Your Family Dog Podcast

YFD 227: Behavioral Euthanasia with Trish McMillan

Most of us recognize that euthanasia can sometimes be necessary or even kindest course of action when a beloved pet is terminally ill or suffering. The question of putting a dog to sleep because of behavioral concerns, however, is often much trickier. Is euthanasia ever justified in these cases and if so, how do you know when you've reached that point? And are the costs of not euthanizing potentially dangerous dogs worse than letting them live? Dog trainer Trish McMillan came on the show today to talk about this sensitive, but important topic.
 
For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog

YFD 226: Service Dawg Nation

Julie is still on hiatus, but Tina is here this week, accompanied by a special guest. Although he's still only in high school, Will Ryan is the founder of Service Dawg Nation, a non-profit dedicated to helping train and match service dogs for veterans. He and his mother came on the show today to talk about his project, what it means to him, and where he plans to take it from here.
 
For Show Notes and more: Your Family Dog

YFD 225: Dr. Zazie Todd on Anxious Dogs

One of YFD's favorite guests is back! Dr. Zazie Todd joins the show again to talk about her newest book "Bark!: The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog." Tune in for a conversation about fear versus anxiety, common mistakes owners make with fearful dogs, and how to know when it's time to seek professional help.
For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

YFD 224: Why Rehoming May Be The Right Decision

Nobody gets a dog planning to rehome it. But sometimes circumstances change and what we thought would be forever just isn't a good match. What happens then? Today Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring talk about the painful but sometimes necessary process of rehoming- when it's necessary, what it means, and the importance of approaching the situation with understanding and compassion.
 
For show notes and more: Your Family Dog

YFD 223: What Is Resource Guarding and Why Is It Important?

A good guard dog can be a great thing- many of us even get dogs in part because of the feeling of protection they can provide. But when those guarding instincts go astray or get directed towards the wrong thing, the results can be stressful and even dangerous. Fortunately, if caught early and handled appropriately, this kind of misguided guarding can usually be managed successfully. Tune in to today's episode for everything you need to know about resource guarding- what it is, how to identify it, what to do about it, and when to seek professional help.
 

YFD: 222 Diaster Preparedness

 In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring take the opportunity to talk about emergency preparedness for your dog. Tune in to this week's episode for advice on packing a go bag for your pets, making sure your dog is properly microchipped, and other steps you can take to make sure that you and your animals are prepared in the event of a disaster.
For show notes and more please go to: Your Family Dog

YFD 221: Doggie Defaults

Wouldn't it be great if dogs automatically knew what we wanted them to do in certain situations? Well, with a little training and a few nibbles of cheese, they can! That's the magic of "default behaviors-" those behaviors dogs learn to offer automatically whenever a signal is given or a particular situation arises. Join Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring to learn what default behaviors are, how to train them in your pup, and how they can help make life easier for both you and your dog.
For Show Notes and more: Your Family Dog

YFD 220: The Dial Method with Justine Schuurmans

Sometimes, it really is okay to dial it in- at least, it is if you're talking about the Dial Method. What's the Dial Method, you ask? You're about to find out! Today, Julie Fudge Smith and Tina Spring sit down with Dial Method creator Justine Schuurmans to talk about her new program designed to improve how families relate to, live with, and train their dogs.
For show notes please go to: Your Family Dog

YFD 219: Paw-ffee Talk!

No scheduled topic today! Instead pull up a chair and join Tina Spring  and Julie Fudge Smith for some general, dog-related chitchat. Grab a cup of coffee and listen in as the conversation ranges from socialization to learning your dog's body language to what effect (if any) Covid lockdown had on canine behavior issues.
For show notes and more: Your Family Dog

YFD 218: Human and Canine Endocrinology with Dr. Mike Morales

he subject of giving what we think of as "human" medications (such as anti-depressants) to our dogs has come up before on the podcast. But why is it, exactly that some medications- Prozac, for example- work incredibly well across species, while others, such as NSAIDS, don't? Does spaying or neutering your dog at an earlier age have the same effect as sterilization at younger ages in humans? And how are environmental factors affecting the hormones and health of both us and our dogs? Joining Julie and Tina to dig into these topics today is endocrinologist Dr. Mike Morales. Tune in to learn about all this, plus why cortisol is actually your friend and the one fact about the endocrinology system that everybody should know.
For show notes and more: Your Family Dog