Believe in Dog

Physical Therapy & Fitness with Your Dog: Best Practices for Pet Parents (and so much more!) with Steph Evans

Steph Evans is a Physiotherapist (UK term for Physical Therapist) for both people and animals.  She shares with us everything we should know to not only rehab our dogs after an injury – but also how to prevent injuries in the first place with Prehab.  We’ll also learn signs of pain to look for in our dogs and thoughts about how to choose a harness versus a collar for your dog.
 
Steph is also the creator of the Ultimutt Bootcamp for Pet Parents and their pups to exercise together.  Not only is this a great way to keep our bodies moving but it’s an amazing way to bond with our dogs! With her background in Physiotherapy, Steph is able to tailor exercises for each Pet Parent and their dog based on their limitations.
 
There’s so much more to my conversation with Steph though. After wanting a dog her whole life, 3 years ago Steph finally became a Dog Mom to Teddy the Golden Retriever – who has NOT been an easy dog. Steph is incredibly honest about her struggles with Teddy and all that she’s learned along the way. From how to select a dog trainer to motivating a dog who’s not interested in food, Steph shares invaluable insights.
Steph is so much fun to listen to and you can’t help but laugh at her adventures chasing Teddy through a sheep field in Wales, hoping he’s ok when he jumped off that cliff and becoming the Pied Piper of all the dogs in her neighborhood – except Teddy! – as she tried to lure him with a roast chicken.
 
Thank you for listening to the Believe in Dog Podcast and making 2022 our best year yet!
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode61
Episode Sponsored By:
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Everything You Need to Know About Rescue with Susan Shahoda of Westside German Shepherd Rescue

Susan Shahoda is a lifelong dog lover who has devoted much of the past 15 years to volunteering with Westside German Shepherd Rescue in Los Angeles, CA.  But don’t let the name fool you –  Westside rescues dogs of all shapes & sizes and adopts to families throughout the continental U.S. and Canada. In fact, Westside is celebrating 20 years and 20,000 dogs finding loving homes!
 
What should potential adopters look for in a rescue organization? Why are those adoption applications so long? How do rescues determine which dogs get chosen?  And what do rescues really think about people who can’t keep their dogs anymore? Susan gives us a true behind-the-scenes view of running a rescue organization. 
 
Susan also shares her thoughts on the unsung heroes of the animal welfare community, the surprising benefit of the Nextdoor App, the best & the hardest parts of rescue and what keeps her going even in the tough times.
 
We’ll also learn how Susan’s life has been touched by Laurel, a special needs German Shepherd Dog who suffers from permanent neurological damage after contracting Canine Distemper virus.
                                
In the season of giving, your generosity is appreciated by organizations like Westside German Shepherd Rescue and your local animal shelter and rescue groups.
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode60
 
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Dog Days: Andrew Cotter’s Life During Lockdown with the Internet’s Most Famous Labradors

Andrew Cotter is a lifelong dog lover and sports lover. You may recognize his name or voice from his career as a sports broadcaster where he's announced everything from Wimbledon to the Olympics.  But since COVID-19, Andrew is better known as the Dog Dad to the internet’s most famous Labradors, Olive and Mabel.
You might imagine that when your career is a sports broadcaster and suddenly there’s a global pandemic and all sporting events are cancelled, that life may suddenly look different overnight.  So the first Olive & Mabel video started as a joke for Andrew to poke fun at his situation – a play-by-play video of his dogs eating breakfast.  And the world LOVED it and suddenly Olive & Mabel were going viral with millions of views, likes and re-tweets by celebrities. So Andrew kept making videos and kept going viral.
Andrew shares with us behind-the-scenes of making his favorite videos and the challenges of setting your expectations for non-professionally trained dogs to perform on command. And while Andrew just thought he was making some silly dog videos, the feedback he received from people all over the world who found moments of happiness from Olive & Mabel during COVID times was truly meaningful.
Andrew and I also talk about navigating fame, Hollywood and influencer opportunities as introvert in your 40s.  Spoiler Alert: You won’t be seeing Olive and Mabel in any dog food commercials. 
Andrew is the author of the hilarious and heartfelt books Olive, Mabel & Me and Dog Days: Life in Lockdown with Olive and Mabel.
You’ll also get to hear Andrew’s play-by-play of Olive and Mabel’s antics during our interview.
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode59

Forever Home: How Danny & Ron Created a Haven for Rescued Dogs – and Each Other

I first started following Danny & Ron’s Rescue back in 2018 when I saw the documentary about them called Life in the Doghouse. So it was a complete joy to have the opportunity to speak with them about their new book Forever Home: How We Turned Our House into a Haven for Abandoned, Abused and Misunderstood Dogs - and Each Other.
Forever Home is such an honest and vulnerable share of the ups & downs that Danny and Ron have experienced - in life and in rescue.
I think so many Pet Parents will find a piece of themselves in Danny & Ron’s story as it’s a universal experience for our dogs to help us through everything from illnesses to grief.
Of course it’s not as universal of an experience to have 100+ dogs living in your house at any given time! After rescuing more than 600 dogs from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Danny & Ron formalized their long-standing rescue efforts into an official organization and have now gone on to find loving home for 14,000+ dogs.
But unlike many rescues which rely on foster homes or kennels to house adoptable dogs, Danny & Ron are unique in that all the dogs in their rescue live with them in their home.
From how they gain the trust of the most traumatized dogs to finding the best homes for their dogs, we learn what it means to be a Danny & Ron’s Dog. Danny & Ron share about the hardest part of running a rescue, how their lives changed after the documentary and all about the famous singer who has become a personal friend of theirs after learning about the amazing work of Danny & Ron’s Rescue. From Ukraine to Australia to Aruba, Danny & Ron also tell us about the people, causes and organizations around the world that they help support.
I can’t help but think that the world would be a better place if we had more Dannys and Rons in it.
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode58

