The Pawsitive Post in Conversation by Companion Animal Psychology

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Zazie and Kristi talk to dog trainer Si Wooler about his new book, More Than Just a Dog.

We talk about the big changes that people are willing to make for their fearful dogs, and why the dog's relationship with their person is important for all dogs, but especially the fearful ones. We talk about what a great job Si does of helping people see things from the dog's perspective, and we ask how he talks with clients about the dog's umwelt, or how the dog perceives their world.

We ask about how Si decided where to fit Sophie's story in the book. And Kristi puts Si on the spot and asks how he deals with the outdated idea of dominance when it comes up in conversation and what he thinks of toxic masculinity in dog training.

More Than Just a Dog: Understanding, Loving, and Living with Dogs, The Indispensable Guide for All Dog Lovers by Simon Wooler is out now in the UK and available wherever books are sold, including UK Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/14471/9780008707484

More Than Just a Dog will be published in North American on May 13th.

The books we recommend in this episode are:

• A Dog a Day, Old Dogs, and Rescue Dogs by Sally Muir
• Woman at 1000 Degrees: A Novel by Hallgrímur Helgason, trans Brian FitzGibbon
• The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann

The talk by Dr. Lindsay Parker is the A&S Colloquium Kicking the Dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN7m4sfkbZA&t=1s 

Si Wooler has been training dogs for more than ten years. He studied with the Academy for Dog Trainers, one of the most rigorous dog behaviour and training programmes in the world and specialises in training fearful and reactive dogs. In 2023, he worked with author and broadcaster Rory Cellan-Jones and his wife Professor Diane Coyle to help their Romanian rescue dog, Sophie, overcome her profound fears, bond with her people and gradually discover the world, a journey that was followed daily by hundreds of thousands of fans.

Si came to dog training after 20 years as a sound engineer so loud barking hardly registers on his personal decibel scale. His own fearful, ‘unhomeable’ rescue dog, Thomson, was the motivator for seeking out effective, evidence-based training methods and leaving his career in sound and stage to focus on working with troubled dogs and the people who love them. This is his first book. Si's website: https://www.sociabledog.com/

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About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky 

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Develop a better bond with your dog with these 3 canine authors. For the Love of Dog is Pilley Bianchi’s love letter to our canine friends, sharing wisdom from her father John W. Pilley’s work with Chaser the Border Collie and illustrated by NYTimes illustrator Calum Heath. In Tender Paws, Wendy Lyons Sunshine examines what dog guardians can learn from the science of human parenting. And Carri Westgarth draws on her research into human-animal interaction to help you improve your pet’s wellbeing and become The Happy Dog Owner. 

This conversation was recorded at Bark! Fest, the book festival for animal lovers, which celebrated the launch of Zazie Todd's new book Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog.

In this conversation, we talked about:

• How Pilley Bianchi's book, For the Love of Dog, illustrated by Calum Heath, came about
• The role of Chaser the Border Collie in the book and tips from her learning of words
• The parenting research that Wendy Lyons Sunshine drew on to write her book for dog parents
• How to understand parenting styles when caring for a dog
• Why Dr. Carri Westgarth decided to focus on how to make dog owners happy
• Tips from her book about finding a responsibly bred puppy, which behaviors are most important to teach, and tips on training an alert

The other books mentioned in this episode are:-

• Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows 1000 Words by John W Pilley and Hilary Hinzmann (mentioned by Zazie and Pilley)
• Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy by Zazie Todd (mentioned by Carri)
• Kitty Language by Lili Chin (mentioned by Kristi)

The books are available wherever books are sold, including from:

Bookshop (which supports independent bookstores) https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers 

UK Bookshop (which supports indie bookstores in the UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers

The authors' websites:

Pilley Bianchi: https://www.pilleybianchi.com/

Wendy Lyons Sunshine: https://www.wendylsunshine.com/

Carri Westgarth, PhD: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/carri-westgarth

Support the show

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky 

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Learn about the best ways to care for cats with these 3 feline authors. The delightful and informative drawings in Kitty Language by Lili Chin teach you how to understand your feline friend. Mikel Delgado’s Play With Your Cat! will inspire you to have more fun through interactive play with your kitty. And in the book your cat wishes you would read, Lucy Hoile empowers cat guardians to build a better relationship with their cat.

