Sometimes There's Side Eye

In this episode we are talking with special guest Monica Adalsteinsson from Pup + Me Photo about her experience living with her last dog, Odin.  We would like to warn listeners that there may be content in this episode that some individuals may find triggering as we revisit some of her experiences over the years which do include dog bites, etc.  We also want to issue a tissue warning on this episode as all 3 of us shed a few tears at some point during this one.  However, even with these warnings, we think this episode is an important one. We talk through what Monica and her husband Evan went through when they adopted a dog who had more behavioral issues than they were initially led to believe.  We talk through how multiple emotions can exist at once, when loving a dog with behavioral issues, and how beauty can exist in difficult situations.  Odin is still influencing Monica and Evan's choices today in ways that honor him and the dogs they work with on a daily basis through their business; and that is a beautiful thing.

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This week we are talking about puppy parties! We've mentioned puppy parties in some of our previous episodes, and since Heather just got back from a puppy party, we are talking through this recent experience.  This fun and lighthearted episode gives a more personalized recap of puppy parties for anyone who may be curious about them. We talk about how stations are set up, what the stations included, and why.  We also talk through the benefits of meeting the puppies in person, and why this was important enough to Heather for her to travel to another country to participate. Additionally, we talk about how Heather and Lisa (the breeder) were able to compare notes and make sure they were both on the same page.  While there weren't many surprises when meeting the puppies, Heather was able to gain a lot of insight during her interactions with them.  

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Are you considering adding a new dog to your family?  In this episode we discuss the many things we personally think through before adding an additional 4-legged family member.  One item that is a high priority on both of our lists is energy level.  Now is not the time to hope your future dog will be your workout coach, inspiring you to a new levels of fitness that you've never experienced before. We also carefully weigh what health issues  are important and what health issues are functional in our homes and for our dogs.  Other top considerations are lifestyle, motivation levels, intelligence, size, and a variety of other physical characteristics.  Additionally, we just had to mention how important personality is to us.  This can be something as simple as a dog who has a silly side to as important as sociability levels with dogs and people.  While our list is not exhaustive, we think it will give you a good foundation to start thinking through what is most important to you in your next dog.

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We are wrapping up our series on ethical rescue and breeding with ethical breeder Lorelei.  She tells us about her breeding program and rescue efforts alike.  Lorelei explains how much time and effort she put into selecting purchasers, selecting breeding pairs, and building a strong foundation for her puppies through things like puppy culture. She also shares everything from why she started breeding dogs to some of her favorites, and even some of the most difficult parts of dog breeding.  We discussed some of the ways ethical breeders work together to keep dogs out of the shelter, while preserving the breeds they love.  Additionally, we talk through the good and bad parts of phrases like "adopt, don't shop" and how the dogs in our communities at large, can benefit when we have ethical breeders available because of the immeasurable knowledge they have, and are willing to share.

Lorelei has been involved in the sport of purebred dogs since she was a teen in the 70s. Her parents had Russian Wolfhounds. In the 80s, she worked on a cutting horse ranch and had an Australian Shepherd and Schipperke. They used the dogs and horses to bring cattle in from the pastures.  In the late 90s, she got involved in Miniature Bull Terriers, and then Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and then eventually standard Bull Terriers.  Lorelei has always valued her partner mentor breeders because there is so much to learn from others.   In the last 10 years she has breed 8 litters and has 8 home bred champions and a number of Staffords competing successfully in sports.   She operates under the affix Ciera Staffords and Bull Terriers. Her main concern in breeding is temperament and health from a pet owner’s perspective. She is a member in good standing of the SBTCA, BTCA, and MBTCA. She is the current Editor of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club magazine and Annual book. Lorelei also helps the Bull Terrier club with articles for the magazines.  Recently, she has been approved to judge Staffordshire Bull Terriers at AKC events. She is looking forward to adding Bull Terriers in the future.

Lorelei did not get involved in rescue until 2010.  Prior to that, she had only been a foster fail. In this time, she has fostered countless puppies and dogs over the last 13 years. She focuses primarily on puppies but been willing to help wherever needed. She has gone to shelters to identify dogs, evaluate temperaments, and help transport.  She has also photographed and videoed dogs for marketing purposes.  She has gone to many an adoption event.  Currently she works with Bull Terrier Rescue, and I usually have a Bull Terrier foster at my house.  

Lorelei loves to write and has written articles on fostering successfully, choosing homes, and contracts, and many more dog that are dog related. She also enjoys graphic, publication and web design and photography.      

You can find Lorelei at her website: https://www.cierastaffords.com/

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Links:

Online Course ⁠How To Find an Ethical Dog Breeder | Puppy K All Day (puppy-kallday.com)

In this episode, we talk about responsible/ethical breeders.  First, we want to say this is an important and beneficial topic for everyone in the dog world; including rescue people, those looking for purebred or mixed breed dogs, and those in the sport and show worlds.  We are talking about some of the ways to define ethical breeders including everything from contracts, education, taking a dog back for any reason, health testing, to something as simple as producing functional dogs.  We decided to include breeders of purebred dogs as well as mix breed dogs when talking about ethical breeders and go through a few of the reasons why we decided to do that.  We are even addressing some barriers to getting an ethically bred dog which can include wait times, cost, location, etc. 

