Your Family Dog Podcast

Happy Throwback Thursday! Today, we're revisiting one of the key underpinnings of positive reinforcement training- the "Five Freedoms." Tune in for a quick refresher on the first three of these vital components of animal welfare. Julie Fudge Smith and Colleen Pelar discuss the first three of the Five Freedoms that the ASPCA lists as "internationally accepted standards of care that assert a living being’s right to humane treatment." They are standards which apply not only to dogs, but to every animal in our care, whether they are pets, farm animals, or working animals. For more information, show notes and links: Your Family Dog

Senior dog specialist Helen St. Pierre returns to YFD, but this time she's joined by trainer Kathy Callahan, who focuses on the other end of life- puppies! The two of them are co-authors of the new book "Old Dog, New Dog" which aims to help families navigate living with both senior dogs and puppies. Pull up a chair and listen in for a conversation about puppies, seniors, death, aging, and everything in between! ‪@YFDPodcast‬ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast Adding a New Dog to an Old Dog Kathy Callahan and Helen St. Pierre are the authors of Old Dog, New Dog: A Guide to Supporting Your Aging Best Friend and Welcoming a New One. Helen St. Pierre is the founder of the senior animal rescue and sanctuary Old Dogs Go To Helen and the owner of No Monkey Business Dog Training. She is certified as a professional dog trainer (CPDT-KSA), a dog behavior consultant (CDBC), and a family dog mediator (LFDM). Helen’s website is nomonkeybusinessdogtraining.com Certified dog trainer (CPDT-KA) and family dog mediator (LFDM) Kathy Callahan specializes in puppies. The author of Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog and 101 Rescue Puppies, she writes monthly on training and behavior for Whole Dog Journal. Her business, PupStart, focuses on helping clients through puppyhood. Her website is www.puppypicks.com. KATHY SOCIAL: Instagram - instagram.com/puppypicks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.g.callahan YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2XrCeyKGTvXvp4l5dSMG1A HELEN Facebook: Facebook Personal: https://www.facebook.com/lellow.oneplease - Helen Personal Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/olddogsggotohelen - Old Dogs Go to Helen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoMonkeyBusinessDogTraining - Dog Training Page Time Stamps - 0:00 Introduction 1:30 Kathy Callahan Introduction - Puppies! 4:45 Helen St. Pierre Introduction - Oldies! 7:15 Old Dog, New Dog 9:00 Learning We Cannot Get From a Book 10:11 Set them up to have their needs met, Young or Old 12:50 Quality of Life Weekly Check List for senior dogs 15:00 Function, Purpose & Joy 17:15 Making the Golden Age Golden 20:32 Things often marketed for puppies are great tools for senior dogs 22:35 Puppies & Senior Dogs 24:15 The Vision (the dream) 25:02 The Challenges (time to step up) 25:46 The Work Arounds 28:00 A Plan with Resources! It can be easier 31:30 “Reels” aren’t Real Life. Great relationships are built in months, not seconds. 31:48 Lots of breaks for the senior dog, they can’t raise the puppy! 32:30 Communication is information, be ready to support the puppy and your senior 35:39 Full Vet Check for our seniors before bringing home that puppy 43:10 We can make most situations work, honoring the oldie and the puppy both! 54:05 What do people miss about changes in their senior dogs? Purpose and joy vs Function 56:23 We sometimes miss that the dog isn’t doing what he has typically done… not coming into the family room (hard floors, more light, etc) cut toenails…. Things that help increase quality of life so our senior dogs can enjoy life with us! 58:50 Preferences shift 1:04:00 Medications aren’t a failure. Ideally, they are preemptive Stay in the Loop with the Your Family Dog Podcast Mailing Address: Tina M. Spring, 115 Pointers Ridge Drive, Athens, GA 30606-1490 YFDPod Merch TBA The Your Family Dog Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-family-dog-podcast/id1163178672 Spotify Podcasts: Your Family Dog Podcast ON SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourfamilydogpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourFamilyDogPodcast/ The Your Family Dog Podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content provided on this podcast does not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or training advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian, a positive reinforcement-based professional dog trainer, or a qualified pet professional before making any decisions regarding your pet’s health, behavior, or training. While we strive to share accurate and helpful information, every dog is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. The hosts and guests of The Your Family Dog Podcast disclaim all liability for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast. Listener discretion is advised when implementing any suggestions discussed. This podcast may feature guests with their own views, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the podcast hosts. ©2016-2025 Your Family Dog Podcast LLC For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Welcome to Throwback Thursday! This week, we're going way back in the archives to revisit an episode about our favorite bookish dogs. Tune in and let us know your favorite! Colleen Pelar and Julie Fudge Smith invite writer Ellie Hicks to join them in a discussion of books with or about dogs and their favorite literary pups. For more information and show notes: Your Family Dog Podcast Ellie's blog on 10 of the Best Literary Dogs ‪@YFDPodcast‬ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast The Most Interesting Dogs In Literature Ellie Hicks is a writer, and Julie’s daughter and our audio producer! This is her list for AMReading Time Stamps - 0:00 Welcome and Introduction 1:22 Which dogs are not on the list and why? 4:09 Ribsy 5:12 The Woofie’s Song - YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS! 6:20 Buck from Call of the Wild, Big Red series by Jim Kjelgaard 7:30 Little House on the Prairie - Jack 9:30 Toto from The Wizard of Oz 11:10 James Harriet’s dog tales 14:17 The Game of Thrones/Song of Fire & Ice - The Direwolves 15:10 Fang 16:20 Argos 18:43 Muggs Cave Canem! Stay in the Loop with the Your Family Dog Podcast Mailing Address: Tina M. Spring, 115 Pointers Ridge Drive, Athens, GA 30606-1490 YFDPod Merch TBA The Your Family Dog Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-family-dog-podcast/id1163178672 Spotify Podcasts: Your Family Dog Podcast ON SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourfamilydogpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourFamilyDogPodcast/ The Your Family Dog Podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content provided on this podcast does not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or training advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian, a positive reinforcement-based professional dog trainer, or a qualified pet professional before making any decisions regarding your pet’s health, behavior, or training. While we strive to share accurate and helpful information, every dog is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. The hosts and guests of The Your Family Dog Podcast disclaim all liability for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast. Listener discretion is advised when implementing any suggestions discussed. This podcast may feature guests with their own views, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the podcast hosts. ©2016-2025 Your Family Dog Podcast LLC

