Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Hound Opinions
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Hound Opinions
Hound Opinions episodes
- In Defense of the Foster Fail
So a while back, I did an episode talking about how fostering is super important and that the rescue world would probably grind to a halt if everyone who fostered simply adopted their foster pets ... which is colloquially known as a "foster fail".
Well, on this episode, I defend the foster fail. Why? Because it happened to me. If you recall, in the last episode, I talked about how my family adopted our last foster.
But what that episode didn't talk about was how much thought and hand-wringing went into the decision to adopt her. And that's what I'm talking about this time around.
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, Discord, and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
17 min - The Importance of Being a Dog
Merry everything!
Sometimes dogs need help learning how to dog. What does that mean? Well, basically, it is that sometimes, dogs need to figure out how to simply function in the world. And that’s what I’m talking about in this episode. People don’t realize that it can be hard for dogs to just be dogs in this world and that they have to learn how to exist and if they don’t, it can lead to a lifetime of problems.
By the way, the pod's taking a brief New Year break and the next episode is scheduled to be out January 23. That said, if I feel ambitious, I might make it earlier. No promises, though.
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, Discord, TikTok and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
17 min - Pets as gifts? Probably not.
Happy holidays, everyone! We're gettin' festive on Hound Opinions this time around.
This is a gift-giving time of year and for families that are looking to add a pup to their home, it seems like the perfect time to do it. Spoiler alert – It’s not. Spoiler alert part 2 – It’s actually a lot more nuanced than that and I’ll get into it in the episode. Spoiler alert part 3 – I’m not going to tell you outright to not get a pet as a gift for your family. So if you’re planning to do it, you have my blessing. Just please listen to this episode before you do.
Also, I talk about the Daveed Diggs masterwork "Puppy For Hanukkah" at the top of the show. Here's a link to it on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbxyZAduGvY
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, Discord, TikTok and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
13 min - Lap of Love/Veterinary Hospice
Trigger warning: Lots of talk of pet death.
Ok, y'all. It's gonna be heavy today. We’re talking about veterinary hospice and euthanasia. Specifically, we’re talking about a branch of veterinary medicine that helps people make the ends of their beloved pets’ lives as smooth and painless as possible.
My guest is Dr. Amy Myers. She’s a hospice veterinarian with Lap of Love, which provides veterinary hospice care and in-home euthanasia in the Chicagoland area. I actually used Lap of Love when we made the decision to help Chester pass back in June and Dr. Myers was the person who came to the house. So this one’s personal for me.
Like I said, it's going to be heavy. So strap in.
Quick note: Since two weeks from today is a holiday, the pod's taking a short break. We'll be back with a new episode on December 12.
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, Discord, TikTok and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
56 min - All About Decompression
Decompression is incredibly important for your dog's mental and physical health. But what is it exactly? And when does a dog need to decompress? And how do you help a dog decompress?
I get into all of that in this episode, so sit back and enjoy!
Quick note – this episode drops on Thursday, October
31. Happy Halloween, by the way. But more importantly, there’s a very important election in just five days. If you haven’t voted yet, get out there and cast your ballot. And don’t stop at voting in the major races. Your vote in thedown-ballot races can have very direct impacts on you and your family. And don’t skip the judge races and judicial retention questions, either. Injustice Watch creates a great guide to judicial races in Cook County, so if you’re inChicagoland, check it out, along with the Girl, I Guess guide for the non-judicial races. Outside of Illinois, you can go to sites like votesaveamerica.com for resources.However you do your research, get out there and make your voice heard!
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, Discord, TikTok and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
15 min - The Importance of Pet Dental Health
Sorry for the delay. But I think the wait will be worth it.
On the pod with me this time is Dr. Matt Lemmons, DVM and we dive into the world of pet dental health. We talk about why it's so important and why you can't neglect it.
Matt's a veterinary dentist at MedVet in Indianapolis and a Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College. He’s been a practicing veterinary dentist since 2007 and was board certified by the American Veterinary Dental College in 2008. He also consults for the Veterinary Information Network and is a visiting instructor at Purdue University.
For more good info about pet dental health, check out the Veterinary Oral Health Council at https://vohc.org/.
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, Discord, TikTok and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
40 min - Even more of Eris' foster tales
This time around, I’m talking about one of the hard parts of fostering – letting go when it's time for your foster to leave you. It's gonna be a bit emotional ... again.
DON'T FORGET: I want to answer YOUR training and behavior questions on the pod. And I want to play your voices asking those questions. You've got two options:
- Use your audio recording app of choice to record yourself asking a training or behavior question and email it to [email protected]. I will then play it on the pod and answer it.
- You can actually jump on a recording session with me and we'll go over your question together. That'll let me ask you follow-up questions and really dig deep into the issue. If that's the route you want to go, shoot me a quick email at [email protected].
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, Discord, TikTok and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
14 min - Eris' Foster Adventures Part Deux
Well, y'all, it happened again! My family and I became foster parents! We're fostering a husky named Damien for Anti-Cruelty here in Chicago.
The cool thing about fostering is that you always learn something new and unexpected. And that's what I'm going to be talking about this time around. In just a short time, Damien's shown me so much about myself, himself and Bodhi. And it's been quite lovely to see.
DON'T FORGET: I want to answer YOUR training and behavior questions on the pod. And I want to play your voices asking those questions. You've got two options:
- Use your audio recording app of choice to record yourself asking a training or behavior question and email it to [email protected]. I will then play it on the pod and answer it.
- You can actually jump on a recording session with me and we'll go over your question together. That'll let me ask you follow-up questions and really dig deep into the issue. If that's the route you want to go, shoot me a quick email at [email protected].
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, Discord, TikTok and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
14 min - The right to pet guardianship: A vaguely anti-capitalist screed
Strap in, folx. We're getting political this time around.
One of my biggest pet peeves is the fact that pet guardianship is getting more and more expensive. Money shouldn't be an impediment to it. Unfortunately, I'm also part of the problem.
So what can we do about it? Well, I put forward at least one idea in this episode, but mostly I talk about how our capitalist way of life is making it so that having a pet is increasingly difficult except for the well-moneyed among us.
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, BlueSky, Discord, TikTok and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
10 min - The Importance of Just Being With Your Dog
Ok, it's just me again. And it's a short but poignant episode. This time around, I talk about the importance of just being with your dog. What does that mean? You'll have to listen to find out, but it involves spending quality time with your pup.
Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Facebook, BlueSky, Discord, TikTok and Instagram under the handle @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].
9 min
About Hound Opinions
From the publisher's feed
Dogs are great. They're also weird, quirky, gross, challenging, loving and fun. I'm Eris Mayeroff, the owner and Chief Canine Officer of Big Wags Chicago. Hound Opinions is a podcast about all things dog - from behavior to training to the trials and tribulations of dog guardianship ... and everything in between!
New episodes come out every other Thursday. Check them out here or wherever you get your podcasts!
Have a question or topic you'd like me to talk about on the pod? Email [email protected]!