In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 9th, 2021, Kate and Don discuss Don’s article, Understanding, Identifying, and Coping with Canine Stress , published in the July 2021 issue of BARKS from the Guild and at https://barksfromtheguild.com/article/understanding-identifying-and-coping-with-canine-stress/...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from November 6th, 2021 Kate and Don discuss the change in the seasons and how reduced daylight, lower temperatures, snow, and ice, and the holidays affect our pets. Tune in and learn how you can keep your pet safe and happy in the cold, dark, icy, and festive months of winter. Cold Weather and Holiday Tips for Pets - http://bit.ly/ColdWeatherHolidayTips
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 30th, 2021, Don talks with Kelly Adams and Mike Trafton of the Eastern Area Agency on Aging (EAAA) about the Furry Friends Food Bank and the 14th annual fundraiser sponsored by Green Acres Kennel Shop, The Woof Meow Show, and ForceFreePets. Click here to donate to the Furry Friends Food Bank – https://www.greenacres-donate.com Click here to learn more about the Eastern Area Agency on Aging – https://www.eaaa.org/ Click here to learn more about t...
Every year millions of dogs and cats of various breeds, sizes, and ages are cared for by boarding facilities, pet sitters, friends, and family members. This could be for multiple reasons: traveling for business or vacation, extended work schedules, or a family emergency or illness. While many pets, dogs, in particular, find a stay at a boarding facility fun, despite the best efforts of pet care professionals, not all pets do well away from home. When this occurs, a pet care professional is respo...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from August 28th, 2021, Don interviews Debra Bell from Bell’s Furry Friends Photography, discussing how Deb came to specialize in the photography of people and their pets. We also discuss the 12th annual Holiday Pet Portraits, a joint event of Green Acres Kennel Shop and Bell’s Furry Friends Photography that benefits the Eastern Area Agency on Aging Furry Friends Food Bank. Deb has been taking photos of Don, Paula, their pets, and their Green Acres team for ...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from August 14th, 2021, Don talks with Suzan Prendergast and Kathryn Ravenscraft from the Bangor Humane Society about the 28th annual Paws on Parade. They talk about the mission of the Humane Society, how the pandemic has affected their operations, and how you can participate in Paws on Parade on Saturday, October 2nd starting at 9 AM at Husson University. FMI - https://donations.bangorhumane.org/event/paws-goes-to-woofstock/e336617 Contact Info Suzan Prende...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from July 24th, 2021, Kate and Don are again speaking with Joey Weichmann & Leslie Durocher about Vital Essentials pet food. Last week, we talked about the company. This week, we are looking at the many products available from Vital Essentials. We start by discussing the Vital Essentials Raw Bar, which is essentially a selection of freeze-dried appetizers and snacks for dogs and cats. Then we look at their comprehensive line of freeze-dried treats, inclu...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from July 17th, 2021, Kate and Don talk with Joey Weichmann & Leslie Durocher of the Carnivore Meat Company, the makers of Vital Essentials pet food. While the Vital Essentials brand launched in 2009, the company has been producing raw food for pets since 1968. In this first of two episodes, we talk about: the company, its mission, how they source its raw ingredients, how diets are formulated and manufactured, and the quality certifications they have rec...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from Don talks with Roxane Dubay, a Public Health Educator/Tobacco Specialist from Bangor Public Health and Community Services, and Dr. Mark Hanks, a veterinarian from Kindred Spirits Veterinary clinic in Orrington, about second and third-hand smoke, nicotine, vape and e-pens, marijuana and the hazard these products pose to our pets. An article on Don's blog at http://bit.ly/Pets-Nicotine-APR21 provides additional information and links on this topic. Contact...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from June 5th, 2021, Kate and Don do their annual review of tips for summer and hot weather pet care. We discuss the dangers of heat to paws and dogs when left in cars. We review heat exhaustion and heat stroke in pets so you know how to recognize it and what to do if it occurs. Water safety for pets around home, at camp, and at sea is addressed. Summer is the time for family gatherings which is not something every dog will enjoy. We also address fireworks a...
