Companion Animal Psychology

I have a new post on my Fellow Creatures blog that looks at some research on people's attitudes to the use of psychoactive meds and various types of supplements for dogs with behaviour issues. Photo: Couleur/Pixabay By Zazie Todd, PhD The study shows just how widespread fear and anxiety is amongst dogs, and that people's own experiences affect the likelihood of them being open to considering the use of psychoactive medications (such as Prozac) for dogs. The research looks at people's attitudes to psychoactive medication, nutritional supplements, herbal supplements, pheromones, and cannabinoid products for dogs with behaviour problems. Read the post here: How people decide on meds for anxious dogs . 

Jen Gilroy on her dog, Floppy Ears, and her latest book, A Wish in Irish Falls. Photo: Jen Gilroy No. 4 in the series The Writer’s Pet by Zazie Todd, PhD.

Join me at the Pet Professional Guild's Geek Week this November. By Zazie Todd, PhD The Pet Professional Guild's Geek Week takes places 11-15 November 2020 with 85 presenters and 136 sessions around the clock - plus 12-month's access to the recordings.  The list of speakers includes Dr. Liz Bales, Kristi Benson, Dr. Mikel Delgado, Malena DeMartini, Jean Donaldson, Dr. Naomi Harvey, Dr. Dorothy Heffernan, Dr. Lynn Honeckman, Joan Hunter Mayer, Casey McGee, Pat Miller, Dr. Sasha Protopopova, Dr. Lisa Radosta, Kathy Sdao, Emily Tronetti, Niki Tudge, Karen Wild, Laurie C. Williams, and many more. I will be giving two talks at Geek Week: Keeping children and dogs safe: Insights from canine science The role of scent and pheromones in cat behaviour and tips for enrichment. Anyone who is a member of one of the co-hosting organizations gets a huge discount on registration.  You can get all of the info and register at geekweek.rocks . Maybe I'll see you there!

People with flat-faced (brachycephalic) cats don’t realize the health issues associated with the breed, study shows. A traditional doll face Persian cat. See a modern Persian cat in the photo below. Photo: chrisdorney/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd, PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Whereas many dog breeds have their roots in working dogs, pedigree cats are bred purely for their looks. There are now more than 70 cat breeds, yet moggies (as non-pedigree cats are affectionately known) remain very popular. What makes someone decide to get a pedigree cat rather than a moggy? We can find some answers in a study by Dr. Liran Plitman and Dr. Petra Černá (The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies) and colleagues that was published last year in Animals . The results of the online survey show that there are two main types of cat owner, and there are indeed differences between those who pick a moggy rather than

Funny animal pictures, wolf leaders, and barriers to being a vet - this month's Companion Animal Psychology news. By Zazie Todd, PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. My favourites this month “You can’t be a vet” Veterinarian Dr. Navaratnam Partheeban on the difficulties for ethnic minorities who want to become a vet.   How to do food bowl bonuses to prevent food guarding (with video) in Don’t play with your dog’s food by Jessica Ring. “These discoveries are changing the way we think about wolves.” Wolf leader pairs stay together for life by Mary Bates.   “It is hard on some days, but the satisfaction of watching a dog come in in a critical state and seeing them leave the building and go home to their family keeps me motivated.” In Vet techs keep clinics running and pets cared for , Jen Reeder speaks to some vet techs and finds out more about what the job involves, at Fear Free Happy Homes.  “It ca

How kindness - in dog training, animal behaviour, on rehoming pets, and to others in our profession -  can change the world for dogs and cats. Photo: New Africa/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd, PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. A revolution in dog training is well under way: a transition to kinder, reward-based methods instead of the aversive methods that risk fear, anxiety, aggression, and a poorer human-animal bond . The reason is simple: more and more people are learning that positive reinforcement is effective and the best way to train dogs and cats . But it’s a slow revolution. It would be better if people put more time and effort into learning about what dogs and cats need and how best to provide it. "It’s easier than ever to find good information about dog and cat behaviour, but it’s also still easy to find plenty of bad or misleading advice."   On a bad day, it can feel like social medi

 Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving! Photo: Arthur Linnik/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd, PhD It is Thanksgiving here in Canada. In this strangest of years, I wish you and yours love, peace, safety, and good health.  I am thankful to everyone who has supported this blog and my book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy . I am also thankful to each and every one of you for your dedication and care for companion animals and their people. And of course, so grateful to the doctors and nurses, scientists, public health specialists, and everyone else on the front line in this pandemic. Wherever you are, I hope today brings you many moments of joy, and good company even if it's from a distance or through a screen. Happy Thanksgiving! Take care. Zazie

Eva Holland on her Alaskan Husky, Tacoma, and her book, Nerve: Adventures in the Science of Fear. Photo: Eva Holland No. 3 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. On the way back down the mountain from ice climbing, Eva Holland suddenly finds herself frozen with fear. This experience, and the recent loss of her mother, prompted Holland to write Nerve: Adventures in the Science of Fear , which beautifully pairs personal experience with the science of fear and anxiety. The New York Times described Nerve as “An intimate and wide-ranging look at fears and how we overcome them.” Holland told me about her dog, Tacoma, the benefits of stepping away from the screen for a dog walk, and her approach to writing Nerve. What is your dog’s name?   Tacoma Type of pet?   Alaska

“I hope that this book will help people see that their dogs are communicating all the time, and that they’re worth listening to.” By Zazie Todd, PhD Lili Chin's book, Doggie Language: A Dog Lover's Guide to Understanding Your Best Friend , is a fun guide to your dog's body language that is beautifully illustrated and engagingly written. If you already love Lili's work then you know you'll love this book. I spoke to Lili about the book and how she got into illustrating dogs' body language.  This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.   Zazie: How did the book come about? Lili: I was actually contacted by Summersdale Publishers in the UK. They do a lot of gift books. This was about 3 years ago and they had seen my Doggie Language poster starring Boogie the Boston Terrier, the one that’s been all over the in

"Canine Enrichment is a deep dive into what dogs really need and how we can provide it." -- Dr. Patricia McConnell. By Zazie Todd, PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. The month, the Animal Book Club is reading Canine Enrichment for the Real World: Making It a Part of Your Dog’s Daily Life by Allie Bender and Emily Strong. This page contains affiliate links. From the book's description: "In the world of dogs, there is now more awareness than ever of the need to provide enrichment, especially in shelters. But what exactly is enrichment? The concept is pretty straightforward: learn what your dog’s needs are, and then structure an environment and routine that allows the dog to engage in behaviors they find enriching. To truly enrich your dog’s life, you should offer them opportunities to engage in natural or instinctual behaviors. Aside from the limitations we have to place on a dog in to

"The general consensus was there’s no inclusion in the dog world at all right now. And how do we fix that?" By Zazie Todd, PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Oluademi James-Daniel is determined to do something about inclusivity in the dog world, and she has a vision to make a difference. Earlier this year, Oluademi - a dog trainer from Brooklyn - started a Facebook group called Inclusivity in Dog Training. I spoke to her about the group’s aims and what we can all do to increase diversity and inclusivity in dog training.  Zazie:  This year, you started the Inclusivity in Dog Training group, along with fellow admins Ameera Skandarani and Samantha Phi. Why did you decide to start the group? Oluademi: It was right in the most recent iteration of Black Lives Matter really coming to the forefront again. It’s something that happens all the time, but every time it comes to the forefront like that it’s