Dogs appear onscreen in some of the most beloved films and TV shows of all time. But what happens behind the scenes to make the magic? When a dog barks or attacks a bad guy on camera, it looks totally natural, right? It isn’t. Dogs need intense training to learn how to “act” on camera. Today’s guests, Sarah Clifford, Lindsay Hill and Mary Cummings, take us through a dog actor’s day. Training involves long hours of work, repetition, and most of all, ingenuity on behalf of the trainer. We also hea...
Sep 13, 2022•27 min•Ep. 63
Huge wildfires are devastating in every way possible. Forests are burned down, and the wildlife that lives there does, too. Human lives are lost, and homes are, too. And for some, the tragedy is compounded by the need for quick escape. When you’re fleeing for your life you may not have time to pack a change of clothes and grab your important documents, let alone box up your most precious possessions. Fire survivors have much to mourn, but one of the most acute losses, many say, is leaving the cr...
Sep 06, 2022•36 min•Ep. 62
We’ve all heard that dogs are colorblind, and that they wag their tails because they are happy. Those are facts! Aren’t they? On today’s show, Jim and Clare turn to some special veterinarians to find out if the “facts” we think we know are actually true. Spoiler: they’re not! Dr. Ernie Ward and Dr. Brittany Genus bust these two common myths wide open. They explain how they came to be, what the research has proven, and how common misinformation like this can impact your dog’s life. About Dr. Erni...
Aug 23, 2022•25 min•Ep. 61
Dementia is a terrible disease. The mental decline of our loved ones is heartbreaking, and the effects are profound. This condition can’t be cured, but medication and therapy can help. And what better therapy is there than the unconditional love of a dog? In today’s episode, we join Layla, a Jack Russell who visits dementia patients in a Canadian senior center. She helps those afflicted by spreading love and joy in a way only dogs can. We also get into the science and research behind why dogs ar...
Aug 09, 2022•28 min•Ep. 60
Not every guide dog in training graduates. What happens to the ones that don’t make the cut? Host Clare Mansell met one of these “career change” dogs and is happy to report that he is doing just fine as an animal ambassador, a position that is becoming more common as hotels offer comfort and accommodations to pet family members. Stewart, a Labrador retriever, had spent four years in training with Canadian Guide Dogs For The Blind before realizing he wasn’t meant to be a guide dog. After a brief ...
Jul 26, 2022•25 min•Ep. 59
Looking for some joy amid a global pandemic, Stephanie Nelson adopted tiny Juniper. It seemed like a perfect match, a wonderful addition to the family. But very quickly they realized the painful truth: Junipers needed more than their family could provide. Most dog lovers are afraid to share their rescues fails, fearing judgement and alienation. Some think it’s better to just power through: keep the dog and hope it will end well. But the opposite is often true. Returning the dog is desperately ha...
Jul 12, 2022•31 min•Ep. 58
The story on today’s show was brought to you by one a winner of our 101 Dog Stories Contest. In “Gobi the Desert Dog: From China to Scotland,” Saskia Edward takes us to the Gobi Desert and introduces us to a superhuman athlete and his surprising running companion. Dion Leonard, ultra-marathoner, thought he was running a race … but then a stray dog joined him. Dion couldn’t shake his new companion, so he named her Gobi. By the finish line, they had fallen firmly in love … and then tragedy struck....
Jun 28, 2022•30 min•Ep. 57
We all know dog noses are a superpower. With them, they sniff out all kinds of treasures; from delicious truffles nestled underground to human feces leaking into protected waters. Dogs' sense of smell is trumped only by bears, elephants, and cats. Come explore the many ways dogs put their spectacular sniffers to use. Truffles are a delicacy prized by chefs and foodies around the world, but these finicky fungi are hard to find. It helps to have a family of Lagotto Romagnolo, or truffle hunting do...
Jun 14, 2022•28 min•Ep. 56
On February 24th of this year, Russia invaded Ukraine. The United Nations swiftly predicted the war would create the worst refugee crisis in Europe since WWII, and they were proven correct. Millions of people have been displaced, and among them are pet owners faced with a horrific dilemma: what to do with their animals? Bring them along on an uncertain journey? Leave them behind? Many didn’t have a choice. Photos from border crossings around Ukraine show many brought their dogs with them. But th...
May 31, 2022•30 min•Ep. 55
On today’s show, we travel through the heart of Europe, crossing borders and winning hearts. This extraordinary narrative podcast segment is the first winner of our 101 Dog Stories Contest. Crossing international borders with your dog has always been complicated. But after Brexit, travel between the United Kingdom and the European Union became much more difficult. We explore some of those changes, including the difference between pet passports and animal health certificates. Our hosts also share...
