Believe in Dog

No Dog Left Behind. What really happens to military K9s when they retire?

If you’re playing a drinking game along with this episode, “shocked” is the word of the day.  I was utterly shocked learning about the institutionalized lack of accountability in caring for the retired military and contract working dogs that protect the U.S.
Many of us weren’t aware that this was a problem until the outcry of animal advocates after the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 where contract working dogs were left behind.  In fact, it wasn’t until 2016 that a law was passed stating that the U.S. military had to bring their retired dogs stateside – but Bob tells us about the loopholes that muddy the waters on this. (Researching more about this topic led me to the shameful history of the U.S. military’s abandonment of 5,000+ dogs during the Vietnam War.)
Fortunately, there’s people like Bob Bryant and Mission K9 in the world who are doing something about it. From arranging transport from the far corners of the world to rehabbing the dogs’ physical and psychological wounds to finding appropriate adopters, Mission K9 keeps these commitments to each dog they rescue.
Watch this video from the 2017 Petco Helping Heroes Award to learn more about Mission K9.
In this season of giving, I hope you’ll consider supporting organizations like Mission K9 or animal welfare organizations in your community.
 
Find links, show notes and photos of rescued K9s at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode84
Join Erin the Dog Mom’s email list at:https://www.erinthedogmom.com/
 
 

Everything You Should Know About Your Dog’s Vision with Cathy Symons, CVT, CCRP

Can dogs see colors?  How does your dog’s breed affect their vision?  What changes in your dog’s behavior could indicate they are losing their vision?Cathy Symons, CVT, CCRP, answers all these questions and more for us. Cathy’s pug Booda, aka The Emperor, was a bold and adventurous dog who loved his agility class and lived life to the fullest.  Until the day he didn’t, and Cathy realized that Booda had gone blind due to a condition known as SARDS (Sudden Acute Retinal Degeneration Syndrome) that is known to affect small breed dogs. Pulling herself together after this diagnosis, Cathy threw herself into creating a safe environment for Booda as he regained his confidence and learned to thrive in his new world. Cathy wrote the book Blind Devotion to share with Pet Parents dealing with their dog’s vision loss everything that she wishes she had known. Cathy is also the author of the children’s book Watching Out for Digger, named after her second blind pug.In her day job, Cathy works as a Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner, and she shares with us what Pet Parents should know about this field and the most common physical conditions and healing modalities she works with.You can hear Cathy and her Canine Rehab partner Chris on the PetAbility Podcast where they share their decades of knowledge with us so we can keep our pets’ best quality of life for as long as possible.
 
Don’t miss the fun of Black Furday from November 25 – December 1.  Register here: https://www.blackfurday.info
 
Find Links & Show Notes at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode83
 
Teef: The easiest way to improve your dog’s dental health is with a spoonful of Teef powder in their water.  Save 20% on your Teef orders when you use the code: ADM
 
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How a Vet Tech Was Converted from Kibble to Feed Real with Kay Stewart

Have you ever had one of those experiences that seemed like it was the worst thing that ever happened to you but then it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to you?
 
Kay Stewart was shocked when her position of 32 years was abruptly eliminated.  But this career loss helped Kay realize how out of alignment she had become with her childhood goal of helping animals.  When she stumbled onto a job listing posted by Ruby, Founder of Real Dog Box, Kay began to find her true passion.
 
Hired to create a course for the Feed Real Institute, Kay experienced a paradigm shift learning about what a true species-appropriate diet for dogs looked like.  And it wasn’t a bag of Kibble (used here in the generic sense to describe any dry dog food pellets). Kay & I discuss the history of Kibble and why it’s so bad for our dogs . . . even the “Good Kibble.”
 
We dive into the veterinary profession’s problems with fresh feeding – and why the Feed Real courses put these concerns to rest once and for all.  But what do veterinarians think about that?  Kay shares the reception of Feed Real’s RACE (continuing education)-approved course from both holistic and conventional veterinarians.
 
So what should our dogs be eating?  Kay shares the Feed Real approach to fresh feeding.  And some curious facts about chickens too.
 
Find Links & Show Notes at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode82
 
Dr. Ruth’s Holistic Shop: Save 10% on your orders from Dr. Ruth’s Holistic Shop featuring 400+ high quality supplements - including some of your favorite brands! - curated by Holistic Vet Dr. Ruth Roberts with the code: ERINTHEDOGMOM (aff. link)
 
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Everything You Need to Know About Therapy Dogs with Sherrie Rohde

Have you ever wondered if your dog could be a Therapy Dog?  Are you & your dog ready to be a therapy team?  Where do you even start?
 
