On the Dogwatch

One of the more dramatic uses of dogs is in searches for human remains. Today On the Dogwatch we have the great pleasure of speaking with Cat Warren , who has experiences in both training cadaver dogs and also in writing about the field of human remains detection using dogs. We discuss aspects of the research that Cat did for her book What the Dog Knows , the process of using dogs to detect remain...

What happens when you put together a taproom and restaurant with an indoor/outdoor dog park? You get a new kind of venue for dogs and owners, and today On the Dogwatch we get to visit with Sam Carter, one of the co-owners of Unleashed Hounds and Hops in Minneapolis which is just such a place. We have the opportunity to discuss the genesis of Unleashed, the opportunities and challenges of merging t...

Most times when we talk about a business starting in someone’s backyard or shed, we are speaking figuratively. But like so many things at ColsenKeane Leather Goods & Provisions , things are literal, and that is just what happened. Today On Dogwatch we are very fortunate to be able to talk with Scott Hofert , ColsenKeane’s founder and head leathersmith about topics from their origin story to th...

On this very special episode of the Dogwatch we have the opportunity to visit with the Trinidadian-Canadian songwriter and author Anslem Douglas . We discuss his early musical development and influences, the writing and meaning of the song “Who Let the Dogs Out,” as well as his recent album and writing projects. There is no better introduction than music, so we start this episode with Anslem Dougl...

On this episode of the Dogwatch talk with James Costa and learn about the role of domesticated organisms, like dogs, in the development of Darwin’s theory of natural selection. We range from Down House in England to the Galapagos and discuss how these organisms affected Darwin’s thinking. See Jim's books: Darwin's Backyard The Annotated Origin Wallace, Darwin, and the Origin of Species T...

On this episode of the Dogwatch we visit with Chris Elfering, the creator of the Lochby company , which creates fine notebooks and accessories from waxed canvas and fountain pen friendly paper. Starting points for Lochby are the Field Journal , and the Pilot Prera pen . Use dogwatch10 at checkout for a discount! Chris recommends three other pens on the show as starters: Pilot Metropolitan Lamy Saf...

Today On the Dogwatch we turn our attention to Salukis, a fascinating breed of dogs from North Africa and the Middle East. There is no one better to guide us on a quest to understand these dogs than Brian Duggan, who has been a breeder and judge for these dogs for decades. Our story touches on fascinating historical subjects like the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, Lawrence of Arabia, as wel...

On this episode of the Dogwatch, we talk with Spencer Marquardt, a co-owner and knife designer at the Finch Knife Company . We have the pleasure of discussing the inspiration for Finch knives, what makes them unique, the materials they use, and the overall process of developing a new knife. We also have a chance to hear about how Finch knives incorporate design elements of watches including a sapp...

Today On the Dogwatch we have the pleasure of talking with Antonio Centeno, a former member of the 3rd Battalion 1st Marines out of Camp Pendleton, who you may know better as the founder of the website and Youtube channel Real Men Real Style , as well as other business ventures.  In this episode, Antonio discusses the green military notebook he kept as a Marine Officer, how he used it in one direc...

Today On the Dogwatch we have a wide-ranging talk with Reid Bryant about the history of Orvis, types of bird dogs and their relative functions, conservation, and his love of fine mechanical objects like shotguns and watches. Along with getting a window on dogs and hunting from New England, and not missing the opportunity to ask about his favorite gear, we also get to hear Reid’s perspectives on na...

Today On the Dogwatch we have an opportunity to talk with Hal Herzog about our relationship with animals, especially dogs. Hal is both a psychologist and academic, and has a new edition of his book Some We Love, Some We Hate, and Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals coming out very soon. He also writes the Animals and Us blog for Psychology Today . Hal helps us think about...

Today On the Dogwatch we connect with Tom Dokken, who runs Dokken’s Oak Ridge Kennels and has been training dogs for decades. In our conversation we discuss the basics of training bird dogs, the incredible flexibility of the dog as a subject of training, when to start and techniques of training, the significant effort it takes to train a dog to be comfortable with the report of a gun, and also lea...

Today we extend our home range significantly by speaking with Anindita Bhadra, a researcher in Kolkata, India. Although difficult to estimate, the world population of free-ranging dogs is likely more than 200 million individuals and composes the majority of all dogs. We discuss with Anindita the nature of free-ranging dogs, their origin, behavior, and how they are similar to and different from dom...

Much like seeing a gray wolf in the wild, a chance to speak with wolf researcher Dave Mech is a rare and inspiring opportunity. Dave's list of positions include being a Senior Research Scientist with the Biological Resources Division of the USGS, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, and Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the Un...

On today’s episode we talk with Alain Gauthier and Nancy Burkett, proprietors at New England Reproofers. In our conversation, Alain and Nancy describe the nature of waxed cotton, how it is used, and how they clean, repair, and reproof a range of items from field jackets to motorcycle wear to Fifth Avenue finery. Given the durability, protection, style, and longevity of this fabric, the interview m...

On today’s episode we talk with Brendan Doherty from Signal Coffee Roasters on Alameda Island in Oakland, CA.  In our conversation, Brendan helps us understand how beans are chosen, the overall process of roasting, and how recent advances in analytics help you get your favorite beans the same way each time. We also discuss new varietals of beans that are out there that Brendan is looking forward t...

In this episode we talk with Juliane Kaminski, a researcher who studies human sociality and social cognition, but who also studies dogs. In the conversation, we discuss the nature of cognition and what we know about how humans interact with dogs, how the familiar “puppy dog eyes” came to be, and what our dogs are actually feeling when they put them on. We also cover the importance of eye contact i...