The Dogs of Our Lives

Chrissy Messick
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The Dogs of Our Lives

The Dogs of Our Lives podcast is all about living, learning, and growing with dogs. Listen to real-life transformation stories between dogs and their human guardians. Get inspired to take the next best step with your dog as we discuss successes, challenges, dog training, deeper connections, relationships, personal growth, and just a little bit of magic. Join us for heartfelt conversations that celebrate the incredible bond between dogs and their human guardians.

  1. The Dogs of Our Lives First Season Recap!

    NOV 21 · BONUS

    The Dogs of Our Lives First Season Recap!

    We did it! Not only did we complete our first season, we made it into the top 50% of podcasts! I am so grateful to all of you who have downloaded the first season of the Dogs of Our Lives podcast, it means so much to me to be able to share my important message about dogs, dog training and dog behavior. I talked with so many amazing guests, including some of my clients, veterinarians, ethologists, canine massage therapists and more! We'll be back next year with another round of interviews, solo episodes with me sharing all my knowledge about dog training and behavior and heaps more juicy subjects we can get stuck into! I can't wait for you to join me then. Don't forget to subscribe to the show so you'll get notified when we drop the first episode of season 2.Why not sign up for the Nature of Animals mailing list, so you definitely won't miss a thing?! https://www.theanimalnature.com/contact

    2 min
  2. #13 A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For The Holidays - with Bridgette Chesne

    NOV 19

    #13 A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For The Holidays - with Bridgette Chesne

    In today's Dogs of Our Lives episode, Chrissy talks with Bridgette Chesne about why a dog is for life, not just for the Holidays in our special holiday episode. Bridgette shares her tips about bringing a dog or animal companion into your home during the holidays, thanks to her many years of experience working in the Humane Society of Boulder Valley and the Veterinary Behavior Center. She shares her own experiences as a dog guardian and how she became certified in Predation Substitute Training. If you're interested in learning more about Predation Substitute Training, or perhaps you'd like to attend a workshop, then you can contact Bridgette via email bridgettec@vetbehaviorcenter.com I hope you enjoy this episode and you come away with actionable tips about adopting a dog this holiday season. Please help us share the stories featured on the Dogs of Our Lives podcast by leaving a review, commenting your thoughts and sharing episodes with your friends and family. Stay up to date with everything going on at The Nature of Animals on our Instagram and Facebook pages https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/ https://www.facebook.com/thenatureofanimals

    1h 7m
  3. #12 How Canine Massage Therapy Can Help with Behavior Issues and Deepen The Connection Between You & Your Dog - with Anja Zakelj

    NOV 5

    #12 How Canine Massage Therapy Can Help with Behavior Issues and Deepen The Connection Between You & Your Dog - with Anja Zakelj

    In this episode of the Dogs of Our Lives podcast, Chrissy talks with Anja Zakelj, a certified canine massage therapist from Slovenia. Chrissy and Anja discuss how dog massage therapy can help with behavior issues and also deepen your connection with your dog. Anja talks about the benefits of canine massage, including pain relief, increased mobility, and deeper human-dog connections. Anja and Chrissy highlight the significance of addressing "silent pain" in dogs, which can manifest in behavior changes. Anja offers practical tips for starting dog massage, such as starting with gentle touch and paying attention to the dog's feedback. Anja's upcoming online course, which starts on November 11, aims to teach dog owners these techniques. Here is the link to the course: https://wigglebeat.com/beginners-course/ If you'd like a free manual about how to detect "silent pain" then you can download that here:https://wigglebeat.com/silent-pain/ As always we'd love to hear your feedback about this episode and any other previous episodes of the Dogs of Our Lives podcast, feel free to leave a review and comment as well as reaching out on our social networks The Nature of Animals.

    42 min
  4. #11 Understanding Your Dog Through the Eyes of a Field Biologist & Ethologist- with Dr. Marc Bekoff

    OCT 22

    #11 Understanding Your Dog Through the Eyes of a Field Biologist & Ethologist- with Dr. Marc Bekoff

    In this week's episode, Chrissy chats with Dr Marc Bekoff about understanding your dog through the eyes of a field biologist and ethologist in which they discuss his extensive work on animal behavior and emotions. Marc emphasizes the importance of understanding the commitment required to care for a dog, likening it to having a child. He stresses the need for dog literacy and responsible guardianship, advocating for careful observation and understanding of individual dog behaviors. Marc and Chrissy also highlight the significance of accurate terminology in animal behavior studies, particularly regarding dominance and social hierarchies. Marc shares insights from his fieldwork and collaborations with Jane Goodall and other experts. As always I'd love to hear your thoughts about the episode and if any of the topics resonated with you.Leave a comment or join the conversation on my Instagram or Facebook page, The Nature of Animals. More about Marc: A professor emeritus of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Marc has published 31 books (or 41, depending on how you count multi-volume encyclopedias). He has won many awards for his research on animal behavior, animal emotions (cognitive ethology), compassionate conservation, and animal protection, has worked closely with Jane Goodall as co-chair of the ethics committee of the Jane Goodall Institute, and is a former Guggenheim Fellow. He also works closely with inmates at the Boulder County Jail.  In June 2022, Marc was recognized as a Hero by the Academy of Dog Trainers. His books include The Animals' Agenda: Freedom, Compassion, and Coexistence in the Human Age, Canine Confidential: Why Dogs Do What They Do, Unleashing Your Dog: A Field Guide to Giving Your Canine Companion the Best Life Possible, and A Dog's World: Imagining the Lives of Dogs in a World Without Humans. Marc’s latest books are Dogs Demystified: An A to Z Guide to All Things Canine, the second edition of The Emotional Lives of Animals: A Leading Scientist Explores Animal Joy, Sorrow, and Empathy―and Why They Matter, and Jane Goodall at 90: Celebrating an Astonishing Lifetime of Science, Advocacy, Humanitarianism, Hope, and Peace. He also publishes regularly for Psychology Today. His homepage is marcbekoff.com. Fun fact: In 1986 Marc won the Master’s Tour du Haut, aka the age-graded Tour de France.

