Welcome to Season 2 of The Dogs of Our Lives Podcast! In this first episode, Chrissy interviews Dr Chris Pachel, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist from Portland, Oregon. Do you truly understand your dog's behavior? How can you learn more about your dog and understand their needs better? Dr Pachel discusses his journey into veterinary behavior, the importance of a holistic approach to animal care, and the challenges of integrating behavioral education into veterinary schools. He emphasizes the significance of understanding the emotional and physical well-being of both animals and their caregivers. Dr. Pachel also touches on the role of personal growth and the need for veterinarians to seek support to avoid burnout. For more information or to contact Dr Pachel you can visit his website here: https://www.drpachel.com/ Don't forget to take the "How Well Do You Know Your Dog?" quiz! You might gain some valuable insights for you and your dog: https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/66ec7fcfbc1d7c432638a1a7 We'd love to hear your thoughts on today's episode, so please leave a review and let us know about any topics you'd like us to discuss. https://www.theanimalnature.com/  

We did it! Not only did we complete our first season, we made it into the top 50% of podcasts! I am so grateful to all of you who have downloaded the first season of the Dogs of Our Lives podcast, it means so much to me to be able to share my important message about dogs, dog training and dog behavior. I talked with so many amazing guests, including some of my clients, veterinarians, ethologists, canine massage therapists and more! We'll be back next year with another round of interviews, solo episodes with me sharing all my knowledge about dog training and behavior and heaps more juicy subjects we can get stuck into! I can't wait for you to join me then. Don't forget to subscribe to the show so you'll get notified when we drop the first episode of season 2.Why not sign up for the Nature of Animals mailing list, so you definitely won't miss a thing?! https://www.theanimalnature.com/contact  

In today's Dogs of Our Lives episode, Chrissy talks with Bridgette Chesne about why a dog is for life, not just for the Holidays in our special holiday episode. Bridgette shares her tips about bringing a dog or animal companion into your home during the holidays, thanks to her many years of experience working in the Humane Society of Boulder Valley and the Veterinary Behavior Center. She shares her own experiences as a dog guardian and how she became certified in Predation Substitute Training. If you're interested in learning more about Predation Substitute Training, or perhaps you'd like to attend a workshop, then you can contact Bridgette via email bridgettec@vetbehaviorcenter.com I hope you enjoy this episode and you come away with actionable tips about adopting a dog this holiday season. Please help us share the stories featured on the Dogs of Our Lives podcast by leaving a review, commenting your thoughts and sharing episodes with your friends and family. Stay up to date with everything going on at The Nature of Animals on our Instagram and Facebook pages https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/ https://www.facebook.com/thenatureofanimals    

In this episode of the Dogs of Our Lives podcast, Chrissy talks with Anja Zakelj, a certified canine massage therapist from Slovenia. Chrissy and Anja discuss how dog massage therapy can help with behavior issues and also deepen your connection with your dog. Anja talks about the benefits of canine massage, including pain relief, increased mobility, and deeper human-dog connections. Anja and Chrissy highlight the significance of addressing "silent pain" in dogs, which can manifest in behavior changes. Anja offers practical tips for starting dog massage, such as starting with gentle touch and paying attention to the dog's feedback. Anja's upcoming online course, which starts on November 11, aims to teach dog owners these techniques. Here is the link to the course: https://wigglebeat.com/beginners-course/ If you'd like a free manual about how to detect "silent pain" then you can download that here:https://wigglebeat.com/silent-pain/ As always we'd love to hear your feedback about this episode and any other previous episodes of the Dogs of Our Lives podcast, feel free to leave a review and comment as well as reaching out on our social networks The Nature of Animals.

In this week's episode, Chrissy chats with Dr Marc Bekoff about understanding your dog through the eyes of a field biologist and ethologist in which they discuss his extensive work on animal behavior and emotions. Marc emphasizes the importance of understanding the commitment required to care for a dog, likening it to having a child. He stresses the need for dog literacy and responsible guardianship, advocating for careful observation and understanding of individual dog behaviors. Marc and Chrissy also highlight the significance of accurate terminology in animal behavior studies, particularly regarding dominance and social hierarchies. Marc shares insights from his fieldwork and collaborations with Jane Goodall and other experts. As always I'd love to hear your thoughts about the episode and if any of the topics resonated with you.Leave a comment or join the conversation on my Instagram or Facebook page, The Nature of Animals. More about Marc: A professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Marc has published 31 books (or 41, depending on how you count multi-volume encyclopedias). He has won many awards for his research on animal behavior, animal emotions (cognitive ethology), compassionate conservation, and animal protection, has worked closely with Jane Goodall as co-chair of the ethics committee of the Jane Goodall Institute, and is a former Guggenheim Fellow. He also works closely with inmates at the Boulder County Jail.  In June 2022, Marc was recognized as a Hero by the Academy of Dog Trainers. His books include The Animals' Agenda: Freedom, Compassion, and Coexistence in the Human Age, Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do, Unleashing Your Dog: A Field Guide to Giving Your Canine Companion the Best Life Possible, and A Dog's World: Imagining the Lives of Dogs in a World Without Humans. Marc’s latest books are Dogs Demystified: An A to Z Guide to All Things Canine, the second edition of The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy―and Why They Matter, and Jane Goodall at 90: Celebrating an Astonishing Lifetime of Science, Advocacy, Humanitarianism, Hope, and Peace. He also publishes regularly for Psychology Today. His homepage is marcbekoff.com. Fun fact: In 1986 Marc won the Master’s Tour du Haut, aka the age-graded Tour de France.

