Hound Opinions

We're talking crates this time, y'all! I make no secret of the fact that I love crate training. But crating is also controversial. It’s not a magic bullet and if a dog isn’t taught how to be comfortable in a crate, it can have serious negative effects on their mental health and in fact can have negative effects on their physical health if they decide to try to get out of the crate and hurt...

We're learning all about the Lancashire Heeler today! The Lancashire Heeler is the newest breed to join the American Kennel Club and I could think of nobody better to talk to than Sheryl Bradbury. Sheryl's the president of the United States Lancashire Heeler Club and the Nebraska Kennel Club . She gives us the inside scoop on the Lancashire Heeler and I even get her to talk a little trash...

Hound Opinions is back, baby! That's right! The holiday hiatus is over and we're diving back into it by talking once again about fostering. Since Thanksgiving, my spouse and I have fostered a couple dogs. That's part of why we got a house, after all. The first experience was not so great and I'll get into why in the episode. The second was pretty great. I wanted to talk about both...

Look! It's a bonus episode! The pod is technically on hiatus, but I wanted to chat a bit about how to keep your dogs feeling calm and comfortable during holiday gatherings. It's too late to help with that turkey-based holiday, but we still have Hanukkah and Christmas and other winter seasonal gatherings coming up. And just so you're not worried, the pod *WILL* be back in earnest next m...

It’s safe to say that we all want to do the best we can for our pups. We want to give them the best food. We want to make sure we’re closely monitoring their health so that they’re always healthy and comfortable. We want to make sure that they don’t’ find themselves in situations where they may feel uncomfortable and like they have to defend themselves. But none of us are perfect. We’re not able t...

Guide dogs are amazing creatures. More amazing than we realize, in fact. We think of guide dogs as the dogs with the rectangular handles sticking up from their backs helping their handlers navigate a world they can't see. And that's accurate, but it's also incomplete. On the pod with me is Marin Baumer. In 2019, Marin was in a horrific car accident that left her totally blind. But with...

It's almost Halloween! And while you should absolutely enjoy the holiday, it can be tough on your pups. Bill tackles a few Halloween-themed topics this time around. They start off talking about how to help your dog get used to wearing a costume, but cautions that if your dog REALLY isn't into it, don't force the issue. From there, they talk about how to help your pup get used to people ringing you...

There's a proposal in Chicago for a dog park with an attached bar. It will be a place, according to this piece on Block Club Chicago , where people can "“grab a beer at the concession-style stand, have a seat and work on their computer while their dog runs around and plays.” Here's the URL of the Block Club piece: https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/10/04/an-indoor-dog-park-with-a-bar-p...

It's just Bill this time. In this solo pod, Bill talks about why you REALLY should pay attention to your dog during a walk ... along with a sub-rant about retractable leashes. Spoiler: They're the worst. And in the second segment, Bill talks about the importance of microchipping your dog and tells the story of how they helped a happy husky find his way home. DON'T FORGET: Bill wants to answer YOUR...

This is the second and final installment of Bill's brief series on dog parks. Last time, Bill talked about why dog parks aren't generally great places for dogs. But here's the problem: Even reactive dogs and other dogs who just wouldn't enjoy dog parks need exercise. And when you have a dog in a city like Chicago, getting them that exercise can be hard, especially if you don't...

Quick trigger warning : This episode does talk a bit about a dog attack. It doesn’t get graphic and the dog who got attacked survives. But a dog attack is discussed, so be ready for it. Everyone loves dog parks, right? Well, not quite. There's one very important group that doesn't often love dog parks: DOGS . And it makes sense, right? Dog parks are often kind of the wild west, which can c...

Quick trigger warning: This episode does talk about euthanasia. Nothing graphic or disturbing, but the topic is discussed in no uncertain terms. So just be ready for it. If you’ve been on social media and/or keeping up with your local news lately, you’ve probably seen lots of reporting about how animal shelters across the country are at capacity. And there’s no denying that shelters here in Chicag...

It's Season 4, y'all! That's right. Hound Opinions is back and Bill has had a helluva couple months. They and their spouse, along with the dogs, moved from a two-bedroom apartment into a house. That's right, a whole house! It was one of the more stressful experiences of Bill's life. But you know who else was stressed by it? Their pups - Chester and Bodhi. Moving is tough for do...