‪@YFDPodcast‬ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast How To Make Your Herding Dog Feel More Like Family!- Part I Herding dogs- they're gorgeous, energetic, loyal, and scary smart. We all love them, and many of us love the idea of having one of these beautiful, faithful dogs by our side. But are they really the right dog for every family? Emily Priestley is the founder of Wild at Heart Dog Training, where she specializes in helping people successfully manage herding dogs in pet homes. She came on the show today to share her expertise. Join us as we chat about both the very real challenges and the very real joys of sharing a life with herding dogs. Guest Biography In 2021, Emily Priestley left a long shelter career to focus on helping dogs whose guardians are at the end of their rope—especially those facing fear, aggression, reactivity, and herding breed challenges like compulsive disorders. She specializes in working with herding breed dogs struggling in pet homes. If you’re dealing with a reactive border collie, Australian Cattle Dog, Aussie, or another herding dog, she can help. Emily offers virtual group classes for reactivity, fear, aggression, and other issues that interfere with daily life. She also provides webinars designed for both trainers and pet guardians. She holds the following certifications and credentials: CTC from The Academy for Dog Trainers Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant (CDBC) through the IAABC Certified Cat Behaviour Consultant (CCBC) through the IAABC Certified in Shelter Dog Behaviour (CSB-D) through the IAABC Completed Julie Naismith’s Separation Anxiety Pro Trainer Program Certified Death Doula, specializing in pet loss Former member of the BC SPCA’s AnimalKind program (2021–2023) During her career with the BC SPCA, Emily personally handled over 2,000 dogs. With experience across many breeds and behaviour issues, she has worked with dogs needing serious intervention. There’s nothing she hasn’t seen. Emily lives on the west coast of British Columbia with her Australian Cattle Dog, Mozzie, and her three working line border collies—Griff, Mitch, and Stormi. She works with clients across North America, Mexico, the UK, and beyond. She is a regular webinar presenter, hosts the Wild at Heart Podcast, and co-hosts Conversations From Under the Bus with Jean Donaldson, Kristi Benson, and Lisa Skavienski, available on YouTube and through The Academy for Dog Trainers on Facebook. Resources: Wild at Heart Dog Training Urban Sheepdog by Emily Priestley YFD 171: Breed Matters Time Stamps - 0:00 Welcome to Part 2. If you missed Part 1 Please go back and listen to that episode first 1:07 Can scent work help our herding dogs? 2:04 Tricks & Trials 3:07 Intrinsic Motivation 5:57 Sensitivity 7:09 When does Sensitivity become a problem? 8:30 Problem - First stop is the vet 8:35 Sileo 11:30 Suffering is not okay - Get ye to the Vet! 17:12 Advocacy 19:00 We can’t “fix” normal, healthy dog behaviors 21:00 Enrichment 22:00 Classes for trainers AND FAMILIES 24:25 What is the oddest thing your dog has attempted to eat Stay in the Loop with the Your Family Dog Podcast Mailing Address: Tina M. Spring, 115 Pointers Ridge Drive, Athens, GA 30606-1490 YFDPod Merch TBA The Your Family Dog Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-family-dog-podcast/id1163178672 Spotify Podcasts: On your favorite podcast player Mondays Your Family Dog Podcast ON SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourfamilydogpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourFamilyDogPodcast/ The Your Family Dog Podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content provided on this podcast does not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or training advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian, a positive reinforcement-based professional dog trainer, or a qualified pet professional before making any decisions regarding your pet’s health, behavior, or training. While we strive to share accurate and helpful information, every dog is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. The hosts and guests of The Your Family Dog Podcast disclaim all liability for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast. Listener discretion is advised when implementing any suggestions discussed. This podcast may feature guests with their own views, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the podcast hosts. ©2016-2025 Your Family Dog Podcast LLC

