I have a new post on my Psych Today blog,  Fellow Creatures, about the COVID-19 pandemic and what it means for pet owners.By Zazie Todd, PhDCOVID-19 is now a pandemic, and the situation is changing rapidly around the world. Pet owners should always have an emergency kit for their pet, but in the current situation it's especially important to check you have enough supplies (or know where you could get them delivered from) if you…

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Today's the day my book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy, is published.Here's what people are saying about Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy: â€œZazie Todd does dogs the immeasurably good favor of taking their happiness seriously. Todd is dialed in to the science of dogs and a thoughtful trainer of dogs. Everything she writes about, you want to know. Wag is a welcome addition to the books geared to helping you…

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The canine and feline scientists, pet professionals, bloggers, and organizations to follow on social media in 2020.By Zazie Todd, PhDAre you looking for some new pet-related accounts to follow in 2020? I’ve updated my list of some of the best people and organizations to follow on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram 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…

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"...an engaging, insightful consideration of how anthropomorphism, cruelty, egocentrism, empathy, realism and sentimentality have blended and blurred across centuries -- teaching us a vast amount about animals, and even more about ourselves." -- The Irish Times.By Zazie Todd, PhDThis month, the Animal Book Club is reading The Animal's Companion: People & Their Pets, a 26,000-Year Love Story by Jacky Coliss HarveyAbout the book:“A unique and compelling exploration of why humans need animal companions -- from…

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The number 1 question dog owners want to ask.By Zazie Todd, PhDI have a new post at my Psychology Today blog Fellow Creatures, Is my dog happy? How dogs' body language is a guide. According to Dogs Trust, this is the top question people would like to ask their dog if the dog could talk.The post looks at how scientists have developed ways to study dogs' body language, and what they have found when looking…

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Shetland Sheepdogs on Shetland, dressing up pets, and ant farms... this month's Companion Animal Psychology NewsMy favourites this month“It is farming – they are milking the animals, moving them from high to low pastures and building shelters for them when there’s not enough protection.” Ants run secret farms on English oak trees by Patrick Barkham.“I can’t outrun Fame, and so the only way I can actually tell her where to go is to have skills…

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Bodger 13 Jan 2009 – 14 Feb 2020On Friday we had to say goodbye to our beautiful Bodger. He was diagnosed with cancer last September. He came into our lives aged two and a half, a whirlwind of excitement, anxiety, and affection. He was a delightful dog, so playful and full of happiness, and we are heartbroken.These photos are from his shoot with Bad Monkey Photography late last year.Zazie Todd, PhD, is the author of…

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Interesting findings from a study of Irish vets’ and vet nurses’ understanding of behaviour problems.Photo: MAD_Production/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDCanine science has grown enormously as a discipline, and we know more about canine behaviour than ever before (even if there’s still a lot to learn). One of the biggest changes has been in approaches to dog training. A study published last year by Emma Shalvey (University College Dublin) et al. looks at how vets and vet…

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Your invitation to join The Wag Team with behind-the-scenes access to my book launch info.By Zazie Todd, PhDI am only a few weeks away from the launch of my book, Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy (more info here). It’s getting very exciting!Thank you but no more applications are being accepted. If you signed up, check your email for the confirmation (if you don't see it, don't forget to look in  your spam…

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Dogs trained with aversive methods are less likely to show a ‘secure base’ effect, study shows.Photo: Happy Monkey/ShutterstockBy Zazie Todd, PhDWhen people use aversive methods to train dogs, it is associated with risks to the dog’s welfare,  including fear, stress, and aggression (Ziv 2017; Guilherme-Fernandes et al 2017). Research published last year in Applied Animal Behaviour Science by Dr. Ana Vieira de Castro (Universidade do Porto) suggests it also affects the dog’s relationship with their…

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