Common myths about who pit bulls are, a brief history, and media coverage are all covered in this info-packed episode with a team of experts including former Love-A-Bull President, Lindsey Ortiz, Love-A-Bull Secretary, Kailyn Lavoie, and current president of Love-A-Bull, Sara Stein. Continue ReadingPit Bull Myths – Part 1

A weekly mini dogcast answering YOUR dog behavior questions! Episode 1: Greetings & Barkings! Mily Costello wants to know: How do I stop my dog from barking at the door? In this pilot episode, Crystal…Continue ReadingIntroducing: The Dog Ten

We take a deep dive into how our lifestyles and choices may be feeding the issue, what the world might look like from the reactive dog's perspective, and how breeding and shelter systems also contribute to the problem of leash and dog reactivity.Continue ReadingLeash Reactivity

Author of Rescue Road and The Dog Went Over The Mountain, Peter Zheutlin joins us to talk about braving the open road with dogs. Learn about the most important thing to consider before you leave, what to ask, and what to bring. We'll also talk about how dogs can't always appreciate a good moonrise, but that's okay. We love them anyway. Continue ReadingTravels With Dogs

Dog care expert and boarding facility manager Becca Rainwater joins Crystal for a lengthy conversation about dog boarding, daycare, and everything you need to know before choosing one for your dog. As long-time industry insiders,…Continue ReadingDog Boarding & Daycare Facilities

In this episode, we talk about what it means to mourn a dog and why it’s important not to buy into the “it’s just a dog” myth.

Losing a dog can be a devastating experience, but there’s more to it than one might think. What’s the science behind our connection with dogs? How does hospice care for a dog and the process of letting them go intensify the experience? How do we know when to let go? And how can we get through mourning without falling victim to depression?

Lyla

Jordan Greene returns for this episode to share her unique dog loss experience and how sharing her grief with the world reveals the issues with treating dog loss lightly.

Duke

References

Henry’s Heart Iggy Rescue

“I Died Today” – Robyn Arouty

Dog Loss Support Groups and Resources

Puppy Love – It’s Better Than You Think – NBC News

The Importance of the Secure Base Effect Domestic Dogs – Study on how dogs bond with owners similar to how children bond with parents

Why Losing A Pet Hurts So Much – Psychology Today

Grief Theories Series: Modern Grief Theories

Underwear Chewers and iPad Eaters – Why Dog, Why?

Proud destructo dog mom and behavioral therapist, Mindy Mitchell joins Crystal on this episode to talk about why dogs chew, why they target the things they do, and why they sometimes eat those things too!

Mindy and Lenny

Will your dog grow out of their destructive phase? Can’t you just punish destructive behavior? We’ll tackle these myths and cover what you can do to be effective without inspiring a wicked game of chase in your living room.

What causes destructive behaviors? Let’s talk puppy teething, curiosity, self-soothing, anxiety, Stinky’s passion for underwear, and Brue’s love for anything he can swallow.

Resources:

Recommended for Teething: Kongs (frozen with stuffing like natural peanut butter), frozen carrots, soft puppy recommended teething toys from makers like Nylabone (or similar makers), Rope toysRecommended Tough Toys: Benebone, Starmark, & Whole Bones (not cooked)For dogs who eat things: We’ve had luck with Benebones, Whole Bones (size appropriate for the dog/too big to swallow), interactive puzzles. Closely monitor all toy interactions if your dog eats things and avoid items that trigger their need to swallow the item (like fabric toys which are similar to socks and other commonly ingested items). Before giving a dog who eats things any toys, teach “drop it” and “leave it” commands first so that you can get an item away from them easily if needed. Hiring a professional trainer for this is highly recommended.

**Sorry, no video this month, folks. It’s been a rough February down here in Texas. We’re just sticking with audio-only for this one so you get it on time. Here is a cute picture of Stinky in his puppy prime though.**

Stinky

They Won’t Just “Work It Out”

Whether you’re looking to integrate a new dog into your home permanently, foster peacefully, or just get through the weekend with Aunt Betty’s 4-legged hell-raiser, this episode on introducing dogs is a must.