‪@YFDPodcast‬ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast How To Make Your Herding Dog Feel More Like Family!- Part I Herding dogs- they're gorgeous, energetic, loyal, and scary smart. We all love them, and many of us love the idea of having one of these beautiful, faithful dogs by our side. But are they really the right dog for every family? Emily Priestley is the founder of Wild at Heart Dog Training, where she specializes in helping people successfully manage herding dogs in pet homes. She came on the show today to share her expertise. Join us as we chat about both the very real challenges and the very real joys of sharing a life with herding dogs. Guest Biography In 2021, Emily Priestley left a long shelter career to focus on helping dogs whose guardians are at the end of their rope—especially those facing fear, aggression, reactivity, and herding breed challenges like compulsive disorders. She specializes in working with herding breed dogs struggling in pet homes. If you’re dealing with a reactive border collie, Australian Cattle Dog, Aussie, or another herding dog, she can help. Emily offers virtual group classes for reactivity, fear, aggression, and other issues that interfere with daily life. She also provides webinars designed for both trainers and pet guardians. She holds the following certifications and credentials: CTC from The Academy for Dog Trainers Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant (CDBC) through the IAABC Certified Cat Behaviour Consultant (CCBC) through the IAABC Certified in Shelter Dog Behaviour (CSB-D) through the IAABC Completed Julie Naismith’s Separation Anxiety Pro Trainer Program Certified Death Doula, specializing in pet loss Former member of the BC SPCA’s AnimalKind program (2021–2023) During her career with the BC SPCA, Emily personally handled over 2,000 dogs. With experience across many breeds and behaviour issues, she has worked with dogs needing serious intervention. There’s nothing she hasn’t seen. Emily lives on the west coast of British Columbia with her Australian Cattle Dog, Mozzie, and her three working line border collies—Griff, Mitch, and Stormi. She works with clients across North America, Mexico, the UK, and beyond. She is a regular webinar presenter, hosts the Wild at Heart Podcast, and co-hosts Conversations From Under the Bus with Jean Donaldson, Kristi Benson, and Lisa Skavienski, available on YouTube and through The Academy for Dog Trainers on Facebook. Resources: Wild at Heart Dog Training Urban Sheepdog by Emily Priestley YFD 171: Breed Matters Time Stamps - 0:00 Introduction 1:00 Introducing Emily 2:00 Emily's History 5:19 How these dogs often struggle 7:19 All roads lead to mouthing 11:48 Adolescence 17:48 Before you bring a herding breed into your family 30:39 Not all herding dogs should or can be on sheep 32:00 Dry herding for herding dogs - what it is and how to help 34:00 Treadmills - Do they really help? 35:30 Overwhelmed? Do this! 36:43 Is Fetch bad? 42:28 Fetch by another name 57:00 Sheep & Herding Instinct 1:00:30 How herding works 1:04:22 Sheep dog trials on YouTube™ Join us next time for Part 2 Stay in the Loop with the Your Family Dog Podcast Mailing Address: Tina M. Spring, 115 Pointers Ridge Drive, Athens, GA 30606-1490 YFDPod Merch TBA The Your Family Dog Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-family-dog-podcast/id1163178672 Spotify Podcasts: On your favorite podcast player Mondays Your Family Dog Podcast ON SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourfamilydogpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourFamilyDogPodcast/ The Your Family Dog Podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content provided on this podcast does not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or training advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian, a positive reinforcement-based professional dog trainer, or a qualified pet professional before making any decisions regarding your pet’s health, behavior, or training. While we strive to share accurate and helpful information, every dog is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. The hosts and guests of The Your Family Dog Podcast disclaim all liability for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast. Listener discretion is advised when implementing any suggestions discussed. This podcast may feature guests with their own views, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the podcast hosts. ©2016-2025 Your Family Dog Podcast LLC

