Misunderstanding dogs, where a cat's butt goes, puppies, and teenagers... this month's Companion Animal Psychology news.By Zazie Todd, PhDMy favourites this monthThis page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.“Rather than requiring human owners to change their lives to accommodate a new dog, the French bulldog is a breed that’s been broken to accommodate us.” The very cute, totally disturbing tale, of the American…

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Will cats choose to sit in an imaginary box?A grey cat called Ash sits in a Kanizsa square. Photo: Tara McCreadyBy Zazie Todd, PhD.In the dark pandemic days of last summer, scientists had a fun project for people and their cats. The study takes the “If I fits, I sits” phenomenon one step further to tell us that cats are susceptible to a visual illusion called the Kanizsa square.We all know that cats like boxes.…

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The risk factors for dogs being aggressive towards people include being fearful, older, small, and someone’s first dog, new research shows. Photo: Bianca Ackermann/UnsplashBy Zazie Todd, PhD.When you can persuade a lot of dog guardians to complete a questionnaire, you can answer some really interesting questions about dog behaviour. Like, what factors are associated with dogs being aggressive towards people?New research in Scientific Reports looks at just this question. The results come from a large subsample…

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 "Answers every question imaginable for the new cat owner."--New York Times Book Review.By Zazie Todd, PhD.This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.This month's choice for the Animal Book Club is CatWise: America's Favorite Cat Expert Answers Your Cat Behavior Questions by Pam Johnson-Bennett.From the back cover,"Top feline behavior expert (and author of Penguin's bestselling Think Like a Cat and Cat vs. Cat)…

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Dogs should learn to wear a muzzle, but many people make mistakes and there’s a fit issue too, according to new research.A dog wears a muzzle at the vet. Photo: Lipik Stock Media/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhD.All dogs can need to wear a muzzle at some point in their life, especially at the vet where some procedures are not safe if the dog is not muzzled. Wearing a muzzle can be stressful for the dog if…

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Ticket sales end soon for The Lemonade Conference - three days of education about dog sports, training, and behaviour.Photo: Christina Anne Costello/Unsplash. The Lemonade Conference from 7-9 May brings you three days of online continuing education with speakers including Malena DeMartini, Jessica Hekman, Kathryn Lord, Emily Larlham, Daniel Mills, Eileen Anderson, Tabitha Kucera, Christopher Pachel, Kathy Sdao, and many more - including myself.It's brought to you by the IAABC and Denise Fenzi and ticket sales end…

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…Emails, that is. Make sure you’re still on the list.Photo: Julissa Helmuth/PexelsIf you’re an existing email subscriber, you will have received a message from me yesterday (19th April) to let you know about our new email service. Because the emails are coming from a different email address, if you don’t see it you may need to look in your spam folder (or search for my name, Zazie), and move it to your inbox. Or, you…

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Myths about dogs, making indoor/outdoor decisions about cats, and providing shade for guinea pigs... this month's Companion Animal Psychology news.By Zazie Todd, PhDThis page contains affiliate links which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.My favourites this month"I know where you read this and it's a myth" Dr. Marc Bekoff on common questions about dogs, and why it's important to recognize dogs as unique individuals.  “Our message to owners…

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The common mistakes many people make when training their dog.Photo: Alexei_tm/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDTraining your dog is one of those things that everyone expects to be easy. You ask the dog to do something, give them a treat, simples! But, it’s not always so simple, especially if you are training  a dog for the first time. Here are some common mistakes that many people make when they are training their dog. Sadly, because anyone can call…

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So you brought home a new best friend, and you’re not sure where to start with training your new rescue dog. Here are some tips.Photo: Geartooth Productions/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhD.There’s a lot to think about when you bring home a rescue or shelter dog. How should you decide what kinds of training to do with them, and what to prioritize? This article includes general tips on training method, routine, management, house training, pulling on leash,…

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