Award-winning Canadian writer Aislinn Hunter on her gorgeous dogs and her latest book, The Certainties.Photo: Aislinn HunterThe first in a new series of The Writer's Pet, by Zazie Todd PhD.Aislinn Hunter's latest book, The Certainties, is a bestseller that is described as "a wonderful mystery, a masterful piece of storytelling that will grip you the first time you read it, and a work of careful art that will reward you when you read it again"…

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 A new series about writers and their companion animals coming soon to Companion Animal Psychology.My late dog Bodger, who inspired my book, Wag. Photo: Bad Monkey.By Zazie Todd, PhDCharles Dickens had his pet raven, Grip; Ernest Hemingway had many polydactyl cats; Virginia Woolf had a cocker spaniel called Pinka; and Alice Walker keeps pet chickens. Authors love their pets, but how do they influence their writing? The Writer’s Pet explores the world of contemporary writers…

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Pets seem to have helped people cope with lockdown, but it’s not been easy for the pets, two studies show.A girl walks her dog in Sydney during the pandemic. PhilDeeGee/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDThis is a tough year for everyone. How have pets helped us cope with the difficulties of the pandemic so far? And is it a tough year for pets, too? Several research studies are already providing some answers.  In the relatively early days of…

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 â€œThe American College of Veterinary Behaviorists doesn’t disappoint with this volume devoted to cats.”--Booklist.By Zazie Todd, PhDThis month, the Companion Animal Psychology Book Club is reading Decoding Your Cat: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and edited by Meghan E. Herron DVN DACVB, Debra F Horwitz DVM DACVB, and Carlo Siracusa DVM DACVB DECAWBM. This page contains affiliate links.From…

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You are invited to a Facebook live discussion about Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy.By Zazie Todd, PhDI will be in conversation with Patricia Tirrell and Denise O'Moore about Wag on Facebook live on Tuesday 1st September from 2-3pm ET. More information on the event page on Facebook.Following the live chat, there will be a two week discussion of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy

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Capturing cuteness in dogs, cats and their names, and a beautiful textile... this months CAP news. By Zazie Todd, PhD My favourites this month “Many respondents, both in our work and others, report that they would rather sleep rough than give up their pet. Yet if pet owners refuse to relinquish their pets, local authorities categorise them as “intentionally homeless”, thereby abrogating their responsibility to house them. “ ‘My dog is my home’ – the need…

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The fiction, non-fiction, and (of course) cat and dog books I’m reading this summer. By Zazie Todd, PhD Like everyone else, I’ve not been able to travel this summer; in fact (probably like you too) I rarely go out and wear my mask whenever I do. But there’s still time for reading, and my local bookstore has a great system for picking up books. As has become tradition here at Companion Animal Psychology, I’m sharing…

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Ten tips for modern dog training.By Zazie Todd, PhD. Photo: JacLou DL/PixabayA  new post on my Fellow Creatures blog has ten tips on modern dog training and caring for your dog. Tip number 1? You aren't a dog.Check it out here: You aren't a dog, and other surprises of dog ownership.Zazie Todd, PhD, is the best-selling author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy. She is the founder of the popular blog Companion Animal Psychology,…

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A survey of the owners of diabetic cats finds that although diagnosis is a worrying time, things get better. Photo: Richy99/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDDiabetes mellitus affects around 1 in 80 cats in the US. It is most common in cats that are neutered males, over 7 years old, obese, indoors-only or inactive, on certain types of medication (glucocorticoids or progestagens), and in Burmese cats (Sparkes et al 2015). The signs include excessive thirst, excessive urination, lethargy,…

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How I, an anthropologist and dog trainer, learned the value of 'You'll have to ask someone who knows' from Dinjii Zhuh (Gwich’in) Elders.Kristi Benson on a skidoo trail outside of Inuvik, NWT. Photo: Yoenne Ewald.By Kristi Benson CTC Special CorrespondentI lived with dogs for many years before becoming a dog trainer. Although my first dogs were easy to live with, about ten years ago I found myself in a new, and tricky, situation. Through a relatively…

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