Introducing "Throwback Thursday!" Starting this week, we'll be filling the gaps between new episodes by re-releasing older episodes you might have forgotten or missed. This week, we're revisiting Tina's first ever appearance on Your Family Dog, where she and Julie discussed how to keep your dog happy and healthy in the summer heat. Enjoy! In their first podcast together, Tina Spring and Julie Fudge Smith, discuss some of the hazards, as well as joys, that warm weather can bring, including: wildlife, water, insects, and whether or not you should let your pup have the run of the house when you're not home! For show notes and more information please see: Your Family Dog

Two of YFD's favorite guests are back! Animal behavior experts Zazie Todd and Marc Bekoff join Tina today to discuss all the things we humans misunderstand about our dogs, their behavior, the best way to work with them. Pull up a chair and tune in for a conversation you won't want to miss! For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog

‪@YFDPodcast‬ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast Incorporating Toddlers & Dogs - Building the Sweetest Bonds Guest Biography Aishlyn is a professional dog trainer and a newish mom…. When she is a guest we explore things Aishlyn is incorporating to help Delilah (15 mos) and Noir & Vega be more successful together. Time Stamps - 0:00 Welcome to Part 2. 4:00 Tolerance vs Active Enjoyment and why it matters 4:30 Guided Touch - teaching our dogs and our kiddos about consent (chin rest in this case) 8:48 Ask your dogs’ permission - giving autonomy and how it help reduce conflicts 9:45 Kiss to Dismiss 10:38 Jumping up can be a functional behavior meaning it is communicating 12:27 Vocalizing signals - humans and dogs 14:25 Is a 15 month old kiddo old enough to signal “no, thank you” and how we can teach that to our dogs 15:00 The benefits of giving all non-verbal family members a voice can be a huge help in learning 18:14 My toddler is fixated on the dog, now what? 20:18 The gift of “easy” for kids & dogs, teaching them separately 23:49 Dogs under the table 26:00 Tugging - Dogs & Toddler style - Keeping fun safe 27:38 Fetch! Dogs & Toddler style - keeping fun safe 29:00 Developmental Stages and helping the family through those changes 31:40 Muffin Tin Game 35:00 Bubbles! 36:58 Going to the restroom with safety in mind Stay in the Loop with the Your Family Dog Podcast Mailing Address: Tina M. Spring, 115 Pointers Ridge Drive, Athens, GA 30606-1490 YFDPod Merch TBA The Your Family Dog Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-family-dog-podcast/id1163178672 Spotify Podcasts: Your Family Dog Podcast ON SOCIAL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourfamilydogpodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YourFamilyDogPodcast/ The Your Family Dog Podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content provided on this podcast does not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or training advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian, a positive reinforcement-based professional dog trainer, or a qualified pet professional before making any decisions regarding your pet’s health, behavior, or training. While we strive to share accurate and helpful information, every dog is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. The hosts and guests of The Your Family Dog Podcast disclaim all liability for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast. Listener discretion is advised when implementing any suggestions discussed. This podcast may feature guests with their own views, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the podcast hosts. ©2016-2025 Your Family Dog Podcast LLC

