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 […]

Scaredy Dogs and Strangers – Part 1 By Dr. Jen Summerfield Click for original post Today, I want to talk about dogs who are afraid of visitors. This is one of the more common behavior issues that I’m called to help out with – but fortunately, it’s also a relatively easy one to address, in […]

By Zazie Todd, PhD Click here for original Post Every dog owner has probably had a situation where their dog has looked to them for help, perhaps when a coveted ball or treat has ended up out of reach under the sofa. Is this something special about dogs and their relationship with us? Research already […]

The Benefits Of Fostering An Animal By Dr. Megan E. Maxwell, Ph.D. My first adventures in the world of observing and analyzing dog behavior occurred while I was an undergraduate in the mid-1990s. I was a psychology major and lifelong animal lover and knew I wanted to find a career path that would allow me […]

Positive Reinforcement is More Effective at Training Dogs than an Electronic Collar, Study Shows By Zazie Todd, PhD Link to original post We’ve known for a while that training dogs with aversive methods, including electronic collars, has risks for animal welfare. Positive reinforcement training is effective and does not have those risks. New research from the University of Lincoln, published […]