Sometimes There's Side Eye – Details, episodes & analysis

This week we are talking with Tina Vickrey, who is an ORT (Odor Recognition Test) judge and an active competitor in the sport of scent work.  Scent work is relatively new and only became a dog sport in 2005.  There are two major organizations you can compete with in scent work, which are AKC and NACSW. While both have the same goal and are considered the same sport, the organizations take very different approaches in how they set up and judge competitions.  Although scent work is sometimes known for being good for older dogs who can no longer do sports that involve running and jumping, Tina assures us that this can be a very fast paced and fun sport for young dogs as well.  The benefit to starting a dog in the sport at a young age is that you can continue to peel back the layers of learning what this sport offers.  Scent work expenses can also be modified depending on your budget.  It can be a very cost effective sport since you can teach scent work at home and you never need to compete for your dog to benefit from the sport.  However, you can also invest a lot of money if you want to take group classes or travel for competitions.  We also talk about training on different scents and how to progress in the sport of scent work for both organizations.  Additionally, Tina will make you laugh with her personal experiences and stories of competing with her Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Don't forget to review, subscribe, and share! Follow us on IG: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sometimestheressideeye | Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More information about this episode:NACSW | NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CANINE SCENT WORKAKC Scent Work – American Kennel Club

This week we have Danielle Cyr on the podcast to discuss weighted pull and canine fitness.  Daniel has a number of titles and certificates including Judges' Liaison and Treasurer for United Dog Sports of Northern New England, Founder/President of Dirigo Working Dogs, UKC Weight Pull Judge, APA Weight Pull Judge, Iron Dog Weight Pull Judge, W3PO Weight Pull Judge, CGC Evaluator, SPOT Evaluator, ATTS Tester and Certified Canine Athlete Specialist.  
Danielle got involved in the sport of weight pull when she needed to provide her shy dog an outlet to build confidence.  It ended up being such a success that she started providing a training outlet to other dogs who suffered from behavioral issues. Danielle gives us an overview of the sport including one rule of weight pull that stands out, which is that dogs are never allowed to fail. If a dog is failing the human behind the cart will help push the cart to ensure the dog succeeds in moving the cart.  Additionally, a lot of care is put into avoiding injuries including a specialized harness that ensures the dogs comfort and safety. The movements are very controlled and deliberate, much like in human weightlifting.  There should not be jumping or alligator rolling since those movements increase the dog's risk of injury.  The sport is open to all breeds, and Danielle has even seen Chinese Crested compete in this sport.  While the sport was actually created by the Malamute Club, there can be a stigma associated with pitbulls/dog fighting.  However, the sport is a straight slow walk with weight, which is much more controlled than a lot of other sports or even everyday play that we do with our dogs.  Additionally, the sport provides a great way for responsible owners to strength train with their dog. Danielle works in the veterinary field and sees a lot of injuries and is now a certified canine athlete specialist, which is comparable to a canine fitness instructor. Much like human athletes, dogs need to have cross training days as well as warm up and cool downs depending on the sports they participate in.  Danielle gives us a great overview of how she keeps her dogs and other dogs safe and healthy in a variety of sports. If you've ever been curious about weight pull for dogs, we think you are going to love all the insights Danielle provides us. 

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Contact Danielle "Dani" Cyr:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/danielle.cyr.7

IG https://www.instagram.com/cyrius_knls/

Email: dlynne1123@yahoo.com

More information about this episode:

Dirgo Working Dogs http://www.dirigoworkingdogs.com/

United Dog Sports of Northern New England https://www.facebook.com/share/chFi23GjUrd9cZr1/ World Wide Weight Pull Organization/W3PO

http://www.worldwideweightpull.net/

UKC Home | United Kennel Club (UKC) (ukcdogs.com)

This week we are talking about scratching the enrichment itch.  Enrichment has become a popular buzzword in the K9 world, but for us enrichment just means fulfilling your dog's natural needs. This can look very different for different dogs. This episode was inspired by Kristi's foster dog Jaxon who was getting lots of different types of enrichment, but his needs were not being met until he was allowed dog to dog interactions on a regular basis. Dogs who have their enrichment needs met are easier to live with and that makes owning them more enjoyable.  Since individual dogs have individual and differing enrichment needs we are talking though a variety of enrichment ideas and what that might look like in a multi dog home.  We're also addressing how enrichment needs change as aging dogs change.  If you've ever wondered about enrichment or if you are as fascinated with enrichment as we are this is the episode for you!

