Pet Lover Geek

Today's episode is about clicker training...for CATS.  You don't often hear about training cats, but it's not only possible -- it's also not that hard to do! Clicker training can help you strengthen your bond with your cat, potentially solve behavior problems they may be having AND... wildly impress your friend, family and social media fans. 

Learn all the ins and outs of cat training from Dr. Marci Koski, founder of Feline Behavior Solutions. Dr. Marci L. Koski is a certified feline behavior and training consultant in Vancouver, Washington. She earned specialized and advanced certificates in Feline Training and Behavior from the Animal Behavior Institute, and established her business, Feline Behavior Solutions, in 2014. She also has a doctorate (Ph.D.) in Fishery and Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University and had a career as a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for over ten years, where she worked towards the conservation and recovery of threatened and endangered species. Dr. Marci is also involved in the local cat rescue community in southwest Washington; she’s a member of the Board of Directors for Furry Friends (a no-kill cats-only rescue) and worked with the Humane Society for Southwest Washington to design and implement their cat socialization program that took place in a local prison.  Dr. Marci believes that the number of cats who are abandoned and/or euthanized in shelters can be significantly reduced if guardians better understand cat behavior and how to meet their cats’ specialized needs.  Keeping cats in homes and out of shelters is Dr. Marci’s goal, and the mission of Feline Behavior Solutions.

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Today we are going to dig deep into pet insurance. It’s one of the fastest growing sectors of the pet industry and if you have a pet, I’ll bet that you are inundated with advertising about pet insurance. So let’s talk about some numbers, shall we? (Y’all know I love me some statistics!) about 70% of the households in the US have pets – and there are roughly 125 MILLION dogs and cats combined living as furry family members in those homes. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (that’s NAPHIA), only 5.36 million pets were insured in the US at the end of 2022 – 80% of those insured were dogs. That number is mind boggling – that only a little bit more than 4% of pets have coverage despite how much this country LOVES their pets and how expensive veterinary care is these days. Maybe it's because pet parents don't really understand how pet insurance works. This episode gives you the 411 on all you need to know about getting your pet insured.

Thanks for listening! Check out our sponsor, PetHub for more great pet parent resources.

Have an idea for a PetLoverGeek episode or have something else you want to share? Drop us a note to [email protected].

Do you know that external house doors and windows are two of the top 10 reasons that dogs get lost? We got those stats from the massive national RTH study we did with the National Animal Care and Control Association – and we asked over 4K pet parents who had lost a pet in the last 5 years just HOW their pet got loose.  And things that involved the security of the pets space – yards, homes, doors, windows, etc. were the big culprits in a pet going missing. Now we’ll save the outdoor and yard escape proofing advice for another episode – but today, we’re gonna dig deep into Houdini Proofing Your House to Prevent Lost Pets. If they have the chance, many dogs and cats will take an open door or window as a chance to explore. Even if they love you and your treats and toys, they will still want to go explore. If you have an escape artist kitty or doggo or even just a curious dog or cat, Houdini-proofing your house is essential to keep them safe and sound – and you need to listen to this podcast.  

Thanks for listening! Check out our sponsor, PetHub for more great pet parent resources.

Have an idea for a PetLoverGeek episode or have something else you want to share? Drop us a note to [email protected].

Shelters in the United States are in crisis.  Intake is up 4% this year, and adoption is down 10%. Cages are full, fosters are overwhelmed and euthanasia rates are climbing.  Keeping lost pets that have a happy home out of shelters is more critical than ever.

Pet Lover Geek digs deep into community driven returned to home efforts. What things can pet parents and their community do to keep local lost pets out of local shelters, and get them home quickly and safely. 

Host Lorien Clemens is joined by Kristen Hassen, animal welfare and return to home expert, to explore programs from across the world that help reduce stray and lost animal intake in community shelters.  With decades of experience in the animal welfare industry, most recently, Kristen served as co-founder of the Human Animal Support Services project, a collaborative of more than 2,000 animal welfare organizations and 10,000 individuals that work together to transform animal services in the U.S. and Canada. 

Thanks for listening! Check out our sponsor, PetHub for more great pet parent resources.

Have an idea for a PetLoverGeek episode or have something else you want to share? Drop us a note to [email protected].

