What’s the point of the “catnip response”? By Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado Click here for original post New research suggests it helps protect cats from mosquitos! Cats who respond to olfactory stimulation via plants (e.g., catnip, silver vine) often show a classic response that usually consists of rubbing, chewing and rolling in or around the […]

SHOW ME THE MONEY: WHY YOUR DOG DOESN’T LISTEN, UNLESS YOU’RE HOLDING FOOD Click Here for Original Post By: Dr. Jen Summerfield Today, I want to talk about one of the most common struggles I see with my behavior clients and their dogs.  Often, they’ve been through a basic obedience class or two, and their […]

Returning to work outside of the home? Start preparing your dog for this change now Click here for Original Post Written by Drs. Kelly Ballantyne, Kristin Kuntz, and Margaret Drewno Dogs benefit from predictability in their routines, and for many dogs, this predictability has been disrupted by changes in our lifestyles caused by the COVID-19 […]

Use Natural Rewards Strategically Click here for original post One often encounters the use of treats in dog training and behavior therapy, and treats are indeed a wonderful and powerful reinforcer to use for teaching new behavior, generalizing learned behavior in new contexts, or fostering calm and attentive behavior to replace fearful or anxious behavior […]

New Study Shows Dogs Trained with Rewards Only are More Optimistic Click Here for Original Post By Zazie Todd, PhD When dogs are trained with methods such as leash jerks, yelling, and shock collars, they have worse welfare than dogs trained solely with food rewards, according to new research. Although many dog trainers and guardians […]

Cat facial expressions are affected by breed: Why there are implications for cat welfare Click here for original post People often describe cats as a bit inscrutable and hard to read; in part, this is because cats have fewer facial muscles and fewer facial expressions. The expressions they do make are not necessarily like those […]

Problem-solving and “pawed-ness” in cats – is there a relationship? By: Dr. Mikel Maria Delgado Click Here for Original Post Most humans are right-handed (although as someone who lives with a lefty – DEFINITELY not all!); have you ever wondered if your cat also has a paw preference? I’ve previously blogged about studies of handed- or pawed-ness […]

Can We Keep Our Cats Warm Enough? Click Here for Original Post Reading the Wired story on cats and boxes last week I was introduced to the cat’s “thermoneutral zone.” This is the temperature range at which animals do not expend any additional energy trying to stay warm (or cool off). For cats, this range is believed […]

SCAREDY DOGS AND STRANGERS – PART 2 Click for Original Post Welcome back!  Today, we’re going to plow ahead with our discussion about how to help fearful or aggressive dogs feel more comfortable with visitors.  If you missed my previous post on this topic, you should probably go back and give it a quick look before […]

If Your Dog is Afraid, Avoid These Two Mistakes Click here for Original Post By Zazie Todd, PhD When working with fearful dogs, an effective and commonly-used technique is desensitization and counter-conditioning. It’s a very powerful technique, but there are some technical aspects that you need to get right in order for it to work. This […]