The canine and feline scientists, pet professionals, bloggers, and organizations to follow on social media in 2019.Are you looking for some new pet-related accounts to follow in 2019? I’ve updated my list of some of the best people and organizations to follow on Twitter and Facebook if you’re interested in companion animals, science, and the human-animal bond.These are people or groups who produce great content of their own AND also have a varied feed that…

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Why people should not keep goats in a dog environment, and what to do instead.Guest post by Christian Nawroth, PhD.Photo: Christian NawrothMedia coverage of recent goat cognition research gives the impression that goats might be the new dogs when it comes to communicating with humans, and so can make good pets. But can you keep a goat in a dog environment? Short answer: You shouldn’t, if you care about their welfare.Recent media coverage on research…

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Four representations of women and dogs or cats in art from 1820 to 2004.Woman with Shamisen and Cat by Yashima Gakutei, c. 1820s. Art Institute of Chicago.I have been very busy putting the final touches to the second round of substantive edits on my book.So in lieu of a science post, I thought I would share with you these representations of women and dogs or cats in art that I found when browsing the online…

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A new post over at my Fellow Creatures blog looks at the responsible use of pets in advertising, and some new guidelines from the British Veterinary Association on what advertisers should (and shouldn't) do. The report calls for advertisers to consider the five welfare needs in what they are depicting.My post is called, Using pets to sell: Responsible use of animals in adverts.(Photo: Daniel Frank/Stocksnap).

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The posts about dogs and cats you liked best in 2018.Photo: Szofia Zsemberi / Shutterstock.comIt’s been another busy year here at Companion Animal Psychology. Highlights including being featured in the Washington Post ('Your dog and cat wish they could tell you this'), being interviewed by Radio New Zealand, and speaking at the BC SPCA’s Animal Behaviour Science Symposium (where it was lovely to meet some readers of this blog).I had the pleasure of interviewing some…

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Season's Greetings from Companion Animal PsychologyPhoto: Anna Tronova/Shutterstock.comThank you for your support throughout the year. It's great to have such a wonderful community of people who care about their pets.Happy Holidays! And wishing you and yours the very best for a happy and healthy 2019!Zazie

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Animal lovers and readers of Companion Animal Psychology share their favourite book about animals that they read in 2018.Photo: Kimrawicz/Shutterstock.comHere are their choices, and what they love about the book they picked. You can find copies of all the books at my Amazon store, https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub.Kristi Benson, CTC, Dog trainer and owner of Kristi Benson Dog Training; on staff at Academy for Dog Trainers.Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle, by Doublas J. Emlen. Illustrated by David J.…

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Africa Studio/ShutterstockMembers of the Companion Animal Psychology Book Club will recognize the photo above. It's a stock photo, but it's one of my favourites that I've used since I began blogging.

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The mirror test, what we know about dogs, and some Christmas videos... the latest newsletter from Companion Animal Psychology.Some of my favourites from around the web this month"“There are researchers who, it seems, do not want fish to be included in this secret club,” he said. “Because then that means that the [primates] are not so special anymore.”" A ‘self-aware’ fish raises doubts about a cognitive test by Elizabeth Preston.  “A while ago I saw a…

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Why punishment is the wrong approach for house training mistakes, and what you should do instead.Photo: mannpuku/ShutterstockSuppose 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…

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