20/08/2025
An interesting read....
Andrew Huberman (a leading Stanford University professor) just hosted a lady reputed to be the world’s leading animal behaviour expert, Dr Karolina Westlund, PhD.
She’s a Swedish ethologist and professor at Stockholm University. She specialises in animal emotions, welfare and behaviour, and applies science-based methods to improve the lives of companion animals and animals in human care. She also runs Illis Animal Behaviour Consulting and teaches evidence-based handling, enrichment and consent-based interaction.
Her research flips everything you believe about pets, and it could change how you care for them forever.
Here are her top 11 revelations some of which will surprise you, some might be marginally controversial:
1. Most dogs hate being patted on their heads.
We think fast petting shows excitement and love.
But dogs experience rapid touch as stressful.
Try this instead: Give your dog slow, deliberate strokes on their neck or chest.
Watch their eyelids start to droop.
The consent test reveals if your pet actually enjoys petting.
Pet them for 3 seconds in their favorite spot.
Then remove your hand completely.
They move toward you? They like it.
They move away or stay still? They were just tolerating you.
2. Your dog’s breed reveals the one instinct it must perform.
It’s not optional, it’s hardwired for their mental health.
Border collies → stalk
Greyhounds → chase
Retrievers → carry
Terriers → “kill” toys
Poodles → rip apart
3. Your emotional state directly controls your pet's stress levels.
It's called co-regulation.
When you're calm and relaxed, you send subtle cues that calm your pet's nervous system.
Your anxiety literally makes your dog anxious. Your calmness makes them calm.
4. Sniffing and p*eing on walks is your dog's social media.
They're reading messages from other dogs and posting their own.
Huberman called it "p*e mail."
This isn't just a bathroom break. It's one of their greatest joys in life.
5. Dogs don't see you as their "alpha."
They don't place you in a dominance hierarchy at all.
They simply learn: "When this happens, that follows."
Your dog walking ahead isn't dominance.
They just haven't learned that pulling leads to unpleasant consequences.
6. Your cat’s personality is locked in by 8 weeks.
Kittens handled 1+ hour daily between 2-8 weeks become lap cats as adults.
Less than 15 minutes daily? They'll be aloof forever.
The socialization window closes permanently.
7. When cats bring dead mice to your door, they're not giving you gifts.
They're just bringing their prey to where they feel safest.
Once the prey stops moving, they lose interest.
That "gift" in your shoe? Just a safe storage spot.
8. Puppies separated at 8 weeks (the US standard) develop attachment issues.
They need 14 weeks with mom to learn emotional regulation.
Dogs weaned too early become either clingy or avoidant adults.
Just like humans with insecure attachment.
9. Neutering (removing testicles/ovaries) can backfire behaviorally.
Studies from the last 20 years show neutered dogs often develop increased fear, more reactivity, noise sensitivity, and sometimes aggression.
Norway bans neutering except for medical reasons.
10. Nose work games are medicine for anxious dogs.
Hide treats around your house. Let your dog hunt for them.
This simple activity calms anxious dogs and energizes depressed ones.
It satisfies their deepest instinct: the need to search and forage.
Bonus: A dog's tail wag direction reveals their emotions.
Wagging more to their left side = negative feelings
Wagging more to their right = positive emotions
Dogs also wag to spread scent from glands near their tail so others can read their emotional state.
A dog’s left or you looking at it?
Dog’s own left and right.
Here’s the full interview: YouTube, plus the Huberman Lab episode page for show notes and timestamps.
https://youtu.be/6ck9fa6_C8c
https://www.hubermanlab.com/episode/understand-what-pets-actually-want-need-dr-karolina-westlund
Andrew David Huberman, Ph.D., is a Stanford University neuroscientist and tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology. His research focuses on brain development, function, and neuroplasticity, the nervous system's ability to learn and rewire itself. Huberman's work has been published in top journals like Nature, Cell, and Science. He's also the host of the popular Huberman Lab podcast, which discusses science and science-based tools for everyday life.
My guest is Dr. Karolina Westlund, Ph.D., a professor of ethology at the University of Stockholm and an expert in animal emotions and behavior who uses scien...
