Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Madcap Radio

We’re continuing our conversation about why puppies get returned to breeders — and what we can do to help prevent that from happening.

"I have found that even thinking about sitting in a breed like mine (Lakelands) leads to a slight relaxation of the tail which must be vertical or with slight curve toward head when baiting in the ring. It's a minor thing, but can make the difference between Winners and Reserve"

What a great comment. She’s not wrong, if your puppy is thinking about sitting in the show ring, there’s going to be that bit of relaxation in the tail.

But, why is your puppy thinking about sitting in the ring? Plot spoiler, it’s not because he has learned to sit on cue ;). Tune in for my recommendations for and analysis of the “ups and downs” of puppy tails.

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

We’re continuing our conversation about why puppies get returned to breeders — and what we can do to help prevent that from happening.

This episode is about the perspectives breeders shared in response to the original question. It’s a wide-ranging discussion covering topics from whether breeders should offer refunds when a puppy is returned, to unexpected connections between pure positive trainers and Prozac, to how to give puppy owners the benefit of our wisdom without making them feel we're overstepping our bounds.

The breeder comments on this thread were thought-provoking and brought us to some slightly uncomfortable places, which I really enjoyed.  I think you’re going to enjoy listening to it just as much as I enjoyed recording it!

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

Puppy returns are an unpleasant reality of being a breeder. At the end of the day, no matter how well you screen, you're going to get puppies back if you breed dogs.

This week's episode is a response to a breeder who got a puppy back from a puppy owner who ignored the breeder’s explicit written instructions regarding training and veterinary care/medication, and disaster ensued. The puppy is going to be OK but the breeder is wondering, could she (the breeder) have done something differently? The people seemed so nice, how could the breeder have gotten this placement so wrong?

In this episode I address this question, talk about what is an is not within our control as breeders, and share some resources for stacking the deck in your favor when it comes to puppy placements.

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode’s question is about teaching show prospect puppies to sit:

"What do you do with your show prospects for stacking? I am worried about the puppy automatically sitting in the ring and for the judge…"

Direct answer - we teach all of our puppies to sit, and we’re on our ninth generation of homebred champions, so it’s safe to say it has not held any of them back.

But the bigger question is, why is this still a question?

Not only will teaching your puppy to sit or mand not hold him back, it will help him stack more confidently in the ring.

Putting aside the actual merits of the dog as a specimen of their breed, there has never been a champion-worthy dog that did not get their championship because they could not learn how to stack or move around the ring at home.

But there are thousands and thousands that never got their championship because of profound behavioral issues, stress at shows or refusal to be handled by a judge.

Teaching your dog to communicate with you through manding, and teaching him some operant tricks to call on when he’s feeling pressured, can boost your puppy’s confidence when he really needs it. That tackles a much more real threat to your puppy’s show career than the outside chance that he might sit in the ring.

Tune in for more conversation about how and why teaching your show puppy to sit and even (gasp) sniff will make him a better show dog.

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

There’s a lot of confusion about good fungi and bad fungi for dogs, and in this episode I’m joined by certified mushroom expert, Magda Chiarella to untagle this confusion.

The fungi kingdom includes mushrooms and yeasts that are super beneficial for us and our dogs. Mushrooms have properties that boost whatever food your currently giving your dog. Certain yeasts, such as the yeast found in Kefir scoby also have the ability to boost the nutritional content of other foods.

But mold is also in the fungi kingdom, and mold often is quite harmful. So those good mushrooms and yeasts sometimes get a bad rap by association. But that’s just a misunderstanding.

Tune in and find out more about beneficial mushrooms, yeasts and how to safely prepare and feed them to your brood bitches, puppies, and dogs.

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode’s question is from a breeder who’s frustrated by puppy seekers who seem to be just shopping for the lowest price:

"I'm a small breeder, one or two litters a year. I'm in a rural area so most of my puppies travel to their homes, but because of how I raise them I have people happy crossing the country for them. But for every person who sees the value, there's 30 that don't… I find myself spending way too much time justifying [my pricing]…If I'm going to continue, I need to find a better way of dealing with the pricing issues…"

Plot spoiler, if we want more puppies raised in a forward thinking and humane way, we have to support the breeders and caretakers who are raising the puppies that way.  And by “we,” I mean the puppy buying public.

