Companion Animal Psychology News August 2018

A cat's purr, heart dogs, and the 'real' age of pets - don't miss out with Companion Animal Psychology News.

Some of my favourites from around the web this month

Are dogs really our best friends? Marc Bekoff on the consequences of misrepresentations of dogs.

“Heart dog. Say those two words to any dog lover and their eyes will go soft.” Debby McMullen on what the phrase ‘heart dog’ means to her at Victoria Stilwell’s site.

Small dogs aim high when they pee. Julie Hecht on a fascinating new study of peeing dogs and the possible explanations.

“Determining a pet's "real" age is actually important because it helps veterinarians like me recommend life-stage specific healthcare for our animal patients.” Do you ever wonder how old your pet is in dog or cat years? Veterinarian Jesse Grady explains.

“Our cats may purr when we pet and tickle them, but it’s a much more complicated form of communication than we've assumed.” The complicated truth about a cat’s purr by Stephen Dowling for BBC Features.

Pete Wedderburn on the perils of poorly bred pedigree cats and what to look for if you’re getting a pedigree cat (podcast).

Animal Book Club

This month the Companion Animal Psychology Book Club is reading Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do by Marc Bekoff.

Here at Companion Animal Psychology

“But for your average pet lover, it can be hard to figure out the best way to make their animals’ lives better. Enter Companion Animal Psychology, a blog packed with research-based information on how pets think.”

Erin Blakemore profiled Companion Animal Psychology at the Washington Post.

I spoke to Jesse Mulligan at Radio New Zealand and answered listeners’ questions about pets for Pet psychology. It’s 20 minutes long so make a cup of tea or coffee before settling down to listen.

Do you ever wonder if your dog shows signs of fear anxiety and stress? I wrote a guide: how can I tell if my dog is afraid? And if the answer is yes, I’ve also got eight tips to help fearful dogs feel safe.

This month I published an interview with British dog trainer Jane Sigsworth. I asked her about working with dogs that are fearful or aggressive, and the things that owners find particularly hard.

Meanwhile, the danger hidden in plain sight in photos of dogs and children gives you three things to think about when looking at such photos – and even better, to put into practice when supervising dogs and young kids.

Support Companion Animal Psychology

Companion Animal Psychology brings you evidence-based ways to have happy dogs and cats, and reports the latest science on companion animals. It takes me a long time to prepare and write each post, and I would love to have the time to write more.

If you love Companion Animal Psychology, you can support me on Ko-fi. (Ko-fi does not charge fees).

A better world for dogs and cats

These are the latest images from the series about a better world for dogs and a better world for cats.

Companion Animal Psychology is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Companion Animal Psychology is also a participant in the Etsy Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Etsy.com.

Companion Animal Psychology News July 2018

Cats high on catnip, the heritage of mutts, and sunk costs for mice - don't miss a thing with the latest news from Companion Animal Psychology.

Some of my favourites from around the web this month

“It takes patience to let the student run the show.” The pause that refreshes by Patricia McConnell PhD.

 “You know exactly what I'm talking about. There's a dog. Right there, right in front of you.” 10 things to do instead of patting that service dog by Kristi Benson CTC.

“Experts did little better than dog lovers — and nobody did very well — when asked to describe the heritage of various mutts.” What breeds make up this mutt? By James Gorman at NY Times.

Can we ever really know if animals are happy? Anna Brooks tackles an important question.

"Like so many other humans, you might find cats to be mysterious creatures. But believe it or not, it’s not that hard to make friends with a feline, if you know what to do." 10 science-backed tips for getting a cat to like you by Mikel Delgado.

“Whatever is going on in the humans is also going on in the nonhuman animals.” Mice don’t know when to let it go, either, on sunk costs and decision making by Erica Goode at the NY Times.

Should shelters and breeders require literacy in animal behaviour?. Marc Bekoff on “the importance of becoming literate in "dog"—learning about the basic behavior patterns and needs of the nonhuman animal one chooses to bring home.”

"A big part of the problem is that breeds like French bulldogs, pugs, and English bulldogs are what's called brachycephalic—bred to have that cute, short muzzle." Are we loving French Bulldogs to death? At National Geographic,  Linda Lombardi looks at the issues facing these brachycephalic dogs.

Photos of cats high on catnip. By Alessia Santoro with images by Andrew Marttila.