May 17, 2022•32 min•Ep. 54
It’s been said dogs are the ultimate healers. On today’s show, we look at some of the many ways they have helped humans … from the silly to the sublime. In our main story, we hear from Ward Serrill, a corporate businessman who found himself drawn to the Alaskan wilderness. He abandoned his suit and tie for hiking boots and a lab retriever named Woody. Woody’s love and companionship helped Ward look inwards, confront old trauma, and re-learn how to love. To hear the full interview with Ward Serri...
May 03, 2022•26 min•Ep. 53
Loki the Wolf Dog has over 1.9 million social media followers, and after you "listen" to our audio postcard of his Instagram feed https://www.instagram.com/loki/ you will understand why. Escape with Loki and his dad, Kelly Lund, as they canoe across an alpine lake, set their dreams alight in a campfire, and chase jackrabbits. We also welcome our new Dog Edition co-host Clare Mansell, located in Ottawa, Canada, and soon to return home to London, England … but not until her retriever Maple gets to...
Apr 19, 2022•28 min•Ep. 52
The world around us is constantly changing, and not always for the better. It is undeniable that humans have a stressful impact on wildlife. But the good news is, there are conservation pups working hard to save our environment, one species at a time. Today we speak with Heather Reich, a Game Biologist with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, and she shares with us how her Karelian bear dogs are chasing black bears in order to protect them. Black bears in the Sierra Nevada Mountains often make th...
Mar 15, 2022•30 min•Ep. 51
If you live in North America, you probably know someone with a dog from Texas- they show up in shelters and rescues in all corners of the continent. It’s always heart-warming when a dog finds their forever home, but with this constant influx of Texas dogs, we got to wondering, what exactly is going on over there? The Houston area has an ever-expanding issue with their dog population; even with the tireless efforts of organizations that transport dogs to other parts of the US and Canada, there ar...
Mar 01, 2022•27 min•Ep. 50
Imagine adopting a squishy-faced little puppy, falling in love and having a magical six-weeks together … and then realizing it’s not going to work out and having to give her back to the animal rescue. Like, right away. Tomorrow. Can you? Stephanie Nelson had to do it. She adopted tiny little Juniper, a darling little girl with a white diamond on the back of her neck … and found out that her needs were just too much for their family to meet. On today’s show, Nelson joins us to tell her heartbreak...
Feb 15, 2022•33 min•Ep. 49
You know your dog understands A LOT of what you’re saying. But what if they had a way to respond to you using words? On this episode of Dog Edition, we are taking a look at the “talking” buttons that are being used to assist and enhance peoples’ communication with their dogs! This trend took the internet by storm in 2019, and has made many of us rethink our preconceived notions about the limitations on our ability to understand our dogs’ internal worlds. We will be hearing some amazing stories o...
Feb 01, 2022•30 min•Ep. 48
Who didn’t love Betty White? No one, that’s who. We all loved Betty White. In this special episode, we remember the legendary entertainer with two special guests who have experienced her loyalty, kindness, and lovingness first-hand. Betty White Probably Wouldn’t Mind Our Comparing Her to a Really Good Dog If you’ve been alive for the last 60+ years, you’ve probably been entertained by Betty White. She was one of the hardest-working folks in show business, star of stage, both big and little scree...
Jan 18, 2022•34 min•Ep. 47
For centuries dogs have been regarded as (hu)man’s best friend; but for many of us, sharing our lives with dogs is more than a preferred lifestyle. You may have felt it before– the sense that your dog has a massively positive impact on your overall well-being. Well, you’re not alone! There is a reason why dogs are used professionally in a therapeutic setting. Dogs are natural-born healers, capable of providing the most primal form of comfort, and helping people process trauma. If you look closel...
Jan 04, 2022•32 min•Ep. 46
Dogs have been painted, sculpted, photographed and made into memes and art depicting our furry best friends are celebrated on screens big and small and given pride of place in galleries, museums and homes. So what is behind this fascination that humans have with immortalizing dogs in art? Why do we immortalize dogs in art? The earliest depictions of dogs are believed to be 9,000 years ago carved into a cliff in what is now Saudi Arabia. Through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance to the modern day,...
Dec 28, 2021•26 min•Ep. 45
It is the last step after a long, protracted unhappy few months. Everything collected as a couple over a lifetime is divided up as one becomes two and they go their separate ways. But what about the dog? How is that going to work and how do you keep the dog’s best interest a priority? Who gets the dog if we split? At a time when dog ownership is growing and the way people see dogs in a family setting is getting more complex, so too is the need to consider dogs during divorce. Legal disputes are ...
Dec 14, 2021•19 min•Ep. 44
Wondering what to get the dog lover – or their dog – in your life? Our Holiday Hounds sniffed out everything pawsome for dogs and dog lovers this year. Tune in for a very special episode with James Jacobson and his wife, Molly, as they present 2021’s Best Gifts for Dogs. Watch the YouTube version of this video here: https://youtu.be/EUScxO5niPI What Are the Best Gifts for Dogs This Year? Enter to win the giveaway for ALL the best dog gifts featured in today’s episode here: https://www.dogpodcast...
Nov 30, 2021•34 min•Ep. 43
Did you know, a dog could detect a teaspoon of sugar in a million gallons of water – that’s two Olympic-size swimming pools! With that kind of superpower, it is no wonder we rely on them to keep us safe every day in ways you may not even realise. Why is your dog’s nose a superpower? With up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, compared to about six million in humans and a sense of smell that is about 100,000 times more sensitive than us, there is no doubt a dog’s nose is a superpow...
Nov 18, 2021•23 min•Ep. 42
No-one wants to think about it, but if you die unexpectedly, have you planned what will happen to your dog? Many people assume friends or family will take it in, but unless you have explicitly had that conversation, your wishes may not be granted. What happens to your dog if you die? Leona Helmsley, the billionaire hotel magnate knew exactly what she wanted for her Maltese Trouble when she shuffled off. She bequeathed millions of dollars to care for her beloved pooch to ensure her ‘Princess’ was...
Nov 02, 2021•24 min•Ep. 41
If you love dogs as much as we do, paws what you’re doing, leash up your pup, and let’s take a walk together with Dog Edition. Every episode, we'll bring you stories about history, science and politics...true crime, pop culture, and current events, with dogs at the heart of them all. We'll speak with thought leaders, newsmakers, and even some celebrities, telling the tales that inspire, intrigue, and make you want to take another lap around the block to hear more! Learn more about your ad choice...
Oct 26, 2021•3 min
The popularity of pet cloning has grown in recent years, as the technology becomes more accessible and cost comes down, but the practice remains ethically controversial and many who chose to clone, can face a backlash. Would you clone your dog? Cloning was once reserved for livestock, but it’s popularity and accessibility has grown among dog and cat owners. But the practice remains controversial, and some say unethical. When Dolly the Sheep was cloned in 1996, she became the first mammal to be c...
Oct 19, 2021•28 min•Ep. 40
The deep fake videos where humans are celebrated for saving dogs lives, and the true real-life story where dogs are credited with saving a man’s life. The rise of fake animal rescue videos Fake animal rescue videos are on the rise and they are getting more sophisticated. The latest effort from Australia, showed up on TikTok and it had millions of people fooled. So, what did the experts find to debunk it as fake and what is being done more broadly to stamp out this awful practice? TikTok deletes ...
Oct 12, 2021•26 min•Ep. 39
The love of a dog and the love for a dog. Both are explored in very different ways in this episode, first by a group of scientists, then by a teenage entrepreneur. Does my dog love me? Let’s just say, the answer isn’t straight forward. Research out of Austria has pondered this very question, and further, does my dog love food more than me? And while the answer is ‘sort of’, a deep analysis of a dog’s cognitive abilities reveals it still needs you — perhaps even as much as you need it. Does my do...
Oct 05, 2021•25 min•Ep. 38
The GREEN screen in TV land that has helped make one pooch a global sensation and the blind deaf PINK puppy inspiring children and adults to have a positive mindset. Pet detective pilot, finding pets from above It is the high-tech solution to tracking lost dogs. One former police officer and licensed pilot in central England is using his drone to find pooches that go missing, and so far, he has had quite the success in reuniting dogs with their owners. Could this be the pet detective of the futu...
Sep 28, 2021•20 min•Ep. 37
Whether it is an unusual friendship between a bird and a dog, or a rescue family of pups reunited a long way away from where they were separated, today’s episode is all about animal relationships and family bonds. Interspecies friendship: Molly and Peggy It’s the adorable story of an adopted rescue English Staffy and an abandoned magpie who have become the unlikeliest of friends. Peggy and Molly are inseparable. They play together, snuggle together and even sunbake together. Peggy and Molly's In...
Sep 21, 2021•31 min•Ep. 36
How do dogs know if a human is trying to deceive them and how do they react? Also, behind the scenes of a tearjerker of a dog movie, The Art of Racing in the Rain. Can your dog tell if you lie to them? Dogs as lie detectors – who’d have thought it? Humans and dogs may have different genetics, but they may be more similar than we think in how they perceive deception. A recent study shows dogs, unlike children, will literally ignore people who are lying. And that means there is no fooling our four...
Sep 14, 2021•26 min•Ep. 35
