Believe in Dog

A lifelong mutts-lover, Olivia uses her talent and passion to highlight the beauty of non-pedigreed dogs with her new book MUTTS: A Celebration of Mystery Mixed Breeds.

MUTTS is a big, beautiful coffee table-style book filled with portraits capturing the heart & soul of more than 100 beloved rescue mutts. Each photograph is accompanied by the dog’s name, best guess of breed mix and a fun or interesting trait about them. (One of my favorites is Elvis the Chihuahua/Basenji mix who passionately dislikes UPS and FedEx trucks.)

Olivia shares with us about the mutts, past and present, who’ve made an impact on her life. She also shares how she was introduced to photography and how passionately she feels about creating a visual legacy for the families she works with.  

We learn how Olivia was inspired to create a book for mutts, the logistics of finding and photographing 100+ dogs in just a few weeks and some of the special mutts and their people from the book.

Proceeds from MUTTS helps Louisiana-based animal shelters and rescue organizations.

Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:

https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode55

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Elizabeth Menegon is a lifelong dog lover who saw a problem in the world and decided to do something about it.

While Elizabeth spent a lot of time thinking about what dog breed would be a good match for her lifestyle, she would often look around the world and see many families whose dogs didn’t seem to be the best fit for their life.

After the COVID-19 quarantine happened, Elizabeth left her career in the hospitality industry and started Sugar Skinn, a boutique skin care company from her couch in 2 days. 

With the success of Sugar Skinn, Elizabeth decided to create a free app so all families and potential Pet Parents could be guided through questions to help them find the best dog breed to match their family’s lifestyle.

Elizabeth wants the Hands2Paws app to help disrupt puppy mills and backyard dog breeders while preventing dogs from entering the shelters.

You can download the Hands2Paws app for free on Apple and Android.

Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:

https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode54

Meredith couldn’t wait to add Edie, the Golden Retriever puppy to her family. She knew it would be just like raising her first two dogs. 

She was wrong.

From the first puppy class to trying to take a walk around the block – nothing about Edie was easy.  Edie was anxious and terrified of the world around her. And that was not what Meredith expected.  So now what was she going to do about it?

I can’t wait for you to hear from Meredith May, author of Loving Edie: How a Dog Afraid of Everything Taught Me to Be Brave.

Both the book and my conversation with Meredith are honest admissions about the mistakes made along the way but ultimately about how the love of a dog can change the way we see the world and ourselves.

(And yes, the dog lives and there’s a happy ending!)

Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:

https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode53

Today we’re continuing our discussion from last week so make sure you’ve listened to Episode 51, as we jump right back into the conversation.

In Part 2, we start with a discussion of how to resolve the difficult emotions that can arise when you’ve experienced a dog fight situation in your home.  Everyone vulnerably shares their experiences and how they were able to move forward.

But how do you prevent these situations in the first place?  How should you go about introducing a new dog to your home? Do dogs need to be best friends from day one? 

We answer all these questions and give all the Do’s and Don’ts to help pet parents confidently integrate a new dog into their pack in a slow & steady manner.

What about when you’re outside your home and get approached by a loose dog?  Or at a beach or dog park?  How can you be prepared?

You’ll hear how our Dog Moms prepare themselves for any unexpected loose dog – or other wildlife! – situations that may arise outside the home.  

Trigger Warning: This can be an emotional topic to hear discussed so please take care while listening. Experiences with behavioral euthanasia are discussed. Please note that some of the methods mentioned for stopping a dog fight are only to be used in extreme situations where the life of a dog is in danger.

Find links, Show Notes & Photos of Di's Batman Utility Belt at:

https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode52

I was recently asked for information on how to stop a dog fight in the house when a newly adopted dog isn’t getting along with a resident dog.  And when I couldn’t find the information that I was looking for online, I wanted to create a podcast about this topic to help anyone in this situation.

And I’ll tell you my Dog Mom Confession: I once had a dog fight in my house and I still have a little PTSD about it.

Today I’m bringing together Dianna and Nikki, 2 skilled professional dog trainers, and Nichol, an experienced foster mom who’s had 50+ dogs through her home while raising her [human] child.  These knowledgeable Dog Moms have all experienced dog fight situations in their homes and have developed smart strategies to successfully manage their multi-dog households.

Not only do we discuss how to stop a dog fight safely for everyone involved, but we also want to help you handle your dogs – and your emotions – successfully and confidently afterwards.  Our goals is to arm you with the knowledge to stop this from ever happening again – and help prevent these situations from happening in the first place.

