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Mini Episode 1 – Horse Handling, Cat Aggression, and Pandemic Puppies

Here is a quick little episode for you with a summary of three recent papers that I think you’ll enjoy. As I review each study, I also provide guidance on how to evaluate the design and findings with an open, inquiring and interpretive mind.  Each paper is open access, so I hope if you find the topics… Continue reading Mini Episode 1 – Horse Handling, Cat Aggression, and Pandemic Puppies

Episode 18 – Dr. Erin Hecht – Breed Differences in Dog Brains

In this episode, I will be talking to Dr. Erin Hecht about the brains of our best friends! Dr. Hecht received her bachelor of science degree in cognitive science from the University of California, San Diego in 2006, and her PhD in neuroscience from Emory University in 2013. Before moving to Harvard, she was a… Continue reading Episode 18 – Dr. Erin Hecht – Breed Differences in Dog Brains

Episode 16 – Pierre Zimmerman on Addressing Burnout

We can’t help animals if we ourselves are not okay. Taking care of your mental health and well-being is essential to avoid burnout. In this episode, I interview Pierre Zimmerman, a Buddhist chaplain and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction instructor. We discuss the impact of stress on different aspect of behavior and approaches for handling stress… Continue reading Episode 16 – Pierre Zimmerman on Addressing Burnout

Episode 17 – Dr. Sharmaine Miller – One Health

Dr. Sharmaine Miller is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. Her research focuses on stress, One Health, and health equity and she is interested in human-animal relationships and their impact on both human and animal health. Dr. Miller completed her undergraduate studies at Towson University and her PhD in Biology from… Continue reading Episode 17 – Dr. Sharmaine Miller – One Health

Episode 13 – Dr. Tammy McClain, PsyD

Dr. McClain is a licensed clinical psychologist who has 27 years of experience administering and evaluating a wide variety of personality, intelligence, and aptitude psychological tests. She is an innovative and understanding professional proficient in mental health and therapeutic interventions and protocols. In addition, she has expertise in ADHD and PTSD and is well-versed in… Continue reading Episode 13 – Dr. Tammy McClain, PsyD

Emotional Well-Being and Sensitivity to Reinforcement and Punishment

I have written before about the relationship between emotional state and the ability to cope with stress. Stress resiliency is so important because the inability to effectively cope with stress is linked to a wide variety of mental and physical health disorders. In dogs, this often manifests as an increased likelihood of behavior issues. And,… Continue reading Emotional Well-Being and Sensitivity to Reinforcement and Punishment

Rethinking Adolescence

Image by Dimitris Vetsikas from Pixabay

Adolescence. We all know what it’s like. Raging hormones, wanting to be the center of attention, rebellion, risk-taking behavior–and those all-important social relationships. I’m talking about humans, but is it really so different in our dogs? Adolescence in dogs starts around six months of age (in females, it begins when they enter their first estrous).… Continue reading Rethinking Adolescence