• Scientific Studies on Force-Free Positive Reinforcement Dog Training with Dr. Zazie Todd
    Mar 15 2025
    In today's special episode, we talk with Zazie Todd, PHD, about some scientific studies; some dogs are harder to train than others, adolescent dogs have more issues than puppies, the puppy blues thing! If you would like to donate to Ripple Animal Effect Project, please use this link: https://www.clover.com/pay-widgets/45e53cea-3d70-4757-a404-fabcaf9b33ed Zazie Todd, PhD, is an animal behavior expert and the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy, Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, and Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. She is the creator of Companion Animal Psychology blog, has a column at Psychology Today, and is an adjunct professor at Canisius University. She has a PhD in Psychology, an Advanced Certificate of Feline Behavior (with Distinction) from International Cat Care and is an honors graduate of the Academy for Dog Trainers. Originally from Leeds, UK, she now lives near Vancouver, Canada, with her husband, a dog and a cat. Website: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/ Podcast: https://thepawsitivepostinconversation.buzzsprout.com Substack: https://zazietodd.substack.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/zazietodd.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/companionanimalpsychology Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zazietodd/ SOME DOGS ARE HARDER TO TRAIN THAN OTHERS: - Researchers investigated which kinds of dog will struggle to learn a new behavior. They picked a hand-touch. - Older dogs were more likely to fail, likely due to lack of attention to guardian - Dogs who were used to being trained with food rewards were less likely to fail, compared to dogs used to being trained with non-edible rewards (play or praise) - Owner experience and knowledge of training helped - They did not teach the hand touch how we would. It’s easy. We can talk about the benefits of teaching it. ADOLESENT DOGS HAVE MORE ISSUES THAN PUPPIES: - A study from Generation Pup that studied dogs through the first year of life from being acquired as a new puppy to 12 months of age - At each time-point, dogs were more likely to have a behavior issue, reaching 41% of them by 12 months of age - Although some dog guardians used only reward-based methods, most used a mix of rewards and aversives - As dogs got older, people were more likely to switch to include more aversives - People need more help with their adolescent dog and info on how to use reward-based methods THE PUPPY BLUES THING: - This is something that people often talk about but had hardly been studied until last year - Researchers developed a scale to assess the puppy blues - There are 3 main areas: Frustration; Anxiety; Weariness - 24% of people surveyed said they regretted getting a puppy - Of course, things change with time! - We can recommend going to puppy class! REFERENCES: Azadian, A., & Protopopova, A. (2025). Factors Influencing a Hand-touch Learning Task Outcome in the Domestic Dog (Canis lupus familiaris). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 106522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106522 Owczarczak-Garstecka, S. C., Casey, R. A., Cooper, B., Da Costa, R. E., Kinsman, R. H., Lord, M. S., ... & Murray, J. K. (2025). Association between training methods and owner-reported problem behaviours in dogs enrolled in the ‘Generation Pup’longitudinal study in the UK. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 77, 52-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2024.10.001 Ståhl, A., Salonen, M., Hakanen, E., Mikkola, S., Sulkama, S., Lahti, J., & Lohi, H. (2024). Development and validation of the puppy blues scale measuring temporary affective disturbance resembling baby blues. npj Mental Health Research, 3(1), 27. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-024-00072-z
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    32 mins
  • Scientific Studies on Force-Free Positive Reinforcement Dog Training with Dr. Zazie Todd
    Mar 15 2025
    In today's special episode, we talk with Zazie Todd, PHD, about some scientific studies; some dogs are harder to train than others, adolescent dogs have more issues than puppies, the puppy blues thing! If you would like to donate to Ripple Animal Effect Project, please use this link: https://www.clover.com/pay-widgets/45e53cea-3d70-4757-a404-fabcaf9b33ed Zazie Todd, PhD, is an animal behavior expert and the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy, Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, and Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. She is the creator of Companion Animal Psychology blog, has a column at Psychology Today, and is an adjunct professor at Canisius University. She has a PhD in Psychology, an Advanced Certificate of Feline Behavior (with Distinction) from International Cat Care and is an honors graduate of the Academy for Dog Trainers. Originally from Leeds, UK, she now lives near Vancouver, Canada, with her husband, a dog and a cat. Website: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/ Podcast: https://thepawsitivepostinconversation.buzzsprout.com Substack: https://zazietodd.substack.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/zazietodd.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/companionanimalpsychology Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zazietodd/ SOME DOGS ARE HARDER TO TRAIN THAN OTHERS: - Researchers investigated which kinds of dog will struggle to learn a new behavior. They picked a hand-touch. - Older dogs were more likely to fail, likely due to lack of attention to guardian - Dogs who were used to being trained with food rewards were less likely to fail, compared to dogs used to being trained with non-edible rewards (play or praise) - Owner experience and knowledge of training helped - They did not teach the hand touch how we would. It’s easy. We can talk about the benefits of teaching it. ADOLESENT DOGS HAVE MORE ISSUES THAN PUPPIES: - A study from Generation Pup that studied dogs through the first year of life from being acquired as a new puppy to 12 months of age - At each time-point, dogs were more likely to have a behavior issue, reaching 41% of them by 12 months of age - Although some dog guardians used only reward-based methods, most used a mix of rewards and aversives - As dogs got older, people were more likely to switch to include more aversives - People need more help with their adolescent dog and info on how to use reward-based methods THE PUPPY BLUES THING: - This is something that people often talk about but had hardly been studied until last year - Researchers developed a scale to assess the puppy blues - There are 3 main areas: Frustration; Anxiety; Weariness - 24% of people surveyed said they regretted getting a puppy - Of course, things change with time! - We can recommend going to puppy class! REFERENCES: Azadian, A., & Protopopova, A. (2025). Factors Influencing a Hand-touch Learning Task Outcome in the Domestic Dog (Canis lupus familiaris). