Kristi Benson

08/21/2026

If you struggle to argue against "bothsidesism" and the big tent approach, Zazie and I had a great conversation about these topics (is that a cute dog you're seeing through the overton window? [sorry]) for our most recent podcast.

New episode! Kristi and I chatted about dog training methods, why it's so important to pick reward-based ones, and how we can best advocate for this--including why presenting both sides of the argument is not helpful when there's a strong scientific consensus on something. Listen to The Pawsitive Post in Conversation wherever you get your podcasts, watch on Youtube, or do both and read the show notes and transcript on my blog (link in bio).

08/19/2026

Did you know that using the library is a great way to support authors? Yes, we love it if you buy our books (especially if you pre-order them)--but we also love it if you borrow them from the library. This is Kristi Benson's haul of books from a recent library visit and if you look closely, you might recognize them as some of the books that will be celebrated at this year's Bark! Fest, the book festival for animal lovers. (Oh but wait, one of these events hasn't even been announced yet!!!). 😎

Get the details of Bark! Fest and sign up to join this star-studded line-up at Companion Animal Psychology https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/p/home.html

08/18/2026

I can't really understate how important Jean has been in my life as an educator, mentor, and friend. Do not miss this one, friends.

I've got another fabulous Bark! Fest event to share with you. On Sep 21 we're joined by the amazing Jean Donaldson of The Academy for Dog Trainers to talk about the second edition of her book Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs. We'll be talking about the bigger picture of dog training as well as the little details that make all the difference.

Sep 21 at 11 am Pacific (2 pm Eastern / 7 pm UK time)
Save your spot: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2317855351843/WN_vk6fpD97RmO5BdDZj-tJ1g

Mine!, second edition, is available wherever books are sold including:
My Amazon store : https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub/list/1AOFRUDRWF9B7?ref_=aipsflist
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-2026

This event is hosted by myself and Kristi Benson It will be recorded, and a link to the recording will be sent to everyone who registers.

08/18/2026

I *adore* detective fiction. Detective fiction with koala-tee dog characters included? sign me up!

If you love crime and mystery novels, and you love dogs, you will love this Bark! Fest event!

September 22nd at 10am Pacific (1pm Eastern / 6pm UK time)
Sign up here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1117859596922/WN_FnXBZksSRbyyrJiYlgNzRQ

In Antony Johnston ’s witty cosy The Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead, Gwinny Tuffel has a small part in Draculania and is filming in the Yorkshire Dales when a fellow cast member is found dead in their locked trailer. In Blake Mara 's twisty whodunnit The Dog Park Detectives Paw and Order, a group of people who walk their dogs in the park step in to investigate after a young homeless man is found dead in the playground. And in ’s thrilling police procedural Broken House, PC Lucy Halliday and her dog Moss are called in to search for a woman who went missing 10 years ago.

In this suspenseful panel, we catch up with some old friends from the first Bark! Fest and meet a new one too.

This event is hosted by myself and Kristi Benson

Please support the authors by getting their books, which are available wherever books are sold and most likely your local library too.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub/list/1AOFRUDRWF9B7?ref_=aipsflist
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-2026

08/18/2026

I find it really interesting to speak to authors who write books for children or younger people, because developmental stages of humans and dogs are both interesting to me as an anthropologist / dog trainer. This convo should be really fascinating!

Want to come and learn about the rich inner lives of animals and how amazing dogs' noses are? Of course you do!! Come and join Marc Bekoff PhD and Alison Pearce Stevens at Bark! Fest to learn about their wonderful books which explore these ideas.

September 23 at 2 pm Pacific (5 pm Eastern / 10 pm UK time).
Save your spot: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/7017859556682/WN_QnjJGASbSvyWmpRL-mp1lQ

The event is hosted by Zazie Todd and Kristi Benson. A recording will be available for those who register.

Join these two authors to learn about how books can inspire young readers to learn more about animals and take action for them. Marc Bekoff's Love In Their Hearts: A Celebration of Animal Emotions and a Guide to Compassionate Action invites young and adult readers to explore the inner world of animals, blending cutting-edge research with calls to action. Detective Dogs: How Working Dogs Sniff Out Invasive Species by Alison Pearce Stevens tells the fascinating story of how dogs are using their noses to help three ongoing conservation projects. Readers young and old will enjoy this informative panel.

Please support the authors by getting their books. They are available wherever books are sold, and probably your local library too.
Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub/list/1AOFRUDRWF9B7?ref_=aipsflist
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-2026

08/18/2026

Whilst we all await more CANADIAN HOCKEY ROMANCE, we can dig into a bit of other romance, right?

