The Baroo: A Podcast for Dogs and Their People

Most dog treats are built to sell, not to support health, and your dog’s gut usually pays the price first. I sit down with Botanical Bones founder Rachel Meyer and co-founder veterinarian Dr. Lindsay Wendt to unpack what “functional dog treats” should actually mean when you care about digestion, anxiety, allergies, and long-term wellness.

Rachel shares the real origin story: a rescue puppy named Carnaby with a sensitive stomach, a pantry full of whole-food ingredients, and a pandemic-era moment that turned neighborly treat drop-offs into a fast-growing brand. We talk about the leap from kitchen batches to a values-aligned manufacturing partner, why scaling can break founders if quality systems are not in place, and what it’s like building big brand presence with a tiny, self-funded team.

Dr. Lindsay brings the integrative veterinary perspective, starting with a “do no harm” standard that challenges the current pet treat industry. We get specific about the dog microbiome, ingredient quality, and why details like organic oat flour matter when glyphosate exposure can disrupt gut health. We also clarify the confusing line between treats and supplements, including what dosing is, how to read milligrams on a label, and why Botanical Bones formulates with botanicals and functional mushrooms.

We even go seasonal with Pumpkin Spice, exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine patterns like “dampness” and how they can show up as recurrent ear issues, urinary trouble, or loose stool. If you want smarter options for your treat jar and a clearer framework for choosing dog supplements, you’ll get it here. Subscribe, share with a dog person, and leave a review so more pet parents can find us.

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Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.  

I chat with Sona Movsesian, co-host of Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend and author of The Worlds Worst Assistant and The Worlds Worst Mom about her rescue dog Oki and the soulful, day-to-day bond that turns a poodle mix into a true first baby. We move from IVF support and raising twin boys to losing a home in the Altadena fire, and we land on the hardest truth of pet love: you sign up for goodbye the day you say hello. 

• growing up afraid of dogs, then raising puppies and learning care through practice 
• how different cultures treat dogs, plus the reality of vet costs and pet insurance 
• meeting Oki through a foster post on Instagram and knowing instantly 
• Oki as a safe space, favorite child jokes, and adjusting when twins arrive 
• Oki’s steady presence during IVF, egg retrieval recovery, and pregnancy 
• writing The World’s Worst Mom and giving Oki her own chapter and “voice” 
• teaching kids dog consent and gentle dog manners in public 
• how the Altadena fire and losing a yard affects Oki’s mood and routine 
• handling dog parks, overstimulation, and protecting a sensitive dog’s comfort 
• the life lesson of anticipatory grief, love, and learning to let go someday 

If you enjoyed this conversation, I'd love it if you'd follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who loves dogs. You can find links to everything we talked about today in the show notes. And I'd love to connect with you on Instagram at BarooPup. If you have a story you'd like to share, you can email me at [email protected].

Resources:

Pick up your copy of The Worlds Worst Mom

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Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.  

I sit down with April Floyd to tell the story of Onyx, the goldendoodle she trained herself to become a service dog and steady companion through serious illness. She shares how he alerts to medical danger, keeps her grounded through multiple cancer diagnoses, and even steps into the spotlight as a future film star. 

• how Onyx comes into April’s life outside the shelter doors 
• training a service dog at home using online resources and consistent practice 
• therapy visits and socialization in nursing homes 
• medical alert behaviors including buttons, bells, and early warning signs 
• congestive heart failure scare and how Onyx responds in real time 
• kidney cancer and ovarian cancer diagnoses, hospice timeline, and the fight to stay positive 
• the snuggle routine that signals comfort and purpose 
• interest in formal cancer detection dog training and what it takes to attend 
• teaching Onyx to use an iPad and a programmed iPhone 
• moving from service work to show business with Wishbone Christmas 
• Onyx’s big personality, runway moment, and working preferences (treats required) 

If you enjoyed this conversation, I’d love it if you follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who loves dogs. 
I’d love to connect with you on Instagram at BarooCop. 
If you have a story you’d like to share, you can email me at charlotte@ thebaroo.com. 

Resources: 

https://www.instagram.com/fegaprilfloyd/

https://fegroup.biz/april-floyd

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Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.  

 I wanted a real look at life with dogs in the Netherlands, where dogs are often welcomed in more public spaces and owners are expected to help them live calmly alongside everyone else.

