Kristi Benson

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.

07/31/2026

So, I get to sit in the (zoom) room and essentially watch these two heros like i'm at a tennis match. HOW IS THIS MY LIFE???

Join these two much-loved and best-selling authors at Bark! Fest for an informal conversation about writing fiction with dogs as important (and realistic) characters.
Patricia McConnell, Ph.D. is an internationally-renowned applied animal behaviourist whose books include her compassionate and uplifting memoir, The Education of Will, about how dogs and humans heal from trauma. Her first novel, Away to Me, is a suspenseful and immersive mystery set in the dog world which begins as Maddie McGowan’s best friend is killed at a sheepdog trial. Cat Warren, Author is the author of the beautifully-crafted New York Times bestseller What the Dog Knows: Scent, Science, and the Amazing Ways Dogs Perceive the World which explores the extraordinary abilities of scent detection dogs. Also available as a Young Reader’s Edition, it tells the story of how her impossible shepherd dog Solo became a human remains detection dog. As they work on their second and first novels, respectively, these two incredible authors will discuss the writing (and re-writing) that makes canine characters leap off the page.

This event is co-hosted by Zazie Todd and Kristi Benson

Sign up here or via the link in bio: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4217849202432/WN_BMGrJ0JqRzuiR9hE9FVheA

07/31/2026

TL;DR: Zazie n me are doing Bark! Fest again - join us! Free!

I have been a bit remiss in sharing updates about Bark! Fest, so I'm going to get back on track...Bark! Fest is a literary festival for pet lovers, and it's gonna be fantastico this time around.

If you've followed the story of Sophie From Romania on social media, you'll know what a long journey it was for Rory Cellan-Jones and his wife to help their new pup Sophie with her anxieties, how hard they worked to earn her trust and get to play bows and fun. And you probably also know that expert advice from an amazing trainer called Simon Wooler Sociable Dog made a big difference.

I am so excited to share the news that Bark! Fest will kick off with these two brilliant authors. They both will speak of the role of kindness and patience in building our relationship with dogs, talk to us about why they wrote their books--and read from them too.

This event is on Monday September 14th at 10am Pacific (1pm Eastern / 6pm UK time). You can get the details and sign up via the link in bio or here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4417849191375/WN_vG3zL_5ORKKk8D9_-DrLzA

This event is hosted by myself and Kristi Benson

Please support the authors by buying their books or borrowing them from your local library. And look out for details of more Bark! Fest events coming soon!

07/17/2026

we're baaaaaaack!

I am over the moon that Bark! Fest, the book festival for animal lovers, will be taking place for the second time in September. If you want to be the first to find out about events, make sure you're signed up to my newsletter (link in bio). You are going to love the authors and books!!

07/09/2026

The Doodle Pro® Summit is coming to your computer screen, and I'm tickled to be part of it. I'll be speaking about one of my fave topics: "demand" barking dogs! The summit is, "Three days of evidence-based, science-led guidance from vets, trainers, and even a fear-free groomer, all to help Doodle families thrive. It's complimentary to attend." You can use KRISTI10 for ten percent off.

https://kristibenson--thedoodlepro.thrivecart.com/doodle-pro-summit-all-access-pass//?affiliate-url=https://thedoodlepro.com/summit

05/19/2026

To all veterinarians interested in behaviour or rehabilitation, the SBCV invites you to the 2026 BARC Behaviour and Rehabilitation Conference: Diagnosing & Treating Lameness and Behaviour Like A Pro. AAVSB RACE has approved these CE hours.
In person on Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13, 2026
Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel - Richmond, BC, CANADA.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Register for your tickets here: https://tinyurl.com/BARC2026tickets
For Full Program: https://tinyurl.com/BARC2026Program

05/18/2026

In the most recent episode of our podcast, Kristi and I asked each other a series of rapid fire questions. Kristi was a great sport and answered all of my questions, but did you notice there was one of her questions that I couldn't answer? Does it mean anything?! Let me know in the comments if you spotted it... and make sure you're signed up to my email newsletter (link in bio) if you want to be the first to find out...

P.S. If you missed it, you can listen to The Pawsitive Post in Conversation wherever you get your podcasts or watch on Youtube.

05/18/2026

Kristi Benson and I had a lot of fun with rapid fire questions about dogs and cats in the most recent episode of our podcast, and we also had a little chat about some of the answers. I think a lot of people will feel the same way as Kristi here: "Every time I read something about a dog, I get a little bit twitchy, just in case."

The question was, A book with a well written dog character or a book with no dogs at all? What would you pick? Let us know in the comments!

Listen to The Pawsitive Post in Conversation on your favourite podcast app, watch on my Youtube channel, find it on my blog (link in bio).