The Pawsitive Post in Conversation by Companion Animal Psychology

Send us a textZazie and Kristi talk to dog trainer Emily Priestley about her book Urban Sheepdog and what you need to know about herding breeds.We start by discussing which breeds count as herding breeds and what they were bred to do, and ask Emily how a herding dog first came into her life.Then we talked about the kinds of herding dog behaviours that dog guardians can sometimes struggle with, and the extent to which we consider these normal or pathological.We also talk about the importance of exercise and enrichment, and Emily's main takeaway from the book. Finally, we talk about the books we're reading.Emily Priestley is a multi-certified dog trainer, having graduated from the renowned Academy for Dog Trainers and is a Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant through the IAABC. She has been working with and handling dogs professionally for over a decade.Emily specializes in working with herding breed dogs struggling in pet homes. Over a century of selective breeding for working stock, as well as a rise in popularity, has led to many guardians struggling with their herders in urban settings. Emily's long career with the BC SPCA has also allowed her to have a proven track record, having personally handled over 2,000 dogs.With experience with many breeds and all problem behaviours, Emily has worked with dogs desperately needing intervention and behaviour modification. Emily specializes in reactivity and compulsive disorders but is available to help with all breed challenges from misdirected herding, "spooky" and fearful behaviour to nipping, biting and everything in between. Her book about herding dogs is called Urban Sheepdog.Emily's website: https://wildatheartdogs.com/ with links to her socials and podcast.About the co-hosts: Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and has her PCBC-A from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. She lives in beautiful northern British Columbia, where she helps dog guardians through online teaching and consultations. Kristi is on staff at the Academy for Dog Trainers, helping to shape the next generation of canine professionals. Kristi’s dogs are rescue sled dogs, mostly retired and thoroughly enjoying a good snooze in front of the woodstove. Kristi Benson's website Facebook Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and also has a column at Psychology Today. Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, one dog, and one cat. Facebook Instagram BlueSky

Send us a textZazie and Kristi speak to Nicole Ettenhofer, VP of Growth and Strategy at George Street Photo & Video, about pet-friendly ways to get cute wedding photos with your pet.As people increasingly consider pets to be part of the family, they want to involve them in their wedding. So what you can you do to make sure you get some great photos that include the pet, without overwhelming them? We begin with a personal story from Nicole that will have you tearing up in a good way, and which shows you can trust her tips to be pet-friendly.A wedding is a big event and most pets are not used to big gatherings, so we get Nicole’s tips on the preparation that people should do in advance of the celebration. A pet handler can help to make sure things go smoothly, and we talk about the kind of things they should do.Pets can play a wide range of roles in a wedding, from being the ring-bearer to simply making a brief appearance. We consider the best ways to involve them and how to take the pet’s personality into account. Nicole has ideas for getting your pet to cooperate with having their photo taken, but she also reminds us to make the most of those cute moments when the pet does something unexpected—often these unplanned moments can make the best photos.And although you might assume that we’re talking only about dogs, cats and bigger animals like horses and llamas also get a mention.Finally, we talk about the books we’re reading.About Nicole Ettenhofer:Nicole Ettenhofer is the VP of Growth & Strategy for George Street Photo & Video, a national wedding photo and video company based in Chicago, IL with experience serving thousands of customers and offering best in quality wedding coverage at an affordable cost. With over a decade of experience in the wedding industry, Nicole is an expert in wedding trends and couples photography and has helped the company achieve accolades such as The Knot’s Best of Weddings every year from 2020-2024, The Knot’s Best of Weddings Hall of Fame for the company’s commitment to quality and value and WeddingWire’s Couples’ Choice 2024. Before joining George Street, Nicole served as a thought leader within the event and hospitality industry for over 20 years. As for her personal life, Nicole resides near Denver, CO with her husband and two dogs and is an avid About the co-hosts: Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and has her PCBC-A from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. She lives in beautiful northern British Columbia, where she helps dog guardians through online teaching and consultations. Kristi is on staff at the Academy for Dog Trainers, helping to shape the next generation of canine professionals. Kristi’s dogs are rescue sled dogs, mostly retired and thoroughly enjoying a good snooze in front of the woodstove. Kristi Benson's website Facebook Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and also has a column at Psychology Today. Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, one dog, and one cat. Facebook Instagram BlueSky

