Duo Dogcast

In this episode, we visit with Crissy Smith, Chief Canine Officer of Duo Dogs. Crissy shares what traits and qualities make for a good assistance dog. Additionally, she shares her insights on training and what she had learned over the last decade + of training dogs for this special role.

In this epidsode, I visit with Jason Frei, Duo Dog's current board president. Jason currently works at Edward Jones. Jason is the founder of SolutionForge LLC. Previously a he served as a Boeing senior executive, where he held various roles in Program Management, Ethics, and Supply Chain across the global defense business. He also served as President of Boeing's 5,000-strong Veterans Engagement Te...

In this episode, I visited with guests at our 2025 Fetching Affair Gala at the Chase Park Plaza on March 15th. This gala is our main fundraising event of the year and Duo is incredibly grateful to our gala chairs, Gary and Kristen Burger. With the Burgers help and the help of our gala committee and our community, the gala was a tremendous success. As always, a very special thank you to Ryan Sigmun...

Part 2! Jim Twickler, CPDT-KA, Touch Therapy + Obedience Training Specialist, shares dog training tips and tricks. Thank you Jim! Thank You Ryan Sigmund for editing this podcast. To learn more about Duo Dogs or to make a gift to Duo Dogs, click HERE . To ask Jim a question for the next time he appearts on this podcast, please email info@duodogs.org and please put "Podcast Question" in the subject...

Jim Twickler, CPDT-KA, Touch Therapy + Obedience Training Specialist, Duo Dogcast regular, returns to share dog training tips and tricks in this 2 part episode. Thank you Jim! Thank you Ryan Sigmund for editing this podcast. To make a gift to Duo Dogs, click HERE .

Erin Manning, Community Relations Manager, oversees our volunteer programs is featured on this Duo Dogcast. Erin what our volunteer roles entail and how you can potentially become a volunteer with Duo Dogs. Anyone who has met Erin is well aware of her positive attitude and cheerful demeanor and I think that shows through on this podcast. We also learn about Erin's background and her personal dogs,...

This week we visited with Duo Dogs CEO Dawn Van Houten to discuss what is needed to keep Duo thriving year after year. We also learn about Dawn's background growing up on a farm in rural Missouri to getting her first personal dog while living in St. Louis. Additionally, we discuss how you can help Duo Dogs continue to prosper. To learn more about or to make a gift to Duo Dogs, visit www.duodogs.or...

In this episode, we visit with Sharon Johnson, a veteran Duo Touch Therapy volunteer. Sharon shares her experiences sharing her golden retriever (s) with others. Thank you Sharon! Thank you to Ryan Sigmund for editing this podast. To support Duo Dogs, click HERE . I would like to dedicate this episode to Bart Budetti. I hope you are playing fetch with Cosmo and Fiona in the hereafter. - SMC

Jim Twickler, CPDT-KA, Touch Therapy + Obedience Training Specialist, our first two-timer guest, discusses tactics to establish new positive behaviors and recognizing other dog behaviors. Thank you Jim! Thank you Ryan Sigmund for editing this podcast. To make a gift to Duo Dogs, click HERE .

In this episode, we visit with Duo Dogs Assistance Dog Trainer + Education Specialist Tony Alaimo, to talk about dog behaviors. Although this subject is vast, we talk about counter conditioning, imprinting and windows of opportunity relative to age with behaviors. Tony also discusses how he recognizes traits of dogs that are in our Assistance Dog Program. Thank you to Ryan Sigmund for editing this...

This week we are joined by Kristen and Gary Burger. Kristen shares her journey on becoming a Duo Touch Therapy Team with her dog Winston; as well as her work on the front lines of Touch Therapy. Gary shares his attempt to become a Touch Therapy Team with their dog Sadie and together, their love of dogs. We are proud to have the Burgers on the Duo Team as volunteers, supporters and friends. The Bur...

This week we meet with Touch Therapy and Obedience trainer Jim Twickler. Jim shares his journey to becoming a dog trainer, how he acquired his personal dog Taz and the challenges he faced with his rescue dog. We plan to have Jim on our podcast on a regular basis to share tips, tricks and pitfalls of dog training.

A very special thank you to Margot Monser for being the very first recorded Duo Dogcast. We recorded this episode in early 2024. We hope you enjoy hearing Margot share her journey to learning about Duo Touch Therapy to becoming an all star Duo Dogs volunteer. Margot's volunteer time with Duo is multi-faceted. She and her dog Regis are a current Duo Touch Therapy Team who visit Siteman Cancer Cente...

In this episode, we meet with Nancy Herzog, Duo Dogs longest serving volunteer. Herzog shares her passion for dogs and how she found her way to volunteering with Support Dogs (now Duo Dogs) as a Duo Dogs Touch Therapy Team.

CEO Dawn Van Houten and Chief Development Officer share their vision of what we would like to accomplish with the Duo Dogcast.