Dear Dog Fanatic

This week I'm joined by Molly, the founder of Paw Pixie, a t-shirt brand created for rescue dog moms that gives back to rescue organizations. We talk about the adoption stories of her two dogs, Bochi and Cookie, how they inspired the creation of Paw Pixie, and why supporting local dog rescues is a cause so close to her heart. We also chat about fostering, the challenges rescue organizations face b...

Hear from a first time foster dog pawrent about what it’s been like working from home with the 14-year-old “most unbeagle-like beagle” by her side. In this episode, Marie and I chat about her elderly beagle-mix foster dog, Angel. This sweet girl is still available for adoption through the York County SPCA in Pennsylvania, USA. See her profile for more information about Angel and how to adopt her....

In this interview with Gini Trask, you'll get an inside look as to what an initial behavioural consultation looks like for my virtual 1:1 dog training clients. By asking so many questions, I am able to start identifying many of the underlying challenges behind certain canine behaviours. Our guest today tells me all about her rescue hound, Roscoe. He came into her life due to unusual circumstances...

We can often stretch ourselves too thin in the service of others. And when we do, we forget that doesn't just diminish our capacity to look after ourselves. It also has a large impact on our dogs. In this episode, I speak with Shelly McClintock, a life coach and dog mom, about how overgiving impacts dog owners and their relationships. And since I enjoy a good Reddit story, I read some on the follo...

If you are a dog owner who works from home, I know some things about you. My name is Kirsten, but you can call me K. And I am both a virtual dog trainer and dog mom of three. In this mini episode, I share some of the insights I have collected from The 2026 International Remote Workers with Dogs Survey. I created this survey because I wanted to your input on what it is like working from home with y...

Struggling to balance your work-from-home routine with your dog’s needs? In this episode, Kirsten Matthews (The Canine Detective) explores common challenges faced by remote dog owners, sharing Reddit stories and expert advice to help you create a workable daily routine for you and your furry coworker. Takeaways Building effective morning routines is crucial for remote workers with dogs. It is nece...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, Kirsten Matthews ( @thecaninedetective ) chats with special guest Abby Petkov ( @ habichuelaaa ) about her dog Wizard. The conversation delves into understanding the unique needs of a sensitive dog and the challenges in balancing enrichment and rest in his environment. The pair discuss the importance of creating a routine and plan for decompression to manage Wi...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, Kirsten "K" Matthews (The Canine Detective) reads questions from the r/DogAdvice & r/AskReddit subreddits. Content Warnings:  Senior Dog Medical Challenges, Euthanasia, and Palliative Care. Resources Quality of Life Assessment Bear’s Buddies Animal Foundation (Geriatric & Hospice Sanctuary) Donate Here: Fundraising Campaign Make a donation of $125 and r...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, Kirsten "K" Matthews (The Canine Detective) reads and responds to listener write-ins. She gives tips and tricks on how to care for a senior dog with medical challenges. She also explains some of the reasons why a dog may be excessively licking various surfaces. And finally, gives her take on why people choose the dog breeds that they do. Content Warnings: Senio...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, K (The Canine Detective) answers some listener write-ins. She gives expert advice on how to prevent your dog from eating poop, how to introduce an adult dog to a new puppy roommate, and how we often make mistakes when choosing a puppy. Content Warnings: Discussing Poop. Takeaways Breaking habits requires addressing root causes, not just symptoms (and this appli...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, K (The Canine Detective) returns to the r/RPGHorrorStories subreddit to read stories primarily about dog grief in and out of game. A reminder to treat others at our tables kindly and let them have an animal companion if they want one! Content Warnings: Fictional Murder, Dog Death, Grief, and a brief mention of alcoholism. Takeaways Always have a session zero wh...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, K (The Canine Detective) reads stories about folks having their dogs attend their own weddings. Should your pup be a special guest or a member of the bridal party on your big day? These stories are from the r/eloping and r/weddingplanning subreddits. Content Warnings: Family Drama. Takeaways A professional dog wedding attendant or someone designated to watch yo...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, K reads questions from dog lovers who have or are planning to move overseas with their pups. These stories are from the r/expats, r/moving, r/pettravel, r/MovingtoAustralia, and r/DogAdvice subreddits. Takeaways If you wish to fly commercial, your two options are to have your dog in-cabin (if they are under 20 lbs) or in cargo (if they are over that). Other tra...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, K (The Canine Detective) once again takes a look at some incompatible relationships (human to human as well as human to dog) and some rescue dog decompression pains. The most fun story is the one about the eyeless dog at the end of the episode. These stories are from the r/DogAdvice subreddit. Content Warnings: domestic abuse and dog bites. Takeaways If you lov...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, we explore some dog poop drama. Who knew that potty business was so controversial? These stories are from the r/AITA subreddit. Content Warnings: angry neighbours, anti-dog people, and judgemental dog owners. And much talk of dog poop! Takeaways Dogs peeing on lawns is a hot topic. And some folks may prefer for your dog to pee on the sidewalk instead of their l...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, K (The Canine Detective) reads some wild dog confessions from Redditors. These stories are from the r/TrueOffMyChest subreddit. Possible trigger warning: talks of both medical and behavioural euthanasia. Takeaways Dogs are a lot of work! Be clear from the beginning who's responsible for the dog. Don't watch someone's dog if you don't want to. Please, no kidnapp...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, K (The Canine Detective) reads thought-provoking questions from the r/AskReddit subreddit. Fans of the game "Will You Press The Button?" will enjoy this one! Takeaways Bigger dogs can cost more than little dogs... for many reasons. The grief one has when losing a dog is intense. Don't feel the need to get a new dog right away if you are not ready. The quality o...

In this episode of Dear Dog Fanatic, K (The Canine Detective) reads stories about dogs and fiancés from the r/relationship_advice subreddit. This could very well be a sequel to Episode 1: Dogs Revealing Relationship Incompatibilities. Takeaways Couples should discuss the financial implications of having a dog before bringing one home. Be on the same page as your partner. What does having a dog mea...

In this episode, K shares her journey to opening up her own dog training practice and the factors that led her to decide to deliver all of her programming virtually. The Canine Detective had previously offered board & trains, group classes, in-house private lessons, as well as walk & trains. It also delves into the structure of her virtual training practice and the benefits it offers to cl...

In this episode, a virtual dog trainer shares some fun dog character Reddit stories from the r/RPGHorrorStories. Kirsten (The Canine Detective) is a big TTRPG nerd herself and gives her takes from both a player and dog lover's perspective. Takeaways All party members get attached to player character pets. If someone goes to unalive a dog in-game, just do yourself a favour and boot them immediately...

In this episode, Kirsten (The Canine Detective) reads dog-related stories from the r/bridezillas subreddit. Common themes include the importance of prioritizing pets and setting boundaries in relationships. Takeaways Canine welfare is more important to some people than to others. If your friend is mad at you for potentially missing their wedding because your dog had a medical emergency, are they r...

This episode features dog-centric stories from the r/AmItheAsshole subreddit. Kirsten (The Canine Detective) explores the key underlying theme of dogs revealing (rather than causing) fundamental incompatibilities in longstanding relationships. Takeaways Partners need to communicate before marriage or kids, whether or not they want dogs. The parent is the one who decides whether or not to get a dog...