We talked about:

• How Lili researched her book, Kitty Language
• What she learned about feline body language that surprised her, and how her two cats influenced the book
• Why play is good for cats
• What Mikel thinks are common mistakes that people make when trying to play with their cats, and what to do about them
• What to consider when getting a kitten or adult cat to ensure a good match for your household
• What Lucy thinks is the biggest thing cat guardians get wrong
• Plus readings from all three authors, and more

The books are available wherever books are sold, including from:

Bookshop (which supports independent bookstores) https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers 

UK Bookshop (which supports indie bookstores in the UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers

The authors' websites:

Lili Chin: https://doggiedrawings.net/ 

Mikel Delgado PhD: https://mikeldelgado.com/

Lucy Hoile: https://www.lucyhoile.co.uk/

The other books mentioned in this episode are Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy by Zazie Todd, and the book your dog wishes you would read by Louise Glazebrook. 

Support the show

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky 

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Celebrate the dog-human bond with these bestselling authors. Social media stars Alexis Devine and her dog Bunny examine our ability to communicate with dogs through buttons that let them “talk” in I Am Bunny. And in Poppy in the Wild, #1 New York Times bestselling author Teresa J Rhyne tells the breathtaking tale of a dog lost and then found in the wilderness.

We talked about:

• Why Alexis decided to start using buttons to teach Bunny to 'talk'
• How Alexis went about the research for the sections on animal communication
• Cute stories about some of the specific buttons that Bunny uses
• How Poppy came into Teresa's life
• The Thanksgiving that for many people would be a dog lovers' dream
• What it felt like to search for Poppy in the wilderness
• Plus readings from both authors, and more!

The books are available wherever books are sold, including from:

Bookshop (which supports independent bookstores) https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers 

UK Bookshop https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers 

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub/list/S3BJZSCWLQKG

The authors' websites:

Alexis Devine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whataboutbunny/

Teresa J Rhyne: https://teresarhyne.com/

As you'll hear me say in the audio, Kerry Nichols was unfortunately unable to join us for this session due to a puppy situation. I'm happy to say it all turned out well for the puppies. In her national bestseller, Puppy Brain, you can learn the best ways to raise a puppy so that they become happy and resilient. You can learn more about Nichols on her website https://www.kerrynichols.com/

Support the show

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky 

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Discover the role of emotions and perception in dogs’ lives. In Dogs Demystified: An A-to-Z Guide to All Things Canine and the second edition of The Emotional Lives of Animals, Marc Bekoff updates our understanding of the emotions animals feel (and how we know they feel them). For people whose dogs feel shy or worried, Zazie Todd’s Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog is a compassionate and practical guide based on the latest science. And in the beautifully-crafted New York Times bestseller What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World by Cat Warren explores the extraordinary abilities of scent detection dogs and tells the captivating story of how Warren’s dog Solo became a human remains detection dog. 

The books are available wherever books are sold, including from:

Bookshop (which supports independent bookstores) https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers 

UK Bookshop https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers 

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub/list/S3BJZSCWLQKG

We talked about:

• Why Marc wrote Dogs Demystified
• Why Marc likes to introduce people to ethology
• Why Zazie wrote Bark!
• Balancing personal stories with science in the book
• How Cat got into scent work with her dog Solo
• How Cat deals with the emotional side of the work
• and many other topics, including readings from each of the books.

