Fashion designer Scott Sternberg is best known for his successful brand Band of Outsiders, which he founded and ran for over a decade. While he had success in that space, he felt he needed more in his personal life. Enter Zod, aka General Zod, who helped him to find a better work/life balance, get outside and slow down on their walks, and even connect with the neighbors in his community (Scott deems Zod to be the "Mayor of Silver Lake"). For more information about the episode, guest, and feature...
May 24, 2022•18 min•Ep. 128
Kristin Ann Jones was going through a rough stretch – she was forced to retire early from a job she loved, she lost her mother, and her daughter developed health issues. But when the world was feeling overwhelming and she just wanted to avoid everything and everybody, her dog Archer was able to get her outside of her head and into the beautiful nature around them in the Pacific Northwest. He also got her to focus her attention on others, spending many hours as a therapy team together, and instil...
May 10, 2022•14 min•Ep. 127
Paola Hernández is a fashion designer based in New York, born and raised in Mexico City. Growing up, she did have dogs, but they were viewed separately from the main family. However, when she met her now-husband and saw the close bond that he shared with his dog, Dusty, her perspective started to shift. Through her own dog, Pancho, she has come to truly understand how much the presence of dogs in our lives can impact us creatively, maternally, and as a collective family. For more information abo...
Apr 26, 2022•14 min•Ep. 126
Meredith May is a book author and former longtime journalist at the San Francisco Chronicle, where she was shortlisted for Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book, Loving Edie, details her experience and lessons learned from an extremely anxious and sensitive canine companion who taught her how to slow down, become selfless, and find a maternal spirit. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: www.dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/meredith-may If you liked this episo...
Apr 11, 2022•13 min•Ep. 125
As we pass the two-year mark of the pandemic, we thought it would be good to bring back one of the guests we interviewed in our office before everything shut down. You may know her great illustrations that feature dogs, but it's her journey from a fear of dogs to a special connection that makes her work even more interesting. Maira Kalman is an Israeli-born American illustrator, writer, artist, and designer. She has written and illustrated eighteen children’s books and is a frequent contributor ...
Mar 29, 2022•15 min•Ep. 124
Elissa Altman is an author of memoirs, essays, and narrative stories – including winning a James Beard award for her food blog, Poor Man's Feast. Her latest book, Motherland , details her complicated relationship with her mom. But when Pete the dog became a mediator of sorts, he opened up a new empathic, caring side of her mom that Elissa had never been able to see before. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: www.dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/elissa-...
Mar 15, 2022•10 min•Ep. 123
Dr. John Pilley taught his dog Chaser over 1,000 words to become "the smartest dog in the world." His daughter, Pilley Bianchi, saw the process unfold and took away many lessons – including how her dad taught Chaser through the lens of play. A lesson that is now part of the nonprofit she founded, The Chaser Initiative, which helps educate young students about how play can be beneficial to learn and how dogs can help us with that. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social...
Mar 01, 2022•15 min•Ep. 122
Robert Macpherson served in the U.S. Marines as an aid worker and career infantry officer – earning multiple awards of valor – with service in Vietnam, Iraq, and Somalia. Following that, he led humanitarian response missions worldwide for fifteen years at the humanitarian organization CARE. Returning back to everyday, regular life situations was not an easy transition. It took a while for Robert to realize he couldn't do this alone. And while he tried therapy and other methods of treatment, ther...
Feb 15, 2022•20 min•Ep. 121
Dr. Chris Blazina is a licensed psychologist and author who specializes in male psychology. He came to recognize the importance of animal companions in the lives of men, especially dogs. While the term “Man’s Best Friend” has been around for centuries, we may not be fully aware how important dogs were to many well-known historic figures. In his new book, Dr. Blazina discovered that men such as Charles Darwin or Sigmond Freud had significant bonds with their dogs that brought them peace at later ...