After working in tech for many years, Sherrie Rohde decided to make a career change and become a therapist. And when she learned (through Instagram!) about animal-assisted therapy work, Sherrie became excited about the idea of incorporating dogs into her new career.
 
When Sherrie adopted her dog Sunny, they started training courses right away.  Sherrie became more determined than ever that Sunny would be great therapy dog partner.
 
But what did Sunny think?  From eating her obedience certificate to needing more practice on her therapy dog skills, Sherrie realizes that Sunny’s imperfect journey has been a great lesson to them both.
 
Through her Therapy Dog Talk Podcast and online course for therapy dog teams, Sherrie is an incredible resource for anyone interested in learning more about therapy dog work.
 
Exciting news! The Believe in Dog Podcast is featured in Women Who Podcast Magazine and we’re celebrating the 4th anniversary of Believe in Dog!
 
Find Links & Show Notes at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode81
 
Teef: The easiest way to improve your dog’s dental health is with a spoonful of Teef powder in their water.  Save 20% on your Teef orders when you use the code: ADM
 
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Can Dogs Be Neurodiverse? How Sharon Vincuilla Helps Dogs Who Experience the World Differently

Have you ever been around a dog who doesn’t “dog” like other dogs?  Maybe you’ve experienced a dog who is reactive or has separation anxiety or a noise-phobia?
 
Sharon Vincuilla and I explore how dogs (and people!) can experience the world differently and how neurodiversity shows up in a dog’s behavior.  And Sharon has experienced this first-hand with her dog, Muggins!
 
Sharon found that life with Muggins was even triggering her own trauma.  Seemingly ordinary life events like walking the dog or having a friend stop by her house would turn into stressful ordeals with Muggins.
 
Leaning on her work as both a dog trainer and an Occupational Therapist, Sharon shares with us the strategies she developed that allow both her and Muggins to thrive.  And she teaches us strategies we can incorporate into our lives with our dogs who might “dog” a little differently.
 
Find Links & Show Notes at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode80
 
Teef: The easiest way to improve your dog’s dental health is with a spoonful of Teef powder in their water.  Save 20% on your Teef orders when you use the code: ADM
 
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How Therapy Dog Lil’ Leo Inspired a Global Humane Education Movement with Parnita Senjit

Panita Senjit grew up in India where she learned to be terrified of dogs.  So you might be wondering how she’s become the award-winning author of a children’s book series based on her therapy dog, Lil’ Leo.  And the answer is: her son really wanted a dog.
 
When living in Austin, Texas, Panita was introduced to Therapy Dog work and realized their family dog, Leo had the perfect temperament for being a therapy dog.  Panita was quickly drawn to the impact of therapy dog work with children.
 
After moving back to the UK, Parnita and Leo passed another Therapy Dog assessment – so he’s a therapy dog in two countries!
 
During COVID-19, Parnita was inspired to write children’s books based on Leo’s adventures.  With 3 books currently published, Parnita shares with us why she’s so focused on having the books translated into many different languages – to spread a message of kindness globally.
 
Teef: The easiest way to improve your dog’s dental health is with a spoonful of Teef powder in their water.  Save 20% on your Teef orders when you use the code: ADM.
 
Find Links and Show Notes at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode79
 
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Healing from Pet Loss Grief with Erica Messer of Wolfie’s Wish

Has your life been impacted by the loss of a pet?  Erica Messer and her husband adopted Wolfgang, a sickly kitten found in a barn during the height of COVID quarantine in 2020.  But when a tragic accident ended Wolfie’s life the following year, it completely changed the direction of Erica’s life.
Now the Founder of Wolfie’s Wish, Erica created the product she was looking for on her grief journey but couldn’t find.  Wolfie’s Wish Grieving Cards are affirmation-style cards that help you incorporate healing practices into your day.
I’m so grateful to Erica for sharing her grief journey with us and the coping skills and tools she learned along the way.  Erica also holds space for me as I share about the unexpected loss of Penny in January 2023. We also discuss that the struggle that many of us feel to not show our emotions when we’re not ok. Erica & I believe: It’s ok not be ok.
You can get Erica’s template for writing a love letter to your pet at www.wolfieswish.com. 
 