Romance is in the air at Bark! Fest! Come and listen to Julie Haworth, Nicola Knight, and Farrah Rochon on September 24 at 11am Pacific (2pm Eastern / 7pm UK time).

Save your spot: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6417867401367/WN_svRTPtHARD-_BrgsmER6WA

In Julie Haworth’s New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Café, Tori has been dumped and left stranded in Asia by her long-time boyfriend, but back home, can a hunky fireman and a clowder of rescue cats help her find happiness? In Washed Up by Nicola Knight, a drunken stranger is stranded on Frankie’s island during a storm. With the ferries cancelled she can’t escape him, but she soon realizes she doesn’t actually want to. In Farrah Rochon’s Pugs and Kisses, veterinarian Evie appears to have the perfect but boring life, when her college crush returns to town and the animal shelter where they volunteered in student days is under threat.

This panel is hosted by Zazie Todd and Kristi Benson

Please support the authors by getting their books. They are available wherever books are sold.
My Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub/list/1AOFRUDRWF9B7?ref_=aipsflist
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-2026

08/18/2026

The library here in Hazelton is lovely!

07/31/2026

There are a lot of myths still out there about cats, so i'm always delighted to learn more about our feline roommates. 100% Apricat approved.

Come and join these cat behaviour experts at Bark! Fest!! On September 18 we're joined by Sarah Brown, PhD (The Hidden Language of Cats), Caroline Clark (A Professional's Guide to Feline Behaviour), and veterinary behaviourists Dr Meghan Herron and Dr Carlo Siracusa (Decoding Your Cat). It's going to be a purrrrrfect panel!!

Sep 18 at 11 am Pacific (2 pm Eastern / 7 pm UK time).
Save your spot: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4017849237845/WN_lGL77TtGR62dOmXMnQnWxA

In The Hidden Language of Cats: How They Have Us at Meow, Sarah Brown shares the science of the ways cats communicate from meows and tail signals to head rubbing. In A Professional’s Guide to Feline Behaviour: Understanding, Improving and Resolving Problems, Caroline Clark explains how cat behaviour professionals and students can analyze feline behaviour and create realistic behaviour plans. And veterinary behaviourists Dr Meghan Herron and Dr Carlo Siracusa will join us to discuss the ACVB-edited volume Decoding Your Cat: The Ultimate Experts Explain Common Cat Behaviors and Reveal How to Prevent or Change Unwanted Ones, a guide to understanding your cat and what to do about their behaviour issues.

Please support the authors by getting their books, which are available wherever books are sold and most likely your local library too.
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub/list/1AOFRUDRWF9B7?ref_=aipsflist
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/lists/bark-fest-2026

07/31/2026

My dad, from whom I acquired my rather unfortunate sense of humour, invented the word "exciticated" (eck-SITE-i-cated) to describe the kind of overwhelming excitement we'd get as kids around vacations and cake. I absolutely got exciticated when I found out THIS was going to be one of our sessions at Bark! Fest.

The first edition of Inside of a Dog was a #1 New York Times bestseller. Now it's out in a fully revised and updated second edition. And I'm thrilled to share the news that canine scientist Alexandra Horowitz, PhD, will be joining us at Bark! Fest to talk about the book and share cool new findings on how dogs think and how they perceive the world.

It's on September 17 at 1 pm Pacific (4 pm Eastern / 9 pm UK time). Sign up here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/8017849236638/WN_ZMGeO3uSQYiT8rTNN_zS0Q or via the link in bio.

This event is hosted by myself and Kristi Benson and we look forward to seeing you there!!

07/31/2026

I feel really lucky that i've got to meet and chat with so many authors through our podcast (Pawsitive Post in Conversation). these three are among my faves, and this chat will be 110% awesome.

Another exciting Bark! Fest event! Explore the world of dogs from training to breeds and behaviour with these 3 amazing authors: Lili Chin Doggie Drawings by Lili Chin , Melissa McCue-McGrath MuttStuff Media , and Kerry Nichols

It's on Weds Sept 16th at 1pm Pacific. Save your spot: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/8017849228072/WN_FaMcyCIYQNiIKj8PhxXebg

The event is hosted by myself and Kristi Benson We hope to see you there!

In Dogs of the World: A Gallery of Pups from Purebred to Mutts by Lili Chin we meet more than 600 dogs and learn about their history and DNA. Misadventures of the World’s Okayest Dog Trainer: 25 Cases to Guide Dog Trainers and Behaviourists in Their Career by Melissa McCue-McGrath is a quirky, comical, and sometimes heartbreaking journey into modern behavioural science. And in the national bestseller Puppy Brain: How Our Dogs Learn, Think, and Love by Kerry Nichols we learn the best ways to raise a puppy so that they become happy and resilient.

The books are available wherever books are sold, and probably in your local library too.