There is a cost and a value to raising puppies this way, and if we as a society value it, we need to be willing to pay for it.

But it falls to the breeders to communicate that value, and we could do better in that area.

In this episode I explore those issues and also share some truly awesome suggestions for how breeders can help educate puppy seekers about the value proposition of a puppy that’s been raised with the “meaty” training and protocols in Puppy Culture.

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

We Hit 100K Downloads 🎉

Thank you, listeners and all the folks who write in with the great questions that keep us curious! We could not produce such a great podcast without your insightful and interesting questions. Here’s to the next 100K downloads!

To celebrate, I’m re-releasing our runaway top episode - “Dogs Eating Poop: One Species Evolutionary Meat is another Species Evolutionary Poison”. Somehow, that hit a major cord with everyone. Not sure if that says more about dogs or us, but it’s for sure a hot topic🐶 🍽️ 💩😅

*****

So, your dog eats poop.  Is it deviant?  Or an elegant evolutionary solution?  

In this podcast, Jane and Mark look at the research and talk about the possible functions of poop-eating, what works and does not work to stop it, and why.  

We won’t say you’ll come away happy that your dog eats poop, but for sure you’ll see it in a different light. Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading and studies referenced in this episode.

This episode is about when and if you should use vitamin and probiotic supplements for raw fed puppies and dogs.

One of my students asked me what supplements were necessary when weaning puppies onto raw. Another student in the same thread said she had read that raw diets are often deficient in vitamins D and E and asked if she should be supplementing those vitamins.

The answers to these questions strike at the heart of what it means to be a raw/natural feeder, and why breeders often struggle with this. Natural feeding is not an ideology, but it does require us to release some deep-seated ideas that are based on presumptions that are not relevant to raw/natural feeders.

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

“I have a question that has come up from some of my puppy parents, and I am not sure how to answer. How do I phase treats out and use the clicker exclusively? I was thinking clicker every time, but treats sometimes until there are no treats, and at what age would you fully remove treats? Do treats ever get fully removed? Many of my parents reported that many of the pups are really food motivated, and I'm not sure that is my goal ... I would like them to be clicker motivated at some point.”

This podcast uncouples:

• How shaping behaviors with a clicker works
• How a clicker becomes a shaping tool
• ​How and when you can lose the clicker and treats.

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode answers a question we get on almost a weekly basis:

“How do I introduce my puppy to my adult dog?”

This podcast looks at:

• Questions to ask about your dog and your puppy that can help you craft a good introduction.
• Guidelines for puppy-dog introductions.
• Honoring normal social behavior and protecting the interests of your dog and your puppy.

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

The question comes from the discussion group for our With Open Arms puppy owner course:

“Looking for a podcast - Hello! Our 15-week-old puppy is presenting some potty training challenges…While he's reliably house-trained for bowel movements, he frequently urinates on rugs, likely because they resemble the puppy pads he's familiar with. More puzzling that even when we take him outside at the recommended intervals, he'll pass small amounts of urine and then refuse to empty his bladder fully, even after 10+ minutes. Inevitably, within 20 minutes of coming back inside, he'll urinate on a rug.

He's very able to stay in his kennel for a full 2-hour nap with no anxiety or accidents. So he certainly is physically capable of holding his bladder.

We are not sure what we are doing wrong or if this is just to be expected and to be patient. It does seem like he thinks that the rugs is the place to pee. Let me know if you have any tips! ”

This podcast covers:

• Why being able to take a two-hour nap without peeing does not mean a puppy can hold it for two hours while awake
• Why “double and triple peeing” is really a developmental thing
• The physical reasons puppies may target fabric to relieve themselves

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

A new study was published this week, showing that a specific strain of probiotic found in kimchi is extremely good at binding up and carrying microplastics out of the body.

