Pooch Parenting

In this episode, I talk with Nick Benger, a professional dog trainer from the UK. We discuss how to help dogs to become more engaged with their owners and how to improve door manners when visitors arrive. We both share client stories and embarrassing incidents so that you know you are not alone - sometimes dogs are challenging. But with consistency and fun rewards, we can all see improvements in o...

In this episode, I talk with Cori Tufano, a dog trainer who specializes in puppies. She believes that starting off a puppy with loving, consistent training and management, they will be set up for a happier and more well adjusted life. I couldn't agree more!  We talk about:  how to manage puppies in a household with kids  how to tell when puppies are tired how to know if your puppy needs a bre...

This week, I talk with Ava, the 13-year old founder of Ava's Pet Palace, an organic treat company for dogs and cats. Ava's vision for her business started when she was only 6 years old...but at age 8, her parents knew she was serious and helped her to launch her dream. Ava encourages everyone to follow their dream, no matter what their age, and says that passion is the key to pushing thr...

In this episode of the Pooch Parenting Podcast with Justine Schuurmans, we talk about her program, The Family Dog. She provides training materials both to dog owners and to dog trainers (me included!) to help families to have more fun with their dogs.   We discuss  the importance in understanding dog body language good choices kids can make around dogs games kids can play with dogs dog and child s...

This week, I talk with my friend, Kelsey Weber, about "lazy trainer" games that are perfect for busy families. I don't know about you, but it's difficult to feel safe a dog who jumps on you every time you sit on the floor to tie your shoes or bowls over visitors. Fortunately for us, Kelsey has easy training games that don't take long to implement, even if your home is acti...

This week, I talk with dog trainer and shelter dog expert, Trish McMillan about what families with kids should look for when adopting a dog from a shelter. Some of what we discuss can be controversial, but we both agree that the stakes are too high to take a risk with the wrong dog when kids are in the picture. We tackle popular concepts such as "adopt don't shop" and "forever...

In this episode, I interview Lauren Haley, a new mom with a Pitbull named MJ. We discuss how she prepared MJ for the arrival of her daughter, along with what worked and what didn't. Lauren is an applied behavior analyst with children, and uses her professional experience to help MJ to learn what behavior she wants repeated in the future. Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you f...

In this episode of the Pooch Parenting Podcast with Miranda Wimbush Bourque, we talk about rescue dogs who are reactive and how to make this a safer experience for families. We talk about how to set up everyone for success - from playdates to walks. Some of what we say might surprise you. We discuss: dog rescue reactive dogs parenting kids and dogs kids living safely with a reactive dog dog and ch...

In this episode of the Pooch Parenting Podcast with Israeli psychologist Eran Katz, we discuss parenting and the role we play in scaffolding the emotional lives of our kids and dogs. Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources are now available on YouTube for FREE.

In this episode, I talk with Debby Lucken, the founder of KAD - Kids Around Dogs, based in the UK. Debby has developed a special protocol for helping children to overcome their fear of dogs. We talk about various reasons kids become fearful of dogs and share tips for how parents can support their children when they are frightened. Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the suppo...

This week, I talk with Ashley Graber and Maria Evans, psychotherapists from Los Angeles about mindfulness and work-life balance for parents. We discuss how parents are the nerve center for the family and how our behavior can impact those around us. They are also both dog moms and understand how dogs with a range of personalities can impact the parenting experience and can influence children. Miche...

In this episode of the Pooch Parenting Podcast, I talk with Kim Brophey, the author of the book Meet Your Dog . We discuss how to choose the right family dog and all of the contributing factors that make a dog who they are. By understanding how a dog's experiences, environment, training and physical needs all interact, families can understand dog behavior better. It's not all about &quot...

In today's episode I talk with art educator, Rachelle Doorley of Tinkerlab, about creative projects kids make for and about dogs. These open ended ideas inspire creativity in children and also strengthen their bond with the family dog.  This episode emphasizes the idea of using creative strategies for kids to interact and bond with their dogs. Not all activities with kids and dogs have to inc...