It's the Season 3 Finale! The podcast is taking a break for a bit, but Season 4 will drop in mid-late July! We’re talking about two of Bill's favorite topics today – fear and socialization. Why? Because there are a lot of misconceptions about those two things and how they affect dogs. And Bill wants to clear them up. DON'T FORGET : Bill wants to answer YOUR training and behavior questi...

Once again, it's just Bill. This time, our podcaster extraordinaire talks about frustration . It's a normal human emotion. We all get frustrated at things - life, the universe, everything - and people - parents, kids, friends, romantic partners. It's just normal. Something else that's normal? Getting frustrated at your dog. On this episode, Bill talks about frustration and how it c...

It's just Bill this time around. In this solo pod, we're talking about doing nothing. Doing nothing is hard for dogs. For humans, that's a weird concept, but it's an important one when it comes to training. In the first part of the episode, Bill talks about why the ability to do nothing is important and how to teach our dogs that skill. In the second part, Bill opens up about one o...

Hound Opinions is on a bit of a break this week. There'll be a new episode in two weeks, but in the meantime, enjoy this rebroadcast of Bill's chat with Lisa Lunghofer of the Grey Muzzle Organization . By the way, Bill's older pup, Chester, turns 13 next week! Because Chester's a mensch, he wants to use his Bark Mitzvah to do some good! So he's raising money for the Grey Muzzle...

This one's a bit personal for Bill. Trigger warnings: Talk of cancer and pet death.  In May of 2021, a mass was found on Bill's dog Chester’s spleen. A trip to the emergency vet and a splenectomy later (plus a couple days at the hospital), Chester was back home with a shaved belly and a badass scar from the surgery.  Luckily the mass was benign and Chester's still as ornery as ever. But...

Trigger warning: This episode contains mentions of animals being used for pharmaceutical testing purposes, talk of animals being abused and animals dealing with issues of PTSD and the fallout that comes from surviving life in testing facilities. We all know animal testing happens. But did you know that it doesn’t just happen on rats and mice? It happens on all sorts of animals, including dogs and...

Sorry for the delay! But it's finally here! Bill's by himself this time. On this episode, he chats for a bit about expectations and why letting go of some of the traditional ideas of what it means to have a “good” or “well-behaved” dog can make everyone happier.  Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagschicago.com . You can also find Big Wags on Mastodon , Discord , TikTok and Instagram unde...

Sometimes, rehoming a dog is the best decision for both you/your family and the dog. And there's nothing wrong with that. But it's never an easy decision. Nobody wants to feel like they're giving up on a dog, especially if that dog's had a tough go of things.  Bill's got another returning guest this time. Sara Polk is a lifelong dog lover and licensed mental health provider in El Paso, Texas....

Mission K9 Rescue is a special kind of dog rescue. Based in Texas, Mission K9 is an animal welfare group dedicated to rescuing, reuniting, rehoming, repairing, and rehabilitating American working dogs. This includes military and contract working dogs, as well as retired police, TSA and other law enforcement dogs. Since 2013, the group has provided a wide array of medical and behavioral services to...

Sorry for the delay. There were technical issues. It's the holidays and you fine folx have questions. So Bill's going to answer some of them. He talks about helping to introduce your dog to new people and gets into body language. He also talks about the most unusual cues he's seen dogs do and gets into why he never uses the term "command". Happy holidays! Big Wags Chicago is online at www.bigwagsc...

Bill's taking a bit of a holiday break this week. There'll be a new episode in a couple weeks. Stay tuned. In the meantime, Bill is going to be putting together a live video event where he talks about dog body language and takes questions in real time. When he nails down a time, he'll announce it on Facebook , Discord and Mastodon . So get ready for that. It's going to be fun.  Big Wags Chica...

It's almost time for the National Dog Show , hosted by the Kennel Club of Philadelphia ! On the pod with Bill this time is his first ever returning guest - longtime voice of the National Dog Show, David Frei. David and Bill preview the show and David shares his insights about the world of dog shows built over years of experience as an owner and handler of show dogs, as well as his experience as a...