Teef: The easiest way to improve your dog’s dental health is with a spoonful of Teef powder in their water.  Save 20% on your Teef orders when you use the code: ADM.
 
Find Links and Show Notes at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode78
 
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Rescue is a Full-Time Job: Rescue Roundtable Part 2

What do burnout, self-care and boundaries have to do with rescue? Everything! We’ll learn the emotional toll that rescue has taken on our Roundtable participants.  This conversation gets incredibly vulnerable and I commend the courage that it took to share this with the world.
Our Rescue Roundtable also explores ideas for creating a more sustainable organization and what they would differently in the future.
We start off picking up where we left off last week and jump right into those Home Visits.  While some people may think these are borderline invasive, our Rescuers spill the tea on the real reasons that they’ve turned down potential adopters after a home visit.  And it’s nothing to do with those dust bunnies behind the tv!
We also discuss how rescues choose the dogs that they take into their organization. I had a lot of questions about this because I’ve seen so much smack talk on social media about this over the years.  I was surprised to learn how much thought goes into creating the right balance of adoptable dogs!
And also, what do rescues do with difficult dogs that they don’t think they can safely place in a home?
I’m so grateful to our Rescue Roundtable: Nichol O'Marr (foster for Pitties & Purrs Rescue), Melissa Trotman (founder of Bella’s Bully Buddies which adopted out 1,000+ dogs from 2012 – 2019) and Jen Carle (currently Director of Operations for Tara’s House Animal Rescue).
 
If you like this episode, you won’t want to miss Episode 60 and Episode 75!
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode77
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The Rescue Underground: Rescue Roundtable Part 1

Dogs, drama and death threats…oh my!
On this Roundtable, we’ll hear from 3 women in Baltimore’s animal rescue community who have collectively impacted the lives of countless dogs.
I brought these guests together so we could dive into topics such as who determines Adoption Requirements & Procedures and how rescues can set up their Foster Families for success.
But while I’ve been around the animal welfare world since 2008, there was still a lot that I didn’t know – especially about the “dark side” of rescue and even dogs in “witness protection.”  Some of it was quite shocking!
In fact, while we were recording the Roundtable, Nichol was getting text message updates about a dog situation that had been unfolding since 3 AM – and this is emotional to hear.
So we dig into the tough topics as well: guilt, social media drama and why can’t the rescues just all get along?
Special thanks to: Nichol O’Marr (foster for Pitties & Purrs Rescue), Melissa Trotman (founder of Bella’s Bully Buddies which found homes for 1,000+ dogs from 2012 – 2019) and Jen Carle (currently Director of Operations for Tara’s House Animal Rescue).
 
If you like this episode, you won’t want to miss Episode 60 and Episode 75!
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode76
 
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Where Do All the Shelter Dogs Come From? With Cara Achterberg

This might be the most important conversation I’ve ever had on the Believe in Dog Podcast.
Have you ever wondered why there’s a seemingly endless stream of homeless pets in need at shelters and rescues across the USA? 
As a writer, Cara Sue Achterberg began documenting her family’s experiences fostering dogs for a local rescue and wrote the book Another Good Dog - One Family and 50 Foster Dogs.
Cara shares with us her dog fostering wisdom learned from now more than 150+ dogs who have spent time in her home.  You may also be surprised to learn that fostering dogs brought Cara’s children and family closer than ever – even through their teen years!
But Cara did wonder – where were all these dogs coming from? The answer was mostly the Southeastern USA.  So when she embarked on a book tour she decided to also make it a shelter tour so she could see firsthand where the dogs were coming from.
And this decision changed her life.
Cara will share with us what she’s learned from visiting 120+ animal shelters in 12 states over the past several years.  We’ll hear the 3 factors that lead to animal shelters successfully saving lives.  And about the unsung heroes who persevere through unimaginable obstacles to give dogs a chance.
Cara created the organization Who Will Let The Dogs Out to support the shelters and rescues lacking budgets, resources and often a staff.  Who Will Let The Dogs Out is bringing awareness and resources to homeless dogs and the heroes who fight for them.
Trigger Warning: The topic of animal euthanization is a theme of this episode. Please take care while listening.
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode75
 
The easiest way to improve your dog’s dental health is with a spoonful of Teef powder in their water.  Save 20% on your Teef orders when you use the code: ADM
https://www.teefhealth.com/?aff=58
 
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