Positively Podcast - Victoria Stilwell - Pets & Animals on Pet Life Radio (PetLifeRadio.com)

Victoria's mother stops by from England over the holidays to check in on Victoria and Holly, including a discussion about their recent trip to Savannah, Georgia. A brief history of the state of Georgia ensues, resulting in a mini-review of the new Broadway smash hit, Hamilton. Random enough? Victoria's daughter, Alex, gets some help from her friend Sofia to try and stump Holly and Victoria with a new animal academy quiz.

Fresh off their 6th straight appearance as the co-hosts of the Atlanta Botanical Garden's annual Reindog Parade, Victoria and Holly jump in the studio to discuss this year's entrants and how events where we put dogs into costumes are more for the human satisfaction than the dogs' benefit. Positively's Director of Digital Content, Alex Andes, drops by to discuss this season's holiday promos and online events, including the 12 Dogs of Christmas contest. Also discussed was the viral story about the dog owner who duct-taped her Chocolate Lab's snout shut in order to stop it from barking.

In this special Thanksgiving edition of the podcast, Victoria and Holly welcome back Dr. Paula Bloom, who peppers Victoria with questions about her new puppy, Suki, and how she's getting along (or not) with her existing dog. Topics touched on include: whether you should train and raise different types of dogs differently, what to do when the new puppy seems to like one person in the family more than another, Victoria's thoughts on the concept of 'sibling rivalry' between multiple dogs in the same household, and how to deal with an existing dog who is showing her teeth to the new puppy in the house.

Dr. Paula Bloom joins Victoria and Holly in studio to talk through the aftermath of the Paris terror attacks and how we process tragedies: integrating the information into our lives, how to talk to kids about tragedies, the way we’re wired for empathy, making it extra hard to process, and the concept of compassion fatigue. Victoria recounts the story of Diesel, a police dog who was killed in the line of duty while apprehending the lead organizer of the terrorist attacks. Paula asks whether it is right to ask dogs to work in military and police settings, and whether dogs are capable of giving their ‘consent’ to go into dangerous situations. Do dogs feel and experience actual love, or is their affectionate behavior just a representation of their need for safety and pleasurable experiences. Holly describes her recent interview experience with acclaimed psychologist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Victoria talks about the need for women to have the opportunity to communicate with each other, and Paula opens up about a troubling experience she encountered with Vegemite.

On this episode of the Positively Podcast, Victoria and Holly discuss their travels to Greece, a country with a massive stray dog overpopulation problem. Holly shares her stories of rescuing several dogs off the streets, and Victoria talks about a crisis that's currently affecting an animal welfare group in Santorini. They are joined on the podcast by Victoria Stilwell Academy for Dog Training and Behavior Director Tia Guest, who shares the latest information about Victoria's brand new school for aspiring dog trainers. They discuss what makes VSA different, and why it's so important that dog trainers invest in a great education.

Holly and Victoria are back with a new season of the Positively Podcast after a summer hiatus. They've got a lot of catching up to do, as they have both been traveling all over the world. Victoria catches everyone up on her new TV show that will be airing in the UK next year, and Holly tells the story of how she learned what "bear spray" is. Calling in to the Positively Hotline this episode is filmmaker Patrick Reasonover, one of the creators behind the new documentary 'Of Dogs and Men.' The film covers the difficult topic of police shooting dogs, and Victoria was featured in the film along with several of the police officers she has been filming with for an upcoming project. Patrick talks about what inspired him to create the film, and steps people can take to prevent their pet from being a victim.

On this special episode, Victoria and Holly wrap up Season 4 by dedicating the entire show to answering your Ask Victoria dog training questions. From what to do if your dog bites someone to how to improve a dog's fear of loud noises, this episode covers all of your most pressing training questions

On this episode, Victoria and Holly discuss a controversial new documentary, Of Dogs and Men. The documentary explores the recent epidemic of dogs being shot by law enforcement officials. Victoria participated in the documentary with the police K-9 unit that star with her in her upcoming web series, Guardians of the Night, and gives her take on the importance of the film. They also chat about this week’s Dog Bite Prevention Week in the UK. On the Positively Hotline is pet expert and radio host Steve Dale, who revisits the podcast to share some important information on the unique behavioral and medical conditions that can afflict senior cats. He has some especially great insights to share on Feline Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome, which is similar to Alzheimer's in people.

Victoria and Holly talk about international dog welfare controversies, including the horrific dog meat trade and the amazing organizations that are working to stop it. They also discuss a recent international rescue of almost 40 Golden Retrievers. Calling in to the Positively Hotline is Canine Assistants founder Jennifer Arnold, who is revolutionizing the way people train both service dogs and pet dogs. She discusses her new training techniques, and how pet parents can apply the concepts with their dogs at home.

As Victoria’s #poopandtell campaign with Earth Rated comes to a close, she and Holly read some of their favorite submissions. One dog pooped his way into his forever home, and another even let one loose in the UK Prime Minister’s VIP carriage! Radio show host and pet journalist Steve Dale calls the Positively Hotline to discuss cat socialization and the importance of stress-free veterinary care for cats. He talks about kitten socialization classes, and how they could benefit cats in the US. But as Steve explains, it’s extremely important that the kitties are within a very specific age window.

Holly starts off the podcast with some great news about her dog, Kashmir. Victoria talks about her experience at the National Press Club as part of a Dog Bite Prevention press conference. She joined State Farm, American Humane, the AVMA, the US Postal Service, Prevent the Bite, Elle the Pit Bull, and other Dog Bite Prevention Coalition partners to help educate the public about how to prevent dog bites. Victoria and Holly chat with State Farm's Heather Paul to talk about the company's dedication to dog bite prevention. They discuss the importance of not focusing on a dog's breed, but rather focusing on the pet parent's responsibility to prevent dog bites through responsible pet ownership. They also discuss that there is a difference between a dog bite and a dog-related incident, but that all dog-related incidents are classified under a dog bite claim, and how that can affect pet parents.

Victoria and Holly celebrate 10 years of It’s Me or the Dog by recapping some of their favorite moments from the show. Just in time for warmer weather, they also discuss the dangers of keeping a dog in a hot car.

In this episode, Victoria and Holly talk about Holly’s interesting experience sitting next to a military working dog on her flight. State Farm Arson Dog Program Coordinator Heather Paul joins the show to chat about Victoria’s ‘Arson Dogs’ series and upcoming Arson Awareness Week. And Victoria answers some tricky ‘Ask Victoria’ questions.

Victoria and Holly are joined by guest host Alex Andes to talk about Victoria’s new #poopandtell campaign, and Holly’s dog experiences in San Diego. This week’s Ask Victoria questions get her all fired up, and Alex stumps both Holly and Victoria with Animal Academy.

Victoria and Holly talk about their dogs’ recent health issues, including Jasmine’s dental and Kashmir’s major surgery. Victoria catches up on Ask Victoria questions, and dog trainer Nando Brown pops in for a chat about the upcoming Dog Bite Prevention Conference and their time at Crufts.