Child of Dog

We finally did it! After sixteen episodes, we've cracked the code and are bringing video to you (on YouTube). Today's pod covers some exchanges Stephen recently had with strangers, one of which about the word "healer" and someone's aversion to the use of it.  In the course of the conversation, Ben wonders whether "dockers" (the pants he had to wear as a child) were named that because they were des...

On today's episode, the boys talk tea, health, eating, family vacations, boredom on the beach, burger toppings, head tilts, forest fire smoke, the romance of a post-apocalyptic landscape, and other related tangents! Could the hosts instill fear into the common Black Bear if need be? And would they rather take on said bear, or a big cat? Some food for thought...  As always, we hope you enjoy!

We're straight to business in today's episode! Stephen has almost fully implemented some of the schedule changes he discussed on the last pod, and Ben has just returned home from a work trip that he's eager to share about. Listen along as we hear about Ben's adventures in Tennessee working at Tight End University; the conversation centers around how groups of people come together for a defined per...

We're back! The boys each have new family members: one is furry and the other is not. Fatherhood, fasting, and fostering connection with our kids are all topics of conversation. Enjoy!

We're back for episode thirteen! Today the boys welcome you into their new studio (even though you can't see it yet)! Discussion includes: how Matzoh is a terrible desert food, being a "kept" man, opinion overload, being vulnerable on social media, a moment or meal we would like to relive for the first time (fan question), phone zombification and the inability to be bored, the expectation of being...

On this week’s POD, our hosts are back from a recent boys’ trip to Spain, and are still trying to catch their breath! The conversation centers around food, friends, and the families waiting at home. Eventually, the discussion pivots towards corporate complexities, incentive structures, and the mind-melting effect bureaucratic nonsense has on the population at large. Other topics include: the recen...

Welcome back to Child of Dog! On today's episode, the boys take questions and commentary from a few listeners. One wonders why Stephen is so unwilling to discuss conspiracy theories on the pod, and another wonders what the hosts think about Valentine's day. In their usual back-and-forth manner, Stephen and Ben reflect on the best and worst holidays, age-old questions like: can you see the "man in...

Welcome in 2026 with Ben and Stephen! The boys are back to recap holiday chaos, and decide to try out a small format change, with one of the hosts' presenting a question or topic for discussion each episode. Now responsible for creating their own family's holiday cheer, Ben and Stephen reflect on their childhood experiences of Christmas Day and how that compares to today. Other topics include: Ben...

The band is back together for another episode of Child of Dog! The boys discuss the perfect Thanksgiving leftover sandwich, Vas recounts how his pup Gus has eaten a container of dried Szechuan chili peppers, and Ben proclaims himself as the "King of Analogies," to which Stephen objects. Topics include Turkey day responsibilities, the origin of Vas's rescue dog and his emotional sensitivities, the...

Welcome back to another episode of Child of Dog! Join Stephen and Ben for a conversation focused on child rearing, including topics such as: the hosts' middle-of-the-road curiosity about "parenting from the past," balancing analog and digital, protection versus exposure, homeschooling, progress, resilience, and how all of these topics inevitably relate to dog training and therapy.

After a brief and unplanned hiatus - and without their trusty producer Vas - Stephen and Ben return to the studio for another great episode! The boys recount Ben's birthday celebration in NYC, Stephen's recent and powerful experience with a cadaver dissection training, the hosts' relative experience with death and the question of what lies after, shutting off from grief, covenants with the univers...

Today’s episode is a shorter, more somber one, focused on the life and death of Charlie Kirk. As young thinkers, fathers, and fellow humans, Stephen and Ben address the incident that has shaken the country, and share honest reflections about hope, optimism, free speech, community, globalism versus localism, mortality, and the future of humanity.

Stephen and Ben are back for episode five! The gap was longer than usual, but the conversation doesn't miss a beat. Ben is on the other side of his vasectomy, and Stephen has recently cut his finger and eaten a bad egg. Episode topics include: the ebb and flow of friendships, navigating medical situations with humor, drinking vessels, recreational pharmacology, debate team, "naming the thing," and...

Welcome back for episode four of the COD POD (yes, we're making that nickname happen)! It's our first recording since the official launch of the show, and we're already talking abbreviations, merch, and the manifestation of a large listening audience! On today's episode, Ben and Stephen discuss heavy metal music, Ben's upcoming vasectomy, celebrity deaths and other items in the zeitgeist (as well...

Ben and Stephen are back for episode three! Having just returned from Paris, Ben is sporting a haircut that is trés chic, even though he got it in the States...The show takes off in its usual, organic yet relatively unpredictable manner, covering topics such as: Hebrew school, the hosts' relationship with religion, the future and AI cults, attitudes towards schooling, homework, and college, as wel...

From black coffee and Christian Slater, to Dave Matthews, the Zodiac Killer, and a discussion on capacity versus will, Ben and Stephen are back for episode two of the newly renamed Child of Dog podcast. Topics include nuance in media, failures of the expert class, groupthink, anti-heroes, boring conversations, the American West, and the difference between traveling with family and traveling with f...

Welcome to Child of Dog! Or at this point, the Outrider Dogs Podcast. Ben and Stephen start by discussing the show's name (which changes after this episode) and the meaning behind the term "Outrider." The conversation organically flows from there, covering topics from dog training, generational attunements to emotion, parenting and interpersonal lessons from the hosts’ careers, navigating conflict...