If you want to learn what and how to feed your pet, you will not want to miss this show. Kate and Don will be talking with animal nutritionist Dr. Richard Patton. He has over 40 years of experience formulating diets for everything from wild animals to dogs and cats. Dr. Patton was first on the show five years ago. We begin the show by discussing the continued use of excessive amounts of carbohydrates in many pet foods. Dr. Patton explains the importance of quality sources of animal protein and f...
We first interviewed animal nutritionist Dr. Richard Patton, for a show that aired on April 2nd, 2016. As I reviewed that show preparing for our 2021 interview with Dr. Patton, it was clear that everything we discussed five years ago is still an issue. I'm encoring the 2016 show because It serves as an excellent introduction to our 2021 interview with Dr. Patton. If you want to learn how you can improve your pet's health and extend their life by changing what and how you feed them, you do not wa...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from March 6th, 2021, Don talks with veterinarian Dr. Mark Hanks from Kindred Spirits Veterinary Clinic in Orrington, Maine. Our topic is the importance and benefit of pets having a veterinarian that knows them and provides them with a regular wellness exam. Dr. Hanks describes what such a typical exam entails for both a cat and a dog. Then we discuss vaccinations, those that are essential and those that are optional, and how your veterinarian can help you m...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from February 20th, 2021, Kate interviews Don, asking how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the Green Acres training program in 2020 and what training classes will look like in 2021. Don reviews Green Acres Puppy Headstart-ONLINE and Basic Manners classes. He also introduces a new business ForceFreePets.com, that will be providing all of Green Acres’ in-person and online educational programs. Contact Info Don Hanson & Kate DutraGreen Acres Kennel Shop, Forc...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from February 13th, 2021, Don talks with veterinary behaviorist Dr. Christine Calder from Calder Veterinary Behavior Services about common behavioral problems with cats. The show starts with a discussion of what constitutes normal cat behavior and how providing cats with a means to express those normal behaviors helps prevent behavior problems. Then we move on to the most common behavioral issue reported by cat parents; inappropriate urination and defecation...
In case you didn’t know it, your dog’s sense of smell is amazing. In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from October 24th, 2020, Kate and Don talk to Lindsay Ware, the founder of Science Dogs of New England, where Lindsay trains her dogs to use their noses to help preserve wildlife. Lindsay has been a past guest on the show where she discussed her work with United Blood Trackers using trained tracking dogs to recover wounded game such as bear, deer, and moose. If you are interested in how your d...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from January 23rd, 2021, Kate and Don address four topics; What is the ideal age for spaying or neutering your dog, the behavior of adolescent or teenage dogs, how much water should a dog be drinking, and new DNA research about the evolution and domestication of the domestic dog. Contact Info Don Hanson & Kate DutraGreen Acres Kennel Shop & The Woof Meow Show Bangor, ME (207) 945-6841 https://www.greenacreskennel.com/ https://www.facebook.com/GreenAc...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from January 16th, 2021, Kate and Don focus on our feline friends. They start by discussing an article entitled “ What Makes A Cat ” by Dr. Liz Bales that suggests how we can improve our cat’s lives. Bales notes: Just about everything you need to know about cats comes down to one thing. Hunting. Next, we look at an article that discusses a new study concerning the most common behavior problem in multi-cat homes; the litterbox. Feline Litter Box Problems: The...
Kate and Don discuss the change in the seasons and how reduced daylight, lower temperatures, snow, and ice, affects our pets. Tune in and learn how you can keep your pet safe and happy and the cold, dark, icy months of winter. Cold Weather and Holiday Tips for Pets - http://bit.ly/ColdWeatherHolidayTips
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from November 28th, 2020, Don talks with Kelly Adams and Mike Trafton from the Eastern Area Agency on Aging about Green Acres Kennel Shop and The Woof Meow Show’s 13th annual fundraiser for the EAAA Furry Friends Food Bank. Tune in, and you can learn all about the role of the Eastern Area Agency on Aging, the people they help, and how you can help keep senior citizens and their pets together. Click here to donate to the Furry Friends Food Bank – https://www....