Back in February, dog trainer and new mom Aishlyn Skocyzlas came on the show to talk about her experience living with babies and dogs. Well, little baby Delilah is over a year old now, bringing a whole new set of challenges and delights. In what will hopefully be a recurring feature, Aishlyn came back on the show to update us on what's changed, what she's learned, and how she's navigating life with a toddler and dogs. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

It's hard to think of a more beloved story than that of a boy and his dog, and that's exactly what we have today. Tina is joined by artist, author, and musician Timothy Renner whose friendship with his childhood dog could have come straight out of a classic Disney film. Tune in as Tim shares memories of his boyhood dog, Barney, reminding us all that sometimes the most important "people" in our lives come with four paws and a wagging tail. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

What's this? Julie's back? Well, not quite. Recorded earlier this year and subsequently lost in the shuffle, this previously overlooked, never-before-heard episode has been rescued from the YFD Vault for your listening pleasure. Tune in for a discussion of how dog training is like novel writing and, whether authors or dog trainers, we all have to stumble our way towards the beginning. For show notes and more, go to Your Family Dog

It's Julie's final episode! Tina is joined in giving her a sendoff by former YFD host Colleen Pelar and favorite YFD guest Zazie Todd. Tune in for a fond look back at "Your Family Dog," including its origin story, memorable episodes, and opossums behaving badly. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Humans and dogs are a tale as old as time- literally! From almost the very beginning of human evolution, dogs have been with us as our faithful friends and companions. But where did this first of human-animal friendships begin, and how? Today we're diving into the origins of the dog. Come along as we travel back in time and explore the history of our favorite four-legged friends. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

We've all been there- we're out and about with our normally well-behaved dog when suddenly we encounter something unfamiliar and Fido promptly loses his marbles. What happened to all that training? You're not alone- it happens to the best of us. Today, Julie and Tina talk about those times when your dog goes a little bit nuts- how to handle it, when to loosen up a little bit, and remembering to trust the process. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog

The term "pythiosis" probably doesn't mean much to most people. Yet this particular disease- which can affect humans, dogs, and other mammals- while not common, nevertheless seems to be on the rise, with cases being reported in more and more places. So what is this disease? How is it spread, how is it treated, and how can you protect your pet? In the first of multiple episodes examining pythiosis, Tina talks to her friend Katie Gallagher about her experience dealing with the disease in her young puppy. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog

Living with kids and dogs can be fun, but it can also be incredibly challenging. Balancing different needs and keeping everybody happy is no easy task, but it can be done and the end result can be amazing! Today Julie and Tina are joined by Aishlyn Skoczylas, a dog trainer and new mom, to discuss her experience of bringing home a tiny human to a house full of dogs. Tune in to hear the good, the bad, and what she wished she had known sooner. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog

Regularly cycling out what your pet eats- otherwise known as "rotational feeding"- at first might seem like just adding an unnecessary complication to your life. After all, if your dog is happy with his food, why rock the boat? But switching up what Fido eats doesn't have to be difficult and can have some surprising benefits. Today, Julie and Tina break down what rotational feeding is, different methods of doing it, and how it can help improve your dog's health and mood. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