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 106522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106522 Owczarczak-Garstecka, S. C., Casey, R. A., Cooper, B., Da Costa, R. E., Kinsman, R. H., Lord, M. S., ... & Murray, J. K. (2025). Association between training methods and owner-reported problem behaviours in dogs enrolled in the ‘Generation Pup’longitudinal study in the UK. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 77, 52-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2024.10.001 Ståhl, A., Salonen, M., Hakanen, E., Mikkola, S., Sulkama, S., Lahti, J., & Lohi, H. (2024). Development and validation of the puppy blues scale measuring temporary affective disturbance resembling baby blues. npj Mental Health Research, 3(1), 27. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-024-00072-z
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    30 mins
  • Paws of Change: Deassa’s Dog Rescue Ripple Effect Animal Project
    Feb 27 2025
    In this podcast episode of Backyard Pet Talk, host Shannon Riley welcomes Deassa Benstock, the founder of the Ripple Effect Animal Project, a dog rescue in Napa, California. Shannon and Deassa have known each other for a long time, having worked together as vet techs. Deassa shares her journey into animal rescue, which started in college when she rescued a fearful dog with many issues. This experience led her to connect with Bad Rap, an organization in Oakland, and sparked her passion for rescue work. They discuss how people can help, including through social media, donations, and financial support, which allows organizations like Ripple Effect to continue their efforts in helping more animals Find out more about Ripple Effect Animal Project Here: https://rippleeffectnapa.rescuegroups.org/ Donate Here: https://rippleeffectnapa.rescuegroups.org/info/donate View Podcast Episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/pGFOFT6z23U
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    29 mins
  • Revolutionizing Pet Health with Affordable Pet Labs
    Feb 7 2025
    In today's paw-some episode, we’re chatting with Affordable Pet Labs about their tail-wagging journey—how they got started, why they’re on a mission to make pet wellness easier, and what every pet parent really needs to know to keep those furry friends healthy and happy! About Affordable Pet Labs: Affordable Pet Labs was founded by two passionate veterinarians with a shared vision: to revolutionize access to pet diagnostics and wellness. Frustrated by the barriers pet parents faced in obtaining quality care, they set out to create a solution that brought lab work and health monitoring directly to homes. Driven by a commitment to convenience, affordability, and accuracy, they established Affordable Pet Labs to ensure every pet could receive the best care possible, right where they feel most comfortable. Find Out More about Affordable Pet Labs here: https://affordablepetlabs.com/
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    30 mins
  • The Benefits of Canine Massage with Misti Soo Hoo, RVT
    Jan 10 2025
    In today's episode, we talk with Misti Soo Hoo, RVT, instructor at Ojai School of Canine Massage about how she got started with canine massage, the benefits, fun tips on how pet owners can help their pets by doing massage at home! You can find Misti Soo Hoo here: https://ojaischoolofmassage.com/
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    30 mins
  • Cat Behavior & Cat Training Tips with Dr. Rachel Malamed, DVM, DACVB, CABC,
    Sep 27 2024
    Dr. Rachel Malamed, DVM, DACVB, CABC, tells us about how she become a Veterinary Behaviorist, what types of behavior problems she commonly sees with cats, behavior modification + medication, and cat training tips! Check out book, Decoding Your Cat https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Your-Cat-Ultimate-Behaviors/dp/0358566045 Get Cat Body Language Poster: https://trulyforcefree.com/product/understanding-body-language-poster-cat-8-5x11/ Feliway Calming Spray: https://prf.hn/l/8jmdz20
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    30 mins
  • The Stress Factor in Dogs Unlocking Resiliency and Enhancing Well-Being with Kristina Spaulding, PHD, CAAB
    Aug 23 2024
    Kristina Spaulding, PHD, CAAB, tells us how stress impacts your dog's brain, behavior and welfare! When you understand and recognize stress in your dog, you will help be able to prevent and deal with problematic behavior! Check out her newly released book, "THE STRESS FACTOR IN DOGS UNLOCKING RESILIENCY AND ENHANCING WELL-BEING"
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    30 mins
  • GiGi’s Improving the Lives of Shelter Dogs with Meghan Herron, DVM, DACVB
    Aug 16 2024
    Meghan Herron, DVM, DACVB tells us about how she became a veterinary behaviorist, how she got started working with GiGi's and how she has helped the shelter dogs cope! (https://gigis.org/) She also provides recommendations for shelters and those who are looking to adopt from shelters. Check out her newly released book, "Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine" recommended for beginning veterinarian students! https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Introduction+to+Animal+Behavior+and+Veterinary+Behavioral+Medicine-p-9781119824480
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    45 mins