We, and our dogs, are surrounded by plastic, it’s inescapable, and the accumulation of nanoparticles of plastic in our bodies is also inescapable - and very bad for our and our dogs' health.

So the student question this episode is:

“Should we be giving our dogs kimchi?”

In this episode I serve up:

• The practical takeaways from the kimchi study for canine nutrition
• The “Foodome” project and network analysis of food
• Why the next big thing is “everything”

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode’s question comes from the discussion group for my new weaning and early puppy nutrition course, “Weaning For Life: From Gut Biome to Behavior, A Whole Approach to Early Puppy Nourishment”.

“Some of my puppies go home on raw, others to healthy kibble with whole‑food toppers. Historically, I always include at least one kibble meal—often from toys or snuffle mats, sometimes mixed with whole foods. Is there a more refined or appropriate protocol?”

In this episode, we dig into the real‑world question breeders face every day: If, and how, to transition raw‑weaned puppies when their future homes will be feeding mostly kibble.

This podcast covers:

• How I prepare raw‑weaned puppies for life in kibble‑feeding homes
• What other breeders are experiencing when transitioning puppies from raw to kibble
• Practical strategies for helping puppy owners either stay with raw, or significantly upgrade their kibble feeding with whole and fermented foods

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

We got this question about breeders sending their puppies to “camp” before going to their new homes:

“[a friend] has a litter of puppies 8 weeks old and she is placing them out to her friends until they are 10 weeks old. They decided it would be good for socialization and to prevent separation anxiety for the puppies until they go to their permanent homes at 10 weeks. That doesn’t sound like a good idea to me. Anyone have experience with this?”

This episode discusses:

• When and how sending litters to “transitional” homes is beneficial
• “Bite inhibition” and exposure with littermates vs adult dogs
• Breeder experiences and practices

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode’s question is from one of our Killer Free Stack show training students, but my answer is equally applicable to anyone training a dog:

“Hi all, I have a 10-week-old Labrador puppy. I have the Killer Free Stacks video… when I try to get a moment of stillness to mark, she auto-sits. If I hold the food in front of her, she digs at it hard and will sit. Any tips for teaching a stack would be great!”

In this podcast I cover:

• Tips for hand position to avoid cueing sits
• How to know if your puppy understands what you want him to do
• What to do it your puppy’s just not “getting it”

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode is about using mother’s pudding for lactating dams:

“I was just wondering what brand of cool and serve vanilla pudding mix you are all using for mother’s pudding…The last litter I had, the puppies got diarrhea on day 3 (nightmare) and we never got it fully resolved until they got onto food at 3 weeks... We ruled out EVERYTHING we could think of…the only thing we could come up with was the mother’s pudding…[this dam is about to have another litter and] I want to use it because they do so much better on it with the calories. Help!”

In this episode, I explore:

• Allergens that are theoretically possible to be passed through mother’s milk
• Homemade mother’s pudding and switching up ingredients in mother’s pudding for different situations
• Whether or not you should be concerned about mother’s pudding for your dams

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode is a follow-up question about one of our most popular episodes, “An Egg Yolk A Day Keeps Mastitis Away”:

“At what point in the pregnancy should I begin giving my dam egg yolk to help prevent mastitis?”

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why egg yolks are a benefit for pregnant and lactating dogs
• Best practices for when to begin feeding egg yolks to your brood bitches
• Cooked vs Raw egg yolks and egg whites

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

One of our fans wrote to me recently about a webinar she attended on the veterinary use of probiotics:

"The thing that intrigued me was…a study where one group of pregnant bitches was on a yeast-based probiotic, and the control group on no probiotic. There were benefits to both bitches and puppies, such as more stable GI tract and stool quality during whelping in the mothers on the probiotic, and they were less likely to have puppies of low birth weight.

I know Jane works a lot at supporting the gut biome, but interesting info about a specific yeast and a specific time."