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In this episode we are talking through adding a 3rd dog to your home (or really any new dog to a home with existing dogs).  Obviously expenses, time and space are considerations, but the list is much more than these basics.  Whether you are adopting an adult dog or adding a puppy there are many things to think through beyond the basics like dog personalities and individual needs.  Knowing your existing dogs, understanding their needs as well as the needs of the humans in your home are going to play a big part in adding another dog.  Often adding a 3rd dog requires more management, because additional relationships can quickly change the dynamic of the current household dogs.  Please be sure to stay tuned to hear Heather say nice things about the bulldog as well in this episode! 

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In this episode we are talking all things potty training!  The good, the bad, and the shitty.  We are going over the basics as well as common mistakes, and even some really great insider tips. Although the basics may be the same for big and small breed dogs there are some distinct differences pet owners should keep in mind. We are also discussing the benefits and downfalls of doggy doors, pee pads, and leashing your dog during this phase of training. Potty training, like all training, requires consistency and the right tools for the job.  We think this episode will help anyone in this phase of puppyhood as well as anyone preparing for a new puppy or adult dog who is not already potty trained.

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This week we are talking about advocating for our dogs, but we're looking at it from a slightly different angle. We are talking about why advocating can be tougher than expected.  There are a variety of reasons advocating can be difficult including standing up to an authority figure, not knowing how to advocate without causing a scene, along with countless other reasons.   We'll be sharing our own experiences with advocacy - both the times we were successful advocates and the times we fell short.  We're also going over ways to better prepare for unexpected and expected situations with our dogs.  Sometimes advocating for our dogs can be uncomfortable but we believe with some practice and forethought we can all become the advocate our dog deserves.

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Join us as we explore Kristi's brain, or at least her thought process.  After watching a dog and owner out in public Kristi had a series of thoughts and feelings pile up in rapid succession.  Since these thoughts and questions about dog behavior and dog training are where the idea for this podcast stemmed from, we decided to talk through it here with all of you.  We think you will be entertained by the way Kristi's brain ping pongs from thought to thought, but we also hope you can see a little bit of yourself in some of those thoughts, and that it makes you think about how we all process the world around us.

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In this episode we will be discussing the veterinary industry and have a veterinarian guest that we will refer to as the "Dogtor."  She has asked to remain anonymous so she can speak freely and unfiltered with us. We tackle all sorts of topics like pet insurance and why it might be useful for pet parents.  We talk through the cost of diagnostic tests, and how vet care costs and treatments compare to human healthcare. The Dogtor gives us some solid advice on when to go to an emergency vet versus your primary vet for care, and when to ask for a second opinion. We discuss how the pandemic affected the industry, including influx of pet ownership paired with an exodus of vets from the industry.  We talk through how "anti-science" and "anti-vaccination" mentality is affecting pet health care and the cost/benefits of going to the vet.  Of course, we are also addressing how we can support veterinary staff, as well as our own pets when we need to go to the vet. 

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In this episode we are talking about grief and are honored to have Dr. Jenn Pereira, who is a licensed professional counselor joining us.  It will come as no surprise that we are going to issue a tissue warning for this episode, but we promise there is also a lot of laughter as well.  We talk about pet loss being a form of disenfranchised grief and how that can affect our grieving process.  Jenn gives us so many good nuggets of wisdom like how to include children in the grief process, how to best show up for friends and family who are going through a loss, how to navigate unexpected sadness along the journey, what things we can do for our own grief, and how to work through mixed emotions when grieving.  Additionally, we provide some resources we feel are useful to help work through the grief process after the loss of a pet.  We believe this episode will be beneficial and encouraging to anyone who has lost a pet, and we hope you find some comfort as we share both laughter and tears in this episode.

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Links mentioned in the show:

The Pet Loss Companion Podcast

When The Loss Is Deep by Deb Jones

Animals and the Afterlife by Kim Sheridan

Children's books:

The Rainbow Bridge by Adrian Raeside

Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant

The Invisible Leash by Patrice Karst

Resource for Counseling:

Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist

In this episode we're discussing puppy socialization.  We address what it is and what it is not, including the common misnomer that puppy socialization is simply letting puppies play together.  We are also addressing why it is important for current and future training in addition to the lifelong benefits dog's experience through appropriate puppy socialization.  As with any training implementation there are risks and rewards and we advocate for making smart choices on an individual basis while considering a variety of factors.  Of course, as always, we advocate for fun for both you and your puppy!

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