The Pawsitive Post in Conversation by Companion Animal Psychology
The show about how to have a better relationship with your dog or cat. Get tips on dog training, dog behaviour, cat behaviour and training, learn about the science on dogs and cats, and find out which books we're reading (animal-related and more generally). Kind, humane, reward-based training methods only. Hosted by Zazie Todd PhD and Kristi Benson CTC of Companion Animal Psychology blog. Made in Canada.
Episodes
Marc Bekoff, PhD, joins Zazie and Kristi to talk about his new book Love in Their Hearts, his work (and upcoming book) with Jane Goodall, and what it's like studying canids.
We talked about:
- Why Marc and his co-author Jeff Campbell wrote Love In Their Hearts
- The time Marc's dog Jethro rescued a baby bunny, and stories of the grizzly bear known as 399
- The importance of naming animals
- Marc's research on dogs, wolv...
How can we set and maintain standards for dog training and animal behaviour? Zazie and Kristi are joined by Fiona Cooke, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Animal Behaviour and Training Council to learn all about their important work in the UK, and what anyone can do if they want to make a difference.
We talked about:
- What the ABTC does
- Why it's so important to follow a compassionate, non-punitive approach ...
Zazie and Kristi chat with scientist Dr. Catherine Reeve about her research to find out whether dogs change their behaviour when their owner is pregnant and if they can use their noses to detect when someone is stressed.
We talked about:
- The survey that investigated whether women think their dog's behaviour changed when they were pregnant
- The kinds of dogs that were most likely to show changes
- How the scientist...
New research on dogs and cats helps us to understand them better and give them better lives. But how do we know if the research is any good, and what about our feelings about the results? Zazie and Kristi chat about how to evaluate the science.
We talk about:
- Taking an ethical stance on dogs and cats that recognizes that they are sentient beings
- How it can be tricky to assess research if you're not trained as ...
Jean Donaldson has just published a new edition of her book Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs. If you have a dog who guards food, objects, people, or locations, you need this book! Jean joins Zazie and Kristi to discuss what to do if your dog guards food, locations, or other resources.
We talk about:
- Why it was time for a new edition of Mine! and what it was like to write it
- How to decide if...
Kids are routinely taught to ask a dog's owner before petting the dog. Today, radio host Steve Dale joins us to talk about how they should also find out if the dog wants to be petted or not. We learn about Steve's new children's book, Ask the Dog, which is a fun story with an important message, and we also talk about some good news in cat health.
We talked about:
- Why Steve wrote the book
- The importance of prev...
Zazie and Kristi ask each other rapid fire questions about dogs and cats, breeds and behaviour. But in this game of this or that, we also discuss the answers, illuminating ideas about training and enrichment. By the end of the show, you'll know Zazie and Kristi a lot better, but you'll also have learned something about dogs and cats.
As you listen, be sure to shout out your answers too! Or you can leave us a voi...
Zazie and Kristi chat with Dr. Jo Wimpenny, author of Beauty of the Beasts, to learn more about wasps, mosquitoes, vultures, sharks, and other unloved animals.
We talk about:-
- why Jo wanted to write about the beasties
- how everything is connected
- the value of wasps and mosquitoes to the ecosystem
- how sharks are not necessarily out to get people (even if sometimes they are)
- whether some animals are over-rated
- which ...
Can pet dogs use their nose to find the eggs of an invasive species, the spotted lanternfly--and what was it like taking part in citizen science to find out? Zazie and Kristi are joined by dog trainer and author Melissa McCue-McGrath to learn all about this fun project. We also learn about Melissa's book, Misadventures of the World's Okayest Dog Trainer.
We talk about:
- the nose work classes that Melissa teach...
Content warning: The books section at the end of the episode includes subject matter that may be distressing.
Having both a senior dog and a young dog in the same home can be wonderful, revitalizing the older dog and providing company for the younger dog. But it can also have its challenges. Zazie and Kristi talk about how to make sure everyone is happy and stays safe.