Dog photographer of the year 2018 – in pictures. The Guardian highlights the best photos of dogs.

Animal Book Club

The Companion Animal Psychology Book Club takes a break in July. In August, we will be reading Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do by Marc Bekoff.

Help Researchers Understand Separation Anxiety in Dogs

Separation Anxiety expert Malena DeMartini and Dr. Nathaniell Hall of Texas Tech University are conducting a survey to get a better understanding of separation anxiety in dogs.

The questionnaire is for dog owners, dog trainers, and dog lovers, even if your dog does not have separation anxiety.

Take the survey here. Everyone who completes it will be entered in a draw to win either a copy of DeMartini's book, Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs, OR a spot on the online course, 'Mission: POSSIBLE.'

Support Companion Animal Psychology

Companion Animal Psychology has a mission to bring pet owners free information about science-based ways to have happy dogs and happy cats.

If you love Companion Animal Psychology, you can support me on Ko-fi. (Ko-fi does not charge fees).

Here at Companion Animal Psychology

I had two new posts on my Psychology Today blog Fellow Creatures: Does owner personality affect dog training methods looks at an intriguing new study, while Pet behaviour problems: In the eye of the beholder considers what makes us decide a pet’s behaviour is problematic.

Here on Companion Animal Psychology, Prof. Hal Herzog generously shared his time with me and answered questions from me and the book club on his book, Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals. Read the interview here, and if you haven't read the book, I highly recommend it.

I wrote a post about desensitization and counter-conditioning in dog training, which explains the basics you need to know to use this technique to help fearful dogs.

And I spoke to Lori Nanan about her online course, Nailed It! which makes good use of desensitization and counter-conditioning to help dogs learn to like nail trims. Check out what she has to say. At the end of the post, you'll find discount codes if you want to take any of the courses available on lorinanan.com.

This month I answered some questions from Slate about what the What the Fluff? videos tell us about canine cognition. I spoke to HuffPost about how the 'cat lady' trope came to be. And I talked to Fupping about the importance of puppy socialization for their post on things to consider when buying a puppy (scroll down to number 12).

As always, thank you for the kind comments and shares of my posts. It's proving to be a busy summer for me as I'm working hard on edits to my book! Whatever you're up to, I hope you're having fun.

A Better World for Dogs and Cats

These are the latest images from the series about a better world for dogs and a better world for cats.

Companion Animal Psychology is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Companion Animal Psychology is also a participant in the Etsy Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Etsy.com.

Companion Animal Psychology News June 2018

Make sure you haven't missed a thing with the latest round-up about dogs and cats from Companion Animal Psychology.

Some of my favourites from around the web this month

Homeless people and their pets: ‘She saved me as much as I saved her.’ First-hand accounts in The Guardian of how much pets mean to homeless people in the US. “She wakes up so excited every morning and gets so happy about the littlest thing, like rolling around in the grass or even just the weather being nice. Seeing her like that reminds me to stay happy for simple things too.”

Dogs and humans have similar social and emotional brains. Dr. Carlo Siracusa of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists says dogs struggle in a society they don’t always understand. “They are attached to humans and willing to share their lives, but they want to feel safe in an environment that is almost entirely controlled by humans.”

What’s the deal with vegetarians who hate vegetables? Dr. Hal Herzog on some fascinating new research into our sense of taste and vegetarianism. “Because cruciferous vegetables taste bitter to supertasters, you would think supertasters would be less likely to become vegetarians than nontasters.”

Dogs use various gestures to get what they want from us. Dr. Marc Bekoff on a new study about referential signaling by dogs. “The four requests that were most commonly used that resulted in dogs being satisfied (ASOs) accounted for 242 bouts of communication and included: “Scratch me!”, “Give me food/drink," “Open the door, and “Get my toy/bone.””

Predation and dogs: Normalizing behaviour. Guest post by Lisa Skavienski at the Academy for Dog Trainers. "I hope it helps people to step back and view these events for what they really are and find some patience and understanding for their pet dogs."

How your pet REALLY sees the world: Images reveal animal vision by Cheyenne MacDonald for The Daily Mail. "Compared to humans, most species ‘see the world with much less detail than we do,’ says lead author Eleanor Caves, a postdoctoral researcher at Duke."