    54 min
  5. #10 A Veterinary Surgeon's Personal and Professional Perspective on TPLO Surgery and Recovery For Dogs - with Dr. Jennifer Fick

    OCT 8

    #10 A Veterinary Surgeon's Personal and Professional Perspective on TPLO Surgery and Recovery For Dogs - with Dr. Jennifer Fick

    In this episode, Chrissy talks with Dr Jennifer Fick, a veterinary orthopedic surgeon. They discuss Jennifer's personal and professional perspective on TPLO surgery for cruciate ligament injuries, and perhaps just as importantly, TPLO recovery for dogs like Charlotte (a german shepherd) who need mental stimulation. If you want better tools to aid in your dog's recovery from TPLO surgery, this FREE mini-guide is EXACTLY what you need:  https://www.theanimalnature.com/pl/2147656156 They also cover Jennifer's journey to becoming a mobile surgeon, her experiences with her dogs Charlotte and Elsie, and the challenges of dealing with canine hemangiosarcoma. Additionally, they address Proposition 129 in Colorado, which proposes the creation of mid-level veterinary practitioners, and the concerns about patient safety and veterinary standards. If you want to learn more about Prop 129, here are the details: https://www.avma.org/news/colorado-ballot-measure-calls-nonveterinarians-diagnose-do-surgery As always, if you'd like to stay in touch, please connect via Jenny's website: https://www.svvs.vet/ And of course, https://www.theanimalnature.com/ for all things positive reinforcement dog training and behavior with Chrissy, as well as the usual social channels: https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/https://www.facebook.com/thenatureofanimals Thanks for listening!

    1h 10m
  6. #9 How The Emotional and Social Feelings of our Dogs Affect Behavior - with Andrew Hale

    SEP 24

    #9 How The Emotional and Social Feelings of our Dogs Affect Behavior - with Andrew Hale

    In today's episode, Chrissy hosts Andrew Hale, a UK-based animal and canine behaviorist, to discuss the emotional and social aspects of dog behavior, and just as importantly, how that affects us as care givers. Trust me when I say you do not want to miss this episode if you are even slightly interested in behavior, for those listening with children, it's a must-listen! Andy shares his personal journey, including childhood trauma and its impact on his work. We emphasize the importance of understanding behavior from a deeper perspective, rather than just addressing symptoms. Andy advocates for a dog-centric approach, focusing on the dog's emotional experience and needs. He highlights the significance of secure attachment, processing, engagements, and exits. Hale also discusses the role of guilt and judgment in professional development and the need for compassion and resilience in the field of dog training. If you'd like to find out more, you can get in touch with Andy via his website: https://dogcc.org/ As always, don't forget to let us know your thoughts on this episode by leaving a comment, review or feedback on the website: https://www.theanimalnature.com/ or via my socials: https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/

    52 min
  7. #8 Does Positive Reinforcement Really Work For Dogs Displaying Fearful and Reactive Behaviors? - with Jamie Flanagan

    SEP 10

    #8 Does Positive Reinforcement Really Work For Dogs Displaying Fearful and Reactive Behaviors? - with Jamie Flanagan

    On today's episode, I speak with Jamie Flanagan, a dog trainer specializing in dogs that show aggressive and reactive behaviors and we're asking a very important question:Does Positive Reinforcement Really Work For Dogs Displaying Fearful and Reactive Behaviors? Jamie, who runs Training Wheels in Broomfield, Colorado, discusses her background, including her time at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley and her transition to dog training. She emphasizes the importance of positive reinforcement and the challenges of working with sensitive dogs. Jamie shares her personal experience with her own reactive dog, Riot, and the decision to euthanize him. She also highlights the need for patience in behavior modification and the importance of comforting fearful dogs without reinforcing fearful behaviors. If you'd like to get in touch with Jamie, please visit her website: https://www.trainingwheels.dog/ As always, we'd love to hear your feedback about today's episode so why not join the community on Instagram and Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/ https://www.facebook.com/thenatureofanimals Would you like to know about positive reinforcement training techniques? Head on over to my website: https://www.theanimalnature.com/

    1 hr
  8. #7 Navigating Your Dog's Vision Loss with Resilience and Compassion - with Gigi Moss

    AUG 27

    #7 Navigating Your Dog's Vision Loss with Resilience and Compassion - with Gigi Moss

    In today's episode, I speak with Gigi Moss, a local legend in the Boulder Valley community, about navigating your dog's vision loss with resilience and compassion. Gigi had to adapt to her dog's eyesight loss which also impacted her training techniques. Gigi has been a dog trainer for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience, but helping her dog through vision loss was ironically eye-opening for her and her dog training methods, realising that teaching our dogs to be more resilient is essential. If you are going through a similar experience of change, then I encourage you to leave a comment and to get in touch with either me or Gigi https://gigimoss.com/ As always you can contact me via my website https://www.theanimalnature.com/ or join the community on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/thenatureofanimals/

    43 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The Dogs of Our Lives podcast is all about living, learning, and growing with dogs. Listen to real-life transformation stories between dogs and their human guardians. Get inspired to take the next best step with your dog as we discuss successes, challenges, dog training, deeper connections, relationships, personal growth, and just a little bit of magic. Join us for heartfelt conversations that celebrate the incredible bond between dogs and their human guardians.

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