Send us a textZazie and Kristi chat with Kate LaSala of Rescued By Training about the important steps to take to help dogs prepare for the arrival of a baby in the family.Kate takes a lot of fear and aggression cases and she tells us how she came to specialize in working with families with small children. She tells us about the issues people have with their dogs when they are expecting and the reasons why it's so important to start preparation early. The dog needs to get used to being flexible, to no longer getting all the attention, to changes in sleeping arrangements, and to lack of sleep too.Preparation is key and she tells us about the action plan that is part of her new self-paced course to help people get their dog ready to welcome a new baby and be comfortable with the new arrival. She also shares her favourite fact about child development that's good to know about supervising children's interactions with dogs. Kate also talks us through what to do if your dog growls at the baby or shows other signs of being uncomfortable.And finally we all talk about the books we're reading.About Kate LaSala:Kata LaSala CTC is a professional dog trainer and certified behavior consultant specializing in fear and aggression. She’s helped over 2400 dogs overcome issues their guardians thought were impossible, including fear of strangers, separation anxiety, resource guarding, and growling at toddlers. As a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator, she’s uniquely qualified to help families with babies or kids. She offers one-on-one remote services worldwide and self-paced courses included her new online course, Bringing Home Baby: Preparing Dog and Family for a New Baby.Kate's website: https://rescuedbytraining.com/Bringing Home Baby: Preparing Dog and Family for a New Baby: https://rescuedbytraining.com/product/bringing-home-baby/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rescuedbytraining/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rescuedbytrainingFamily Paws: https://www.familypaws.com/The Family Dog: https://www.thefamilydog.com/The Books:It's Never Long Enough by Mary GardnerMy Best Mistake by Terry O'ReillyThe Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna RobinsonAbout the co-hosts: Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and has her PCBC-A from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. She lives in beautiful northern British Columbia, where she helps dog guardians through online teaching and consultations. Kristi is on staff at the Academy for Dog Trainers, helping to shape the next generation of canine professionals. Kristi’s dogs are rescue sled dogs, mostly retired and thoroughly enjoying a good snooze in front of the woodstove. Kristi Benson's website Facebook Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and also has a column at Psychology Today. Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, one dog, and one cat. Facebook Instagram BlueSky

Send us a textWe talk about the health issues faced by flat-faced (brachycephalic) dogs and cats and why these breeds are still to popular with Dr. Dan O'Neill and Dr. Rowena Packer of the Royal Veterinary College.We start by talking about what we mean when we talk about brachycephalic dogs. Pugs, Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs are the poster children for these breeds and get the most attention, but we also get some surprising good news about Shih Tzus.When dogs are bred for flat faces it means they can struggle to breathe. Dan and Rowena talk about the health issues these dogs can face and the effects it has on their lifespan.We talk about their co-edited book, The Health and Welfare of Brachycephalic (Flat-Faced) Companion Animals: A Complete Guide for Veterinarians and Animal Professionals. The book covers a wide range of information and we talk about how the intended audience is not just vets but anyone who cares about these dogs.And there's a note of optimism as we talk about what would make a difference to the welfare of flat-faced dogs.Finally we talk about the books we're reading:The Signal and the Noise by Nate SilverNudge: The Final Edition by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. SunsteinLetters From a Lady Rancher by Monica HopkinsBookworm: A Novel by Robin YeatmanAbout the co-hosts: Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of the prestigious Academy for Dog Trainers and has her PCBC-A from the Pet Professional Accreditation Board. She lives in beautiful northern British Columbia, where she helps dog guardians through online teaching and consultations. Kristi is on staff at the Academy for Dog Trainers, helping to shape the next generation of canine professionals. Kristi’s dogs are rescue sled dogs, mostly retired and thoroughly enjoying a good snooze in front of the woodstove. Kristi Benson's website Facebook Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. She is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and also has a column at Psychology Today. Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, one dog, and one cat. Facebook Instagram BlueSky