Bird flu is in the news again. By now, most of us have seen the reports of the H5N1 strain infecting chickens, dairy cows, and even some humans. With the Covid pandemic still fresh in our collective memory, it's reasonable to wonder just how worried we should be about this particular flu strain. What risk does it pose to us? To our pets? What (if anything) can we do to help keep ourselves and our families safe? To answer these and other questions, Julie and Tina are joined today by Brittany Buckley, the manager of the histology lab at the University of Georgia Poultry Research and Diagnostic Center. Tune in to found out everything you need to know about the H5N1 bird flu and what it means for you and your pets. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog

Teaching your dog a new behavior can sometimes seem overwhelming. Sure, it would be great if Fido could go beyond the basics and do things like roll over, shake hands, or play dead, but who has time to teach all that? Well, actually- you do! Training new behaviors and tricks doesn't have to be labor intensive or take hours of your time. In fact, sometimes five minutes is all you need. Today, Julie and Tina present a variety of fun, simple behaviors that you can teach your dog with just a few minutes of practice a day. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog

Most of us recognize that euthanasia can sometimes be necessary or even kindest course of action when a beloved pet is terminally ill or suffering. The question of putting a dog to sleep because of behavioral concerns, however, is often much trickier. Is euthanasia ever justified in these cases and if so, how do you know when you've reached that point? And are the costs of not euthanizing potentially dangerous dogs worse than letting them live? Dog trainer Trish McMillan came on the show today to talk about this sensitive, but important topic. For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog

Julie is still on hiatus, but Tina is here this week, accompanied by a special guest. Although he's still only in high school, Will Ryan is the founder of Service Dawg Nation, a non-profit dedicated to helping train and match service dogs for veterans. He and his mother came on the show today to talk about his project, what it means to him, and where he plans to take it from here. For Show Notes and more: Your Family Dog

One of YFD's favorite guests is back! Dr. Zazie Todd joins the show again to talk about her newest book "Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog." Tune in for a conversation about fear versus anxiety, common mistakes owners make with fearful dogs, and how to know when it's time to seek professional help. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

Nobody gets a dog planning to rehome it. But sometimes circumstances change and what we thought would be forever just isn't a good match. What happens then? Today Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring talk about the painful but sometimes necessary process of rehoming- when it's necessary, what it means, and the importance of approaching the situation with understanding and compassion. For show notes and more: Your Family Dog

A good guard dog can be a great thing- many of us even get dogs in part because of the feeling of protection they can provide. But when those guarding instincts go astray or get directed towards the wrong thing, the results can be stressful and even dangerous. Fortunately, if caught early and handled appropriately, this kind of misguided guarding can usually be managed successfully. Tune in to today's episode for everything you need to know about resource guarding- what it is, how to identify it, what to do about it, and when to seek professional help.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring take the opportunity to talk about emergency preparedness for your dog. Tune in to this week's episode for advice on packing a go bag for your pets, making sure your dog is properly microchipped, and other steps you can take to make sure that you and your animals are prepared in the event of a disaster. For show notes and more please go to: Your Family Dog

Wouldn't it be great if dogs automatically knew what we wanted them to do in certain situations? Well, with a little training and a few nibbles of cheese, they can! That's the magic of "default behaviors-" those behaviors dogs learn to offer automatically whenever a signal is given or a particular situation arises. Join Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring to learn what default behaviors are, how to train them in your pup, and how they can help make life easier for both you and your dog. For Show Notes and more: Your Family Dog

Sometimes, it really is okay to dial it in- at least, it is if you're talking about the Dial Method. What's the Dial Method, you ask? You're about to find out! Today, Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring sit down with Dial Method creator Justine Schuurmans to talk about her new program designed to improve how families relate to, live with, and train their dogs. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

No scheduled topic today! Instead pull up a chair and join Tina Spring and Julie Fudge Smith for some general, dog-related chitchat. Grab a cup of coffee and listen in as the conversation ranges from socialization to learning your dog's body language to what effect (if any) Covid lockdown had on canine behavior issues. For show notes and more: Your Family Dog

he subject of giving what we think of as "human" medications (such as anti-depressants) to our dogs has come up before on the podcast. But why is it, exactly that some medications- Prozac, for example- work incredibly well across species, while others, such as NSAIDS, don't? Does spaying or neutering your dog at an earlier age have the same effect as sterilization at younger ages in humans? And how are environmental factors affecting the hormones and health of both us and our dogs? Joining Julie and Tina to dig into these topics today is endocrinologist Dr. Mike Morales. Tune in to learn about all this, plus why cortisol is actually your friend and the one fact about the endocrinology system that everybody should know. For show notes and more: Your Family Dog

