Pheromones are something that are often recommended along with behavior modification in both cats and dogs. Personally, I’ve had clients who swear by them and feel they’ve made a big impact on their pets’ behavior, and I’ve had others who felt they either weren’t sure...

Clicker training is a great way to train, and also fun for the person training and the trainee. While many trainers and behavior consultants use or recommend the use of clicker training and have great success, it’s always helpful to know some of the science behind the...

Sleep is a really important behavior in all animals, and a lot of research in various species has shown that it is necessary. Across species, it’s generally agreed upon that sleep is important for learning, memory consolidation, behavior and emotional regulation,...

In the behavior and training industry, we use the concept of contrafreeloading a lot, especially with mental stimulation and management. Contrafreeloading is often implemented in enrichment strategies we use for animals we care for. These strategies can help to...

With an unregulated industry, it can be very difficult to know where to go as a new trainer or behavior consultant, or as a pet owner needing some help. While certifications may not be perfect, they at least provide somewhat of a level ground and give some information...

What is an ethogram? When studying or analyzing animal behavior, one of the most important things that needs to be done is to accurately describe the behavior so that it can be measured. In the scientific study of animal behavior, or ethology, this is done with the...

What type of body language is most likely to be misinterpreted by people? I think it’s likely dogs wagging their tails. The number of parents I’ve overheard telling children a dog is friendly because their tail is wagging, and the number of people walking past an...

I don’t know about you, but in almost every behaviour consultation, or even talking with someone at the park, I get asked ‘why’ their pet is doing something in particular. Dog owners try to understand why their dog that they have poured all their love and attention...

This is Part 2 of the basics of animal welfare science. If you missed Part 1, you can read that post here! Five domains model A somewhat newer animal welfare model is the ‘Five domains model’. It is more modern in the sense that it incorporates positive animal...

What is welfare and how does it relate to training and behaviour? Animal welfare is a very interesting area of science, as it combines both scientific research with an ethical component. There are numerous journals dedicated to the science of animal welfare, as well...