Companion Animal Psychology

A twelfth anniversary is time to celebrate and to say thank you. Photo: Veronika 7833/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd PhD Companion Animal Psychology blog is 12 years old today. A 12th anniversary is symbolized by silk and fine linen, hence the accompanying photo of a Pembroke Welsh Corgi sleeping amongst some beautiful fabrics. 12 years is a milestone that not many blogs achieve. It’s only happened because so many of you support this blog in so many ways, from sharing posts and suggesting topic ideas, to buying or gifting my books, for which I am extremely grateful. Thank you for your support and encouragement over the years! What keeps me going is the wonderful community of so many people who care about helping their pets to be happy, about using reward-based methods, providing enrichment, and always learning more about dog and cat behaviour. And of course, I am always learning myself, from my interactions with people and their pets, and from all the papers I read so that I can bring you

What first time dog guardians need to know about dog training. Photo: Angela Holmyard/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd PhD Getting a dog for the first time is a wonderful experience but also a hard one. Having a dog in your house is a lot of work, and many first-time dog guardians struggle in those early weeks and months. It takes time to settle into an easy rhythm, and it takes time to train your dog how to behave. On top of that, people who get their first dog are more likely to use outdated training methods that are linked to poorer outcomes. It doesn’t help that when you look for help, there’s plenty of old-fashioned and downright wrong advice out there—and some people even charge money for it. Dog training isn’t regulated, so you have to be careful where you get advice from. The decisions you make about dog training make a big difference to the relationship you build with your pup. Here’s what first time dog guardians need to know. 1. It’s important to use reward-based training methods

Common questions about getting your book featured on Companion Animal Psychology. A selection of books about dogs, cats, and other animals. Photo: Zazie Todd By Zazie Todd PhD These days, I regularly get emails from authors and publicists asking how they can get the Animal Book Club to pick their book.  There are several ways that books get mentioned on Companion Animal Psychology, so I thought I’d put something here that explains. (This includes a surprise that I’m working on at the moment). These options are for traditionally-published books only. (If your book is self-published, skip to the section on the Animal Books Group). Most of these options--but not all--are for books about animals.  The Animal Book Club The Animal Book Club started in 2016 and since then we’ve read 10 books a year, taking January and July off. We read nonfiction books about animals. Most are science books, but we read memoirs from time to time too. Our readers are around the world, so we prefer books that ar

My new post at Psychology Today looks at how to get help with your cat's behaviour issues. Photo: Francesco Ungaro/Pexels By Zazie Todd PhD We all love our pet cats, but even though all cats are perfect, it's pretty common for people to have issues with their behaviour. Whether it's scratching the furniture, toileting outside of the box, or not getting on with other pets in the home, it can be hard for you to deal with--and it's often a sign that something is not right for your kitty. My latest post at my Psychology Today blog Fellow Creatures answers the question, How can I get help with my cat's behaviour issues? It includes some tips on when to see your veterinarian, how to think about your cat's environment and whether any changes might help, and where to go if you need additional help. Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy . She is the creator of the popu

"Ever wondered why your cat won't sit on your lap?" 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 Being Your Cat: What's Really Going On In Your Feline's Mind by Celia Haddon and Prof. Daniel Mills FRCVS.  From the publisher: "Prepare to enter the mind of your cat and revolutionise the way you see the world and your enigmatic pet. Bestselling cat author Celia Haddon and veterinary expert Dr Daniel Mills take you into the mind of your feline and, drawing on the latest scientific research, describe how your cat experiences the world. This is a unique book drawing on a wealth of veterinary science and studies, which relays those findings in a way that will amuse and delight owners. By placing you in the mind of your cat you will know what it's like physically, empirically, psychologically and emotionally to be your cat. Being You