The whole idea behind training your dog is to get rid of the behaviors you don't want, while encouraging the ones you do. Sounds simple enough, right? Until, despite your best efforts, you end up accidentally doing the opposite. Today, Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring talk about how we can unintentionally reinforce the wrong behaviors in our dogs, and offer solutions for what to do when that happens. For more information please go to: Your Family Dog

Julie and Tina are back! Not just back to recording but (at least in the case of Julie) back from a month abroad as well. And after spending a month in Ireland, Julie has an important question- are Europeans better at socializing their dogs than we are? And if so, what can we learn from them to help our star-spangled pooches over here? For more information and show notes: Your Family Dog

Spring is here, which for many of us means more walks outside and runs at the dog park. But the great outdoors brings other things as well, namely distractions galore. How are you supposed to get Fido to behave when everywhere he looks there are bicycles, school kids, strange looking bushes, and squirrels? Today Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring tackle the topic of distractions and discuss ways to help keep your furry friend focused and well-behaved even in the busiest of environments. For show notes, please go to: Your Family Dog

We've all heard the old adage that practice makes perfect. It would seem to follow, then, that we should be careful what we practice, lest we become perfect at the wrong thing. The same goes for our dogs as well- it's much easier to practice good habits right off the bat than to have to unlearn and retrain behaviors later. Join Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring as they discuss how to make sure that you and your dog are practicing the right habits the right way. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

Your Family...Cicada? For the first time since Thomas Jefferson was president, two cycles of cicadas will emerge at the same time this summer. What- if anything- does this mean for you and your dogs? Join Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring on an exploration of cicadas, snakes, dogs, and the nature of consciousness. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

Door dashing- it's great when it's someone bringing you tacos, not so great when it's your dog making a run for it. Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring address one of the most common, most bothersome- but thankfully very fixable- problems people experience with their dogs. For show notes and more: Your Family Dog

We've covered a lot of topics on "Your Family Dog" over the years, but sometimes it's good to get back to basics and remember why we got started in the first place- not just with podcasting, but with dog training itself. Today Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring start at the beginning to discuss their early love affairs with dogs, their philosophy of training, and why they do what they do today. For Show Notes and more: Your Family Dog

Police dogs, military dogs, rescue dogs, security dogs...in addition to being man's best friend, dogs are often his best co-workers as well. But all too often, when their days of service are over, these faithful dogs get left behind. That's where Mission K9 Rescue comes in, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing retired working dogs and finding them loving homes where they can enjoy their retirement in peace. Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring sit down with Bob Bryant, the CTO of Mission K9 to talk about the meaningful work his organization does. For show notes, please go to: Your Family Dog

Discussions of domestic violence, abuse, homelessness, and other difficult living situations almost always focus on the human victims- as they should. But animals are often involved in these situations, too, which can cause added complications. Victims are sometimes reluctant to leave an abusive or unsafe living situation because they fear leaving their pet behind, while those with limited resources, such as elderly or homeless individuals may struggle to give their pets the care they need. Social worker Carol Ann Adams joined Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring to talk about how best to help both people and pets who find themselves in a crisis situation. CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions of domestic abuse and intimate partner violence. Listeners with small children or who are particularly sensitive to these topics may want to exercise discretion when listening. For show notes and more please go to: Your Family Dog

It's no secret that dogs in shelters often come from bad situations, but some are particularly terrible, such as hoarding situations or puppy mills. It's tempting to think that with enough love and care, we can fix everything these dogs have been through, but unfortunately, that isn't always true. Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring take a look at what's involved when dealing with dogs with especially traumatic pasts. For show notes and more: Your Family Dog

Most of us have at least heard of stem cell therapy and the potential it seems to have for treating any number of illnesses- everything from cancer to diabetes to regular old wrinkles. But what you may not know is that stem cell therapy isn't just for humans. It can be- and is!- used to great effect in veterinary medicine as well. Mark Kyle, of PrepVet, joins Your Family Dog to discuss what stem cell therapy is, and how it can be used to help dogs and other animals lead happier, healthier lives. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

