Mystic Dog Mama

What if healing involves more than addressing our physical symptoms? And what if our relationships with our animals have something to teach us about our own health, emotional wellbeing and personal growth? In this episode of Mystic Dog Mama , I’m joined by Dr Niikee Schoendorfer , whose journey from naturopathic medicine, nutritional biochemistry and scientific research has led her into the world...

What if we stopped looking at our dogs as a collection of parts — and started looking at them as living systems? What if the symptom we're looking at isn't the whole story? What if health isn't simply about identifying the broken part and fixing it, but about understanding the complex web of communication, feedback, environment and relationship happening within the whole organism? In t...

Field Notes from Mystic Dog Mama Field Notes are my short musings from walks with Lucky - the things I find myself noticing, wondering about, and turning over as we move through the seasons together. For this first Field Note, I'm thinking about balance as we arrive at Mabon and the Autumn Equinox. What if balance isn't fixed? What if it doesn't mean everything being equal, or getting...

What if the old stories still have something to teach us? As we move towards Mabon — the Autumn Equinox and a turning point on the Celtic Wheel of the Year — I’ve been thinking about what it means to live more in tune with the seasons, rather than simply following the dates on a calendar. So it felt fitting to end this summer’s Revisited series with my conversation with Irish mythologist Jen Murph...

Could “dampness” be part of what’s going on with your dog? Maybe your dog has recurring yeast or ear problems. Maybe their digestion seems to be constantly up and down, or you’re dealing with symptoms that improve for a while only to come back again. What if, instead of looking at each of these things as a separate problem, we started to look at the bigger picture? In this Revisited episode of the...

Is your dog “allergic” to everything? Maybe they can only eat one protein. Maybe you’ve been told to avoid chicken, beef, grains, dairy, or a whole list of other foods. Maybe you’ve tried food after food, supplement after supplement, and you’re still dealing with itchy skin, recurring ear problems, digestive upset or unexplained reactions. But what if we’ve been too quick to call all of these thin...

What if “reactivity” isn't the whole story? What if the behaviour we find difficult in our dogs is actually communication - an expression of fear, overwhelm, a nervous system on high alert, or a dog who simply doesn't feel safe? In this Revisited episode of Mystic Dog Mama, I return to my very first conversation with Dr Laura Donaldson, a conversation that had a profound impact on how I un...

What if understanding what dogs need begins with a much simpler question: What is a dog? In this revisited episode from the Mystic Dog Mama archives, I return to my very first conversation with veterinary surgeon and author Dr. Tom Lonsdale - a conversation that laid the groundwork for so much of my own thinking about canine nourishment. Tom has spent decades challenging conventional approaches to...

What does it mean to be a responsible dog guardian when science asks us to rethink what we've always believed? In this Revisited episode of Mystic Dog Mama, I'm joined by holistic veterinarian Dr. Lise Hansen for one of the podcast's most listened-to and talked-about conversations. For many of us, routine neutering was simply part of responsible dog ownership. It was the advice we were...

What if your dog isn’t just your companion, but also your teacher? In this episode of Mystic Dog Mama , I’m joined by intuitive tarot and astrology expert and fellow Mystic Dog Mama, Sarah Verba, for a conversation about dogs, the mystical path, intuition, and what our animal companions reveal about ourselves. I have followed Sarah’s work for years, and I’ve always been drawn to the way she uses t...

What if the microbiome is about more than digestion? When we hear the word microbiome , the conversation usually turns to probiotics, gut health, allergies, or finding the perfect supplement. While those topics matter, this revisited conversation with holistic veterinarian Dr. Odette Suter invites us to explore something much deeper. Together, we ask what the microbiome might reveal about the natu...

Part of the Mystic Dog Mama Revisited summer series – conversations that continue to shape the way I think about dogs, nourishment and what it means to be human. This was the very first interview I ever recorded for the Mystic Dog Mama podcast, and looking back, I couldn't have chosen a better place to begin. Before we can talk about nutrition, behaviour, training or holistic health, we first...

Where do flea and tick treatments really go? For many of us, protecting our dogs from fleas and ticks has become part of responsible care. But what happens when the products we use to protect our dogs raise wider questions about environmental health, scientific uncertainty and the choices we make every day? In this thought-provoking conversation, I'm joined by Dr Tilly Collins , Senior Fellow...