Of course, we also talk about our own experiences and what led us to our own thoughts on this subject.  We understand that this subject has a million shades of grey, and can get messy quickly; but we are hoping that we at least give you a few things to think about. We also hope we teach you what to look for in ethical breeders, because at the end of the day we are invested in making this a better place for dogs and the people who live with them, and we think that ethical breeders play a part in making that happen.

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Links:

Online Course How To Find an Ethical Dog Breeder | Puppy K All Day (puppy-kallday.com)

In this episode we are excited to interview Christy Cole, the president of Desert Harbor Doberman Rescue (DHDR).  We are addressing all sorts of topics with Christy; from how she got involved with Dobermans, to how responsible breeders can help end the need for rescue.  Christy addresses both the immediate needs in rescue, as well as big picture, assessment, and planning. 

DHDR is diligently working to do right by both humans and dogs and have a lot of value centered policies around that concept, including not adopting out dangerous dogs.  While they adopt out about 100 dogs a year, they also help connect the nearly 500 potential adopters they get a year to other reputable rescues and breeders alike.  Christy is a wealth of knowledge and a pillar of responsible rescue. We think you will enjoy listening to this interview as much as we enjoyed having Christy as a guest.

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Links:

DHDR on Instagram

Do you want to know some of our favorite dog related things? We seem to have a favorite everything!  We are covering everything from favorite podcasts to favorite kennels, life jackets to nail files, and the list goes on.  We even throw in 2 favorite items that aren't even products as a bonus.  Listen to find out what all our favorite things are and why we recommend them. 

This episode does not feature any sponsored products or links.

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Links to our favorite things:

The Podcast | Cog Dog Radio | Sarah Stremming, Cog Dog Coach (thecognitivecanine.com)

New Podcast – Drinking from the Toilet | Hannah Branigan – Wonderpups Training

Dog Training Podcast - Listen Now | Paws & Reward Podcast (pawsandreward.com)

Rescue Strong

Tooth & Honey – Pitbull Clothing I Large Dog Clothes for Bully Breeds (toothandhoney.com)

https://rufflandkennels.com/

Home | Primo Pads

Amazon.com : biothane long line

Collections | RuffwearBeadie Babiez bead pet colllars

***Beauty Secrets Black Rectangular Cushion Nail File | Nail Files (sallybeauty.com)

ASP Extra Heavy Black Angle Board Nail File 100/180 (sallybeauty.com)

In this episode we are tackling the topic of responsible rescue. We acknowledge that this is a difficult topic, but we feel it's important because ethics matter when it comes to rescue. While there can be a lot of grey area and exceptions to the rules in rescue, we also think there can be some solid pillars to look for responsible rescue. Having a nonprofit status, transparency, responsible disbursement of available resources, dogs getting adopted out/dogs not being hoarded, cleanliness, ongoing owner support, a lifelong commitment to the dogs adopted out, and adopting out dogs that are safe for adopters and the community are just some of the pillars we believe need to be present for responsible rescue.  We also address the pitfalls of the "No Kill" and "Save Them All" movements.  Lastly, we wrap things up by exploring ways to support responsible rescues so they can continue doing great work for the dogs and our communities. 

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Additional reading:

https://www.shelterbehaviorhub.com/blog/the-perils-of-placing-marginal-dogs

Additional Links:

This week, we are excited to have special guest and traveling guru, Tara McKinny, on the show!  This episode is for everyone, whether you've never traveled with your dog or if you travel consistently with your dog. Tara has so many straightforward and epic ideas to make multidog vacations safe and fun for dogs with different needs/personalities, including dog reactive dogs.  We are talking safety, short term rentals, camping, and all the products that will make traveling with dogs so much better. Of course, we are sharing stories of our success and hilarious mishaps, while traveling.  We can pretty much guarantee you will learn something new while being entertained.

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You can follow Tara: Tara's Fosters (@tarasfostersaz)

Links for items and businesses mentioned in this episode and more!

Tara's Amazon Store

Hip Camp Discover and book tent camping, RV parks, cabins, glamping, and more.

Tooth & Honey Incredible dog clothing options

Nellis Auction - Phoenix, AZ

Belly Bands For the boys dogs : )

Biothane Leashes Durable and waterproof leashes/Long lines

Sniffspot Private Dog Park Rentals

Aluminet Shade clothes

Ryobi Fans Battery operated fans

In this episode we are talking about puppies again, but this time we are discussing what to consider before, and when you meet your potential puppy.  Getting a puppy is an amazing and joyous time, but full of emotion and sometimes void of logic. It's tough to be logical when you're surrounded by adorable puppies - we get that, we're dog people too!  So we are addressing ways to help set yourself up for success in choosing the right fit for you and your family.  We talk about overcoming the emotional factors with some simple tricks, such as taking a step back to evaluate what your day-to-day life looks like and requires in a K9 companion, preparing questions before you meet your potential puppy, bringing a friend who can be logical, and having a plan for when you meet your potential puppy.  With a little bit of planning, choosing the right puppy can be a fun and positive experience.

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