Petra, Kate and I wish to thank all of our wonderful loyal listeners for the past ten, twelve? Fourteen years. We have had a blast but things change. Two of us are moving. Kindred Spirits Dog Training is closing. It's the end of an era. But thank you!

What happens once your pet is gone? Will your other pets grieve? Liz's middle dog, Hero, is having a bit of a hard time after Bones passed away as is her orange tabby cat, Kirk. Yet the youngest dog, Seven, is absolutely fine. Your three hosts discuss grieving, how to help your pet after the loss of their companion, and how to find that new normal

One of the downfalls of loving dogs (and other pets) is they don't live long enough. Liz recently lost her good dog, Bones. Your three hosts talk about making the decision as to when to say goodbye, whether to take your dog to the vet clinic or have one come to the house, and other issues concerning end of life. This isn't a happy subject to discuss but is one everyone will face at some time.

Dog owners and trainers both face challenges in keeping training new, fresh, and interesting for both dogs and their owners. If training becomes rote and boring, no one is going to have fun with it and if you're not having fun, you're less likely to do it. If the dog doesn't enjoy it, he's less likely to cooperate. Kindred Spirits is introducing a new program that combines obedience training, trick training, and games. Join Liz, Petra, and Kate as they talk about their hopes for it.

Newly adopted dogs don't go to their new home and immediately adapt. It takes time for them to learn where they are, who the people are, what the rules, are and so much more. Plus, the dog's behavior is going to change as they adapt to the new home. Join Liz, Petra, and Kate as they explain what the stages of adjustment are, what to expect, and how to react.

Recently someone told Kate that his dog was bilingual. She asked, "'English and dog?" He laughed, "Okay, tri-lingual. Dog, English, and Spanish." Our dogs understand what we teach them. So how about Klingon? Or Harry Potter spells? Or Italian dishes? Yep, people have taught their dogs a whole lot of different languages.

There is a dog club for every dog owners. Clubs for German Shepherd owners, people interested in agility, clubs for therapy dog owners; clubs for everything. Let's define what certain kinds of clubs are, who could benefit, and why you might want to join one. And of course, how to avoid the politics.

Let's talk about dog care, coat types,, shedding, grooming, toenails and more. Dogs need a surprising amount of care.

Ideally, choosing a puppy or dog for you should be more than falling in love with a puppy. All puppies are cute, right? Tune in and listen as Liz, Petra, and Kate talk about breed tendencies and other things you should be aware of.

As we recorded this podcast we're still in the midst of COVID and most of us are at home either full time or part time. We're all, at least, being careful. Last year we recorded a couple of podcasts with suggestions about keeping your dog occupied or at least not bored, but we thought we'd revisit that topic. A year ago, none of us thought we'd still be doing this. Join us for some more ideas.

We have a new sponsor this month and all of us - Liz, Petra, and Kate - are excited about it. Remember the James Herriot books? The veterinarian from Yorkshire, England? Yeah, we do, too. As we were talking about those books, we also talked about some TV shows with dogs, movies, and of course, books. Join us and hear about our favorites. If you have favorites, drop us an email and maybe we'll revisit this topic with your comments.

Several listeners have asked us if it's possible for dogs and smaller pets to live together. Well, yes and no. We're not trying to make things difficult but there are many pieces to this puzzle. Sit down and relax while Liz, Petra, and Kate talk about small pets, dogs, and whether a peaceable kingdom is possible.

If your dog is, for example, chasing a squirrel it's tough at that point to get your dog's attention. Calling him to come would most likely be futile. However, if you can take some time and teach him to ignore distractions and focus on you, you can prevent unwanted situations where he could get into trouble. Tune in and listen as Liz, Petra, and Kate talk about teaching focus

In the last couple of weeks prior to recording this podcast, there were eight or nine headlines concerning bad dog bites, maulings, and even fatalities. Liz, Petra, and Kate aren't going into why aggressive dogs are aggressive, or why the dogs are running loose (at least not in this podcast) but instead what should you do if you're faced with an aggressive dog? And what should you do afterwards. This isn't a fun subject, it's not a happy podcast, and hopefully you'll never need this...

Liz, Petra, and Kate debunk a few common but erroneous canine myths. Were you told to let dog's get to know you by letting them smell your outstretched hand? How about the one that dogs must sniff each other's genitalia? There is a lot of misinformation available to dog owners that isn't necessarily true and could potentially actually cause problems. Tune is for more information.

A listener emailed us asking us to discuss small dog reactivity as her small dog is having some problems with this. This is a subject Liz, Petra, and Kate have all shared their homes with small dogs. Liz had Papillons; Petra Pomeranians; and Kate has a cockapoo and a Jack Russell terrier. Tune in for their discussion in why small dogs can be reactive towards other dogs, what owners can do to manage these episodes, and some training ideas.

Liz, Petra, and Kate have talked several times in previous podcasts about traveling on road trips with dogs but traveling in the era of COVID is different. Tune in to hear about Liz and Petra's recent 2000 mile trip in Kevin, the RV, with four dogs and four foster kittens during COVID. They have tips on traveling safely, avoiding potential problems, and of course, some things to do before you travel. Plus, kittens!

We have talked about private training so lets talk about group classes. What are the pros and cons? What will be covered in class? What do you need to do to be successful?

There are many different forms of dog training but let's talk about private one- on-one training. How does it work? What can it include? And most importantly, what is the dog owner’s responsibility?

During the COVID crisis, we've been staying at home, isolating ourselves from other people, and really, doing the opposite of socializing. What is you have a puppy or teenage dog who needs socialization? Join Liz, Petra, and Kate as they talk about ways to socialize your canine safely.

With so many dog owners staying at home during the COVID crisis, our dogs are getting used to our company all the time. When people need to start leaving home, either for grocery shopping or work, many dogs may react with signs of separation anxiety. Join Liz, Petra, and Kate as they discuss potential ways of alleviating this.

As much as Liz, Petra, and Kate are enthusiastic about dog training, there is no dog-training magic wand. Training cannot and never will solve all dog behavior issues. Sometimes managing the dog and the behavior is a better idea. Tune in for an explanation, examples, and some how to's.

Liz has a new puppy, Seven, and Petra has added Willow to her household. Both English Shepherds, as Liz's Bones and Hero are and Petra's Poncho and Tango. Listen in to find story behind the new puppies, where they came from, and how they are doing. Plus, in case you are wondering why Liz's puppy is named Seven, that will be explained too.

Most dog owners have recognized that their dog responds when the owner is sad or upset and it's wonderful when that aware dog tries to make us feel better. But there is more to this than just that. When raising a puppy it's especially important to be aware of your emotions as puppies are just little balls of emotion anyway. Then, too, when training your dog your emotions can help you or hinder your efforts. Liz, Petra, and Kate talk about emotions and your dog so tune in.