A new year means new guests! Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring sit down with Austin-based dog trainer Brady Foulk to talk about training service dogs, learning through play, allowing yourself to fail, and the importance of keeping it weird. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

Winter isn't just cold and flu season for humans- respiratory illnesses increases among dogs this time of year as well. These are normally minor illnesses that respond well to treatment, but this year vets are reporting seeing a new illness among dogs, one that seems to last longer and possibly be more serious than your run-of-the-mill colds. Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring look at what we know about this new illness and talk about what you can do to help protect your dog. For more information and show notes: Your Family Dog

We talk about "dog behaviorists" and "dog trainers," but really, aren't they pretty much the same thing? What is training, after all, other than getting your dog to behave in a desirable way? But dog *behavior* is different from dog *training* and knowing what makes them different can go a long way to improving your relationship with your dog. Repeat guest Karen Deeds returns today to talk about the differences between behavior and training, and how focusing on one often brings about positive changes in the other. For More Information and Show Notes: Your Family Dog

The topic of enrichment for your dog is a frequent one on the podcast. We all know the importance of providing your canine friend with a variety of games and activities to keep their days interesting and their minds engaged. But what about dogs who have suffered the loss of one of their senses? Providing enrichment activities for dogs who can't see or hear (or possibly both) presents unique challenges for their owners. Holistic dog behaviorist Deb Bowers specializes in the care of blind and/or deaf dogs and joins Julie and Tina today to talk about ways to continue to provide enrichment for your disabled dog. For more information: Your Family Dog

Just like other mental and emotional conditions, such as depression and anxiety, PTSD is not limited to humans- our dogs can suffer from it as well. As with humans, PTSD can make it difficult, if not impossible, for a dog to enjoy a normal life. But just as humans can find healing with time and therapy, dogs too can overcome traumatic experiences and go on to thrive. Phoning in all the way from Sweden today is canine PTSD expert Caroline Alupo, to discuss what kind of trauma dogs can experience and how they can heal and grow afterwards. For more information please go to: Your Family Dog

There was just too much good stuff for one episode, and so Dr. Deborah Jones is back to continue the conversation about cooperative care. Tune in for more advice from the woman who literally wrote the book designed to help you and your pet work together to stay happy and healthy. For more information please go to: Your Family Dog

"Cooperative care" is a subject that has come up frequently over the years on "Your Family Dog." now, for the 200th (yes, 200th!) episode, Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring sit down with Dr. Deborah Jones, the woman who literally wrote the book on cooperative care, to talk about how to make caring for your dog a partnership, rather than a battle of wills. For more information and show notes: Your Family Dog

Is a golden retriever the right companion for your golden years? For many people, the thought of not having a dog is almost incomprehensible. But as individuals get older, they aren't always up to the task of caring for a dog, at least in the way they're used to. Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring talk about the issues that can arise for elderly individuals and their dogs, as well as ways to overcome them and make sure that both Grandma and Fido are happy and healthy. For show notes and more: Your Family Dog

Do you ever feel like you and your dog are constantly butting heads? That you're both vying to be the one in control? Or like you're spending more time trying to get Fido to do what you want than actually enjoying his canine company? In this episode, Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring talk about "premacking," a strange name for a relatively simple concept that will introduce more cooperation into your relationship with your dog and help both of you to feel like you're on the same team. For Show Notes and More: Your Family Dog

Old age, death, and loss are topics most of us prefer to avoid. They’re uncomfortable, sometimes even painful to discuss, and most people don’t like to think about their own mortality- or that of their pets. Death, however, is an inevitable part of life, and avoiding conversations about it can make it even harder for us to become comfortable with it. Helen St. Pierre, founder of the non-profit Old Dogs Go To Helen, has spent the past several years helping senior and hospice dogs to live the best life they can before passing on. She joins Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring to talk about becoming comfortable with the reality of death while finding meaning and beauty in caring for animals at the end of their life. For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog Podcast