Paws for Thought: Are Dogs Happy?
LISTEN TO PODCAST NOW
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:50 — 60.2MB)
Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
We spend over $20 billion a year on our dogs in Australia — but are our dogs actually happy, or just very well accessorised?
This week on Science Queeries, Dr Cat is sniffing out the science of dog happiness with interdisciplinary researcher at the University of Melbourne, Dr Mia Cobb. While animal welfare science has focused on preventing negative experiences, she is finally asking the tail-wagging question: are working dogs and pet dogs having positive experiences?
From behaviour and body language to hormones in saliva, Mia explains how researchers are working to create one of the first scientifically validated measures of dog happiness — and why humans are surprisingly bad at judging how our dogs are really feeling.
Originally aired 10th January, 2026.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:50 — 60.2MB)
Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
RECENT PODCAST
Sea-ing Change in Sydney Harbour
Sydney Harbour is one of the most iconic waterways in the world — but beneath the postcard views lies a ...
LISTEN TO PODCAST NOW
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:20 — 63.6MB)
Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Slay the Binary: Inside the Animal Queendom
Biological sex in nature is far from simple – and the animal queendom proves it. From fish that change sex, to ...
LISTEN TO PODCAST NOW
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:33 — 61.2MB)
Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Waddle We Know About Penguins?
Penguins may live at the bottom of the world, but they’ve risen to the very top of our hearts. For Penguin ...
LISTEN TO PODCAST NOW
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:40 — 61.3MB)
Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS