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The Pawsitive Post in Conversation by Companion Animal Psychology

The show about how to have a better relationship with your dog or cat. Get tips on dog training, dog behaviour, cat behaviour and training, learn about the science on dogs and cats, and find out which books we're reading (animal-related and more generally). Kind, humane, reward-based training methods only. Hosted by Zazie Todd PhD and Kristi Benson CTC of Companion Animal Psychology blog. Made in Canada.

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The Pawsitive Post in Conversation by Companion Animal Psychology

How to help dogs and cats get along with each other

March 04, 2026 • Zazie Todd PhD and Kristi Benson CTC • Episode 53

0:00 | 32:20

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Zazie and Kristi talk about how to help dogs and cats get along, and why it all starts with thinking about the cat's feeling of safety.

We talk about:

the need to manage introductions between dogs and cats
what that means from the dog's perspective, and the cat's perspective
the importance of letting them vote with their feet
the need for safe spaces, and how to make safe spaces for a cat
the idea of training the dog to be safe around cats
how to keep the peace at mealtimes
placement of the cat's resources
whether dogs are ever scared of cats
how some dogs cannot be trusted to live with a cat

The books we recommend in this episode are:

Dog Affirmations: An Illustrated Journey Through Your Dog's Thoughts by Andrea Cáceres
The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules: A Novel by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg

Previous episodes mentioned in the show:

For more on how to set your house up for your cat, check out Zazie's book Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, which is available wherever books are sold. Learn more about Zazie's books here.

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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.

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