It feels like we’re finally at a time in society when pet loss grief is starting to be acknowledged and resources are becoming more readily available.  But do we really know how to take care of ourselves and others in times of pet loss?  Do you know how to give good grief? We’re joined by Mindy Meiering, LCSW, a licensed therapist, life coach, and mindfulness teacher who specializes in grief and loss. Even though Mindy has supported thousands of clients and families through major losses and life transitions, she was blindsided by how devastated she felt after losing her first dog, El ..read more

In Part 2 with Chris Hannah (Dog Dad to Cole the Deaf Dog), I share my observation that not only is Cole a special dog, but that Chris is a special human to have the emotional bandwidth to hold space for the many people he encounters during their therapy work.  Chris explains how Cole’s influence has shown him parts of himself that he didn’t know he had. We discuss the powerful experience of volunteering at a hospice facility supporting patients and their families during the most difficult time.  Chris reflects on some of the more memorable encounters with patients, as well as studen ..read more

Sometimes a dog comes along, and nothing is ever the same again – in the best way possible!  In 2017, when Chris Hannah decided it was time to adopt a dog, he didn’t realize exactly how much of a life-changing of a decision this would be. Chris shares with us why adopting a deaf dog was the obvious choice for him – even when it might sound like a surprising decision for a music teacher to make.  And yes, Cole the Deaf Dog’s name was inspired by the movie Mr. Holland’s Opus (the deaf son of a music teacher). From day one, Chris witnessed the impact Cole made on his students and everyo ..read more

Today we’re talking to renowned trainer Deb Jones, Ph.D., about Cooperative Care - the most important skills you’re (probably) not training your dog to do!  Also called Consent Care or Husbandry, I’m referring to the procedures needed to keep dogs healthy such as veterinary care and grooming. If you’d rather get a root canal than take your dog to the vet or if you can’t trim your dog’s nails without needing a drink afterwards, then you won’t want to miss this conversation. Deb is the author of the book Cooperative Care: Seven Steps to Stress-Free Husbandry  (aff. link). Her methods e ..read more

It’s the Puppy Episode!  I’ve always heard that the best way to set yourself & your dog up for success is by putting in 12 months of solid training with your puppy so you can reap the rewards for the next 12+ years (hopefully!) with your amazing dog. So how do you best set up your new puppy for success – not just in your home but in the world too?  What is proper puppy socialization?  And what isn’t? Kathy Callahan, CPDT-KA, has spent the past 10 years fostering 200+ puppies while attending dog training school in her free time -– so she knows a few things about puppies. Kath ..read more

Did you know that the health decisions you make for your dog today will impact their long-term health?  including whether your dog could be at-risk developing Canine Cognitive Dysfunction aka canine dementia?   I learned that as many as 50% of dogs show signs of canine dementia in their lifetime – and these signs can show up as early as 5 years old for larger breed dogs!   Francine Barish-Stern learned all of this first-hand after her experiences with her dog, Shamrock.  She spent years trying to get a proper diagnosis for Shamrock that would explain both the physical chang ..read more

What do you think are the most common complaints our dogs have about us Pet Parents?  Animal Communicator Nancy Mello shares the two most common grievances she hears – and I definitely needed to hear this!   While some of us might be completely intrigued by the concept of animal communication, for Nancy Mello, her experience hasn’t been all love & light.    Nancy describes herself as “not at all woo-woo.” She spent the first 30+ years of her life trying to repress her abilities and just live as a “normal” daughter, military spouse and mom.    It’s only been a ..read more

Is your dog always 100% confident? While Kelly Lee of Dogkind Training specializes in working with fearful dogs, her confidence building tips will help you build your dog’s confidence in any situation. Kelly shares her top Do’s and Don’ts for increasing your dog’s confidence – whether it’s a brand-new situation or an experience you may need to reintroduce to your dog in a different way.   My biggest takeaway is how to break down these experiences into tiny steps.  Dogkind Training’s website has amazing free resources for learning how to do this in various ways – from stairs to nail c ..read more

Have you ever wondered if we’re [accidentally] making our dogs’ anxiety worse?  Alex Peacock – a dog trainer who specializes in working with anxious dogs – is going help us answer this question and understand why anxious people and anxious dogs seem to attract each other. Alex works with pet parents of anxious dogs through a comprehensive program he designed.  He’ll share with us the three pillars of his program and give us powerful tips for any pet parent dealing with an anxious dog.  Alex also advises us on how to choose the best dog trainer to help with your dog’s anxiety. Bu ..read more

Our dogs are always talking to us … but are we listening?   I believe that learning our dogs’ body language is one of THE most important aspects of being a pet parent. So thank goodness for Lili Chin’s work translating Doggie Language for us humans. In fact, if you follow anything dog-related on social media, you’re probably familiar with Lili’s illustrations and artwork. Lili never anticipated that adopting Boogie, the Boston Terrier, would impact her life and career in so many ways.  She also hadn’t anticipated Boogie nearly getting her evicted after biting her apartment build ..read more