When do kittens open their eyes? An informative post from Denise LeBeau at Catster  “Answering the question "When do kittens open their eyes" gives you insight into more than just a baby kitty’s eyesight. Knowing when a kitten opens his eyes can let you know his age, what to feed him and how to care for him.”

Why you’re probably training your cat all wrong by Linda Lombardi at National Geographic. “Yes, they're independent and willful, but felines can be taught certain behaviors—to the benefit of both cat and human.”

Help Researchers with a Survey on Aging in Dogs

The Family Dog Project is conducting a large survey of aging in dogs and they would like your help!
In a blog post about the study the researchers say, “There are still many unanswered questions regarding the natural ageing process in family dogs. While it is common knowledge that ageing leads to the decline of cognitive and physical abilities, the nature and dynamics of these declines is still very much under debate. So far, there is no agreement as to what age dogs start to show symptoms of ageing.”

You can help! They are hoping for a large number of participants from around the world.

The survey is already available in several languages, and more are coming soon. You can take part here:

The questionnaire in English - UK

The questionnaire in English - USA

The questionnaire in English - Canada

The questionnaire in French - France, Canada

The questionnaire in German - Germany/Austria/Switzerland

Animal Book Club

The book of the month is Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals by Hal Herzog, and it’s been generating lots of discussion. Are you reading it too?

You can find a full list of all the books read by the Companion Animal Psychology Book Club here. The book club will be accepting new members in July so check the page for info.

The Train for Rewards Blog Party

The Train for Rewards Blog Party was a huge success, with 27 bloggers writing about the training of dogs, cats, parrots, humans and velociraptors. Check out the blog party for some fun, thoughtful, and interesting posts.

Huge thanks to everyone who took part, whether by contributing a post and/or sharing your favourites.

Support Companion Animal Psychology

I have signed up for Ko-fi, which allows people to support creators by buying them a coffee. Ko-fi is free to use and does not charge admin fees. If you like what you see at Companion Animal Psychology, you can show your support in this way. Thank you!

The button is on my 'about' page, and you'll find my ko-fi page at https://ko-fi.com/companionanimalpsychology

Here at Companion Animal Psychology

I spoke to Dr. Ainslie Butler of Science Borealis about catnip. If you won’t talk to your cat about catnip, who will?

In early June I was honoured to speak at the BC SPCA’s Animal Behaviour Science Symposium. It was a wonderful and inspiring two days packed with interesting talks about dogs and anxiety. Many thanks to the BC SPCA for putting together such a brilliant conference! I was delighted to learn there will be another ABSS next year.

I was also very happy to meet so many people who read Companion Animal Psychology - thank you to everyone who came and said hello!

“Yes, they're independent and willful, but felines can be taught certain behaviours—to the benefit of both cat and human.” – Dr. Marty Becker.

On the blog, you’ll find a fascinating interview with Dr. Marty Becker, who told all about how the Fear Free movement came about. It was a real pleasure to speak to him and learn more about how we can help pets at the vet, and ambitious plans for Fear Free.

My recent post, study outlines reasons to ban electronic collars for dogs, has also been getting a lot of views. Dr. Marc Bekoff wrote about the study, my post, and the responses he got when he shared it. And in late May, I reported on a study that found most adopters are happy with their new pet even if there are some behavioural problems.

Meanwhile my series on dog training continued with an explanation of negative reinforcement in dog training.

As well, I have a blog post at Psychology Today on a new study that looks at whether service dogs help military veterans with PTSD.

If you have suggestions for topics you’d like to see covered on Companion Animal Psychology, do let me know. You can email me on companimalpsych at gmail dot com.

A Better World for Dogs and Cats

These are the latest images from the series about a better world for dogs and a better world for cats.

Companion Animal Psychology News December 2017

Unexpected friendships and the cat on the stove: make sure you haven't missed a thing with the latest newsletter from Companion Animal Psychology.

Some of my favourites from around the web this month

"...the importance of knowing basic aspects of dog behavior for people who choose to share their lives with a canine companion, letting dogs be dogs, paying attention to the dogs' point of view..." How to give dogs the best lives possible in a human world. Marc Bekoff PhD follows up on one of my recent blog posts.

“Until we know more, I think we should assume that cats have needs while we are gone, and even if they aren’t meeting us at the front door.” Does your cat miss you when you’re gone by Mikel Delgado PhD.

"even though they do not provide their owners with the undying affection of puppies and kittens, most of our subjects said goldfish and hamsters perfectly embodied the concept of a pet." Hal Herzog PhD asks How "Pet-tie" are dogs? What about goldfish and lizards?

“The main purpose in writing this blog is for us as professionals to embrace the fact that people love their dogs and are quite willing to find ways to help them. “ Suspending absences: not just doable, but being done. On separation anxiety by Malena DeMartini.

Why I don’t recommend training reactive dogs with CAT by Tracy Krulik CTC. A nice explainer of what negative reinforcement is and why desensitization and counter-conditioning are better.

“I admit to feeling a couple of weeks of post-canine depression but every time the sentiment threatened to overwhelm me, two tiny plaintive eyes would meet mine, accompanied by a vigorous swish of the tail and a barely audible squeak. “ Puppy love: how my dog taught me to be a real man by Grant Feller.

"The first thing to do is to take a few moments to consider what these seasonal hazards could be." Tips for a safe and happy Christmas with your pup by Nick Honor CTC at K9 Puppy Stars.

Want to know what Felis silvestris lybica looks like? This is the animal your cat evolved from by Ilana Strauss.

"A dog's extended tongue should be on dog lovers' radar." When we're angry, dogs get the feels by Julie Hecht MSc.

Your cat is even smarter than you think. Modern Cat magazine reprints two answers to common cat questions from the late Dr Sophia Yin.

“We adult humans rarely feel this purity of emotion, and if we do we tend to squelch it.” Patricia McConnell PhD CAAB shares the tiny things about her dogs that make her happy.

“Solitude should be that meddlesome…” The cat on the stove by Daksha Hathi at Katzenworld Blog.

Photos, videos and podcasts

Unexpected friendships with animals and humans. Amazing photos by Diana Bagnoli, writing by Dee Swann.

Cats Protection has made some wonderful videos with John Bradshaw. Here’s how cats hear and how cats see.

Loving you, loving me: Companion Animals and domestic violence – a (visual) research project. Images from the project on domestic violence and animal abuse by Heather Fraser and Nik Taylor.

Gorgeous photos of cats by Observer photographer Jane Bown. Limited edition prints available.

Minimal cat art. The Modern Met explores a new subreddit.

Margaret Mahood’s feline art over at The Great Cat.

“Find out what a dog’s nose knows, and why no amount of bathing and dousing in perfume can mask your personal smelliness.” In Air Apparent, Big Picture Science speaks to Alexandra Horowitz (and before that, Sam Kean will blow your mind on the atmosphere!). 

In PetMD’s Life with Pets on Pit Bulls, Victoria Schade speaks to Bronwen Dickey, Lori Nanan, and Richard Hunter.

Should we keep pets? Anne McElvoy talks to John Bradshaw, Philip Howell, Jessica Pierce and Laura Purcell (preceded by a very nice clarinet sonata).

Events

Litter Box Basics by Beth Adelman. Pet Professional Guild webinar Thursday 18th January 1 – 2pm Eastern time.

Canine Science Symposium at the San Francisco SPCA 14-15 April 2018. The full line-up of speakers is here: http://events.sfspca.org/css2018

The Emotional World of Dogs: New insights into training behaviour. Presented by Daniel Mills and hosted by The Academy for Dog Trainers. 7-8 July 2018 at Women’s Humane Society, Bensalem PA; and 28-29 July 2018 at East Bay SPCA, Oakland, CA.

Here at Companion Animal Psychology

I was thrilled to learn that my post, The Ultimate Dog Training Tip, has won the 2017 Captain Haggerty Award for best book or article on dog training from the Dog Writer’s Association of America.

The book of the month is The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy ― and Why They Matter by Marc Bekoff. More on the Companion Animal Psychology book club.

In my latest post at Psychology Today, I look at a new study that looks at how the medical literature on dog bites covers dog behaviour – and finds errors and exaggerations. Moral panic about dog bites in the medical literature.

This month I’ve had two amazing posts that you will not want to miss: How to make the world better for cats, and how to make the world better for dogs. In each, an incredible line-up of experts answers the question, “What’s the one thing that would make the world better for dogs/cats?” Their answers are varied, thoughtful, and inspiring.