I’m joined by Natalie Mosbach Smith, a Dutch trainer now based in Northern California (South Bay Dog Training), to talk about what feels distinctly Dutch about dog ownership. We get into the everyday realities: dogs on most beaches, more opportunities for off-leash time, and a culture where strangers typically don’t rush up to pet your dog. Natalie explains how that social norm can reduce stress and reactivity, and why early preparation matters when dogs are truly part of daily routines, from walks that prioritize sniffing to settling quietly in public.

We also tackle two big system-level topics American dog owners care about: stray dogs and humane dog training. Natalie breaks down how the Netherlands dramatically reduced stray dog numbers through government-backed spay and neuter campaigns, mandatory microchipping, and incentives that discourage impulse buying. Then we talk openly about animal welfare laws and why many Northern European countries restrict or ban aversive tools like prong collars, shock collars, and choke collars, along with what that could mean for training standards in the United States. We even touch on fireworks, runaway dogs, and why alternatives like drone shows might be kinder for pets and wildlife.

Resources:

https://www.southbaydog.training/

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Support the show

Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.  

The best way's to create a stronger bond with your dog is taking the time to learn their language. A wagging tail can mean joy, stress, or “I’m not sure about this,” and that one misunderstanding is a perfect snapshot of why dog body language is so easy to get wrong. I’m joined by Allie Bender, certified dog behavior consultant, co-founder of Pet Harmony Training, and co-author of *Canine Enrichment for the Real World*, to help us get fluent in canine communication the same way we’d learn a second language: words first, then sentences, then real-time conversation.

We dig into the signals dog owners hear about most, like stress yawns and tail wagging, and then go deeper into what actually changes the meaning: context, environment, and the rest of the dog’s body. Allie explains how to spot tension versus looseness, why the mouth can be one of the most information-rich places to look, and how ears and tail carriage can indicate arousal even when wagging doesn’t tell you much. We also talk about the power of trends and “what’s normal” for the individual dog, including how subtle new behaviors in senior dogs can point to pain, anxiety, or discomfort.

 We unpack learned helplessness and shutdown, where fear can look like stillness, and how to tell “relaxed” from “checked out” with simple, humane observation. And of course we balance it out with what happy dogs look like: bouncy inefficient play, soft eyes, slow breathing, and that melty, safe puddle-on-the-floor relaxation.

Resources:

Doggy Language by Lili Chin - https://amzn.to/4raNGyc

https://petharmonytraining.com/

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.  

A note before listening: This episode includes mentions of sensitive and difficult subject matter, including murder, suicide, death, and missing persons. Please listen with care.

Former FBI special agent and long time search and recovery handler Sonja Nordstrom joins me to chat about the bond between a working dog and their human. We chat about what it means to work alongside cadaver dogs when the “reward” is closure for families and critical support for investigators. Sonia shares what she’s observed in her dogs during intense deployments, how handlers balance celebration for the dog with respect for the tragedy, and why the bond feels different when your dog is also your teammate. We also dig into the stressors most people never consider: negative searches, the fear of missing something, and the pressure of calling a find when there’s no obvious forensic evidence.

On the training side, Sonia breaks down her detection philosophy in plain language: make the odor valuable, make the reward system worth the effort, and use a crisp marker signal so the dog gets total clarity. She explains why she prefers a natural “lock up” indication at source, how air-scent searches work across shifting wind and terrain, and why consistency and communication are the foundation of both elite K9 work and everyday life with dogs.

If you love working dogs, scent work, search and rescue, or just want a deeper understanding of what dogs are capable of, you’ll take a lot from this one. 

Resources: 

https://www.sonjasdogtraining.com/

Subscribe to the show, share it with a dog person in your life, and leave a review so more listeners can find these stories.

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Support the show

Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.  

A wildfire can erase a neighborhood in hours, but the aftermath can take years and it rarely looks the way people imagine. I sit down with author Carrie Karuhn to talk about the real events behind her novel Not Everything Burns, inspired by the 2007 Malibu fire that destroyed her home and took the animals she loved most.

We chat about why Carrie chose fiction over memoir.  We dig into what the title really means, why she calls the novel a love story, and how accountability became part of her healing when the fire was sparked by reckless decisions.

 Carrie shares what it was like to get the call that “everything is gone,” the painful uncertainty around her pets’ last moments, and the small details that eventually offered solace. We also explore the human-animal bond through premonitions, a single white rose blooming in a torched garden.

Tune in if you care about pet loss, wildfire recovery, grief support, resilience, and the real-world costs of disaster, this conversation will stay with you. 

Subscribe, share with a friend who loves dogs, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

"Not Everything Burns" (She Writes Press, Nov. 10, 2026),

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Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.  

