Companion Animal Psychology

I spoke with Jim Mora about fear and anxiety in dogs. By Zazie Todd PhD   A recent article in The Atlantic says that too many people have dogs and they can't take care of them properly, resulting in fearful and anxious pooches. Is it true? I joined Jim Mora on Radio New Zealand's Sunday Morning to answer his questions about fear and anxiety in dogs. You can listen to the recording here: Are we pathologizing normal pooch behaviour? Happy listening!

I chatted with Mikkel Becker on the Happy Paws podcast. By Zazie Todd PhD Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mikkel Becker for the Happy Paws podcast at Fear Free. I think the world of Mikkel and the work she does to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in pets, so I felt incredibly lucky to chat with her. We talked about demystifying cat behavior. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or on the Fear Free Happy Homes website . 

Zazie and Kristi chat with Victoria Schade, dog trainer and author of delightful romcoms, about writing about dogs and her upcoming book Unleashed Holiday .  By Zazie Todd PhD Watch episode 13 of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation on Youtube or below, listen via your favourite podcast app  (including Apple , Spotify ) or below, or scroll down to read some of the highlights.  Victoria Schade, Unleashed Holiday, and writing about dogs In this episode we learn about the Puppy Bowl and Victoria's involvement in it as lead animal wrangler, and how she made the move to writing, first with nonfiction books about dog training and then to romcoms. We chat about how Victoria's books include real-life issues, and how she juggles the 'educator' and 'entertainer' hats.  Victoria’s upcoming book, Unleashed Holiday, will be published on September 26th. The main character is a vet, and Victoria tells us how she went about researching the life of a vet so that she could ...

The side-effects of aversive dog training methods that most people don’t know about--but should. Photo: Stock Rocket/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. By now, the idea that aversive training methods have risks for dogs is quite well known. Most of the research, especially in the early days, focused on the increased risks of fear, anxiety, stress, and aggression. Researchers also found a correlation between the use of aversive methods and a less well-behaved dog.  It’s worth noting that back in 2004, Hiby et al were already arguing that reward-based methods work better and have fewer risks to dogs’ welfare: “Because reward-based methods are associated with higher levels of obedience and fewer problematic behaviours, we suggest that their use is a more effective and welfare-compatible alternative to punishment for the average dog-owner.” Many studies have used questionnaire...

Pepper has entered a competition to become a Yellow Dog Brewing Star--and he'd like your vote. Photo: Zazie Todd By Zazie Todd, PhD My little dog Pepper has entered a competition to be a Yellow Dog Brewing Star--and he'd love it you'd vote for him. As a BC SPCA alumnus himself, Pepper knows first-hand the amazing work that they do at the BC SPCA. Pepper came to us at 10 years old, and is now 12-and-a-half. Pepper is a sweet Shih Tzu who loves everyone. His favourite things are 'killing' his toys, taking short walks, and sitting outside at barbecues. He loves to do tricks like sit pretty and rollover, and is an excellent companion, especially in the kitchen where pieces of carrot might come his way.  And he loves it when people tell him he's cute. So he's thrilled to be raising funds for the BC SPCA while maybe--just maybe--ending up on the label of a Yellow Dog Brewing beer. The winners of the contest will get to be featured on cans of a special limited-rel...

Get 15% off all Companion Animal Psychology merch with promo code LABOURDAY (or LABORDAY) valid until midnight Pacific time on Monday September 4th. By Zazie Todd PhD If you're looking for a new hoodie now that the weather is changing, the Companion Animal Psychology merch store has got you covered. Companion Animal Psychology merch celebrates our special relationship with our best friends, the importance of reward-based training, and letting dogs be dogs.  All designs are available as tanks, tees, hoodies, and sweatshirts. And don't miss our special Reward the Dog fanny pack! New this season, the Time for Walkies design is now available as a water-resistant coach jacket to protect you from the elements when you walk your dog. And the Companion Animal Psychology logo is available on a windbreaker and a new coach jacket in neutral shades to match your wardrobe. Check out all of the designs in the Companion Animal Psychology store . Use promo code LABOURDAY for 15% off until mi...

Zazie and Kristi chat about how to groom cats, what to do with matted fur, trimming cats' nails, and how to give meds to cats. 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 12 of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation on Youtube or below, listen via your favourite podcast app or below, or scroll down to read some of the highlights. Husbandry for cats In this episode we chat about how to groom your cat and how to deal with mats, as well as how to trim your cat’s nails. We discuss the many reasons why it’s important not to “declaw” your cat and how it’s really like an amputation. Scratching is a natural behavior for cats and we talk about the kind of post to provide to keep your cat happy. We also discuss the tricky topic of how to give meds to your cats, including pilling, towel-wrapping, and tricks to make meds easier. Along the way we share stories about our ...