Latest news with #ZazieTodd
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Common myths and curly questions about our fur friends answered
Not all tail wags from our dogs are actually friendly. Photo: Unsplash What does it really mean when your dogs wags its tail? Why do they sometimes like to eat poo? And can cats really make good therapy animals like dogs? Well animal behaviourist and certified dog trainer Dr Zazie Todd answered some curly questions around our canine and cat behaviours. Todd told Sunday Morning there were many myths surrounding our furry friends, including what it meant when dogs wagged their tails. She said the way a dog wagged its tail suggested it was feeling positive or negative emotions. "There's some research that shows that depending on the side of the dogs body that they are wagging too, it tells you something about the hemisphere of their brain that's involved. "So if the dog is wagging the tail to the left it would mean that the right hemisphere is involved and that's more associated with negative emotions, where as if their tail is wagging more to the right, that means that the left hemisphere is involved and that's positive emotions." But she said not all tail wags from our fur friends were actually friendly. "If the tail is quite up right and if it's kind of a tight wag and sometimes quite a quick one, that actually is a sign of the dog feeling stressed and aroused and that is also a sign that you should be more careful of that dog." Zazie Todd with her late dog Bodger Photo: Supplied ' Todd said when it comes to the personality of a dog it is largely not determined by its breed. "There's actually a lot of variability in a breed, in terms of how those dogs behave. "There is probably more variability within breeds than, you know, between different breeds, so the breed of a dog doesn't tell you everything about how that dog is going to behave. Genetics and environment both shaped a dogs behaviour, she said. Todd said dogs eating poo is actually a really common behaviour. "From the dogs perspective, poo seems to be quite a delicacy and something they enjoy eating and it might even have some nutrients in it from the food that has been eaten before." She said the best thing owner could do was just not give their dog the opportunity to do so. "Clearing up in our yards... maybe also have a conversation with your vet if your dog likes to eat poop often and think about making sure you have de-wormed them. "As well we can teach them to leave it and that's a really helpful thing to teach dogs anyway," she said. Cats can sometimes be a therapy animal. Photo: Unsplash Another mystery question that needed answering was whether cats could be a therapy animal like dogs? Todd told Sunday Morning they could, but it was uncommon. "Therapy cats can help people feel less stressed... but most cats won't enjoy this," she said. "The cat also has to go somewhere for this to happen, which is something most cats don't like. If you think of what most cats do when you get a cat carrier out - they run and hide." She also said scent was really important to cats, and when placed in an unfamiliar environment that didn't smell like their home "it can be quite stressful for them". "So i think some cats can make great therapy cats but I think they are a minority." Just like a dog wagging its tail, a cat purring didn't always mean they were happy, Todd said. She said sometimes cats could purr when they were sick or scared. "There is something that we call a solicitation purr... which kind of corresponds to the frequency of a babies cry. "So when the cat is waiting to be feed and wants some food that is the purr you will hear," she said. Cats have evolved this particular frequency overtime, Todd said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Dr Zazie Todd: Understanding strange dog behaviour
Animal behaviorist and certified dog trainer, Dr Zazie Todd joins us once again. This week, Zazie and Jim discuss some of the curly questions around canine behaviour, like why do some dogs like to eat poo? Zazie's most recent book is Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. Zazie Todd with her late dog Bodger Photo: Supplied
Newsweek
25-04-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Reason Woman's Curtain Is So Short Melts Hearts
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. In a viral TikTok video, a cat owner has revealed the heartwarming reason her curtain is a little bit too short for her window, and internet users can't cope with it. "Why is your curtain so short?" The poster writes in the video shared on Monday under the username @turntleaf, as her cat sits down in front of the window, watching the world outside in awe. "So Jack can look out the window of course," she says in the caption. Animal psychologist Zazie Todd says that cats spend an average of two hours a day watching out the window, and while we might not understand the appeal of it, it can actually be a great form of enrichment for them. Some cats, about 16 percent, spend over five hours of their day just chilling by the window, looking outside. But what makes windows so interesting to our felines? According to Todd, windows offer them the opportunity to watch birds, other small wildlife, or foliage fall on the ground. Some cats also enjoy watching other felines, people, vehicles and insects. However, windows can also be a dangerous place when open, but you can make them safe with these tips shared by Dr. Stephanie Austin in an article published by Preventive Vet. While keeping the window close is always the safest option, if it is absolutely necessary, open no more than 1 to 2 inches and lock the opening to prevent your cat from squeezing themselves out. Make sure all the windows are locked before leaving the house and check that the screens won't pop out easily. If you have a balcony or a garden, you should consider buying your feline a catio, an enclosed outdoor space where they can enjoy the views while keeping safe from accidental falls, and other dangers they may otherwise come across. Stock image: A window is covered by a short white transparent curtain. Stock image: A window is covered by a short white transparent curtain. getty images The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 720,000 views and more than 120,000 likes on the platform. One user, Nissi, commented: "As a cat owner I immediately knew lol so cute." Vanessa said: "Us too. Everything that looks odd in our home is because of our furbabies." Chaoticmisery added: "I have my blinds set at the same height. For my girl who just stares out the window waiting for [her] husband to return from war." Newsweek reached out to @turntleaf for comment via TikTok comments. We could not verify the details of the case. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
