Dog Driven Podcast

In this episode of Dog Driven , we're taking a deep dive into why the off-season is one of the most important parts of building a healthy, confident, and resilient canine athlete. Whether you hunt over your dog, compete in hunt tests or field trials, participate in agility or dock diving, or simply want your dog to live a longer, healthier life, what you do between seasons matters. We'll d...

Water is one of the most powerful performance tools available to your canine athlete, yet it's often the most overlooked. In this episode of Dog Driven , we're exploring why hydration is about much more than a water bowl. You'll learn how proper hydration supports endurance, muscle function, temperature regulation, and recovery, along with practical strategies to help your dog stay hyd...

What separates a good dog vest from one that's built to perform? In this episode of Dog Driven , I sit down with Austin Koile of ReKoile Outdoors to explore the thought, testing, and innovation behind designing gear for the dogs that give us everything in the field. We dive into what makes a quality retriever vest, why proper fit matters, and how vest design can influence a dog's comfort,...

They may be small, but ticks can have a massive impact on your dog's health, performance, and even your hunting season. In this episode of Dog Driven , we're taking a deep dive into one of the most overlooked threats facing sporting and working dogs. We'll cover the most common tick species, the diseases they carry, how infections occur, what clinical signs to watch for, and why early...

What starts with a dog often turns into something much bigger. In this episode of Dog Driven , I sit down with Ed Lynn from Bracey, Virginia, to talk about his journey into the world of Boykin Spaniels, hunt tests, and the community that keeps us all coming back to the line. Ed shares how his passion for dogs evolved from growing up around hunting dogs to training and running his own Boykin Spanie...

From competition coonhounds and racehorses to Master Hunters and professional retriever training, Blake Haddock's journey through the dog world spans more than 35 years. In this episode of Dog Driven, I sit down with Blake, owner and head trainer of Feather Point Retrievers, to discuss his path into dog training, the dogs that shaped his career, and how he built one of the country's most r...

Understanding Diagnostic Tests Part 2: Urinalysis, Radiology & Ultrasound Spotify Episode Description: Bloodwork is only one piece of the diagnostic puzzle. In Part 2 of the Understanding Diagnostic Tests series, we're diving into three of the most valuable tools veterinarians use to uncover what's happening beneath the surface: urinalysis, radiology, and ultrasound . In this episode, Whitney...

For nearly 24 years, Dr. Anna Ziedins has dedicated her life to veterinary medicine, hunting, and understanding the incredible bond between dogs and the people who love them. In this episode of Dog Driven, Whitney sits down with Dr. Z to discuss her journey from multiple veterinary school rejections to becoming a respected veterinarian, hunter, and advocate for relationship-based dog training. Tog...

Bloodwork is one of the most common diagnostic tools used in veterinary medicine, but most dog owners don't fully understand what those numbers mean or why veterinariansrecommend running labs even when a dog seems healthy. In this episode of Dog Driven, Whitney breaks down the basics of canine bloodwork, including CBCs, chemistry panels, organ function testing, and what veterinarians are looki...

This week on Dog Driven, I sit down with Seth Fontenot of Scout's Retrievers in Ville Platte, LA, a professional gun dog trainer who has spent countless hours developing retrievers, running hunt tests, and helping support the HRC community. We dive into what it really takes to build a capable huntingdog while balancing work, family, and life outside of dogs. We discuss training philosophies, c...

What’s actually an emergency with your dog… and what can safely wait until morning? In this solo episode of Dog Driven, Whitney breaks down one of the most important skills every dog owner should have: knowing how to recognize true emergencies, assess your dog quickly, and stay calm under pressure. From heat stroke and bloat to limping, vomiting, injuries, and “just not acting right,” this episode...

This week on Dog Driven , we’re diving deep into one of the most misunderstood — and most important — topics in the sporting dog world: nutrition, metabolism, caloric demand, and how to properly fuel canine athletes at every stage of life and level of work. From growing puppies to seasoned hunting dogs, explosive competition dogs to endurance athletes, this episode breaks down what handlers need t...