Feb 01, 2022•18 min•Ep. 120
Grisha Stewart is a dog training expert, author, and online dog school facilitator based in Oregon, who specializes in dog reactivity and canine empowerment. She has been training dogs for two decades and counting, using empowerment and positive reinforcement to meet the needs of dogs. In 2010, she developed BAT (Behavior Adjustment Training) to find an efficient rehabilitation technique that would work with her own dog's fear issues and help gain confidence, social skills, and improve behavior ...
Jan 18, 2022•14 min•Ep. 119
As our most popular episode of 2021, we are re-issuing our interview with George Hahn – a jack of many trades (social media consultant, writer, actor, and sartorialist). As a kid, he briefly had a dog who eventually went to live on a farm after a few years because George was not ready for the responsibility at that age. He vowed to one day adopt a dog as an adult. When he finally did, to make amends, the canine companionship grew to be more important to his life than he even expected. Host John ...
Jan 04, 2022•18 min•Ep. 118
To cap off the year, we put together an episode with highlights from guests we’ve had the pleasure of meeting during 2021. While we are entering the second year of the pandemic, we found the bonds that we have with our dogs continue to provide us comfort, humor, and companionship during this crucial time. For more information about the episode, guests, and featured social media or links: www.dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/2021-recap...
Dec 31, 2021•13 min•Ep. 117
We are re-issuing this Freedom Ride episode with our show host John Bartlett, where he shares the backstory of his late three-legged pit bull, Tiny Tim - who lost his leg in a car accident on Christmas Eve. His story is about their journey together from the North Shore Animal League Shelter to a forever home with John. Tiny Tim inspired John to create a foundation in his name to support independent dog shelters and rescues in honor of his hairy soulmate. For more information about the episode, g...
Dec 21, 2021•9 min•Ep. 116
Marta Roca is the Founder and Creative Director of Four&Sons Magazine, a print and online publication that looks at dogs through the lens of creativity and culture that sheds light on how dogs act as 'muses' to inspire artists. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: www.dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/marta-roca
Dec 07, 2021•12 min•Ep. 115
Tracy Beckerman is a book author, columnist, and speaker who is most known for her “Lost In Suburbia” syndicated column. When she became a mother, she knew wanted to provide the same great experience she had at their age – having a dog as part of your family. Riley came into their lives and became a best friend to the kids, but also to Tracy herself as they spent their own time together during school hours. Through that process, Tracy saw many parallels to the journey of how her kids grew up and...
Nov 23, 2021•18 min•Ep. 114
Holly Sjogren is an elementary school teacher in Huntington Beach, California, where she also doubles as a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs of America. The nonprofit trains and matches service dogs to those who are visually impaired, as well as autistic children and more. Holly tells Ellen Ballon Dante, our West Coast Correspondent from Deity Animal Rescue, about her experience bringing the dogs in training to her fifth-grade classroom and seeing extremely positive, reciprocal relationships between t...
Nov 09, 2021•15 min•Ep. 113
Heidi Huebner is the Founder and Director of the Pets Unstressing Passengers, or PUPs, program at LAX. Airports can often be stressful and anxious places to travel through, but PUPs bring in therapy dogs and volunteers to help bring comfort and relief during their travels. It allows people to take a moment to slow down amidst the rush, connect with the dogs and with one another, and sprinkle in joy to their day. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: w...
Oct 26, 2021•23 min•Ep. 112
Ashley McCaffrey is an Air Force veteran and special education teacher who’s healing journey from PTSD has been bolstered by the aid of Hope, her service dog. Having the black lab by her side has allowed Ashley to feel more comfortable with everyday tasks, such as grocery shopping, as well as providing crucial support during a tough time teaching in the pandemic. The inseparable pair were matched by K9s For Warriors, a nonprofit organization uniting highly-trained service dogs with military vete...
Oct 12, 2021•16 min•Ep. 111
Dr. Linda Harper is a clinical psychologist and pet bereavement specialist who helps people to overcome the loss of their pets by focusing on the positive takeaways and how we can keep their legacy of love alive and strong. Linda found this approach after the loss of her own dog, Chilidog, who inspired her to start these Healing Hearts Workshops. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/dr-linda-harper...