The speakers' websites:

Marc Bekoff: https://marcbekoff.com/

Kristi Benson: https://www.kristibenson.com/

Zazie Todd: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/p/home.html

Cat Warren: https://catwarren.com/

Resources mentioned:

Dogs: The more I know, the more I say "I don't know" by Marc Bekoff https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/animal-emotions/201908/dogs-the-more-i-know-the-more-i-say-i-dont-know 

Sound masking to help dogs with a noise phobia or sound sensitivity by Eileen Anderson https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/behavior/noise-canceling-for-dogs/ 

Indiana Bones: The archaeologist dogs discovering human remains by Cat Warren quotes Adee Schoon https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/dog-archaeology-ancient-human-remains-bones-croatia-a9522776.html

Support the show

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky 

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Bark! Fest gets off to a tail-wagging start with a conversation with one of the world’s top dog trainers. Jean Donaldson’s seminal book The Culture Clash reframed how we think about dogs and has inspired generations of dog trainers to use (or switch to) reward-based methods. Join us to talk about all things dog training, including positive reinforcement, fearful dogs, and education for dog owners and trainers alike.

This recording is of a panel at Bark! Fest, the book festival for animal lovers, that took place in September 2024. Bark! Fest was organized to celebrate the launch of Zazie Todd's third book, Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. Bark!.

All of the Bark! Fest books are available from good bookstores, including from Bookshop (which supports independent bookstores): https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers

We talked about:

• why Jean wrote her book The Culture Clash
• what the Transparency Challenge is and why it's so important for dog trainers to answer these questions
• her advice to someone who is struggling with their dog's behaviour
• what is distinctive about the Academy for Dog Trainers
• a writing tip
• her favourite thing that's changed in the world of dog training over the years
• and she answered lots of questions from the audience

Resources mentioned:

Transparency in dog training https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=987644334623619 

The Academy for Dog Trainers https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/

Find a PPG professional https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/find-a-ppg-professional/ 

Karen Pryor Academy https://karenpryoracademy.com/

Victoria Stilwell Academy https://www.vsdogtrainingacademy.com/ 

The Great Courses Dog Training 101 https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/dog-training-101 

The ultimate dog training tip https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2017/04/the-ultimate-dog-training-tip.html (Companion Animal Psychology)

Emily Priestley Wild at Heart Dog Training and her book, Urban Sheepdog https://wildatheartdogs.com/ (see also our recent podcast with Emily, https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2024/11/what-you-need-to-know-about-herding.html )

Cooperative Paws by Veronica Sanchez https://cooperativepaws.com/ 

More about Jean Donaldson: https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/become-a-professional-dog-trainer/meet-the-team/

Support the show

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky 

Leave us a voicemail!

Patricia B. McConnell PhD is an internationally-renowned applied animal behaviourist who has dedicated her life to improving the relationship between people and animals. Amongst her many treasured dog training books, The Other End of the Leash draws our attention to the human side of dog training.

McConnell’s memoir, The Education of Will, is a beautifully-written and uplifting account of how to reclaim life after trauma, for both humans and dogs. Join us to talk about dog behaviour, overcoming hardships, and the importance of compassion and science in dog training.

This recording is of a panel at Bark! Fest, the book festival for animal lovers, that took place in September 2024. Bark! Fest was organized to celebrate the launch of Zazie Todd's third book, Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. Bark!.

All of the Bark! Fest books are available from good bookstores, including from Bookshop (which supports independent bookstores): https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-the-book-festival-for-animal-lovers

We talked about Dr. McConnell's writing process, how she became interested in the human side of the leash, why she wrote The Education of Will, understanding trauma in people and dogs, differences and similarities between people and dogs, finding grace, and healing.

In The Education of Will, bestselling author and internationally renowned animal psychologist and dog trainer Patricia McConnell “gives a voice to those who can’t speak in words and provides hope for fearful animals everywhere” (Temple Grandin) in this powerful and uplifting memoir about healing.

