Companion Animal Psychology

Less socialization, less exercise, fewer activities with the owner, less training, and breed differences are all linked to social fear in dogs, survey shows. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi was one of the breeds least likely to be fearful of strangers. Photo: Vellicos/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. Large numbers of pet dogs are affected by fear and anxiety. 72.5% of pet dogs have at least one form of canine anxiety , according to a survey of over 13,000 Finnish dog owners, with sound sensitivity the most common type. Research by Dr. Jenni Puurunen et al (University of Helsinki), published in Scientific Reports , looks at a subset of these dogs to find out the possible causes of social fears (i.e. fear of unknown people and fear of unfamiliar dogs). 6,000 pet dogs were included in the analysis of fear of strangers and/or a fear of dogs they did not know. The results show some expe

The average lifespan of American pet dogs, and the effects of spay/neuter surgery, breed, and size, according to research. Photo: InBetweentheBlinks/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. All dog guardians can agree on one thing: dogs don’t live long enough. But how long does the average dog live? New research by Dr. Silvan Urfer and colleagues at the Dog Aging Project (University of Washington) and published in Canine Medicine and Genetics looks at the lifespan of pet dogs in the US. The dog aging project is investigating factors that contribute to longevity and health in pet dogs - something we would all like to know more about. Three private veterinary hospitals took part in the study, including one large urban clinic, a mid-size surburban one, and a small rural clinic. Data was obtained for every dog that visited one of the hospitals at least once in the space of a

A virtual event with Zazie Todd about how to make your dog happy, hosted by the Hub City Writer's Project. On July 21st at 7pm (Eastern time), the Hub City Writer's Project in Spartanburg, SC, is hosting a virtual event: I will be giving a talk about how to make your dog happy. The ticket price includes a copy of my book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy, mailed to your door. I am sending some signed bookplates to the store to go with the books. You can find more information and get a ticket here . This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy . She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, writes The Pawsitive Post premium newsletter, and also has a column at Psychology Today . Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, on

Why it's buyer beware when it comes to puppies. By Zazie Todd, PhD I have a new post on my Psychology Today blog, Fellow Creatures . Two recent news stories highlight the need to be careful when getting a puppy in order to avoid puppies from puppy mills and being scammed. The post considers what to look for in a responsible breeder. As well it mentions some of the warning signs to be careful of if you're getting a puppy. Check it out: Why it's buyer beware when it comes to puppies. Photo: Chevanon Photography/Pexels This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy . She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, writes The Pawsitive Post premium newsletter, and also has a column at Psychology Today . Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with h

Three tips from my book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy. By Zazie Todd, PhD This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you. When I was writing my book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy , I wanted to make it as practical as possible. So I included a set of tips at the end of every chapter (except chapter one). Three of those tips are shown in these graphics. Tip no. 73 is: If your dog has a behavior problem, don't use punishment. It does not teach your dog what to do instead of the problem behavior, and it interfere's with the dog's feeling of safety. Tip no 7 is: Give the puppy a choice, encourage (don't force) them, and protect a shy puppy. Remember that socialization means giving your dog happy, positive experiences. As you can tell from the numbers, there are many such tips in the book! Tip no 36 is: Understand that you're important to your dog. Y