The Pawsitive Post

Great writing that makes a difference to pets and their people. 

The Pawsitive Post banner shows a happy, sleeping dog and ginger kitten

The Pawsitive Post Newsletter for Dog and Cat Lovers


Sorry but The Pawsitive Post is no longer accepting subscriptions.

Accessible, in-depth stories about dog and cat behaviour with a focus on reward-based training and enrichment. 

What people are saying about The Pawsitive Post

"I am always learning and this is a wonderful source of content about dog and cat behaviour."
"Really enjoying it."
"I look forward to reading this and having the information and links... I really like the geeky science aspect." 

This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Do you want to:

  • Stay up to date on the latest in dog and cat behaviour?
  • Deepen your understanding of pet behaviour and training?
  • Get access to exclusive online events (and earn CEUs)?

The Pawsitive Post is a twice-a-month premium newsletter-with-benefits from Zazie Todd PhD—award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy—with additional content by Kristi Benson CTC PCBC-A.

Reading The Pawsitive Post is like having lunch with a smart friend and coming away with cool new ideas about pets. And you can literally have coffee with us at some of the online events if you wish.

This twice-a-month newsletter is packed with trusted content on dog and cat behaviour and training. Subscribers can attend live webinars for free (value $30 each) to learn more about dogs and cats—or wait for the recording later. Plus, subscribers get early access to The Pawsitive Post in Conversation and can submit Ask Me Anything questions for future recordings.

Help your pet live their best life: Graphic from The Pawsitive Post with what to expect, illustrated by a dog and cat sitting together.

As a bonus, everyone who signs up gets my free five-week self-study email course, The Happy Pet Challenge. Complete five different fun activities with your dog or cat and learn how each activity can help your pet be even happier.

Plus, you'll get my free handout, Kickstart your creativity, to inspire you to write, journal, photograph, paint, share to Instagram, etc. and develop the creative side of your relationship with your pet.

And, of course, you're supporting great writing about pets with a science-based, humane approach.

A subscription to the Pawsitive Post is US$25 per month and includes the newsletters and events. You can cancel at any time.

Subscribe to The Pawsitive Post. 

Flyer for the Pawsitive Post with science updates on dogs and cats, training, behaviour, and enrichment

Tell me more about The Pawsitive Post newsletter

The Pawsitive Post newsletter will arrive in your inbox twice a month on the first and third Wednesday. In every issue of the newsletter you'll get multiple articles with great writing and trusted information about dogs and cats, including behaviour, training, and welfare—designed to help you understand your pet better. 

And those benefits I mentioned? Every month there is an online event or recording, from webinars by Zazie and special guests, to Ask Me Anything sessions and virtual coffee. Come and be part of a community of animal lovers—or wait for the recording. You can see the current event schedule for The Pawsitive Post here (CEUs available!). 

The flyer for a webinar on dogs at the vet by Dr. Anastasia Stellato


The Happy Pet Challenge

The Happy Pet Challenge is included with your subscription to The Pawsitive Post. Here's what people are saying about it:

"I found this challenge excellent! I am so glad I took part. Thank you so much.  It gave me the extra push to do things with my dog.  I am missing the weekly trainings already!  

For the weekly challenges I had all the equipment at home. The challenge gave me more incentive to use it every day and to see where we would go from there. 

I cannot tell you enough how much I enjoyed this program."


Tell me more about The Happy Pet Challenge

Five weeks. Five activities. Five times.

The Happy Pet Challenge is a five week email course that you will get free with your subscription to The Pawsitive Post.

Every week, there is a new activity for you to do with your pet on five days of the week. And there's a lesson for you to read about how this activity helps to make our pets happy.

The activities are suitable for dogs or cats and you are free to make changes if needed for your pet (e.g. if your pet has special needs). 

Share your photos of taking part in the challenge on social media with the hashtag #HappyPetChallenge.

Quote "Let them sniff" from Alexandra Horowitz and a photo of a Dalmatian sniffing the grass


Scholarships for The Pawsitive Post

Diversity and Inclusion Scholarships

There are a limited number of scholarships for Black and Indigenous people and those from other marginalized groups. Scholarship recipients get The Pawsitive Post at 50% off for the first 12 months. After that, you can continue your subscription at the regular price that was in force when you first signed up (even if it has gone up in the meantime). The scholarships are first come, first served.

Financial Scholarships

I understand that many people are struggling right now due to the pandemic, so there are also a small number of financial scholarships available at 50% off for the first 12 months. 

Of course, if you are able to pay full price, please do so, because this supports my work to bring people great info about how to have happier cats and dogs.

To apply for a diversity and inclusion or financial scholarship, email Zazie on companimalpsych at gmail dot com to say that you are interested, and which type of scholarship is applicable to you. Please put Pawsitive Post Scholarship in the subject line to make sure that I see it.


Try The Pawsitive Post newsletter before you buy

Would you prefer to see an issue first? Get your free trial issue of The Pawsitive Post here. 


Frequently Asked Questions about The Pawsitive Post Newsletter

The Pawsitive Post is a premium newsletter for dog and cat lovers who want to help their pet live their best life. Here are the answers to common questions.


What do I get with my subscription to The Pawsitive Post?

