Philippa East on her cat, Mimi, and her thrilling debut, Little White Lies. No. 5 in the series The Writer's Pet by Zazie Todd, PhD.This page contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.In Philippa East's debut, Little White Lies, the smallest lies are the most devastating. Suzy K. Quinn says of the book, "WOW – what a debut! Beautiful detail, atmospheric and emotional – this is…

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I have a new post on my Fellow Creatures blog that looks at some research on people's attitudes to the use of psychoactive meds and various types of supplements for dogs with behaviour issues.Photo: Couleur/PixabayBy Zazie Todd, PhDThe study shows just how widespread fear and anxiety is amongst dogs, and that people's own experiences affect the likelihood of them being open to considering the use of psychoactive medications (such as Prozac) for dogs. The research…

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Jen Gilroy on her dog, Floppy Ears, and her latest book, A Wish in Irish Falls.Photo: Jen GilroyBy Zazie Todd, PhDJen Gilroy is a romance writer whose heart-warming books always include animals of some kind. Her latest book, A Wish in Irish Falls, is about a bakery owner and a veterinarian who aren’t looking for love… According to Red’s Romance Reviews, "This perfectly crafted tale [is] a story of hope, healing, love and second chances.”What…

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Jen Gilroy on her dog, Floppy Ears, and her latest book, A Wish in Irish Falls.Photo: Jen GilroyNo. 4 in the series The Writer’s Pet by Zazie Todd, PhD.Jen Gilroy is a romance writer whose heart-warming books always include animals of some kind. Her latest book, A Wish in Irish Falls, is about a bakery owner and a veterinarian who aren’t looking for love… According to Red’s Romance Reviews, "This perfectly crafted tale [is] a…

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Join me at the Pet Professional Guild's Geek Week this November.By Zazie Todd, PhDThe Pet Professional Guild's Geek Week takes places 11-15 November 2020 with 85 presenters and 136 sessions around the clock - plus 12-month's access to the recordings. The list of speakers includes Dr. Liz Bales, Kristi Benson, Dr. Mikel Delgado, Malena DeMartini, Jean Donaldson, Dr. Naomi Harvey, Dr. Dorothy Heffernan, Dr. Lynn Honeckman, Joan Hunter Mayer, Casey McGee, Pat Miller, Dr. Sasha Protopopova,…

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People with flat-faced (brachycephalic) cats don’t realize the health issues associated with the breed, study shows.A traditional doll face Persian cat. See a modern Persian cat in the photo below.Photo: chrisdorney/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDWhereas many dog breeds have their roots in working dogs, pedigree cats are bred purely for their looks. There are now more than 70 cat breeds, yet moggies (as non-pedigree cats are affectionately known) remain very popular. What makes someone decide to…

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Funny animal pictures, wolf leaders, and barriers to being a vet - this month's Companion Animal Psychology news.By Zazie Todd, PhDMy favourites this month“You can’t be a vet” Veterinarian Dr. Navaratnam Partheeban on the difficulties for ethnic minorities who want to become a vet.  How to do food bowl bonuses to prevent food guarding (with video) in Don’t play with your dog’s food by Jessica Ring.“These discoveries are changing the way we think about wolves.” Wolf…

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How kindness - in dog training, animal behaviour, on rehoming pets, and to others in our profession -  can change the world for dogs and cats.Photo: New Africa/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDA revolution in dog training is well under way: a transition to kinder, reward-based methods instead of the aversive methods that risk fear, anxiety, aggression, and a poorer human-animal bond. The reason is simple: more and more people are learning that positive reinforcement is effective…

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 Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!Photo: Arthur Linnik/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDIt is Thanksgiving here in Canada. In this strangest of years, I wish you and yours love, peace, safety, and good health. I am thankful to everyone who has supported this blog and my book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy. I am also thankful to each and every one of you for your dedication and care for companion animals and their people. And of…

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Eva Holland on her Alaskan Husky, Tacoma, and her book, Nerve: Adventures in the Science of Fear. Photo: Eva Holland No. 3 in the series The Writer’s Pet by Zazie Todd, PhD.   On the way back down the mountain from ice climbing, Eva Holland suddenly finds herself frozen with fear. This experience, and the recent loss of her mother, prompted Holland to write Nerve: Adventures in the Science of Fear, which beautifully pairs personal experience…

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