Extra early socialization for puppies makes a big difference reports on new research from Guide Dogs (UK) that finds a new, additional socialization program makes a difference to the behaviour of those puppies once they’ve grown up to be dogs.

And escaping dogs: some fences are better than others looks at a study that finds dogs escape from electronic fences at twice the rate of a physical fence.

Do you enjoy these newsletters and find them useful? Are there any changes you would like to see? Let me know in the comments or via a message on social media.

As always, subscribe to Companion Animal Psychology to stay up-to-date on evidence-based information about our relationship with pets.



Companion Animal Psychology is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Companion Animal Psychology is also a participant in the Etsy Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Etsy.com.

Companion Animal Psychology News November 2017

Make sure you haven't missed a thing with the latest newsletter from Companion Animal Psychology.

Some of my favourites from around the web this month

“Nobody wants to say goodbye to these adorable dogs for ever, but the truth is that it’s wrong to create animals that are destined to suffer.” Veterinarian Pete Wedderburn on how to improve the health of brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs and Bulldogs.

Dogs can promote friendliness just by hanging out by John Bradshaw PhD

Important take-aways from a separation anxiety journey by Tracy Krulik CTC. Emma’s Separation Anxiety Story: Epilogue.

“When people don’t notice fear in dogs, it can cause trouble.” The scariest thing, according to dogs by Julie Hecht.

Do dogs really manipulate us? Beware misleading headlines. Marc Bekoff PhD engages with his readers about reporting on two recent studies.

“Say you and I both live in houses made of banana peels….” Self-help for humans is good for dogs by Kristi Benson CTC. 

“The ginger creature appeared in my life randomly. Then, little by little, it wormed itself into my home and my heart.“ I adopted a stray cat. I had no idea what I was letting myself in for by Nigel Kendall in The Guardian

How much is that doggie on the website? It might not even exist.  Karin Brulliard on online pet sales scams.

Two nice DIY food toys for cats by Pawculture.

How to care for your older cat by Cats Protection, part of their campaign for #MatureMoggies.

It can be an especially upsetting problem to have... Why does my cat pee on the bed? by Pam Johnson-Bennett has some tips to help people understand and resolve this behaviour.

"Sometimes bad behavioral traits develop and no one’s to blame. And other times dogs overcome difficult situations to grow into the soul of friendliness. That’s nature. And that’s nurture." Jessika Hekman DVM PhD on untangling nature and nurture.

Photos, videos and podcasts

Photos of cats doing martial arts by Japanese photographer Hisakata Hiroyuki.

Modernist furniture for cats in Fukuoka. And you might also like these architect-designed dream homes for cats.

Prehistoric rock art from Saudi Arabia shows dogs on leashes.

Casey Elise Christopher photographs black cats to help them get adopted.

These cat-shaped desserts in Japan are very cute.

Dr. David Mellor talks to CBC about thriving not merely surviving: A fresh perspective on animal welfare.

Would you want to be a 21st century cat? Video of a talk by Dr. Sarah Ellis of International Cat Care.

Nine lives: Are you and your pets disaster ready? Podcast on how to prepare your cat for evacuation by Kathryn Primm DVM speaking to Debbie Martin CPDT-KA.

Here at Companion Animal Psychology

Some of you will have noticed a new affiliate advertiser on this website. If you purchase via my affiliate ads, it gives me a small commission at no extra charge to you, helping to support Companion Animal Psychology.

“It will forever change how we see our aquatic cousins - the pet goldfish included." This month’s book for the Companion Animal Psychology book club is What a Fish Knows: The Inner Lives of Our Underwater Cousins by Jonathan Balcombe.

My post on 5 things to do for your cat today has been very well received. It has five things to do right now, and a bonus sixth one to work on over time, to help you have a happier cat.

What is positive punishment in dog training? tells you everything you need to know about positive punishment, including the risks of using it. An essential read for dog owners.

And why do dogs play? looks at a new review of the literature on the reasons play has evolved in dogs, and the implications for animal welfare. It turns out play isn’t always a good sign.

Finally, after a bad experience, dogs’ sleep is affected just as we might have a bad night’s sleep after a stressful day.

As always, subscribe to Companion Animal Psychology to stay up-to-date on evidence-based information about our relationship with pets.


Companion Animal Psychology is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Companion Animal Psychology is also a participant in the Etsy Affiliate Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Etsy.com.