How do you know if your dog is living with arthritis? The truth is, many dogs show signs of arthritis long before they're diagnosed. What we often dismiss as "slowing down with age" can actually be subtle signs of chronic pain—changes in behaviour, movement, sleep, or the way they engage with the world around them. In this episode, I'm joined by Dr Hannah Capon, veterinary surgeo...

It's 4th of July weekend and the start of fireworks season in the US, so I'm revisiting this beautiful interview with Lisa Spector of Canine Classical, to give you some tips on how to use music and sound to support your dog. Enjoy! You are in for a TREAT! Today, my guest is Lisa Spector of My Zen Pet. Lisa has such an incredible story. From graduating from the world renowned Julliard Schoo...

We live in a time where it can feel like there's a supplement for everything. One for the gut. One for the joints. One for calm. One for detox. One for immunity. And somewhere along the way, many dog guardians find themselves managing an ever-growing collection of powders, capsules, tinctures, and "just-in-case" products—all in the name of doing the best for their dogs. But when does...

As the solstice approaches, I wanted to offer something a little different. In this reflective episode, I explore the themes of nourishment, intuition, creativity, and the Wild Woman archetype inspired by Women Who Run With the Wolves . Together, we'll consider what this seasonal threshold might be asking of us, what wants to emerge, and how our dogs can help guide us back to presence, connect...

When people talk about raw feeding, the conversation often begins - and ends - with pathogens. But what if that's causing us to overlook much bigger questions? In Part 2 of my conversation with veterinarian and canine nutrition researcher Dr. Anna Hielm-Björkman of the University of Helsinki's independent research group, DogRisk, we explore what researchers are beginning to discover now th...

What if one of the most important skills for supporting your dog's wellbeing was learning how to observe more closely? In this fascinating and wide-ranging conversation, I sit down with professional classical homeopath Lucy Reynolds to explore the world of homeopathy—for our dogs, ourselves, and the animals in our care. Whether you're completely new to homeopathy, cautiously curious, or al...

In this revisited episode of the Mystic Dog Mama podcast, I’m bringing back an incredibly important conversation with canine first aid instructor and registered veterinary nurse, Rachel Bean. When we think about caring for our dogs, we often focus on food, supplements, enrichment, and daily wellbeing — but knowing what to do in an emergency is one of the most empowering skills a dog guardian can h...

What if one of the biggest problems in canine nutrition is that we’ve barely studied fresh food at all? In this deep and thought-provoking conversation, I sit down with veterinarian and researcher Dr. Anna Hielm-Björkman from the University of Helsinki’s DogRisk research group - one of the only independent, university-connected teams in the world researching raw feeding and fresh food diets in dog...

In today’s episode, we’re exploring one of the most misunderstood approaches to healing: homeopathy. But beyond the debates, what is homeopathy, really?  How does it differ from conventional medicine? Why does it view symptoms so differently? And what happens when we begin seeing symptoms not simply as problems to suppress, but as communication from the body itself? Joining me for this conversatio...

In this episode of the Mystic Dog Mama podcast, I’m joined by Shamanic Dog Trainer, Tamryn Fudge, for a deeply expansive conversation exploring what becomes possible when we move beyond behavior modification, and begin relating to dogs through connection, cooperation, nervous system awareness, and deeper listening. Together, we explore the space where science and soul meet in our relationships wit...

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “too much,” too sensitive, or quietly carrying parts of yourself that long to be expressed - this conversation may feel like a remembering. What if healing isn’t about fixing what’s wrong with you - but remembering what has always been true? In this deeply soulful conversation, I’m joined by Nicole Barton - healer, archetypal guide, and founder of the Archetypal Apo...

What if illness wasn’t the enemy? What if symptoms weren’t signs that the body had failed, but invitations into a deeper conversation? In this deeply rich episode, I’m joined by Dr. Erin Hayford of Aurora Somatic Medicine and the host of the Sacred Illness podcast to explore a radically different understanding of disease, healing, and the intelligence of the body. Drawing from her own experience w...