Companion Animal Psychology

The 3 most important tips to help you with your reactive, fearful, or shy dog, and how to implement them to make your and your dog's life better. By Zazie Todd PhD   This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Listen to episode 39 of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation wherever you get your podcasts ( Apple , Spotify ) or below, watch on Youtube or below, or scroll down to read a transcript of the highlights. How to help your reactive or fearful dog If a dog is reactive, fearful, or anxious, often the dog is struggling--and so is their person. We share tips to help you to help your fearful dog, from the first chapter of Zazie's book Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. Bark! is out now in paperback and available wherever books are sold. Get Bark! now We talked about:     How important it is to recognize the signs of stress in dogs     Your priority is to he...

Zazie joined Zak and Bree George to talk about the science on dog training methods, what it means, and what we still  need to know. By Zazie Todd, PhD What does the science tell us about dog training methods, and why is it so important to use a reward-based approach? I was a guest on Zak George's Youtube and podcast to talk about the science of dog training. You can watch on Youtube or listen wherever you get your podcasts .  We had a really fun chat about the research on this topic. I hope you enjoy watching! You might also like to check out my resource on the science of dog training (which includes links to the papers and to places where you can read about the studies). Thank you to Zak and Bree for a really great conversation!

We talk about animal training, helping pets to be less scared at the vet, and the link between pain and behaviour with veterinarian Dr. Adrian Walton of Dewdney Animal Hospital. By Zazie Todd, PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Watch episode 38 of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation on Youtube or below, listen wherever you get your podcasts ( Apple , Spotify ) or below, or scroll down to read a transcript of the highlights. Training dogs, lizards, and sea lions with Dr. Adrian Walton What's a veterinarian's view on dog training methods? And if your pet is terrified of going to the vet, how can they help? We find out from an amazing veterinarian, Dr. Adrian Walton of Dewdney Animal Hospital in Maple Ridge, BC. We talked about:     Dr. Walton’s position on dog training methods, and his experience of so-called “balanced” trainers     How he trained sealions at the Toronto Zoo with a ...

Most dog trainers in Canada use reward-based training methods, but more work is needed before regulation becomes a realistic possibility. Photo: C_Gara/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd, PhD Last year, I wrote about the results of a study of dog trainers’ websites in BC, Canada, which found that 72% said they use reward-based methods to train dogs . That’s great news because organizations such as the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior and the BC SPCA say it’s important to avoid aversives due to the risks to dogs’ welfare . But do the websites accurately reflect dog trainer’s opinions, and what about the rest of Canada? New research published in Animals shares the results of a Canada-wide survey on dog training methods, and the results show a complicated picture. Dr. Camila Cavalli (UBC), first author of the study, told me in an email, “There are so many types of training programs and certifications, which exemplifies the lack of standardization in the field. This creates confusion...

Popular authors of books about animals share what gives them hope for our relationship with dogs, cats, and other animals. Bonus episode of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation. By Zazie Todd PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.  Writers talk about what brings them hope for the human-dog, human-cat, and human-animal bond. You can listen below or wherever you get your podcasts ( Apple , Spotify ) or scroll down to read their answers. This is a bonus episode featuring Patricia McConnell PhD, Jean Donaldson, Marc Bekoff PhD, and all of the writers who took part in Bark! Fest, the book festival for animal lovers. Together they share their insights on what is cause for hope. Bark! Fest celebrated the launch of my book Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog , which is out now. A few years back, I heard one of my favourite authors speak at an online literary festival. Amin ...