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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

Senior dogs and young dogs living together: How to keep everyone safe and happy

March 31, 2026 • Zazie Todd PhD and Kristi Benson CTC • Episode 55

0:00 | 36:53

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Content warning: The books section at the end of the episode includes subject matter that may be distressing.

Having both a senior dog and a young dog in the same home can be wonderful, revitalizing the older dog and providing company for the younger dog. But it can also have its challenges. Zazie and Kristi talk about how to make sure everyone is happy and stays safe.

We talk about:

How training can help when you have both an old dog and a young dog or puppy
What to consider when deciding whether to bring a young dog into your home when you have a senior dog
Whether bringing a young dog into the home can be beneficial for an old dog
What kinds of issues people can have in this situation
When to seek help from a dog trainer for your dog-dog issues
Management options that can make a difference and help to prevent issues from arising
We also discuss Zazie's book Bark!s win in the DWAA awards and Zazie shows Kristi her medal
And finally we chat about the books we've been reading

The webinar that Kristi is presenting for the Pet Professional Guild is called Mixing Young Dogs and Senior Dogs: Management, Safety, and Training on April 8 2026. https://www.petprofessionalguild.com/webinars-events/webinars/mixing-young-and-senior-dogs-management-safety-and-training-with-kristi-benson/

Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog is available wherever books are sold. https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/p/books.html

The Dog Writers Association of America competition details: https://dogwriters.org/winners/

The books we recommend in this episode are:

Consent: A Memoir by Vanessa Springora trans Natasha Lehrer
People of Means: A Novel by Nancy Johnson

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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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