Companion Animal Psychology

Some amazing books about animals were published in 2023. By Zazie Todd PhD I made a list of books about animals that came out in 2023. The list includes new releases as well as those that made it into paperback last year (like my own book, Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy). Then I turned it into an image, above. It made me really happy to see all of these amazing books in one image. Which of these books about animals have you read? What did you think of them? And are there any books missing from the list? Drop me an email and let me know! The books are (left-to-right, by row): Being Your Cat: What's Really Going On in Your Feline's Mind by Celia Haddon and Daniel Mills. The Book Your Cat Wishes You Would Read by Lucy Hoil. Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy by Zazie Todd (me!). The Cat's Meow: How Cats Evolved From the Savanna to Your Sofa by Jonathan B. Losos The Hidden Language of Cats: How They Have Us at Meow by Sarah Brown A First Guide to Cats: Under...

A look back at the most popular articles and podcasts about dogs and cats over the last year. Maksym Gorpenyuk/Shutterstock By Zazie Todd PhD It's time for the annual list of the most popular posts of the year here at Companion Animal Psychology . And there's a countdown of the most popular podcast episodes too. You'll find a lot of wisdom about dogs and cats in these posts and episodes. My guest authors and interviewees are fun and inspiring in equal measure. So without further ado... The dog and cat posts of the year These were the top posts of the year on Companion Animal Psychology : 10. You can set your puppy up to be friends with your cat--if you get the intro right . 9. What are reward-based training methods for dogs (and cats)? 8. Understanding resource-guarding in dogs (and how to fix it) with Lisa Skavienski . (This is the blog post that accompanies episode 8 of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation ).  7. What are cat pheromones and what do they do? 6. 3 more reason...

Season's Greetings from Companion Animal Psychology. Photo: dezy/Shutterstock A big thank you to all of my readers, listeners, and video viewers for your support this year. It is very much appreciated! Wishing you season's greetings, merry Christmas, and a very happy and healthy 2024. Zazie

Zazie and Kristi are joined by TikTok star Jennifer Malawey (Dizzy Dancing Dog) who shares her secrets about how to use social media to help dogs.   By Zazie Todd PhD Watch episode 14 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 the highlights. As an Etsy affiliate and Marks and Spencer affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

There's a special episode of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation being recorded in January--and you're invited. By Zazie Todd PhD In January, Kristi Benson and I are recording a special episode of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation --and you are invited to submit questions and/or to attend.  We'll be answering listeners' questions about dogs, cats, and anything else you'd like to ask us.  What is The Pawsitive Post in Conversation ? The Pawsitive Post in Conversation is our podcast about how to have a better relationship with your pet. In every episode, we cover important topics in dog and cat behaviour, training, and animal welfare, often with invited guests. And at the end of each podcast we share the books we're reading.  You can find previous episodes wherever you get your podcasts or on Youtube .  How do I ask questions for this episode? Anyone can submit questions in advance on this form . If you leave your name, we might read it out when we read out yo...

“A delight for past, present, and prospective pet owners. And for everyone else.”—David Steinberg, Albuquerque Journal By Zazie Todd PhD Find out what the Animal Book Club is reading this month. But first, here's a teaser: the first sentence of the book. This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. This month, we're reading The Other Family Doctor: A Veterinarian Explores What Animals Can Teach Us about Love, Life, and Mortality by Karen Fine, DVM. From the publisher, "A tribute to our furry, feathery, scaley, and wet family members, All Creatures Great and Small meets Being Mortal in this compelling memoir of one woman's dream to become a veterinarian. Karen Fine always knew that she wanted to be a vet and wasn't going to let anything stop her: not her allergy to cats, and not the fact that in the '80s veterinary medicine was still a mostly male profession. Inspired by her grandfather, a com...

The most common problems are fear, especially fear of loud noises, and not doing what the guardian wants, such as not coming when called. Photo: Mikkel Bendix/Pexels By Zazie Todd PhD New research published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior shows that if your dog has a behaviour issue, you’re not alone.  Importantly, the study is based on a representative sample of dog guardians in Denmark, which means the results are an accurate insight into all dogs there. The findings suggest that we need to pay more attention to behaviour issues in dogs. Dr. Iben Meyer (Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen), first author of the study, told me, “The estimated prevalence of owner reported behaviour problems in dogs was much higher than what is found in veterinary records from primary veterinary practice. This points to a need for veterinarians to focus more on screening for behaviour related problems and to provide a space for the owner where such issues can...