Lindsey Ortiz, CPDT-KA, President of Love-A-Bull, and Director at Taurus Academy Burnet (dog daycare & boarding) has introduced thousands of dogs, many of which were powerful breeds like pit bulls, shepherds, and retrievers. She returns this week to talk about the art of positive introductions and setting dogs up for long-term success.

Is it true that dogs can just “work out” their differences? Are two females destined to fight? How do we avoid those surprise conflicts later on? And how is Lindsey such a good dancer? Listen and find out.

References/Contacts

LOVE-A-BULL.ORG – [email protected] ACADEMY – Burnet Road – Austin, TXFor more information on how to kindly and effectively manage your multi-dog household, we highly recommend the quick and easy read: Feeling Outnumbered by Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., and Karen B. London, Ph.D.

Think you’d know what to do if your dog went missing? Think again!

Special guest and best-selling author Teresa J. Rhyne joins Crystal on this episode to talk about all the things we do wrong when our dogs go missing, and what we should do instead. Teresa became an expert on this subject when her Beagle foster dog, Poppy, slipped her leash and escaped to a vast wilderness park in California. Her latest book, “Poppy In The Wild,” chronicles her adventures while in search of Poppy, including all her early mistakes and what she learned from the experts about tracking and capturing dogs.

Poppy In The Wild -Teresa J. Rhyne

Why shouldn’t you canvas the neighborhood with twenty of your friends? How can you use scent to lure your dog back home? What are some of the things you can do to reduce your dog’s flight risk to start with? We cover all of this and more in this special 90 minute New Year episode.

If you’re actively searching for a dog, be sure to check out the Do’s and Don’ts list below and contact information for professional pet locators that can help you.

Happy 2021! May your dogs stay safe, secure, and healthy in the new year.

This pandemic moment provided by Crystal’s terrible internet connection.

References

Teresa J. Rhyne

Buy books by Teresa J. Rhyne

Recommended equipment in this episode:

Long lead (30-50 foot) for recall training, Soft 6 foot leash, and martingale “no slip” collar (pictured below)

Austin area Pet Location Experts: traprs.org/

https://www.kvue.com/article/life/animals/traprs-missing-pets/269-701fd2c3-d48d-4e07-936a-ce1e81c1657a

Dog Days Search & Rescue – Mike Noon

Babs Fry – Free Phone Consultations for people with lost pets 619-249-2221.

Whistle – GPS Collar Tracker (New Years Sale going on now!)

Important Do’s & Don’ts For Finding a Lost Pet

Do NOT chase your dog. This could drive your pet farther away and into a dangerous predicament like traffic or into the hills.

DO calmly follow your dog calmly if your dog is running from you. You want to keep an eye on your pet without chasing them so you can have a better chance of catching him/her. Knowing where he/she went will be important in finding them again should you lose sight of them. 

Do NOT call your pet’s name over and over. 

Do call your pet’s name gently but only periodically. They often feel like they are in trouble and will not respond or come out of hiding if you are yelling their name.

Do NOT tell others to call your pet’s name while searching. 

DO enlist others to help you put up flyers so you can start to get sightings. This is the #1 way dogs get reunited. You can never have enough flyers up. Minimum of 200 to start with would be our recommendation.

Watch this month’s episode on youtube too!

In this episode, Crystal sits down with One Hundred Dogs & Counting author, Cara Sue Achterberg, to tackle the complex challenges of our current shelter situation. What does “No Kill” really mean? What impact did the pandemic really have on our dogs? Are “high kill” shelters worthy of your help? What does the ideal future of shelters look like?

Most importantly, what will it take to empty the shelters and how quickly can we make it happen?

References:

Cara Sue Achterberg – One Hundred Dogs & Counting, Another Good Dog

Shelter Animals Count: Statistics

Best Friends Animal Society

Austin Pets Alive

Peter Marsh – Getting to Zero – A Roadmap of Ending Shelter Overpopulation in the United States (PDF)

Pets WebMD: The documented presence of pentobarbital (euthanasia drug) in dog food – Does your dog’s food make the list?

Gizmodo article: How Does Euthanasia Drug Keep Ending Up In Dog Food?