We talk about:
- How training can help when...
How can you help your dog to like it--and behave well--when visitors come to your home? Zazie and Kristi are joined by dog trainer Jeff Millman, author of Triggers and Reactions: A Guide to Fixing Your Dog Behavior Problems, to chat about this common issue.
We talk about:
- Why having your dog jump on guests is in some ways a nice problem to have
- The behaviours we can teach them to do instead
- The signs to look fo...
Zazie and Kristi talk about how to help dogs and cats get along, and why it all starts with thinking about the cat's feeling of safety.
We talk about:
- the need to manage introductions between dogs and cats
- what that means from the dog's perspective, and the cat's perspective
- the importance of letting them vote with their feet
- the need for safe spaces, and how to make safe spaces for a cat
- the idea of training the...
What's the best kind of carrier to choose for your cat? We get a veterinarian's perspective from Dr. Mansum Yau, author of The Ins and Outs of Cat Carriers: A Veterinarian's Guide to Cat Carriers.
We talk about:
- why, as a vet, Dr. Mansum is interested in cat carriers
- what kind of carrier is the best one to choose
- how to help cats be more comfortable at the vet
- how she became a stand-up comedian on top of being a...
Away to Me is Patricia McConnell PhD's first mystery novel, and it's gorgeous. Zazie and Kristi chat with Patricia to learn more about the book and why she decided to write fiction set in the dog world.
We talk about:
- What made Patricia decide to write a mystery novel
- The main character, Maddie McGowan
- Whether it was fun to be writing dogs as characters
- How she wrote about the dogs as real characters & witho...
How is caring for a dog different than caring for a cat, and what is the same? We talk about what dogs and cats need for a happy life with us.
We talk about:
- Training dogs and training cats (and why you should train your cat)
- The importance of enrichment
- Their sense of smell
- Going places with your dog, but not your cat
- House training
- Vet care and husbandry
- And the books we've been reading.
Also mentioned in thi...
If your dog has separation anxiety, what can you do to help them, how can you cope with not leaving your dog alone for longer than they can handle, and why is it so important? We're joined by separation anxiety expert Malena DeMartini to talk about how you can help your dog with their separation-related issues.
We talk about:
- what separation anxiety is and whether other labels like separation-related distress...
In this special episode, Zazie and Kristi are joined by some of the most popular guests from previous episodes to chat about all things animal behaviour, including dogs, cats, ants, penguins, and crows.
We talk about:
- with Jo Wimpenny, PhD, author of Aesop's Animals, we talk about The Ant and the Grasshopper and how we know whether or not animals can plan ahead--plus we get exciting news about her next book
- Za...
Zazie and Kristi are joined by Prof. Carri Westgarth to answer your questions about dog bites, how to avoid getting bitten by a dog, and what to do if you have been bitten by a dog.
We talked about:
- Why dogs bite
- How to use management to keep people safe from dogs
- How to keep children safe from dog bites
- What to do if a loose dog charges you
- How to regain trust if your own dog has bitten you
- The difference betwee...
We learn what canine scent work is, why it's so good for dogs, and how to get started--and progress--in this activity with Certified Nose Work Instructor Bonnie Hartney of Ocean Park Dog Training.
We talk about:
- How Bonnie got started in scent work and how the activity first came about
- Why scent work is fun for dogs and for their humans
- What to expect at a beginner class
- Whether scent work is for all dogs
- The kin...
We hosted an Ask Me Anything on anxious, fearful, and reactive dogs. You asked some incredible questions, and this is the result.
We talked about:
- How to find the starting place for working with anxious dogs
- Helping dogs who are afraid of elevators
- Fear of strangers
- Helping reactive dogs in tricky environments like apartment buildings and cities
- Reactivity to other dogs
- Fear of loud noises
- How the unfortunate side ...
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