This podcast untangles:

• The difference between yeast and bacteria-based probiotics
• How yeast-based probiotic supplements might help or harm a pregnant bitch, depending on the context
• How to decide if a yeast or other probiotic is appropriate for your pregnant dam

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode is a fan request:

"Looking for a podcast - My co-owner needs help. I’ve worked with them on training behaviors, and they’ve done a masterful job at teaching puppy (who’s about 3 months old now…) that barking gets attention. They wait until they just can’t take it anymore but then cave in just as extinction burst really ramps up. Is there a podcast that will guide them through navigating this? To be fair, one of them works nights and NEEDS their sleep! I can understand how they got here. But just like parenting - pay now or pay later, and this one is gonna sting! They do have PC curriculum - I told them to start looking through it again."

This podcast unpacks:

• Straightforward advice for handling confinement and demand barking
• Why that straightforward advice often fails to help puppy owners
• How we can re-frame the emotional component of this issue for puppy owners and help them succeed.

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode is about the possible reasons why very young puppies sometimes shiver after big sensory experiences, especially after eating food from a dish for the first few times.

We discuss:

• The neurological organization function of shivering
• Different theories about shivering after new experiences, such as being put in a new room or eating food for the first time
• How shivering may prime the puppies' sensory system for “wonder”

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode's question is about what to do when your “keeper” puppy starts showing significant fear issues: "…I’m really sad about my situation. I don’t want this to reflect poorly on my small breeding program that I’ve poured so much time, thought, stress, money, and emotional energy into.… my keeper puppy is now showing pretty significant fear issues…I was hoping to keep this puppy and eventually use her in my program. My biggest concern is that this is genetic fear and she will not outgrow/overcome it. This is depressing me quite honestly, and I’m feeling very deer-in-the-headlights about how to move forward…"

In this podcast I address:

• How to tell if a fear issue is a developmental or genetic issue and what the line is between normal and pathological fear
• My personal experiences and outcomes in this area
• Words of encouragement for small program breeders, with thoughts for surviving emotional setbacks and staying in the breeding game

Visit our website www.madcapradio.com for further reading.

The question is about what to do with puppies that have meltdowns at shows or trials or any socialization situation: "My 7 month old puppy just had a meltdown. At our National this past weekend he showed OK on Thursday and Friday. A little unsure. But showed. On Saturday he was amazing and took Winners Dog. Sunday, he had a complete melt down. He has shows again in 5 days my inclination is to pull him. Work with him at home. Thoughts?"

In this episode I discuss:

• When to hold back, and when to continue exposing puppies after meltdowns
• Rating experiences for success
• Thoughts about avoiding future problems

Visit our website madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode's question is about whether and by how much we can modify temperament with protocols: "I was chatting to someone recently about nature versus nurture, and they said, you can get a bitch who has a poor temperament and using Puppy Culture, you can have pups who have great temperaments. My view is it's more complex than that.…Would love people's thoughts.​"

Listen in as I discuss:

• The difference between temperament and behavior
• The ramifications of using behavior modification protocols in a breeding program
• Our ethical obligations as breeders vs as puppy raisers

Visit our website madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode’s question is about giving puppies double fermented fruit kefir: "Hello, We are curious about the benefits of using Mango kefir for puppies. How does it help their gut flora? What is the purpose of using it. Thanks!"

Listen in as I discuss:

• How a second ferment with fruit transforms the nutritional profile and bioavailability of kefir
• Why kefir in general is such a probiotic powerhouse
• Why double fermented fruit kefir is particularly appropriate for puppies

Visit our website madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode answers a question about puppies who just can’t settle down in the evening: "What are your best tips for “witching hour”? We have an 11.5 week Spinone Italiano that we brought home just over two weeks ago. He settles down for naps during the day after some play and training, but after his early evening nap, some play, dinner, potty, he gets over aroused and overtired and we cannot for the life of us redirect his mouthing to a toy or chew and he cries in his X-pen and jumps at the sides. We are trying to establish a routine with a licky mat, Kong or other soothing activity to transition him and bring down his arousal. But it is a nightly struggle!"

In this episode I talk about:

• Why it’s natural for puppies to be restless and difficult in the early evening
• Tips for dealing with a puppy who can’t control himself
• Management and bedtime routine suggestions

Visit our website madcapradio.com for further reading.

Today’s question is about resorption of pregnancies and the advisability of using antibiotics to prevent future resorptions: "We had a girl who was pregnant with at least 1 puppy at 28 day ultrasound and 0 puppies on x-ray at 50 days...I'm curious what other people would check with the girl who absorbed before breeding again."

In this episode we discuss:

• Things to check/do when your dam resorbs a pregnancy
• How the vaginal microbiome affects fertility and prevents disease
• The most recent studies on the prophylactic use of antibiotics in breeding bitches

Visit our website madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode’s question is about fear periods.

“What are the critical fear stages in puppies from 8 weeks on? Is it best to keep up their socialization during these periods or back off for a few days and then resume?”

In this episode I discuss:

• How to recognize fear periods as opposed to general fearfulness.
• The evolutionary reasons that puppies have fear periods
• ​Navigating fear periods in puppies and dogs

Visit our website madcapradio.com for further reading.

This episode’s question is about preventing dog-to-dog resource guarding:

“Can’t seem to find it in the video; what is the protocol to work against food aggression within the litter? We have been doing marrow bones and resource guard training with people, but a few puppies are showing aggression to the other puppies at meal times. Any info appreciated, thanks!”

In this episode I discuss:

• Why protocols for dog-to-dog resource guarding are not as effective as protocols for dog-to-human resource guarding.
• Five golden tips I have found helpful for preventing dog-to-dog resource guarding
• ​Thoughts about dog-to-dog resource guarding and breeding programs

Visit our website madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s question is about whether doing Puppy Culture or any other early socialization program can guarantee good outcomes for puppies.

“…I was talking to a breeder about Puppy Culture and I told her that if she would just adopt the program, she would eliminate any temperament issues with her puppies.  Am I right about this?  Isn’t Puppy Culture a guarantee that puppies will have good outcomes?”

In this episode I tackle:

• Re-thinking the line between nature and nurture
• The partnership between breeders and puppy owners for raising a good dog
• The evolutionary reasons why breeding “good” dogs is so difficult

Visit our website madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s question is about whether you’re supporting or interfering when you help mom with her neonate puppies:

“…I've noticed that you lay in the box with Velvet and provide significant assistance to her. Among many groups of breeders, there is a faction who strongly advise to essentially let Mom alone in the first days as she has instincts and knows what to do, and that the presence, participation, and assistance of humans may be bothersome to her.

So, I'm wondering if this is breed dependent? Or an individual preference?”

In this episode we talk about:

• The variability of maternal behavior
• How much assistance you should give your dam with caring for her puppies
• Supporting your dam without interfering with her instincts

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This is part two of my podcast, answering many questions one of our fans sent in about raw feeding puppies.  

In this episode I cover:

• AAFCO’s “Complete and Balanced” designation and why it’s relevant to kibble but not relevant to you if you feed a varied raw diet.
• Safety suggestions for feeding, sourcing, and handling raw dog food.
• Special considerations when feeding raw diets to puppies.

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s episode is a fan request on feeding puppies a raw diet:

My breeder uses and recommended Puppy Culture as a resource for my partner and I in preparation for our Toy Poodle pup that we'll be picking up in a week or so. We've completed your Puppy Owners Course, the Puppy Culture and Attention is the Mother films, and have started binging your podcast- love your stuff!

I'm wondering if you could make an episode on feeding dogs raw food. We plan to feed our pup raw (the breeder currently feeds raw) but it is a bit intimidating for people who are new to this diet! I'm wondering if you could cover a few things:

1. The science behind it / health benefits
2. Why you feed raw / how long you've been feeding raw
3. The dangers of it / how to avoid these dangers (proper practices for purchasing, handling and feeding raw)
4. Any challenges you've experienced / seen with feeding raw
5. Tips for starting raw diets - where to begin!
6. Whether the meat has to be a certain quality / where to purchase ingredients for homemade raw (I've heard that grocery store meats aren't safe because of their allotted salmonella/bacteria thresholds?)
7. How to handle raw treats (bones with raw meat) - do you have to clean bedding, etc. every time raw treats come in contact with it? Do you have to wipe down your pup's face/paws after contact?
8. Would LOVE if you could share some recipes for homemade raw food! Or other resources/recipe books on feeding raw
9. Whether puppies need special recipes or if they can eat the same recipes as adult dogs

I know a lot of this is google-able lol, but I've found that there is a lot of fear-mongering around feeding raw (from both owners and vets) so I wanted to reach out and see what your thoughts are!

There were too many great questions here to fit them all into one episode, so I’m doing this in two parts - In this episode, which is part one, I talk about:

• Why we feed raw to our dogs and our experience with feeding raw for the past 26 years
• The challenges of raw food and why some people are understandably more comfortable with kibble
• Tips and resources for getting started feeding raw without losing your mind - it’s easier than most people make it out to be!

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s conversation is the result of an interview that I did with Jean Donaldson a few weeks ago. In it, Jean mentioned that it’s now a “thing” not to offer puppy play groups for puppies. The thought is that allowing puppies to play will make them less likely to pay attention to their owners.

This raised a big discussion in the Puppy Culture Discussion Group, with many pet owners, breeders, and trainers coming down hard on the side of not taking puppies to puppy play groups. What I found through this exchange is that the theoretical truth and the practical truth do not always align…

In this episode, I discuss:

• The benefits and parameters for puppy play groups.
• Why there is a perception that puppy play will diminish attention to the owner and/or create hyper focus on other dogs.
• ​The practical limitations and realities of puppy play groups and thoughts for the future

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s question asks what the earliest is that breeders have observed consistent personality traits in a puppy:

“Out of curiosity, how early have you noticed personality traits developing in your litters that did stick around until the time they went to new homes or even beyond? (Caveat: I know a puppy's personality truly doesn't settle until they are much older which is why temperament tests aren't predictive of adult temperament as we learn in PC. This is just for fun / curiosity and because my current litter seem to be showing consistent temperaments at only 3 weeks and my last litter didn't really start to show that until around 5 weeks!)”

In this episode I discuss:

• Various breeders’ experiences with early personality traits.
• Why adult personalities will often seem inconsistent with puppy personalities.
• ​Practical advice regarding breeder observation of early personality traits.

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s podcast is a fan request about the concerns one breeder has about the “corporate takeover” of veterinary medicine and how that is affecting her puppy owners:

“What information and resources do you use to help your puppy buyers, especially new/first time dog owners, screen and select a veterinarian?

In the past couple of years, and seems like more lately, I get these questions from my puppy buyers that their vet told them something that ranged from harmless but not really accurate to so aggressively incorrect it felt like a scam and even a danger to the puppy. I know stuff can get lost in translation, I know some medical professionals are better than others, and I know vets and their staff are stressed and overworked. But I also fear the rise in this issue is related to venture capital takeovers and it's going to get worse…

Since it feels like a trend, and especially because I have a breed suitable for first-time dog owners, I would like to be more organized and proactive in providing information on how to vet a vet. I appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions.

PS - maybe this would be a good podcast episode?”

In this episode I explore:‌

• How the corporatization of vet medicine affects puppy owners
• Coaching puppy owners to advocate for their puppies at the vet’s office for routine care
• Finding a good vet when there’s a major veterinary problem with a puppy or dog.

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week, my guest, Jean Donaldson, chats with us about how to be a smart dog training consumer.

We delve into both practical and ethical questions when it comes to finding a puppy class, and Jean shares the answers to her three questions you should ask any dog trainer:

• What exactly will happen if my dog gets it right?​
• What exactly will happen if my dog gets it wrong?
• Are there less invasive/aversive alternatives to what you propose?

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s podcast is about puppies and owners who can’t seem to bond with their owners. The original question is long, so here’s the gist of it:‌

“Functionally Mac is excellent. Crate/House training/Obedience excellent…He sleeps through the night. He is great at puppy classes...He is good with other people and dogs…He was good at the vets. No problems so far with loud noises or anything like that…The problem is that we have been unable to build a relationship with him. He doesn’t respond to affection at all. We find it hard to make his tail wag. He will briefly let us stroke him, but this usually ends with a bite. He is unwilling to let us pick him up. He will play enthusiastically with toys, but this will quickly progress to biting and frenzy…We have had rescue dogs before, we have had puppies before, but we have never experienced this lack of relationship…we have tried everything we can think of to improve the relationship... We fear that the situation will become worse”‌

In this episode I explore:‌

• The three most common causes of “non-bonding” between puppies and their owners
• When to take back a “non-bonding” puppy and when to try to work to keep the puppy in the home
• If keeping the puppy in the home is appropriate, strategies to improve relationship and bonding between puppies and their owners.

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s topic is the significance of trainer certifications:

“Will knowing a trainer’s certification help you find the “Best” trainer?”

In this episode, I discuss:

• The significance of different training certifications
• Why finding the “best” trainer should not be your first priority
• Why puppy class is fantastic, but not a requirement

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s question is about marrow bones:

“Looking for advice and information on giving puppies bones.  I've heard so much conflicting information about the benefits and risks, but I'm thoroughly confused. A dog dentist once told me not to give my dog anything to chew on that I couldn't dent with my thumbnail. Yet here I see hooves and raw meaty bones being offered. Thoughts?”

In this episode, I lay out:

• The risk and benefits of giving your puppy or dog marrow bones
• The relative risk for different dogs and breeds
• The factors you should take into account when deciding whether or not to give your dog a marrow bone.

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s question is about your changing relationship with your puppy through his teenage months:

"I was talking with a very respected breeder about my ten-month-old Bull Terrier and she told me that this is the age where I need to start being ‘firm’ with him. What does she mean by ‘firm?’"

In this episode I explain:

• What we mean by “firm”
• Your process for deciding when and how to be “firm” as your puppy matures.
• Why being “firm” is important as puppies mature into teenagers, but inappropriate and harmful for young puppies.

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s question is about Breeder-Puppy Buyer contracts:

Our puppies are 7 weeks old now and will be going to their new families in 3 weeks. I have been following along each day and this experience with the puppies has been incredible.

Thank you for "holding my hand" throughout. We are getting to the part that I just feel I am not prepared or knowledgeable enough....THE CONTRACT. I, too, want to keep it simple.....feed healthy, train in a positive way, and bring back the puppy if something changes.

Would you be able to share an example or a template perhaps? I would appreciate any assistance you can provide.

Episode highlights:

• How to decide what should be in your contract, and what should be in your puppy application
• How to screen out some puppy buyers who would not comply with the terms of your contract
• Why having a written contract is important

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s question is about using temperament testing to help match puppies with owners:‌ Temperament Testing: I have someone interested in our litter and training the pup for a potential therapy dog.

They want to train him to do deep pressure therapy for her anxiety.

She grew up helping train hunting dogs and they have trained rescues, so I know she can do this if we get her a good match.

​So how do you find someone to do temperament testing?

In this episode I explore:

• The origins, benefits and limits of puppy assessment tests
• How to use the information gained through the tests​
• How to find a good puppy tester

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

I feel like there is a general need for a new kind of dog professional.

Don't you feel that many puppy owners could use something like IN PERSON "puppy parenting coach?" So not dog training per se, more like a breeder-mentor for puppy owners.

It just seems like puppy owners throw a lot of effort agains things that are not really problems, but they don't know those things are not problems because they don't have someone with enough wisdom and experience to point that out. Someone who has raised 100 puppies, particularly if they raised puppies of that breed, could really save those owners a lot of trouble.

What do you think? Would any of you be interested in doing this?

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s question is about puppies who growl when restrained:

"Hey everyone! We're raising our first litter, English Setters, nearly 7 weeks old. All have lovely temperaments and have been going through the PC process like little pro's.

One thing we've noticed over the last week is, if they want to hop down when a puppy family or friend is holding them, they'll do little frustrated growls or barks (I hesitate to say growl, though I'm sure you'll understand – it's just a "let me down!" kinda thing).

We've introduced gentle restraint over the last week and they all get a little annoyed if they want to go play/explore etc but nothing out of the ordinary. I just wanted to check if this is normal - should we be upping gentle restraint, or something we should be concerned about?"

In this episode, I cover:‌

• What you should do about puppies who growl when restrained
• Whether you should be concerned about puppies who growl or don’t like to be cuddled
• How to balance the will of the puppy with the will of the puppy owners

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

Magda Chiarella joins me for this week’s podcast and, if Magda is here, you know we’ll be talking about canine nutrition!

This week’s question generated a lot of interesting comments that we discuss in the podcast: “Hi I found a recipe for a dog Slushy for pregnant females. Its ingredients are baby kale, baby Spinach, coconut water and flaxseed meal. All ingredients according to Google are safe but kale. Says new studies show it can cause kidney and bladder stones. ​Any advice please? I'd love to supplement this to my pregnant girls but if the kale thing is a fact I’ll take it out of the list.”

In this episode, we discuss:

• Does kale cause kidney and bladder stones in dogs?
• Is flax seed meal a phytoestrogen to be avoided by breeding animals?
• Should those who feed kibble be offering different formulas to their intact and neutered animals?
• Can flax seed meal cause cyanide poisoning?

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

This week’s question is about when puppies should go to their new homes:

“I've known breeders who keep their pups till 8 weeks, and some till 10 weeks. Some even until 12. What are the deciding factors in how long pups stay with the breeder? Does it depend on breed, the specific litter, or does it just come down to breeder preference?”

In this episode, I talk about:

• Optimal age for placing puppies.
• Factors that go into determining what that optimal age is.
• Extenuating circumstances that influence the decision when to place puppies.

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

When it rains it pours, and this week it’s pouring puppies who bite fingers when taking treats. We got FOUR posts on this topic this week!

The questions came from both puppy owners and breeders, and in this episode, I give you a fresh perspective on this “problem”:‌

• Why puppies take treats roughly from hand
• What you should do about it
• Tips for working with puppies or dogs in groups

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

Today’s question comes from a breeder, but it’s a topic that is applicable to anyone who owns a puppy or dog:‌

“How much frustration should a puppy have before changing the game a little to make the session successful?‌

Did the barrier challenge for the 1st time today...he was continually going to the wrong side to a closed section...At the 3-minute mark, I pulled the food bowl so a small portion went beyond the barrier, then placed him back at the starting point again. He was able to complete the challenge then.

Should I have waited him out? I am second guessing myself.”

‌

In this episode I cover:

• ‌How do you know how much challenge is enough and not too much in any given training session?
• ‌Why is so important that we try to guess right about the amount of challenge the puppy or dog can handle?
• ‌What do you do if you guess wrong and make the challenge too difficult?

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

Today’s question is about puppies who terrorize adult dogs: “Does anyone have experience with a pup obsessed with chasing the older dog (Labrador pups adult GSD). The GSD runs from him and has turned and bark/snarled at him, but he won’t leave her alone when he sees her. Suggestions?”

In this episode I cover:

• Is this a normal puppy behavior?
• What to do about it.
• What the long-term outlook is for this situation.

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

Today’s question is on dams who refuse to eat when pregnant:

‌“Ok friends, I’m having a REALLY difficult time getting my girl to eat…

I have mixing pumpkin purée, we currently have three different dog foods that I have been trying different combinations of. She was eating Badlands Ranch and Orijen really well, before that it was Royal Canin, but all of these she eventually has stopped eating. I have freeze dried medallions I break up and mix in, I have canned (Royal Canin) I try mixing in…anything to get her to eat. What else can I do to get her to eat?”

In this episode, I talk about:

• What is and is not normal as far as loss of appetite and nausea in pregnant dams
• Why dams get morning sickness and pickiness about food, and
• Suggestions and ideas to get your reluctant dams to eat

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.