Talking Button Cats, Anxious Dogs, and Bark! on a Gift List

Two new podcast recordings with Zazie Todd as a guest, and Bark! on WPR’s list of books to gift to animal lovers. Plus a Black Friday discount on merch.

Image: The Allusionist.

By Zazie Todd, PhD

I’ve got some interviews to share with you today and a Black Friday discount on Companion Animal Psychology merch.

This page contains affiliate links which means I may earn commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

I spoke to The Allusionist podcast about using buttons to help cats ‘talk’.

Here’s the official description:

Elsie
the cat has a set of 120 buttons programmed with words. She uses them
to lie, swear, apologise, express grief and frustration and love to her
human, the author ​Mary Robinette Kowal​,
who talks about what’s involved in learning to communicate via language
buttons with companion animals. And animal behaviour expert ​Zazie Todd​ explains how animals might be interacting with human language.

This
is the first half of a two-parter: in the next episode, some talking
dogs – and their humans – come to visit, and we hear about the kinds of
things you find out about what your animal friend is really thinking,
and how it changes the ways you communicate with other humans too.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts ​or here​.

I spoke to Your Family Dog podcast about fearful and anxious dogs.

Here’s the description:

One of YFD’s favorite guests is back! Dr. Zazie Todd joins the show again to talk about her newest book Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog.
Tune in for a conversation about fear versus anxiety, common mistakes
owners make with fearful dogs, and how to know when it’s time to seek
professional help.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts or here.

Photo: Margarita0192/Shutterstock

I am thrilled that Dr. Patricia McConnell has included my new book, Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog,
on her list of the best books to give to animal lovers this holiday
season. She has some other great books on the list too, so you should
definitely check it out.

You can listen here: ​top books to give animal lovers​.

You can get 15% off ​Companion Animal Psychology merch​ from today through December 2nd. Use code MERRY15 at checkout.

If you don’t yet have your copy of Bark!, it is available from all good bookstores, including:

​Bookshop​ (which supports independent bookstores)

​UK Bookshop​

​My Amazon store​ 

Disclosure: If you buy books linked to our site, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.