How Billy Hoekman Became THE Dog Nutrition Guru

You might be surprised to learn that Billy Hoekman grew up without pets while eating take-out and fast food. Because today Billy is known for being THE Dog Nutrition Guru.
Billy’s life changed forever when an adorable pug named Lua caused Billy to ask the question: What’s the best thing for my dog to eat?  And he’s been obsessed with answering that question for the past 15+ years. 
As the Vice President of Nutrition and Communication for Green Juju, Billy is involved in formulation, product development, working with farmers, sales & marketing – and more.   So you might be surprised to learn that he worked for free for 2 years to get his foot in the door of the pet food industry.
Billy and I also talk about misconceptions about the Amish, the #1 thing he wants Pet Parents to know about feeding their pets, and the special relationship he had with his friend and mentor, Jacqueline Hill (who recently passed away).
We’re also celebrating the 3rd anniversary of the Believe in Dog Podcast!
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode57

Science vs. Woo-Woo with Animal Communicator Lisa Tully

Lisa Tully has a passion for healing pets and Pet Parents – physically, mentally and emotionally.
 
When you hear that Lisa is an Animal Communicator, you might be surprised to learn that she has a degree in Science and used to work for a pharmaceutical company.  But I believe that science and “woo-woo” aren’t mutually exclusive.
 
From Ireland to a wildlife sanctuary in the Amazon rainforest to living amongst the Tibetan monks in the Dalai Lama’s community, Lisa shares her world travels with us and the incredible experiences she’s had along the way.
 
We’ll hear how Lisa first learned she could communicate with animals, the most common reasons Pet Parents contact her and what she says when people don’t believe in her work.  
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode56

MUTTS: A Celebration of Mystery Mixed Breeds with Olivia Grey Pritchard

A lifelong mutts-lover, Olivia uses her talent and passion to highlight the beauty of non-pedigreed dogs with her new book MUTTS: A Celebration of Mystery Mixed Breeds.
MUTTS is a big, beautiful coffee table-style book filled with portraits capturing the heart & soul of more than 100 beloved rescue mutts. Each photograph is accompanied by the dog’s name, best guess of breed mix and a fun or interesting trait about them. (One of my favorites is Elvis the Chihuahua/Basenji mix who passionately dislikes UPS and FedEx trucks.)
Olivia shares with us about the mutts, past and present, who’ve made an impact on her life. She also shares how she was introduced to photography and how passionately she feels about creating a visual legacy for the families she works with.  
We learn how Olivia was inspired to create a book for mutts, the logistics of finding and photographing 100+ dogs in just a few weeks and some of the special mutts and their people from the book.
Proceeds from MUTTS helps Louisiana-based animal shelters and rescue organizations.
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode55
 
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Choosing the Best Dog Breed for Your Family with the Hands2Paws App featuring Elizabeth Menegon

Elizabeth Menegon is a lifelong dog lover who saw a problem in the world and decided to do something about it.
While Elizabeth spent a lot of time thinking about what dog breed would be a good match for her lifestyle, she would often look around the world and see many families whose dogs didn’t seem to be the best fit for their life.
After the COVID-19 quarantine happened, Elizabeth left her career in the hospitality industry and started Sugar Skinn, a boutique skin care company from her couch in 2 days. 
With the success of Sugar Skinn, Elizabeth decided to create a free app so all families and potential Pet Parents could be guided through questions to help them find the best dog breed to match their family’s lifestyle.
Elizabeth wants the Hands2Paws app to help disrupt puppy mills and backyard dog breeders while preventing dogs from entering the shelters.
You can download the Hands2Paws app for free on Apple and Android.
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode54

How a Dog Afraid of Everything Taught Meredith May to Be Brave

Meredith couldn’t wait to add Edie, the Golden Retriever puppy to her family. She knew it would be just like raising her first two dogs. 
She was wrong.
From the first puppy class to trying to take a walk around the block – nothing about Edie was easy.  Edie was anxious and terrified of the world around her. And that was not what Meredith expected.  So now what was she going to do about it?
I can’t wait for you to hear from Meredith May, author of Loving Edie: How a Dog Afraid of Everything Taught Me to Be Brave.
Both the book and my conversation with Meredith are honest admissions about the mistakes made along the way but ultimately about how the love of a dog can change the way we see the world and ourselves.
(And yes, the dog lives and there’s a happy ending!)
 
Find Links, Show Notes & Photos at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode53

Preventing Dog Fights Inside & Outside the Home: Dog Mom Roundtable, Part 2

Today we’re continuing our discussion from last week so make sure you’ve listened to Episode 51, as we jump right back into the conversation.
In Part 2, we start with a discussion of how to resolve the difficult emotions that can arise when you’ve experienced a dog fight situation in your home.  Everyone vulnerably shares their experiences and how they were able to move forward.
But how do you prevent these situations in the first place?  How should you go about introducing a new dog to your home? Do dogs need to be best friends from day one? 
We answer all these questions and give all the Do’s and Don’ts to help pet parents confidently integrate a new dog into their pack in a slow & steady manner.
What about when you’re outside your home and get approached by a loose dog?  Or at a beach or dog park?  How can you be prepared?
You’ll hear how our Dog Moms prepare themselves for any unexpected loose dog – or other wildlife! – situations that may arise outside the home.  
Trigger Warning: This can be an emotional topic to hear discussed so please take care while listening. Experiences with behavioral euthanasia are discussed. Please note that some of the methods mentioned for stopping a dog fight are only to be used in extreme situations where the life of a dog is in danger.
Find links, Show Notes & Photos of Di's Batman Utility Belt at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode52