We love a good podcast. It’s the perfect companion for those long commutes or walks around the neighborhood. And they’re even better when they’re about one of our all-time favorite topics: dogs!
From training to lifestyle, FAQs to true stories, these are the ultimate podcasts for pet parents.
Dr. Dunbar’s iWoof Podcasts
Dr. Dunbar’s iWoof Podcasts are great not only because they’re called iWoof Podcasts, but because there are five whole seasons of them, and they pretty much cover everything.
One of the coolest features, though, is the stories of real life scenarios that real people face, like Shirley from New Jersey, who has a problem with an overly aggressive dog who hops the fence to chase down bikers and joggers.
But each episode is different than the last, and that’s what makes it so refreshing—one week it’s all about socialization, and the next it’s about Sarah Palin praising her son for stepping on their dog.
Canine Nation
Updated monthly, Canine Nation is a great resource for dog parents who are especially interested in behavioral science. (Pavlov’s Dogs, anyone?)
Each podcast is equally fascinating, as the focus is on why dogs behave the way they do, and how we can help instill better behaviors through better communication.
Bottom line: Understanding the way your dog works is seriously valuable, and will lead to more happiness all around. And who doesn’t want more happiness? That’s what we thought.
Creative Dog Training
Creative Dog Training’s No. 1 goal is to educate people, which is exactly what their extensive library of podcasts does. You can sort by topic on their website, i.e., aggression, dog park, stress, etc., or you can use their handy search function to find whatever it is you’re hoping to learn about. You can also subscribe via iTunes.
With podcasts ranging from five minutes to 20 minutes, you can learn something new in the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, like “The Absolute Importance of Puppy Class.”
The Dog Trainer: Quick and Dirty Tips
If you’ve used Quick and Dirty Tips for, well, anything, you know how great it is. Which is why we love The Dog Trainer’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Teaching and Caring for Your Pet.
This podcast is updated weekly, which is about as exciting to us as a new episode of Scandal is (the anticipation!), and covers everything from fostering dogs (Is it right for you and your family? How do you choose a group to volunteer with?) to what to expect in the event your dog has to have a leg amputated due to illness or an accident. The series runs the gamut, and each one is solid gold.
Working Like Dogs
Without working dogs, the world would be a far worse place. And thanks to Working Like Dogs, those of us who are proud owners of working dogs—or who are interested in one day getting a working dog—have access to a lot of really great information.
From service dogs to police dogs, seizure dogs to military dogs, there’s a lot to know about what it means to work alongside a working dog. The podcast covers pretty much everything—gear, grooming, diet, travel, retirement, etc.—from experts in the field.
In Dog We Trust | This American Life
This podcast from NPR’s “This American Life” may have been published all the way back in 2000 (that’s 15 years ago, folks), but there’s a reason the term “an oldie but a goodie” exists, and that reason is This American Life’s In Dog We Trust.
This piece is an hour long series of essays about dogs (and other household pets!) and just exactly how much they’re caught up in our everyday family dynamics. All we’re saying is David Sedaris is one of the featured storytellers with a piece called ‘The Youth in Asia.” So you know it’s going to bring all the LOLs.
Do you have a favorite podcast or a story of how a podcast made you a better (or more educated) pet parent? We’d love to hear your experiences!