Dog Talk the Radio Show

Dog Talk Show #306: Jennifer Kachnic is the president of the Grey Muzzle Organization, that improves the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing funding and resources to animal shelters nationwide (GreyMuzzle.org) and she also co-authored a book with Dr. Alice Villalobos -- Your Dog's Golden Years (SeniorDogBooks.com); Tracie questions Gary Borjesson's basic views about training dogs and communication with them in his book Willing Dogs and Reluctant Masters; Tracie discusses her new online live radio show Cat Chat(R) & Dog Talk(R) with her co-host, Dr. Shawn Messonnier, whose previous radio show "The Natural Vet" was also on SiriusXM alongside Tracie's show CAT CHAT(R) before they teamed up together for their weekly two-hour live show. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #305: Tracy Coppola talks about Internet puppy sales and how to know whether the Internet is being used by "puppy farmers" with puppy mills to dupe people online -- Tracy is the Campaigns Officer for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), previously worked as a Policy Associate at Born Free USA, and before that with the American Humane Association, giving her considerable experience in both companion animal welfare and wildlife conservation issues, leading advocacy initiatives both on a federal and state level; David Yaskulka from HALO Purely for Pets talks about the 14 stops HALO organized over the holiday season to bring 500,000 meals of Halo's Spots Stew to 69 shelters and rescues, including many along the east coast that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy, bringing a good healthy meal to dogs waiting for their forever homes; Sandy Robbins is a pet lifestyle expert and the author of FOR THE LOVE OF CATS in bookstores now, and discusses her love of the Neko Flies toys to stimulate and enrich any kitty's life. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #304: Dr. Brian Hare (director of Duke Canine Cognition Center and associate professor in evolutionary anthropology at Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, a division of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences at Duke University) announces launch of Dognition.com, an interactive online experience for dog owners to assess their own dog's intelligence and participate in a larger study of just how smart dogs really are; Mary Ellen, a listener whose Doberman had such bad skin allergies that she had considered putting him out of his misery, gives a personal testimonial about how Doggy GOO literally saved his life; artist and photographer Arne Svenson talks about his mind-bending photos of kittens against fascinating backdrops in his book STRAYS, which is in a signed limited edition available only from the publisher at simanmediaworks.com/strays.htm, with a donation going to the cat rescue that supplied the "kitten models" -- one of which Arne adopted! By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #303: Dr. Kristin Holm helped develop a holistic supplement for aging dogs to help with their mental sharpness and physical well-being called GOO Silver, another lickable product (like Doggy GOO) with all-natural ingredients that enter the dog's bloodstream through membranes in the mouth and intestinal tract lining; Phil Arkow is the head of National Link Coalition and the Animal Abuse and Family Violence Prevention Project, which study the link between abuse of animals as a bellwether of potential violence to people in the family and ways to intervene before abuse escalates; Tracie discusses how big commercial pet food manufacturers try to compete with premium brands by using a "first named protein" on their labels and hiding low-grade ingredients behind it. Tracie also talks about her new live call-in online radio show CAT CHAT(R) & DOG TALK(R) with Dr. Shawn "The Natural Vet" -- who also had a pet show on the Martha Stewart channel of SiriusXM satellite radio until the channel was just cancelled. They launched their new two-hour show January 8th and are hoping lots of DOG TALK(R) listeners will call in every Tuesday beginning at 8 PM East (5 PM West) and together they will answer any question about your pets. You can listen by going to http://www.traciehotchner.com/cc/listen.php - By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #302: Tim Ricky (Senior Director of Field Investigation and Response Team for the ASPCA) discusses the "pop up" shelter the ASPCA pulled together in a few days after Hurricane Sandy -- with the extraordinary gift of $500,000 from Rachel Ray and supplies from Petsmart Charities -- to temporarily house the 60,000 pets of people whose homes were ruined by the hurricane; Wanda Merling (Petsmart Charities Emergency relief manager) on how she coordinated the donation of everything that was needed in the Brooklyn, New York shelter, from leashes and crates, to bowls and food; Greg Mote is one of the designers and co-owners of Sleepypod carriers (which gave a large donation to the shelter in Baltimore after the hurricane hit), and he discusses the importance of having your cat and small dog so accustomed to their carrier that in an emergency it's easy to evacuate without delay, and how the Sleepypod was created for both comfort (it's also a bed) and for travel safety (it is the only carrier that has passed government crash testing for human infant car seats). By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #301: Lucy Postins and her innovative pet food company The Honest Kitchen were profiled on CBS Sunday Morning and Tracie marvels with Lucy at the continuing impact of her groundbreaking concept of using raw dehydrated ingredients made in a human food facility for pets -- and how it has affected the pet food landscape; Sue from Operation Roger (http://operationroger.rescuegroups.org/) tells about the inspiring all volunteer group of truck drivers who are helping to transport pets in need of homes to areas where fosters and rescue groups await them; Dr. Michael Fox wrote Not Fit for Dog, his co-authored book about the pet food industry that is now out in paperback, and discusses with Tracie how psychological studies he did in his early years as a researcher on food preferences in puppies were later used by commercial pet food companies to develop their secret "proprietary ingredients" to enhance palatability of lower quality ingredients and even create food addictions. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #300: The Very Special 300th Broadcast of Dog Talk(R)! To celebrate this 300th anniversary I invited two people to share it with me who are truly special and have done amazing things in their careers on behalf of animals. Wayne Pacelle, the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (with whom I share a similar weekly conversation called "Humane Talk" on www.HSUS.org), joins me in a philosophical discussion of why paying attention to and improving our interaction with all animals makes us better people and a better society; Dr. Donna Spector (a board certified veterinary internist who is the Official Second Opinion veterinarian of the show) helps sort out the confusion around under-vaccination and over-vaccination and how to safely and responsibly protect our pets and society at large with our choices, and then discusses how to incorporate "people food" into our pets' dishes while maintaining a nutritional balance. Thank you for listening to the show all these years, and for the honor you extend to me when you take to heart the information and advice I have the privilege of sharing with you. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #299: John Homans returns to discuss the second half of his engaging book What's a Dog For? The Surprising History, Science, Philosophy and Politics of Man's Best Friend, with his evaluation of how purebred dog breeds were invented by people, beginning in the Victorian era, up to 19th century dog history showing the nautical background of the modern day Labrador Retriever (which accounts for part of the genetic makeup of John's own dog, Stella) -- the Lab having evolved from Newfoundland origins ("Newfies" themselves having been the quintessential mutts from tough Portuguese stock); Aimee Sadler (Training Director of the Official Shelter of the show, Southampton Animal Shelter) and Tracie reminisce about how Tracie's first rescued Weimaraner, Lulu, in California was Aimee's first dog training client -- and how they both wound up living in the Hamptons and Aimee went on to become an important part of the growth of Southampton Animal Shelter and a premier voice in the larger sheltering community with her original ideas about how to socialize shelter dogs in play groups, a groundbreaking concept that has made her a sought-after speaker and demonstrator at conferences across the country. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #298: Tracie talks about two success stories of dogs who followed her example with her dog Scooby Doo's allergies being stopped by Doggy GOO (you too can join the Doggy GOO Club by writing her at RadioPetLady@gmail.com if you have a dog with red itchy ears, scratching or licking); Tracie introduces Mike, co-designer of the pet carrier for the 22nd century -- Sleepypod -- a super-cool carrier for cats and small dogs that's also unique in having passed the government crash testing for human infant car seats!; Dr. Karen Tobias (Professor of Small Animal Soft Tissue Surgery and board-certified surgeon at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine -- she even wrote the textbook on the topic!) discusses what's involved in her surgical specialty (including removing panties from a Lab's stomach that did not belong to the owner's wife!); Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins (Official Veterinarian of Tracie's SiriusXM radio show CAT CHAT(R)) on the value of having Feliway in every home where cats live to lower stress levels (which you may not even be aware of) and increase a sense of general well-being. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #297: Bioethicist Jessica Pierce wrote a tender op-ed piece in the New York Times about managing the end of her beloved dog's life http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/23/opinion/sunday/deciding-when-a-pet-has-suffered-enough.html, which Tracie discusses with her, and Jessica's book on which the op-ed is based, THE LAST WALK: Reflections on Our Pets at the End of Their Lives. Jessica refers to the unique system of evaluating your pets deteriorating condition at the end of life which was devised by Dr. Alice Villalobos, the Official Oncologist of DOG TALK(R), who is a highly regarded oncologist around the world in her field. Dr. Alice is President of the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics and Director of the Animal Oncology Consultation Service where she coined the phrase "pawspice" to help people cope with their pet's end of life period that is comparable to human "hospice." Tracie and Dr. Alice discuss what this means and how to apply it to individual situations. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #296: Tracie is proud to announce an "educational partnership" with Dr. Shelby Neely (AskTheCatDoctor.com), who had a cats-only veterinary clinic which she sold to become a house-call vet (in Philadelphia area) and to concentrate on reaching a much wider audience of cat lovers with advice and information on her jam-packed website -- where she wrote a glowing description of one of her favorite cat toys and even recorded her cats enjoying it -- which happened to be the Official Cat Toy of my shows, the Neko Flies! John Homans (executive editor of New York Magazine) has shown another extraordinary talent in his first book, WHAT'S A DOG FOR? which is such a fascinating historical and personal perspective on the relationship of canines with many celebrated people that Tracie has invited him back soon to discuss the second half of the book (so rush right out and get it so you can enjoy the to-be-continued conversation even more); Dr. Julie Albright (Petsafe Chair in Veterinary Behavior at the University of Tennessee Veterinary school) discusses the importance of seeking professional help as early as possible when a behavior issue crops up because the longer a pet has a problem, the more difficult it is to solve. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #295: Today's show is short because Tracie is doing live fundraising with the folks at Peconic Public Broadcasting. At this Thanksgiving time of year, Tracie was grateful for a rare opportunity on the show today to speak directly about the many companies that support DOG TALK(R) (and Kitties, Too!), as well as underwriting her website and her efforts to educate and inspire dog and cat lovers about giving their pets the healthiest, most satisfying life possible. Tracie hopes you'll take a moment to hear her personal thanks and comments about Dr. Wally Smith, the manager of the NPR station which gave DOG TALK(R) a chance (allowing her to win a prestigious Gracie(R) Award in 2010!) and stayed loyal all these years, her impeccable engineer Kyle Lynch, and Marshall Miles and Jill Goodman at Robinhood Radio, who welcomed DOG TALK(R) into their schedule. Tracie explains her Thanksgiving feelings about all her wonderful sponsors, especially Weruva and Precious Cat litter, which go the extra mile to directly offset the cost of the radio show. Most of all she wants to thank each and every one of you who listens to the show, shares it with friends, and takes the advice and incorporates into their own pets' lives. Happy Thanksgiving! By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #294: Tracie learns about the proven importance of supplementing omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil every single day in your pet's bowl, and how to determine the right amount for your dogs and cats, from Erin Hay at Nordic Naturals, which has created capsules and an eye dropper cap to allow you to portion out the correct serving of their triple-filtered, ecologically-responsible fish oil for cats or dogs (anyone can write to Erin ehay@nordicnaturals.com with questions about their own pets' needs); Tracie talks about the Spoiled Rotten "club" you can join to have a box of top-notch Made in America treats and toys delivered to you every month from Petflow.com (see particulars below) and discusses with John Gigliotti, the owner of Whole Life Pet (which was in the debut sold-out Spoiled Rotten box) why people seem more concerned about how and where their dog's food and toys come from, than they are their own children's; Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins discusses the all-natural pheromone product Adaptil for dogs and how it works scientifically like a "Linus blanket" to calm and soothe dogs -- from new puppies to old dogs having "senior moments." By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #293: Trinity Ava is an eastern and western trained herbalist who teaches at the California School of Herbal Studies, Bastyr University (TrinityAva.com) and discusses the value of herbal remedies and Neem oil with Tracie, along with the Theraneem line of pet products; Heather Merrill, founder of the New England Pet Hospice, which assists with medical care and helps with the emotional, social and spiritual needs of people and their pets at the end of their lives (NewEnglandPetHospice.com); Dr. Donna Raditic built the Integrative Veterinary Medicine Service at the University of Tennessee, where she is a professor and explains the value of the veterinary services she offers to patients: chiropractic, acupuncture and massage, and is now looking to fund the first Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the veterinary school. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.

Dog Talk Show #289: A show devoted to a conversation about thorny moral issues confronting the veterinary community, including the selling of profit-generating products to clients. Dr. Philip Padrid, Official veterinarian of DOG TALK[R] (and Kitties, Too!), spends the hour having a philosophical discussion with Tracie about the politics of the veterinary profession and the economics that influence decisions about how vet care is administered and how people are told to feed their pets. FIrst up, a comparison of animal medicine and human medicine and whether there are ethical conflicts when a veterinarian can prescribe and sell medications -- something not allowed in human medicine. Does a profit motive affect medical decisions? The next issue discussed is the influence of the pet food industry (beginning in vet school) on the perception and attitudes veterinarians have about the bagged food made by pet food companies; how common sense and even a scientific understanding of feline and canine digestion may be compromised by a core belief in adherence to kibbled pet food that is fostered in the veterinary sphere by the manufacturers of commercially made kibble. By signing up at DogTalkTheRadioShow.com you will never miss a show, the podcast link will be delivered automatically into your inbox, ready for downloading.