Dr. McConnell mentions several books in the conversation. They are:

• After Silence by Nancy Venable Raine
• Good Morning, I Love You by Shauna Shapiro
• Unlearn Your Pain by MD Howard Schubiner

Patricia McConnell, PhD, CAAB Emeritus is an author, speaker, and animal behaviorist who has consulted with pet owners for over thirty years about serious behavioral problems. She co-hosted Calling All Pets with Larry Meiller on Wisconsin Public Radio for fourteen years, and has educated and entertained audiences around the world about animal behavior (human and canine!). Patricia taught "The Biology and Philosophy of Human/Animal Relationships" in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for twenty-five years. Her self-published books on behavior and training have sold over a quarter of a million copies, and her nationally published books, The Other End of the Leash, and For the Love of a Dog, are considered classics, and together have been translated into 15 languages. Her latest book, The Education of Will, a memoir focusing on healing from trauma in both people and dogs, has generated heartfelt praise and helped other trauma victims around the world. Patricia and her husband live with their working Border Collies, Skip and Maggie, and a very spoiled flock of sheep.

For more information about Dr. McConnell, go to www.patriciamcconnell.com or visit her blog, at www.theotherendoftheleash.com, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Support the show

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky 

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In this episode, Zazie and Kristi answer wide-ranging questions about both dogs and cats that were sent in by listeners. 

We talked about brain games and the attention span in senior dogs; suggestions for new things to teach dogs; why dogs bark at e.g. people in hats or people going by the house; cooperative care for kittens; creating a local resource list for anxious and fearful dogs; enrichment and caring for fearful cats; the best tone of voice to use when speaking to your dog; whether dogs can detect our levels of stress; how to advocate for your dog; whether to teach a chin rest to cats for cooperative care; teaching cats to be wrapped in a towel for vet care; is watching TV good for pets,; how to teach cats to cooperate with having their claws trimmed; and we shared some tips on desensitization and counterconditioning for anxious and fearful dogs and cats. 

This episode was recorded with a live audience.

Links and resources: 

Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog by Zazie Todd is out now and getting rave reviews. It’s available from all good bookstores. https://greystonebooks.com/products/bark

Kristi Benson’s course on barking https://www.kristibenson.com/peace-and-quiet-barking-dogs

and on grooming: https://www.kristibenson.com/freshandfearless

The Husbandry project from the Academy for Dog Trainers https://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/husbandry-project/

Train Your Dog Like a Pro by Jean Donaldson is also available from all good bookstores. 

Fear Free directory https://fearfreepets.com/ fearf

Debbie Jacobs Fearful Dogs https://fearfuldogs.com/

BC SPCA desensitization and counterconditioning for cats. You can find the infographic on Bailey Eagan’s website https://www.baileyheagan.com/resources

Companion Animal Psychology blog post on desensitization and counterconditioning https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2018/07/what-is-desensitization-and-counter.html

This episode was recorded in early 2024. Very sadly, Zazie’s cat Harley, who is mentioned in this episode, passed in February of this year. And more happily, Zazie’s book Bark! which is also mentioned in this episode, is out now. 

Support the show

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky 

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Zazie 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.

Support the show

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky 

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Zazie 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 hiking enthusiast.

About George Street Photo & Video

Established in 2004, George Street Photo & Video was founded to make wedding and engagement photography more accessible and personal. With 20 years of experience documenting love stories, George Street is an award-winning company that pairs wedding planners and couples with best-in-class photographers and videographers nationwide. George Street prides itself on its personalized approach, providing photojournalistic wedding and engagement content and virtual customer service support so clients can feel confident going into their big day. The company has received many 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. To learn more, visit www.georgestreetphoto.com. 

Support the show

About the co-hosts:

Kristi Benson is an honours graduate of, and now on staff with, 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 classes. She is also a northern anthropologist.

Kristi Benson's website  Facebook  

Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, 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 has a column at Psychology Today. She lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, a dog and a cat. 

Instagram  BlueSky