Parasite prevention is about a lot more than “worms.” In this Dog Driven solo episode, we break down the life cycles of common parasites in dogs, how infections happen, why year-round prevention matters, and the biggest mistakes owners make when it comes to keeping dogs protected. From fleas and ticks to intestinal parasites and heartworm, this episode is a practical look at why prevention is one...

What actually goes into building a working dog? In this episode of Dog Driven , we break down the complete life cycle of a working dog —from puppyhood to senior years—and what’s happening physically, mentally, and behaviorally at every stage. This isn’t surface-level advice. This is about understanding how dogs are truly developed—and where most handlers get it wrong. We cover: How to build confid...

Wellness isn’t something you focus on after there’s a problem—it’s what determines if the problem shows up at all. In this mini episode, we break down what real dog wellness actually looks like, why most dogs break down over time, and the simple daily habits that can change everything.

Most dogs don’t fail because they aren’t capable— they fail because they were rushed through the process. In this episode, we break down why slowing down in your training isn’t a setback… it’s the fastest way to build a dog that actually understands, performs consistently, and holds up under pressure. We’re talking about: Why handlers rush (and how it shows up in your dog) The small “almost right”...

High-drive dogs are built to go. They crash through cattails, launch into cold water, run miles across rough ground, and give everything they have every time we ask. But the reality is this: Most working dogs don’t break down because they lack talent or drive. They break down because recovery is ignored. In this episode of Dog Driven , we dive into what I call The Recovery Gap — the space between...

Life gets loud sometimes—and when it does, your dog feels it. In this solo episode, I talk about how the handler’s mindset, stress, and presence shape every training session. From retrievers and protection dogs to SAR, stock dogs, and service dogs, the person at the end of the lead is always part of the equation. This episode explores how to stay consistent, simplify training when life is heavy, a...

In the working dog world, size gets a lot of attention. Big retrieves. Big water. Big presence. But motor doesn’t come in pounds — it comes in heart. In this episode of Dog Driven, I sit down with Chris Luis of Tater’s Flyway out of Beaverton, Oregon, to talk about life and hunting behind a Cocker Spaniel — a compact breed that continues to prove it can run with the big dogs. We dive into: • What...

Different outlets. Same engine. We talk about drive constantly in the working dog world — but we rarely stop to define what it actually means. Is it intensity? Is it prey instinct? Is it aggression? Is it excitement? In this solo episode of Dog Driven , we zoom out and examine drive at its core — not as a sport-specific buzzword, but as biological wiring. From retrievers at the line to Malinois in...

Your Dog Shouldn’t Pay for Your Stress Working dogs are performance animals — but they are also emotional barometers. In this episode of Dog Driven, I am unpacking the science behind handler regulation and dog performance. From cortisol synchronization to cognitive fatigue, from stress-reactivity to the Yerkes-Dodson performance curve — this is a deep dive into why your mental state matters more t...

If their feet fail — everything fails. In this solo episode of Dog Driven , I’m breaking down why paw care isn’t optional for working dogs — it’s foundational. We ask our dogs to power through frozen marshes, cut cornfields, gravel roads, ice shelves, and long water retrieves… but how often are we conditioning and protecting the very thing that makes it all possible? Drive gets attention. Genetics...

In this episode of Dog Driven , I sit down with Todd Renihan of Illinois to unpack a truth that separates average dogs from exceptional partners: the handler matters. Together, we break down how operant conditioning shows up in real-world training—often without handlers realizing it—and why timing, consistency, and clarity from the human side of the leash shape everything from obedience to perform...

Is drive something a dog is born with—or something that’s built through training and handling over time? In this episode of Dog Driven , I sit down with the owners of Paragon Retrievers and Gun Dogs out of Sturdivant, MO who have dedicated their lives to raising and placing working dogs to break down one of the most debated topics in the hunting dog world. We talk genetics, bloodlines, early puppy...

The off season isn’t a break — it’s where dogs are made. In this solo episode, I’m talking about what we do with our dogs when the season ends and the real work begins. From daily structure and obedience, to conditioning, mindset, and low-pressure training, this is the quiet work that builds confident, durable dogs long before opening day. If you’re in the off season right now, this episode is you...