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I’m Zazie, author of Companion Animal Psychology. If you love pets, you’re in the right place. Even better if you also love science and care about animal welfare.

I publish a new post every Wednesday (and sometimes on a Sunday too). Why not join over 4,000 animal lovers and subscribe to Companion Animal Psychology?

Here are some of my favourite posts. If you love books, you can also check out the Animal Book Club and the Animal Books Facebook group. And don't miss the Companion Animal Psychology merch - a portion of the proceeds goes to help the animals at the BC SPCA Maple Ridge. You can also find more information about my book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy, which is full of tips on caring for a puppy or dog.



Cats are wonderful creatures. When we understand them, we can use that information to make them happier. Here are five things to do for your cat today - and a bonus one to work on over time. 






A user-friendly guide to everything you need to know about positive reinforcement. 
Especially for anyone who is new to dogs or new to dog training.





The many ways we can improve our cat's lives




The best dog training treats

The best treats to use in dog training

Want to know which are the best treats to use in dog training?
This guide tells you what to consider and lists my favourites
(with recipes for home-made treats too)




Where do cats like to be stroked?


“Owners should avoid stroking near the tail. Instead they should stroke the face, especially in the areas where the scent glands are.”


Don't punish your dog for peeing in the house 

New Reader? Start here. Photo shows thoughtful dog.

Why punishment is the wrong approach to house training, and how you should house train your puppy instead.

Re-arranging metaphors for dogs 


“Because dogs are family, and our furry family members need love, training and walkies, not dominance”

What kind of scratching post do cats prefer? 


“When cats scratch the furniture, their owners get annoyed. But it turns out many people are providing the wrong kind of scratching posts. Here's what cats prefer.”

Why you need to socialize your puppy 


“The importance of a critical period for socialization is hard to overestimate,” says Jean Donaldson.
You've heard that puppies need to be socialized, but have you ever wondered how we know?


Six ways to entertain your dog indoors


“When walks are limited these ideas will help you tire out your dog.”




The right to walk away


"Try to ensure that your dog or cat (or rabbit or...) has the opportunity to make choices."





How to help your pet with visits to the veterinarian

Essential tips for better vet visits.


Join over 4,000 animal lovers and subscribe to get posts by email. Hope to see you soon!

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Zazie Todd, PhD, is the author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy. She is the founder of the popular blog Companion Animal Psychology, where she writes about everything from training methods to the human-canine relationship. She also writes a column for Psychology Today and has received the prestigious Captain Haggerty Award for Best Training Article in 2017. Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband and two cats.

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Popular posts from this blog

Don't Punish Your Dog for Peeing in the House

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Why punishment is the wrong approach for house training mistakes, and how you should house train your dog or puppy instead.


By Zazie Todd, PhD

How should we house train puppies, and deal with the inevitable mistakes that puppies and adult dogs can have? Suppose your dog suddenly starts to pee in the house. You clean it up the first time but it happens again…. And then again.

Or your new puppy keeps having accidents indoors even though you take her outside often.

In this situation, some people will yell at their dog. Some might even try physical punishment like hitting the dog or an alpha roll. And we’ve all come across the advice that you should rub their nose in it.

Don’t do it.

Whether you're toilet training an adult dog or house training a puppy, here’s why that’s the wrong approach, and what you should do instead.
This page contains affiliate links.
Punishment can make things worse First of all, let’s think about it from the dog’s perspective.

Suppose they pee in the house and y…
Read more

What kind of scratching post do cats prefer?

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It’s important to provide cats with the right kind of scratching post – and reward them for using it.



By Zazie Todd, PhD

Inappropriate scratching is a fairly common complaint about cats. That’s inappropriate from the owner’s perspective, because from the cat’s point of view they are just doing what comes naturally. Luckily research can tell us what the best scratching post is from a cat's perspective.

This page contains affiliate links.


Why do cats scratch?
Cats scratch in order to mark their territory. It leaves a visual signal to other cats, as well as scent from glands in their paws. Scratching may also help them look after their claws, since it can remove old claw sheaths. Cats stretch out their claws and front legs when they scratch.

Cats like to scratch repeatedly in the same place, and if the place they choose is your furniture, that’s not so good for the furniture.



What kind of scratching post do cats like?
Research by Colleen Wilson DVM et al tells us what kind of scratchin…
Read more

Eight Tips to Help Fearful Dogs Feel Safe

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The most important things to know if you have a fearful dog.


By Zazie Todd, PhD
1. Recognize that the dog is fearful The first step is, of course, to recognize the dog is fearful in the first place.

If you know that already, well done for recognizing the signs. Hopefully you will find the following tips helpful.

If you aren’t sure, you might like to read how can I tell if my dog is afraid? If the answer is yes, come back here for some tips. It's important to know, because one study found that 72.5% of dogs have at least one form of canine anxiety.



2. Help the dog feel safe Your first priority with a fearful dog is to help him or her feel safe.

That can look different depending on what the issue is. Maybe the dog needs a space of their own (like a crate or bed) where they can choose to go if they don’t want to be around any children or strangers in the house.

Maybe it means telling other people they can’t pet your dog, because your dog wouldn’t like it.

Maybe it means walking your d…
Read more