Hound Opinions

Compassion fatigue is one of those terms that folks in the service industry like to use a lot. Compassion fatigue is the physical, emotional and psychological impact that comes from helping others. According to the American Psychological Association, it can cause, among a host of other things, burnout, depression and anxiety, as well as both physical and emotional exhaustion.

But what actually IS compassion fatigue? Why are folx in the service industry - like dog trainers, hair stylists and even therapists and doctors - so vulnerable to it? And how do you even know if you're suffering from it? 

To answer those questions and more, Bill talks this time to Alex Fliess. Alex Fliess is a licensed clinical social worker in Chicago. After starting work in a group therapy practice in 2016, Alex went on to open their own practice – Three Tales Therapy – in 2018 and now also co-owns Chicago Center for Sex and Wellbeing. 

Big Wags Chicago is on the web at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Twitter and Instagram at @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].

With the holidays coming up, it's time for a great story about a dog overcoming some difficulties to live her best life.

Zoey is an almost-13-year-old bloodhound with degenerative intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). On this episode, Bill talks to Zoey's guardian, Natalia Waclawska, about IVDD and how she makes sure that despite the physical limitations, Zoey lives her best life. 

You can keep up with Zoey's adventures via social media, too. She's @Chitownhound on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Big Wags Chicago is on the web at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Twitter and Instagram at @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].

Life with a reactive dog can be tough, both for the reactive dogs and their people. If you've never had or spent time with a reactive dog, it can be hard to conceptualize and you might even think that reactive dogs can't have happy lives because they'll miss out on all the wonderful interactions with other dogs.

But that's just a myth. On this episode, Bill talks to Ashleigh and Carol, both of whom are guardians to reactive dogs. They'll talk about what life is like with a reactive dog and about how, despite the fact that their pups can't spend time with other dogs, they're still able to live their best, happiest lives. 

Big Wags Chicago is on the web at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Twitter and Instagram at @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].

On a special bonus edition of Hound Opinions, Bill takes a few questions from listeners. He talks about how to help your dog deal with loud noises like thunder. He also gets a little heavy (trigger warning: pet death) when he addresses a question about how to know you're ready to adopt another dog after your dog passes away. He also gets into the pros and cons (spoiler: mostly cons) of dogs being off-leash. 

Big Wags Chicago is on the web at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Twitter and Instagram at @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].

Separation anxiety is tough. At its most basic, it means that a dog becomes anxious or upset to the point of distress when their guardian leaves. It's really tough on dogs and their people. 

On the pod this week, the guest is Jenny Halpern, whose rescue dog, Bo, deals with separation anxiety. Jenny will talk about what that's like, how she handles it and the progress (though slow) Bo is making. 

Big Wags Chicago is on the web at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Twitter and Instagram at @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].

Safely mixing dogs and kids is not always an easy thing to do. Little kids can be incredibly off-putting and even scary to dogs because they move unpredictably, make lots of weird noises and aren’t generally great at knowing how to respect boundaries. And because dogs are dogs and don’t understand that kids just don’t know any better, if a dog is scared by a kid, it can create a dangerous situation.

On this episode, Bill talks with Alicia Obando, founder of Pitter Patter Parenting and the expert when it comes to managing kids and dogs safely. 

Big Wags Chicago is on the web at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Twitter and Instagram at @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].

Much as trainers like to be able to solve every problem, sometimes, you just can't. When there's a behavioral problem beyond a trainer's ability, they'll sometimes refer clients to a veterinary behaviorist. Veterinary behaviorists are vets who are specialists in veterinary behavior. They're at the intersection of medicine and behavior and have a wealth of knowledge as to how those two things affect each other. 

But what is the experience of going to a veterinary behaviorist like? On this episode, the guest is Erin Kellan. Erin's dog, Pippa, is seeing a veterinary behaviorist to help with serious separation anxiety and Erin's going to talk about what it's been like. 

Big Wags Chicago is on the web at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find Big Wags on Twitter and Instagram at @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected].

Flying with a dog can add a whole new set of complications to what is already often a stressful experience. But what if you want or need to travel with your dog? What's that like? How do you prepare your dog for it? How do you make the experience as easy as possible for yourself and your pup?

In the inaugural episode of Hound Opinions, I chat with Jenna Galowich (@jengalowich on Instagram) about her experience traveling internationally with her rescue dog, Charlie (@americandoginparis). Because Jenna splits her time between France and the United States, Charlie quickly became an international travel pro. 

Big Wags Chicago is on the web at www.bigwagschicago.com. You can also find us on Twitter and Instagram at @bigwagschicago. Have a question you want answered in a future episode or just want to say hi? Email [email protected]. 

Do you love dogs? Then this is the podcast for you! 

Hosted by Bill Mayeroff, a dog trainer and walker in Chicago, Hound Opinions is a podcast about dogs, dog training, dog behavior and pretty much any dog topic you can think of. Coming soon wherever you get your podcasts!