Sit, Stay, Fika

Charmaine Swan
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  • Pets & Animals

A podcast about the relationships we build with our dogs. In Sweden, fika is a pause in the day to sit down with someone you care about. Sit, Stay, Fika is that pause, for us and our dogs. Each episode, dog trainer Charmaine Swan of Fika Dogs sits down with a guest to hear about one dog who changed them: the funny moments, the hard seasons, and what that relationship taught them. This isn’t a show about quick fixes or perfect obedience. It’s about trust, connection, and the everyday life we share with our dogs. Every episode includes Quick Sips, a fast and fun flash round, and ends with a simple fika practice you can try with your own dog that week. So pour yourself something warm, find your dog, and let’s fika together.

Episodes

  1. Oct 22

    From Corrections to Connection with Tower Anderson - Episode 02

    In our first guest episode of Sit, Stay, Fika, I share a cup with Tower Anderson of Dog Pause in Truckee, CA. Tower has been a dog trainer since the ’90s and in additiona to his own private training business, is the canine training coordinator at his local humane society. Tower started out using prong collars, shock collars and corrections. But then he met Roo, a terrified shelter dog who couldn’t be corrected into confidence, and she changed how he trained for good. We talk about why treats “stop working” when your dog’s brain is overwhelmed, using a hand touch as a quick check-in, and bringing a high-drive teenage Dutch Shepherd mix into a home with a calm senior dog. We also cover how to help shelter and foster dogs without getting stuck on their past, and why your job is to be your dog’s tour guide through a confusing human world. Tower also shares this week’s Fika Pause, Three Second Scratches. It’s a simple way to ask a dog’s consent before and during petting, and it works with new dogs and your own. Stay for the Quick Sips round: Halloween costumes, morning walks, and Bagheera’s most useless trick. 🐾 Find Tower: Dog Pause: https://www.dogpause.training/ | @DogPause on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook ☕ Find Charmaine: https://fikadogs.com | Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to Sit Stay Fika 00:44 What’s in your cup with Tower Anderson 03:00 How Roo changed the way Tower trains 08:00 Aversives, arousal and why treats “don’t work” 11:35 The hand touch check-in 13:30 Adding Bagheera, and then Panda 21:30 Letting your dog have an opinion 25:40 Helping shelter and foster dogs 30:30 Be your dog’s tour guide 39:00 Three Second Scratches 45:00 Quick Sips 52:00 Where to find Tower Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: U7U3KRVALHXEQ7MW

  2. Oct 12

    Hi, I'm Charmaine - Episode 01

    For our very first episode, I’m turning the questions on myself. Meet my four dogs, hear how I found my way into dog training, and learn why I started Fika Dogs with a focus on relationship over quick fixes. I also answer a round of Quick Sips (yes, we’ll settle the couch question) and share the first fika practice to try with your own dog this week.

  • 2 Episodes

About

A podcast about the relationships we build with our dogs. In Sweden, fika is a pause in the day to sit down with someone you care about. Sit, Stay, Fika is that pause, for us and our dogs. Each episode, dog trainer Charmaine Swan of Fika Dogs sits down with a guest to hear about one dog who changed them: the funny moments, the hard seasons, and what that relationship taught them. This isn’t a show about quick fixes or perfect obedience. It’s about trust, connection, and the everyday life we share with our dogs. Every episode includes Quick Sips, a fast and fun flash round, and ends with a simple fika practice you can try with your own dog that week. So pour yourself something warm, find your dog, and let’s fika together.

Information

  • Creator
    Charmaine Swan
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Charmaine Swan