In this episode, I talk with Laura Gendron, the founder of Miss Behavior Dog Training . She is a mom and positive reinforcement dog trainer, and is one of the most creative teachers I know. We discuss safe and fun games kids can play with dogs so that they can improve their bond. Plus, everyone wants better behaved kids and dogs - and these training games help with both! Michelle of Pooch Parentin...

In today's episode, I talk about how to help children process grief and sadness over the death of a pet with Irene McKenna. Pet loss can be traumatic for all family members - we talk about how we, as parents, can navigate our own grief while holding space for our kids to feel sad. Michelle of Pooch Parenting is now retired. Thank you for the support over the past decade. Many of her resources...

In this episode, I talk with certified dog behavior consultant and trainer Michael Baugh, CDBC, CPDT-KSA, about aggression in family dogs. We discuss how families can improve safety, help the dog to feel better, and how to assess if it's too much for the family to handle. The safety of family members, especially children, is a priority and we discuss options to help parents set up everyone fo...

In today's episode with sleep consultant, Bonnie Dimmick, we talk about how to help our babies, toddlers and kids to sleep better, even if the dog is barking.  This episode answers many common questions about sleep habits and how to help our children to become more resilient, even with noise in the background. We discuss: improving child sleep what to do when dog barking wakes the kids helpin...

In this episode with Caroline Wilkinson, we talk about how to prevent our family dogs from barking. We also discuss the function of barking, why dogs do it, and alternate behaviors we can ask for instead. This is a particularly difficult behavior for families with kids, especially those who are sleep deprived. It's common to worry that barking will wake up a napping child or sleeping baby - b...

I hope you will forgive me for another sad episode. But if I can save one child or prevent one tragic accident, it will be worth it. In today's show, I talk about a recent tragedy where an infant was smothered by the family dog, and what could have been done to prevent it. While this is a horrible event, accidents like this are not uncommon - and I talk about why I think this is so. Tune in a...

In today's episode I speak with parenting coach Rose Clark about simple strategies parents can use to alleviate any guilt they may be feeling about parenting kids and dogs at the same time. It's easy to feel overwhelmed or that you are not doing a great job parenting your kids OR your dog. But there are some strategies that are surprisingly simple to implement to help you to feel better...

In today's episode with Ruby Leslie, we discuss the challenges parents face when living with dogs who chase kids and cats.  This can make life at home chaotic, unsafe and stressful. We talk about simple management strategies to keep everyone safe and to prevent your dog from making avoidable mistakes. If you have a dog who chases your kids or cats, don't miss this episode. Your family wi...

In this episode, we talk about the basics of clicker training for family dogs with Mary Stompe, a Karen Pryor Academy graduate.  Mary talks about why clicker training is so effective and how the whole family can learn to use clickers, use the right timing, and help the dog to become a well behaved companion. You can learn more about Mary at MarysAngelsDogTraining.com. Michelle of Pooch Parenting i...

This week, I talk to Michelle Klump from Out West Bassets. We discuss what an ethical breeder looks like and how to choose the right breed for your family. Michelle talks about why Basset Hounds make good family pets and red flags to look for when trying to decide where to get your next dog.  We discuss: basset hounds good family dogs how to choose a good breeder red flags when searching for a dog...

In this episode, we hear two questions from listeners about walking dogs on leash. In the first question, Karen asks for tips to share with her two children who are helping to walk a small dog belonging to their elderly neighbor. In the second question, Ryan asks for loose leash walking tips for his adolescent dog who is nearing 100 pounds. If you have a question about dogs and kids that you would...

In this brief episode, I share my thoughts about a recent news story where a 3 yo girl was bitten by a fake service dog in a Texas restaurant. While this a very unpleasant topic, it's worth discussing a simple strategy for how incidents like this can be avoided in the future.  I discuss: service dogs dog body language dog etiquette for owners dog etiquette around someone else's dog for p...