A monthly subscription includes:

  • Two issues of The Pawsitive Post, jam-packed with great writing, trusted content, and fascinating facts to help you better understand your dog and cat. The newsletters go out on the first and third Wednesday of each month around 8am Pacific time. 
  • A webinar or other online event or recording. 
  • Early access to recordings of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation. (You can watch previous issues here). 
  • Plus, all new subscribers get my five week mini-course, The Happy Pet Challenge, and my handout on how to find inspiration and develop your creativity.


What’s in the newsletter?

Every issue of the newsletter includes:

  • Woofs and Purrs: Summaries of cool new canine and feline science studies
  • Pawsitive Picks: Links to my favourite pieces about cats and dogs from around the web 
  • Talking Point: A feature article on a topic related to dog and cat behaviour
  • Kristi Benson’s dog training column with tips to help you be a better trainer
  • The Peppercorn: My personal column with stories about my pets
  • A writing prompt to inspire you every month
  • Details of upcoming events and how to sign up
  • Access to the recording of previous events (recordings are typically available until the end of the month following the live webinar)
  • The Pawsitive Poll with a quick question for you to answer (and sometimes a chance to win a prize)

The reading time for each newsletter is around 12 minutes. 

The great thing about email is that it arrives on schedule and sits politely in your inbox waiting until you have the time to enjoy it. And you can let me know what you think of each issue simply by hitting the reply button. 


What are the events?

The events are a mix of educational webinars (value $30 each), friendly online chats, and AMA recordings. The webinars are presented by Zazie Todd PhD (author of the award-winning book Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy, Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, and creator of The Pawsitive Post and Companion Animal Psychology), Kristi Benson CTC PPAB (a talented writer and dog trainer who pens a column for The Pawsitive Post), and special guests with expertise in dog training, cat behaviour, animal welfare, and business skills for pet professionals. See the event calendar for The Pawsitive Post.  

The online chats are hosted by Zazie and Kristi and are a chance for you to come and join like-minded animal lovers for a friendly coffee morning chat. These events are not recorded.

Subscribers can submit questions for the Ask Me Anything at any time and we will answer them in the next recording of The Pawsitive Post In Conversation.


What is The Happy Pet Challenge?

The Happy Pet Challenge is a five-week self-paced course with five activities for you to have fun with your pet, and five lessons about how enrichment activities can help you to have a happier dog or cat.


Can I just get The Happy Pet Challenge?

No, it is just for subscribers to The Pawsitive Post. It is sent out to new subscribers the next day after you sign up. 


When does my newsletter subscription start?

The Pawsitive Post newsletter goes out on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at around 8am Pacific time. If you want a particular issue, make sure you are signed up before 8am of that day. 

Your welcome email will include the link to sign up for the next event and/or the recording of a previous event, so you can start taking part in events or watching recordings right away. The Happy Pet Challenge starts the day after you sign up.

If you sign up on the day of an issue or live event, I will do my best to make sure you receive the issue or the link, but I can't guarantee it. It's best to sign up in advance if possible. 


Can I get CEUs for the webinars?

Yes. Most webinars are eligible for CEUs from CCPDT, PPAB, and/or IAABC. You can see details of the CEUs available under the information about each event. 

Each webinar has a value of $30. The webinars are included FREE with your subscription to The Pawsitive Post

If you would like CEUs from an organization that isn’t listed, let me know and I’ll see what I can do.


Are the events recorded?

If you can’t make one of the live events, don’t worry. Most of them are recorded. If you registered for the webinar, you'll get the link to the recording the next day. The link to the recording is also included in the next issue of The Pawsitive Post

Webinar recordings are available until the end of the following month e.g. for a webinar in early July, the recording is available until the end of August.

The journal club and chats are not recorded.


Why aren’t recordings available forever?

It turns out that if people don’t get round to watching the recording within a month or so after the event, they are not likely to watch it. As well, this is a monthly subscription, so every month we have a new event or recording. 


Will previous webinars ever be repeated?

If you are a subscriber and you missed a webinar that you would really like access to, let me know. If enough people ask about it, I will consider either repeating the webinar or (if it was recent) making temporary access to the recording available to subscribers. 


What about future topics for webinars and events?

I am always looking ahead to plan future events for The Pawsitive Post. If you are a subscriber and you have suggestions, please let me know. 


How much does The Pawsitive Post cost?

The Pawsitive Post is $25 a month (USD). Subscribe to The Pawsitive Post. 


Can I buy a single issue of The Pawsitive Post?

It isn’t possible at the moment. 


Can I get a free trial issue of The Pawsitive Post?

Yes. Sign up for your free trial issue here. You will also be subscribed to the free Companion Animal Psychology newsletter (if you aren’t already).


Is there a guarantee?

Yes. If you sign up to The Pawsitive Post and decide it's not for you, email me within the first 28 days of your subscription to get a full refund. 


Are group subscriptions available?

Yes. If you work at e.g. a vet office or a dog training company and would like a group subscription, get in touch. 


Where do I sign up to The Pawsitive Post?

Sorry, but The Pawsitive Post is no longer accepting subscriptions. 


P.S. If you're not ready for this paid newsletter about pets just yet, you can sign up for the free Companion Animal Psychology newsletter.

The Pawsitive Post (text)

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