According to the American Humane Association, 10 million pets go missing or are stolen every year. One in three pets will get lost in their lifetimes.  And as much as every loving pet parent would like to believe their pet will never leave their sides, the fact of the matter is...a lost pet can happen to anyone. 

Lorien chats with Gina Knepp about three tools every pet parent needs to keep their pets safe and HOME.  Learn about Petco Love Lost, PetHub digital IDs and Pawboost from one of the animal welfare industry's leading experts. 

Gina Knepp is the National Shelter Engagement Director for Michelson Found Animals. Previously serving as Animal Care Services Manager for Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento, California, Gina increased the live release rate from just 20% to over 90% through the development of new RTH policies and robust community engagement programs. She is also a one of the Managing Executive Committee of the Human Animal Support Services project.

Thanks for listening! Check out our sponsor, PetHub for more great pet parent resources.

Have an idea for a PetLoverGeek episode or have something else you want to share? Drop us a note to [email protected].

No matter if you are an experience pet parent or are just starting with your first fur kid, you probably are experiencing at least some stress with getting veterinary care for your pets.  One solution that is new to the industry and desperately needed is telehealth for pets.  We are all familiar by now with what telemedicine is for us as humans – but how does it work for our pets?  What IS telehealth for pets? When should you use it? How does it work? How can it help you save time and money?  To answer these questions and more, we’ve invited Dr. Seth Vrendenberg from VetInsight to help us dig and learn more.

Thanks for listening! Check out our sponsor, PetHub for more great pet parent resources.

Have an idea for a PetLoverGeek episode or have something else you want to share? Drop us a note to [email protected].

Sure, you were given a little bag of puppy food when you brought home your new pup. But do you really understand what your new fur baby's nutritional needs are?  What about vaccinations and the first vet visit?  And did you know what common household items are actually su-paw dangerous for your furry little one?  

This episode features helpful advice from pet nutrition expert, Dr. Ruth Ann Lobos, and pet health & safety expert, Dr. Jason Nicholas to help you provide optimum health, safety and nutrition for your newest family member. 

Thanks for listening! Check out our sponsor, PetHub for more great pet parent resources.

Have an idea for a PetLoverGeek episode or have something else you want to share? Drop us a note to [email protected].

Choosing the "right" food for your dog can be confusing (to say the least!).  The options are overwhelming, the selection is HUGE. Where does one even begin to know where to start? You’ve got "Premium" and "Complete & Balanced" and “Grain Free” and “Natural” and "Raw" and a whole slew of other marketing terms. And what you wanna know, when you're looking at this really cool looking bag that you're pulling off the shelf, "Is it really meeting my dog's nutritional needs? Is this the best I can get for them? How do I know?"

The topic of this episode is the science of pet food, specifically dog food, and knowing what to look for when you are choosing nutrition for your fur kids. To help you navigate the dog food aisle and to also help us navigate the wilds of internet opinion about pet feeding, we've invited noted veterinary nutritionist Lisa Weeth to the show.

Thanks for listening! Check out our sponsor, PetHub for more great pet parent resources.

Have an idea for a PetLoverGeek episode or have something else you want to share? Drop us a note to [email protected].

This episode sniffs around the subject of how video content can effectively stimulate and even comfort your dog’s brain. We dig into DogTV, who have successfully created scientifically-backed programming that can help reduce stress and anxiety in dogs.

You'll learn about: 

• How visual stimuli can impact a dog’s behavior
• Ways in which exposure to sounds can help dogs become acclimated to the sounds and reduce their anxiety
• How dogs are more positively impacted by listening to specific music than by other auditory stimulation.
• How DogTV has scientifically refined their content production over the years to optimize your dog's viewing experience

Thanks for listening! Check out our sponsor, PetHub for more great pet parent resources.

Have an idea for a PetLoverGeek episode or have something else you want to share? Drop us a note to [email protected].

Is your pet overweight? Studies show that over 50% of American dogs and cats are clinically overweight. Learn about the dangers of pet obesity and how to keep your pet's weight healthy.

Thanks for listening! Check out our sponsor, PetHub for more great pet parent resources.

Have an idea for a PetLoverGeek episode or have something else you want to share? Drop us a note to [email protected].