Dear Dog It's Us, Ali & Betsy

Dear Dog talks to actress, dancer, fitness instructor and former Rockette Torrie Bogda about her emotional support dog Betty Ford; a soulful 4 year old rescue pup who helps Bodga feel grounded in her body no matter what anxiety-invoking situation comes her way. We also get a rundown from Ali on her not one, but two wildlife run-ins this week and Betsy shares a cautionary double-header tale of what happens when dogs get out of their homes unexpectedly! 

Most people who buy an animal like to think their breeder is a "good one". But what goes into being a good and ethical breeder? It’s way beyond delivering a cute face, or a piece of paper with a pedigree. Dear Dog welcomes Heather Gibson, an emotional support animal breeder and all-around inspirational lady to share with us not only what makes for a good breeder, but also about how her journey as a foster mom inspired her to ethically breed Balinese cats, Tonkinese cats and Havanese dogs. Tune in and find out more about how you can make better choices if you decide to buy (instead of rescue) a dog or cat. 

Dear Dog is always about exploring the connection between humans and dogs, and this week we take it to a new level with our guest Susan Jacobs-Meadows. She is the founder of Canine Cellmates, a dynamic program based in Atlanta that not only helps shelter dogs become better canine citizens, but also helps the incarcerated men who care for them develop life-changing skills. We learn all about the Canine Cellmate's process, how Susan selects the participants--human and canine--and we hear about their new community-based programs which aim to help men before they end up in jail. It's a truly amazing conversation that you don't want to miss. 

Dear Dog talks to dog rescuer Anastasia Khromova about how she and her family saved Stella the husky from an awful fate: taking this puppy who had Swimmer Puppy Syndrome to a healthy strong dog who can run and play and get into lots of trouble like any good husky can. Anastasia talks with Ali and Betsy about how she came to writing her inspirational book about Stella, and the launch of her kickstarter campaign to fund the books publication as well as benefit the dog rescue Wags & Walks… and you know we love to support rescue! Stella’s story is truly inspirational and gives us all something to take away. We hope you enjoy!

How's your pup's socialization and training going since COVID? Betsy and Ali get a chance to talk with master agility coach and balanced dog trainer Lilliane Merida about the importance of and tips for socializing your dogs from an early age, even during this era of social distancing. Lilianne tells us more about her work doing agility with her beloved labradors, and she and Betsy geek out about their shared love of labs.  Tune in for all that and so much more on this week's Dear Dog!

Dear Dog gets back to the basics as we talk to new dog owner Alex about his adorable, newly adopted child..I mean dog…Kaito. Ali and Betsy go full mama-bear as we guide Alex through the best practices for bringing a dog into your world; discussing everything from vet visits, off-leash safety and pet insurance to rules for leaving your dog home alone and dating with a dog. Alex also teaches us a little something about sustainable pet food options...can anyone say crickets? Tune in for more, including an important segment on how your dog can be the best litmus test of all time when vetting a new love interest. 

This week on Dear Dog, we get an inside look into what really goes into saving dogs. Ali helps support Betsy as she talks about a rescue story that did not have the happy ending everyone hopes for, as well as what keeps Betsy inspired to go on in her quest to leave no dog behind.