Sep 28, 2021•22 min•Ep. 110
Alexis Devine has trained her sheepadoodle, Bunny, to “speak” using buttons that play pre-recorded words and phrases. Through this deepened level of communication, Alexis found that their bond had been strengthened, and that dogs can teach us to be better at expressing our own feelings and listening to others. www.dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/alexis-devine
Sep 14, 2021•19 min•Ep. 109
Jack Jackson is the Co-Founder of the Don’t You Want Me Project, which highlights the empowerment and healing the queer and trans community has found in the unconditional acceptance of their dogs. Jack shares about the project, his dog photography, and how his Boxer named Jet impacted his life in a new city. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/jack-jackson...
Aug 31, 2021•9 min•Ep. 108
Chris Hannah is an elementary school teacher who along with his “deaf superhero” pitbull, Cole, has made it a mission to help teach students the importance of empathy. In particular, they try to teach this in relation to those with special needs, like Chris’ nephew. They started The Team Cole Project to make this happen and so far it’s been effective, with students being able to see these lessons differently through the eyes of a dog. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured s...
Aug 17, 2021•3 sec•Ep. 107
Christine Hassing is an author, leadership mentor, and inspirational speaker. Her soulmate dog, Roo, inspired her first memoir “To the Moon and Back to Me” and sparked her passion for writing. But while Christine’s first book focused on her own dog relationship, her new book “Hope Has a Cold Nose” illuminates the stories of veterans and the healing power of their service dogs. Dealing with PTSD, veterans are able to find a friend they need through their furry companion’s unconditional acceptance...
Aug 03, 2021•15 min•Ep. 106
Sally Muir is a dog artist, author, and former knitwear designer. Her lifetime love for dogs eventually became her artistic muse, focusing on the beauty and patience of dogs in their old age, and what they can teach us about how we live our own lives. European Correspondent, Nina May of Wunderdog Magazine, talks to Sally about her work and how her own senior dogs inspired her new book, “Old Dogs.” For more information about the episode, guest, links, and featured social media: https://www.dogsav...
Jul 20, 2021•11 min•Ep. 105
Host John Bartlett talks to Ellen Furlong, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Illionis Wesleyan University, about her lifetime work studying dog behavior – which includes an emphasis on the importance of smell for dogs. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/ellen-furlong
Jul 06, 2021•19 min•Ep. 104
Sylvia Heisel is an award-winning fashion designer and now the Co-Founder of DogPark Production. It’s a company she started with her husband, Scott Taylor, to rethink the idea of what dog parks could be. Initially they were making 3D-printed furniture and concrete features for parks, but now they have expanded to entire parks – including the new Dog World Dog Park in North Carolina that they worked on. Their goal is to create a more engaging experience for dogs and their humans, making it a bett...
Jun 22, 2021•13 min•Ep. 103
New European Correspondent, Nina May, talks to Nick Poulton about Dudes & Dogs, a mental health wellbeing initiative for men that is based around the simple idea of going for a walk together with your dogs and opening up about your feelings. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/nick-poulton
Jun 08, 2021•13 min•Ep. 102
Host John Bartlett talks to Kate Leaver about how her new book, Good Dog, which tells positive stories of how dogs help people cope with life hardships and how that's backed up with science. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/kate-leaver
May 25, 2021•17 min•Ep. 101
Host John Bartlett talks to Michael Burke, dog behavior consultant and life coach, about how our own actions can be reflected in our dogs. He shares what he has learned through his own experience with dogs, and insights from his extensive dog psychology and mindfulness training. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/michael-burke
May 11, 2021•16 min•Ep. 100
Host John Bartlett talks to Philip about how he co-founded the Institute for Human-Animal Connection and what he's learned about the dog-human relationship in his decades of research. For more information about the episode, guest, and featured social media or links: dogsavethepeople.com/episodes/philip-tedeschi
Apr 27, 2021•28 min•Ep. 99