The last three months of the year are often your favorite or least favorite time of year. It is a time filled with holidays, more guests in our home than usual, frantic activity, hectic schedules, and yes, stress, and not the good kind but unpleasant distress. All of these things can affect our pets every bit as much as they affect us. In this show, Kate and Don will be discussing ways you can make this time of year less stressful for both your and your pets. We’ll be addressing Halloween, Thank...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from August 1st, 2020, Kate and Don share some of their experiences with their pets. Even with their knowledge and expertise, their pets are not always “perfect.” In this show, they discuss our pet’s interactions with wildlife and going back to work after being home with the pets almost continuously for several weeks. Lastly, they discuss a new peer-reviewed study, ( Efficacy of Dog Training With and Without Remote Electronic Collars vs. a Focus on Positive ...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from July 11th, 2020, Don and Kate talk about pet nutrition with author, and animal nutritionist, Linda Case. People often ask Linda, Kate, and I what we feed our pets. Unless they know us well, they are often surprised by our answer. In many cases, it may be the first time that person does not hear “ Feed this brand of food, and this formula and never, ever change .” In this episode of The Woof Meow Show , Kate, Linda, and I discuss what criteria we look fo...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from June 20th, 2020 Kate interviews co-host Don Hanson about the online Puppy Headstart class he has developed for Green Acres Kennel Shop. They discuss what prompted the development of an online course and the process involved. Kate asks Don about the typical audience for the class and how they have reacted to learning online versus face to face. They then go on to discuss the topics covered in the class. Don then reveals a new option for class students; p...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from June 6th, 2020, Don talks with Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Christine Calder about anxiety, fears, and phobias in pets. We start with a discussion of the multitude of words used to describe fear in our pets; anxiety, nervous, shy, skittish, timid, and more and then discuss how pets indicate they are afraid through body language and their actions. We also discuss extreme fear, phobias, specifically noise, storm, and firework phobias. Lastly, we offer sugge...
Don talks with Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Christine Calder about separation anxiety in dogs. Separation Anxiety is a panic disorder in dogs that cannot cope with being left alone. These dogs are not misbehaving to get revenge but are suffering. During the show, we discuss separation anxiety and its symptoms, sharing experiences with mild and extreme cases. We discuss which dogs are more likely to suffer from separation anxiety and address other disorders that may have some of the same symptoms. ...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from May 7th, 2020, Don talks with veterinarian Dr. Mark Hanks from the Kindred Spirits Veterinary Clinic in Orrington, Maine, about caring for our client’s pets amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Our current understanding of COVID-19 and how it affects dogs and cats How the pandemic has affected Kindred Spirits and what they have learned How the pandemic has affected Green Acres Kennel Shop and what they have learned Concerns about how the pandemic may be adversel...
If you brought home a puppy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, you will not want to miss this show. Puppies have a critical socialization period from 3 to 16 weeks of age. How they are exposed to new things can greatly affect their behavior and quality of life. Socialization requires interaction with a wide variety of people and animals during this time frame, which is not practical or safe during a pandemic. Don and Kate will review articles and offer suggestions on what you can to provide your pandem...
In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from April 25th, 2020, Kate and Don discuss several recent articles in the news about dogs and cats. The topics they discuss include; COVID-19 and Your Pets Pet Grooming & COVID-19 Puppy Socialization & Alone Training Understanding A Cat’s Emotional State By Looking At Their Face Why A Cat Should Not Be Declawed You can find links to all of the articles we discussed below. Links to Articles from the Show COVID-19 and Your Pet - What You Need to Know ...
Have you ever thought about using a shock collar with your dog, or do you currently use one? Do you know someone that does? Please, listen to this podcast to learn about the dangerous fallout that can occur when using electric shock to train or contain your dog. In this episode of The Woof Meow Show from April 18th, 2020, Don Hanson talks with Dan Antolec, Co-Chair of the Shock-Free Coalition and the owner of Happy Buddha Dog Training in Brooklyn, Wisconsin. Don and Dan are both credentialed pro...
