlYRewFHZmbtnEimm85wfRfdC_T6-o1Ii7yUtOntLoA7wirXR5DoN5goxjVI1SlDpOVN9Yp_fJ-5Ak-Xy-evKHgGFTh5jHUfQ7iQ/s640-rw/cats-window.jpg) |
Photo: Derek Harris Photography/Shutterstock |
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8; a dog and cat nuzzle each other](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyxlk9X7QXxtNClt02ES8L6jY5TN6n8y5j5vw69BYshWWodXt9y7BRJV_Tq8XtG1qEvdYB5CXthpXAIgFDXjvOIXV4K2jrzI0mfrHlr0yHnhDW193rdhk9FpZcvrQ1NCCh2oDl7LSsiZM/s640-rw/dog-cat-nuzzling.jpg) |
Photo: Kastaprav/Shutterstock |
![Companion animal Psychology turns 8 Companion animal Psychology turns 8; happy border collie in tree](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCi8bsG9zRJrQwoCh2QYEkiAFd4TXEB_8N3px55DrbZ-LZL2laHCDdkeISMqKz8wbGrj6ZtJWE170OqeHhGPof-EzXsU_Ydp0fQMuoph4gDq8mMyo454PAKv14qkLQp-ul8qGkpynTns/s640-rw/border-collie-lilac.jpg) |
Photo: Ekaterina Brusnika/Shutterstock |
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8; cat sniffing vase of flowers](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLstiTh9zzIebeDm_SpqmGoU37cVXn9hCSqQge4udnqTRBhiuy0K2PjXbm7HMoo5GBZuS1SIZhWjE2_FEGwWOcYFiCMJRQDSDIrzoD56fvaM193ZQkaAus7NQol3-nSx4E7sa4AQ0KrKo/s640-rw/cat-sniffing-flowers.jpg) |
Photo: Jelena Yukka/Shutterstock |
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8; calico cat relaxes indoors](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgnwAx4XU4ipwJI-AlaagTuWeiTivPoRb6VALuz2s9tQvJe-CdgWHKnVKH1pnEjSCNHCOeyn4ked_GHVPyFOz5Nrv1cQR91Ml7Yz0QUg01t8zJSzgrwnm9XWQKr4SMOpDG97OkgPP8FU/s640-rw/calico-cat.jpg) |
Photo: Kristen Prahl/Shutterstock |
Thank you for your support over the years, and a special thank you to my Ko-fi supporters who help to keep this blog going.
I hope that you and yours are staying safe and well in these troubling times.
![Companion Animal Psychology turns 8 Companion Animal Psychology turns 8; sleeping puppy toe beans](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYyM5toj6Jc2jESCCfkroD4KLquGES8bZD2pgxb07Uau_Cx3t7BOhp6e6oBu4dWy7I3G1nGHNL-1kqNb5IFD9IM9tqh1fPDR6FW2NgBDpIJpKuvt9xTzFaFFZMqsD_6b3KaYgorLqRpEY/s640-rw/puppy-toe-beans.jpg) |
Photo: Smit/Shutterstock |
As always, if there are topics you'd like to see me cover at Companion Animal Psychology, just let me know.
Which photo is your favourite?