I chat with Laurence Minnis, an Army veteran and neuroscience researcher, about how dogs helped rebuild his life after a neurological illness and why shelter adoption feels like both fate and risk. We break down what drives the adoption decision, how uncertainty shows up after you bring a dog home, and what support makes long-term success more likely. 

• growing up in Southeast DC and being “chosen” by a neighborhood stray named Benji 
• military service, illness during deployment, and rehab at Walter Reed leading to the Dog Tags program 
• adopting Ebony and why black dogs and pit bulls get overlooked in shelters 
• researching the adoption decision process and why feelings often beat stated preferences 
• comparing breeder predictability with shelter uncertainty and how that shapes satisfaction 
• common mismatched expectations, stress after adoption, and why returns should not be demonized 
• redesigning shelters from a retail model to a realtor-style support model 
• practical habits that build the bond fast, including training during daily feeding 
• patience for shelter dogs, surprise triggers, and real examples of growth over time 

Resources:

Instagram @ https://www.instagram.com/dogadoptionresearch/

LinkedIn @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrenceminnis/

Facebook @ Dog Adoption Decision-Making

If you enjoyed this conversation, I'd love it if you'd follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who loves dogs. 
You can find links to everything we talked about today in the show notes. 
And I'd love to connect with you on Instagram at Baroo Pup. 
If you have a story you'd like to share, you can email me at Charlotte at the Baru.com. 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.  

One of the hardest  parts of loving a dog is realizing you can’t protect them from everything, especially the moment a health decision collides with stress, emotion, and a bill you didn’t see coming. I wanted to talk about the part of the human-animal bond nobody talks about: money, and how it quietly shapes the care our pets receive and the guilt we carry when the choices we want to make feel impossible. 

I’m joined by mobile veterinarian Dr. Heather Oxford and veterinary economist Dr. Peter Weinstein to unpack why veterinary care costs what it costs. We dig into the post-2020 reality that changed everything, staffing shortages, supply chain problems, rising wages. Dr. Weinstein also explains why many veterinary practices run on relatively thin margins, and how that pressure shows up in pricing, access, and the trust gap many pet parents feel today.  We also talk about corporate ownership and private equity in veterinary medicine. 

We also cover what you can do as a pet parent: budgeting for lifetime dog ownership, getting pet insurance before the first vet visit, understanding pre-existing conditions and waiting periods, and using backup options like CareCredit so an emergency doesn’t force a decision without information. 

If this conversation helps you, please follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves dogs, then tell us: what’s one thing you’re going to do differently to prepare for your pet’s next emergency?

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.  

Renowned veterinarian  Dr. Gary Richter joins me to chat nutrition, longevity, and wellness.  We also talk honestly about what is realistic, sustainable, and safe for your pup so you can make better choices without getting shamed or overwhelmed. 

• Diet, exercise and lifestyle as the core pillars of longevity 
• Shifting the question from what brand to what kind of food 
• Why highly processed pet food can undermine health over time 
• High carbohydrate kibble and links to weight gain, inflammation and dysbiosis 
• Advanced glycation end products and Maillard reaction byproducts from high-heat processing 
• Fresh food formats such as raw, lightly cooked and freeze dried 
• Why homemade dog food needs a properly balanced recipe 
• The gut microbiome, serotonin and the gut brain axis in pets 
• Common early wins after a diet upgrade such as better stools and less itch 
• Feeding aging dogs and why cooked food may be easier to digest 
• Longevity science basics including autophagy and how Leap Years approaches cycling support 
• Sustainable steps like mixing fresh food with kibble and prioritizing what you can keep doing 
• Safety considerations for raw diets and the role of high pressure pasteurization 
• Letting go of the misconception that fresh food is unsafe or nutritionally inappropriate 

Resources for Dr. Richter : 

https://ultimatepetnutrition.com/

https://www.instagram.com/petvetexpert/?hl=en

if you enjoyed this conversation i'd love it if you'd follow the show, leave a review and share this episode with someone who loves dogs. you can find links to everything we talked about today in the show notes and i'd love to connect with you on instagram at baroopup. if you have a story you'd like to share you can email me at charlotte at the baroo.com.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Follow The Baroo:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/baroopup/
Blog- https://www.thebaroo.com/
Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/baroopet/
 
Pet parent question or story of canine companionship  to share ? Email [email protected] .

*This podcast is for informational purposes only, even if, and regardless of whether it features the advice of veterinarians or professional dog trainers. It is not, nor is it intended to be a substitute for professional veterinary care  or personalized canine behavior advice and should not be used as so.  The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the podcast author or the individual views of those participating in the podcast.