This week, I talk with dog trainer and shelter dog expert, Trish McMillan about what families with kids should look for when adopting a dog from a shelter. Some of what we discuss can be controversial, but we both agree that the stakes are too high to take a risk with the wrong dog when kids are in the picture. We tackle popular concepts such as "adopt don't shop" and "forever home" and address how both of those can set families up to fail - or feel like failures. Fortunately, there are lots of ways families can find the right dog, and we chat about options that can leave families feeling guilt free.

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

In this episode, I interview Lauren Haley, a new mom with a Pitbull named MJ. We discuss how she prepared MJ for the arrival of her daughter, along with what worked and what didn't. Lauren is an applied behavior analyst with children, and uses her professional experience to help MJ to learn what behavior she wants repeated in the future.

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

In this episode of the Pooch Parenting Podcast with Miranda Wimbush Bourque, we talk about rescue dogs who are reactive and how to make this a safer experience for families. We talk about how to set up everyone for success - from playdates to walks. Some of what we say might surprise you.

We discuss:

• dog rescue
• reactive dogs
• parenting kids and dogs
• kids living safely with a reactive dog
• dog and child safety
• management strategies to help parents, kids and dogs
• parent overwhelm 

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

In this episode of the Pooch Parenting Podcast with Israeli psychologist Eran Katz, we discuss parenting and the role we play in scaffolding the emotional lives of our kids and dogs.

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

In this episode, I talk with Debby Lucken, the founder of KAD - Kids Around Dogs, based in the UK. Debby has developed a special protocol for helping children to overcome their fear of dogs. We talk about various reasons kids become fearful of dogs and share tips for how parents can support their children when they are frightened.

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

This week, I talk with Ashley Graber and Maria Evans, psychotherapists from Los Angeles about mindfulness and work-life balance for parents. We discuss how parents are the nerve center for the family and how our behavior can impact those around us. They are also both dog moms and understand how dogs with a range of personalities can impact the parenting experience and can influence children.

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

In this episode of the Pooch Parenting Podcast, I talk with Kim Brophey, the author of the book Meet Your Dog. We discuss how to choose the right family dog and all of the contributing factors that make a dog who they are. By understanding how a dog's experiences, environment, training and physical needs all interact, families can understand dog behavior better. It's not all about "how you raise them."

Learn more about the factors that influence every species and understand your dog better. 

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

In today's episode I talk with art educator, Rachelle Doorley of Tinkerlab, about creative projects kids make for and about dogs. These open ended ideas inspire creativity in children and also strengthen their bond with the family dog. 

This episode emphasizes the idea of using creative strategies for kids to interact and bond with their dogs. Not all activities with kids and dogs have to include touching, training, walking or petting. Kids can create enrichment activities or art for their dogs as well - promoting a deeper bond between them.

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

In this episode, I talk with Laura Gendron, the founder of Miss Behavior Dog Training . She is a mom and positive reinforcement dog trainer, and is one of the most creative teachers I know. We discuss safe and fun games kids can play with dogs so that they can improve their bond. Plus, everyone wants better behaved kids and dogs - and these training games help with both!

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

In today's episode, I talk about how to help children process grief and sadness over the death of a pet with Irene McKenna. Pet loss can be traumatic for all family members - we talk about how we, as parents, can navigate our own grief while holding space for our kids to feel sad.

Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.