Trigger Warning: This can be an emotional topic to hear discussed so please take care while listening. Please note that some of the methods mentioned for stopping a dog fight in your home are only to be used in extreme situations where the life of a dog is in danger.

Find links & show notes at:

https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode51

When she was experiencing an “empty nest,” Jodi’s husband, a retired Marine, encouraged her to express her feelings through writing.  Now Jodi Burnett is the author of more than a dozen suspenseful thrillers – with a bite!

All of Jodi’s books include dogs as central characters in the stories.  I’m a huge fan of the Tin Star K9 books featuring Renegade, the law enforcement K9.  Since Jodi doesn’t have experience working in law enforcement, I was curious how she learned so much about working K9 dogs.

Jodi shares with us all that she’s learned about these highly trained dogs, her favorite part of writing her books, where she comes up with these heart-stopping ideas, how to nurture your own creativity and just how much of her own life ends up in her books.

We’re also celebrating the 50th episode of the Believe in Dog Podcast!

Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:

https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode50

Join us today as we celebrate the life of Catherine Violet Hubbard who was taken from her family & the world much too soon. Catherine was just 6 years-old in the First Grade on December 14, 2012 when the Sandy Hook tragedy took place.

Catherine’s dream was to be an Animal Caretaker.  She was so passionate about this that she made her own business cards which she handed out in Kindergarten. Known for collecting “animal pals” around the backyard, Catherine would always release her pals with a parting whisper to “tell all your friends I am kind.”

Carrying out her daughter’s lasting legacy of kindness to all creatures, Jenny Hubbard shares the story of how the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation and Animal Sanctuary came to be.

Since its inception, the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation has raised over $6.5 Million and is now home to a 34-acre property in Newtown, Connecticut and pays tribute to Catherine and her spirit of kindness towards all living things by honoring the bond between humans, animals and the environment.

Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:

https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode49

Episode Sponsored By:

Hugs & Belly Rubs Dog Health Journal: https://www.hugsandbellyrubs.com/doghealthjournal

If you can name a Dog Sport, Melissa Stagnaro has most likely tried it at some point over the past 20 years.  And today we’re so fortunate to have Melissa sharing tips and insight from her years of experience.  I loved her canine enrichment idea for dogs recovering from an injury!

But did you know that you can learn the sport of Search & Rescue?  If you’ve ever wanted your dog to learn how to find someone in the woods or track a scent trail, there’s a sport for that! 

Commonly referred to as “RH,” the dog sport of Search & Rescue is open to dogs of all ages, breeds and backgrounds.

Melissa shares with us all about RH and how to get your dog started.  I’m always curious how to start teaching your dog these more advanced skills and Melissa gives us a great breakdown of how to approach training sessions.

Plus, I got to meet Melissa and many other Search & Rescue competitors at a recent Mock Trial and I’m sharing everything I learned at the event.

Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:

While Lynne Cox is known to the world as an elite world-class swimmer who’s set open-water swimming records all over the world, she is also someone whose life has been shaped by the love of dogs and the lessons she has learned from dogs.

When Lynne found out there was a school in Italy that trains water rescue dogs to jump out of boats and helicopters to save people from drowning, her first thought was: I have to go there right now! So Lynne traveled to Italy and was able to learn first-hand about the training process of these elite canine athletes.

Which brings us to the story of Al, an exuberant Newfoundland with a lust for life who isn’t quite meeting the expectations of the Vice-President of the Italian School for Water Rescue Dogs – or is she? 

Lynne’s new book, Tales of Al – The Water Rescue Dog – The Making of a Canine Athlete, is a story of dreams, expectations, disappointments and courage. And if you’ve ever felt misunderstood, you might find a piece of yourself in Al’s story.

Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:

https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode47

Episode Sponsored By:

Hugs & Belly Rubs Dog Health Journal: https://www.hugsandbellyrubs.com/doghealthjournal

Angela is a lifelong animal lover who is the founder of CBD Dog Health, as well as the Your Natural Dog Podcast and online store.  Angela also runs a rescue farm with geese, chickens, ducks, pigs and more!  

As a Pet Cannabis Expert and expert in holistic health for pets, I have so many questions for Angela.

I’ve been hearing about using CBD – for both pets and people – for the last several years. In fact, my dog Penny takes it for arthritis.  Some people swear that CBD has been a huge help for them or their dog. Some people think it’s snake oil.  I didn’t always know what to believe or how to find a trustworthy product. I’ve had questions. And Angela answers all of them!

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel confident about how to choose a high-quality CBD product to benefit your dog and understand why CBD is recommended for so many different health issues.

Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:

https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode46