How 2 Dog

Some dogs have jobs just like us. But what is life like for a dog with a serious job, and what is it like to work beside one of these talented doggos? This week we’re calling the cops! Sherri has two fascinating conversations with police dog handlers. First, Sgt. Jim Gourley of the Calgary Police Canine Unit talks about the service provided by their Unit’s canines and how the force has started publicly recognizing their contribution. Then, Marijke Barnson from the Western Cadaver Dog Association gives us a rare and touching look into the important work of cadaver dogs.

This week we’re talking about… talking! About how dogs communicate with us. Barks, growls, whimpers, tail wags, licks and looks; is a dog’s behaviour a manifestation of their emotions that we can decode, or will we always have a communication divide between them and humans? Sherri talks to trainer Jill Breitner, developer of the Dog Decoder App, about reading doggo body language. Then Sherri talks with trainer Sarah Hodgson, author of Puppies for Dummies, about the meaning behind barks and whether we should try to get our dogs to bark less often.

There's an old expression: It's best to let sleeping dogs lie. But what if your dog is having a nightmare? Should you wake them up? And how do we even know what dogs are dreaming about? Sherri talks with dog trainer Shaun Harnack about how to set up the best environment in our home for dogs to have restful sleeps. Then Sherri talks with Harvard psychologist Dr. Deirdre Barrett about dreams and what we think might be happening when a dog is snoozing. Do they count sheep? Listen to find out. 

We've all heard that dogs have amazing senses. But what do we really know about how our doggos perceive the world? Sherri has a fantastic conversation with Dr. Peter' Skip' Scheifele, executive director of FETCHLAB, about all things related to hearing and dogs. Can they hear better than we do? Are dog whistles a real thing? And is there anything we can do to prevent or treat hearing loss in dogs? Peter would know–he's currently developing the world's first hearing aid designed specifically for dogs. There's so much for dogs to hear, and so much to hear about dogs.

We're all feeling the urge to travel these days. But what about our doggos? Is it safe to take our canines with us when we hit the road? And what about the tarmac? Sherri talks with aviation pilot and YouTube celebrity Captain Joe Diebolder about how (and when) to fly with your dog and Arlene Lebovic, owner of Your Dog Butler, about lessons learned from running a dog taxi service.

Over the past year, puppy ownership has been on the rise. It's a perfect time for Sherri and her guests to cover the fundamentals of bringing a puppy home. Sherri talks with Sydney Bleicher, director of training at Ultimate Puppy, about puppy basics and with esteemed dog trainer Brian Kilcommons about puppy behaviour and crate training. This is your Puppy 101.

Sherri Davis, Canada's Dog Master, is back for a second season of How 2 Dog to answer all your burning canine questions. Today, it's all about doggy consent. Sherri talks with a certified professional trainer Irith Bloom about reading your dog's comfort level in public situations and with Dr. Karen London about how to handle visitors. A must listen for anyone who has had to answer the question: Can I Pet Your Dog?

Adopting a mutt? Purchasing a purebred? What do prospective owners really need to consider when it comes to choosing the right breed of dog for their family? Dog expert Sherri Davis discusses all these topics and more, first interviewing Dani Dies, the Intake and Adoption Manager at the Toronto dog rescue, Coveted Canines. Later in the episode, Sherri sits down with her very own veterinarian of over 20 years, Dr. Matt Croskery, to chat about things to consider when deciding on the right breed and breeder for you.

Just like humans, dogs are susceptible to disease, parasites, and other pathogens – but did you know that there are some maladies that can be shared between our two species? Sherri Davis, Canada’s Dog Master, talks to Dr. Sarah Hamer about ways to prevent disease transmission. Then we hear from Dr. Anne-Lise Chaber and Dr. Susan Hazel who have been working on training dogs to sniff out illness in humans.

Do you think your pooch could be on a TV show? Do you have what it takes to be a wrangler yourself? Dog expert Sherri Davis gives an insider look at what it’s really like to train Diesel (aka Rex on the hit series Hudson & Rex). We also hear from Victoria Manson who has worked with Sherri for 10 years training and wrangling dogs. These two experts in their field explain that there’s more than meets the eye when getting a dog ready for the bright lights of stardom.