Radio New Zealand Interview with Dr Zazie Todd

I enjoyed this Radio New Zealand interview with Dr Zazie Todd, a researcher and author I’ve long admired. It discusses research and recent news reports around how, or even if, having pets can benefit people.

As well as other topics. It covers many of the issues I am most interested in, including how walking with dogs is good for us. I love how Zazie describes the mental and physical benefits of this, for both dogs and humans. How allowing dogs to savour their time sniffing, particularly at the start of walks, and then picking up the pace as the walk progressess, is enjoyable and beneficial to both humans and dogs. I know my own experiences are exactly this and why, with the charity I founded, Schnauzerfest, walks are absolutely central to its activities and ethos of allowing, encouraging and championing dogs being dogs.

It’s a great 20 minute interview.

If you don’t have Dr Todd’s books, “Wag: the science of making your dog happy” and “Purr: the science of making your cat happy” I highly recommend both. See more about them here.