In this episode, Chrissy talks with Dr Jennifer Fick, a veterinary orthopedic surgeon. They discuss Jennifer's personal and professional perspective on TPLO surgery for cruciate ligament injuries, and perhaps just as importantly, TPLO recovery for dogs like Charlotte (a german shepherd) who need mental stimulation. If you want better tools to aid in your dog's recovery from TPLO surgery, this FREE mini-guide is EXACTLY what you need:  https://www.theanimalnature.com/pl/2147656156 They also cover Jennifer's journey to becoming a mobile surgeon, her experiences with her dogs Charlotte and Elsie, and the challenges of dealing with canine hemangiosarcoma. Additionally, they address Proposition 129 in Colorado, which proposes the creation of mid-level veterinary practitioners, and the concerns about patient safety and veterinary standards. If you want to learn more about Prop 129, here are the details: https://www.avma.org/news/colorado-ballot-measure-calls-nonveterinarians-diagnose-do-surgery As always, if you'd like to stay in touch, please connect via Jenny's website: https://www.svvs.vet/ And of course, https://www.theanimalnature.com/ for all things positive reinforcement dog training and behavior with Chrissy, as well as the usual social channels: https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/https://www.facebook.com/thenatureofanimals Thanks for listening! 

In today's episode, Chrissy hosts Andrew Hale, a UK-based animal and canine behaviorist, to discuss the emotional and social aspects of dog behavior, and just as importantly, how that affects us as care givers. Trust me when I say you do not want to miss this episode if you are even slightly interested in behavior, for those listening with children, it's a must-listen! Andy shares his personal journey, including childhood trauma and its impact on his work. We emphasize the importance of understanding behavior from a deeper perspective, rather than just addressing symptoms. Andy advocates for a dog-centric approach, focusing on the dog's emotional experience and needs. He highlights the significance of secure attachment, processing, engagements, and exits. Hale also discusses the role of guilt and judgment in professional development and the need for compassion and resilience in the field of dog training. If you'd like to find out more, you can get in touch with Andy via his website: https://dogcc.org/ As always, don't forget to let us know your thoughts on this episode by leaving a comment, review or feedback on the website: https://www.theanimalnature.com/ or via my socials: https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/  

On today's episode, I speak with Jamie Flanagan, a dog trainer specializing in dogs that show aggressive and reactive behaviors and we're asking a very important question:Does Positive Reinforcement Really Work For Dogs Displaying Fearful and Reactive Behaviors? Jamie, who runs Training Wheels in Broomfield, Colorado, discusses her background, including her time at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley and her transition to dog training. She emphasizes the importance of positive reinforcement and the challenges of working with sensitive dogs. Jamie shares her personal experience with her own reactive dog, Riot, and the decision to euthanize him. She also highlights the need for patience in behavior modification and the importance of comforting fearful dogs without reinforcing fearful behaviors. If you'd like to get in touch with Jamie, please visit her website: https://www.trainingwheels.dog/ As always, we'd love to hear your feedback about today's episode so why not join the community on Instagram and Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/ https://www.facebook.com/thenatureofanimals Would you like to know about positive reinforcement training techniques? Head on over to my website: https://www.theanimalnature.com/  

In today's episode, I speak with Gigi Moss, a local legend in the Boulder Valley community, about navigating your dog's vision loss with resilience and compassion. Gigi had to adapt to her dog's eyesight loss which also impacted her training techniques. Gigi has been a dog trainer for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience, but helping her dog through vision loss was ironically eye-opening for her and her dog training methods, realising that teaching our dogs to be more resilient is essential. If you are going through a similar experience of change, then I encourage you to leave a comment and to get in touch with either me or Gigi https://gigimoss.com/ As always you can contact me via my website https://www.theanimalnature.com/ or join the community on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/  

Emily Tronetti, an expert in humane education, discusses the vital connection between compassion and the care of both humans and animals. She shares personal stories of how her pets helped her navigate depression and anxiety through their unique intuition and love. The conversation covers the incredible sensory abilities of dogs, including their knack for detecting changes in humans. Emily emphasizes the importance of empathy in our interactions with companion animals and the transformative power of humane education in fostering kinder communities.