Your Family Dog Podcast

Favorite guest of the show Emily Breslin is back, this time to dive deeper into a topic we briefly touched on the last time she was here- your dog's gut microbiome. Though it may not be something we think about a lot, our dog's gut contains its own complex ecosystem that affects almost every aspect of their health. Tune in to find out more about this crucial, if often neglected, aspect of canine health and learn how you can help support it. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Goats are stubborn creatures, so when Seth Thompson began running a goat farm, it quickly became apparent that he was going to need some help. Enter Dutch, Seth's goat-herding dog, without whom New Plymouth Farm couldn't operate. As both a working dog and a family dog, Dutch is a vital part of not only the Thompson family's business, but their home life as well. Join us today as Seth shares both the challenges and the unique joys of life with his goat-herding farm dog. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Most of us hate the thought of our precious pooch dismembering a squirrel or eviscerating a rabbit, but the truth is that ultimately, that's what they were designed to do. Dogs are natural predators, and while they may have moved into our living rooms, those hunting instincts haven't gone away. Enter Meghan Wolfgram and SwiftPaws! SwiftPaws creates enrichment toys designed to help dogs indulge their natural predatory instincts without leaving bits of bunny entrails all over your lawn. Meghan came on the show today to discuss the inspiration behind her company and how you can turn your backyard into a cruelty-free hunting area in just five minutes. We promise, no squirrels were harmed in the making of this episode! For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Welcome back to Part 2 of our discussion about canine nutrition with dog trainer and nutritionist Emily Breslin. Join us as we pick up where we left off last week and talk more about the necessity (or not) of supplements, the importance of gut health, and whether or not your dog should go vegetarian. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

The importance of nutrition is a recurring topic here at Your Family Dog, and with good reason. Quality nutrition can make a huge difference in the life, health, and happiness of your dog, but figuring out what that looks like can be overwhelming. Should my dog's food all be raw? Are grains good or bad? Do I really have to make it all myself? Dog trainer Emily Breslin is, if possible, even more passionate about nutrition than she is about enrichment (which she talked about on the show back in November). She's committed to helping families feed their dogs better, without going nuts. Join us today to learn about a healthy canine diet and what you can do to help improve your dog's meals. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Navigating life with kids and dogs can be tricky- something we've talked about many times before on the show. And it can become even more complicated when one of the parties involved has some kind of special need. Neurodivergent kiddos or children with sensory processing disorders can find living with a dog- even a dog they love- to be especially challenging, and parents are often at a loss as to what to do. Enter Debbie Lucken, the founder of Kids Around Dogs, an organization dedicated to helping kids and dogs get along. Back in December, Debbie came on the podcast to talk about her work with KAD. This week she's back to talk more about helping those kids who are a little differently wired to still find joy in their pets. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Back in December, we talked to Mark Mancuso, developer of the new app Workout Woof. Designed to connect fitness enthusiasts with canine workout buddies, the app aims to build community and connection between dog owners and local athletes. Now, a few months on, tune in for an update from Mark on how the app launch is going and what to expect in the future. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Many of us seek out chiropractic care for ourselves, to help with aches, pains, and stiff joints. But spinal adjustment isn't just for humans- animals can benefit from chiropractic care as well. Dr. Kelli Meier adjusts the spines of both humans and animals at her practice, and joined the show today to discuss how chiropractic care can help everyone from dogs to guinea pigs. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Loss is always the hardest part of owning and loving a pet. This can be especially true for children, whose first experience of death and grief comes through the loss of a beloved animal. Fortunately, there is no lack of gentle, comforting resources to help kids- and adults!- navigate the grief that comes with pet loss. Recently, we highlighted Warren Hanson's wonderful book "Paw Prints in the Stars." Today, we're joined by author Patrice Karst, whose book "The Invisible Leash" celebrates the bond that exists between us and our animals, even after they're gone from this world. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.