102. Super Bowl Dogs, NFL Advocacy & High-Energy Enrichment for Every Pup

Disclaimer: Our podcast is produced as an audio resource. Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and human editing and may contain errors. Before republishing quotes, we ask that you reference the audio.

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Pets, add Life, your guide to the latest in Pet Trends products and the joy of the Human Animal Bond with Kristen Levine and Chris Bonafide, powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog tv.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hello, I'm Dr. Love and welcome. Oh my God, not doing that. Don't you dare record that. Take two. Hello and welcome to another episode of Pets at Life. I am Chris Bonti, joined as always by the perfectly perfect, always impeccable. Kristen Levine. Kristen, how are we doing that? Perfectly perfect. Perfectly perfect.

Speaker 3 (00:38):
I don't feel perfectly perfect today, but February 4K, no, February is one of my favorite months. It's my birthday month. It's Super Bowl month.

Speaker 2 (00:48):
It's

Speaker 3 (00:48):
Pet Dental Health month. I mean, what more could you ask for?

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Those are three incredibly related things when you think about it, because your birthday, you were A NFL cheerleader back in the day.

Speaker 3 (01:02):
I was.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
Was, yeah. Fun fact for all the listeners. And then you do pet stuff, so pet, dental, health, and then your birthday. It seems like it all comes together. It does in February for you guys. And we've got a little bit of a Super Bowl themed episode here for you all. We've got some awesome guests too, as always, but one of them is from the NFL, so you're going to want to stick around for That's right. Two stories, two awesome products. We're going to answer two of your questions, but before we start, I want to ask you, Kristen, what's your go-to Super Bowl snack? Snack or food or whatever? You walk into the Super Bowl party and you see this on the party table and you're in fruit.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
It's pretty simple, but I love it. It's chips and salsa.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, you could eat like a million.

Speaker 3 (01:55):
Oh, a million.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
You don't feel bloated after.

Speaker 3 (01:56):
If there's guacamole there, even better.

Speaker 2 (01:58):
It's over. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yeah,

Speaker 2 (02:00):
That's a good one because it's one of the few things you could eat at Super Bowl where you don't feel terrible after. I love wings, but I have a friend who every year gets a catering tray filled with mozzarella sticks, and it's not like one layer. You see the catering tray, it's filled to the point. It's like a pyramid. Yeah, they can't even put the cover on. It's a aluminum foil. He's just, he gets pizza from this place every day. He's a bachelor, and his life is simple. I'm like mine. And so every year they hook him up with this huge, huge tray, I guess overload it for him and he brings it to the party. Oh my gosh. I'm looking forward to having between 18 to 20 mozzarella sticks, so, oh

Speaker 3 (02:44):
My gosh. Oh boy. That's a lot of cheese. It is. Are you going to mix it with the chicken wings or just going all over?

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Oh yeah. I'm going to eat the chicken wings, the pizza, the garlic bread. I make chili every year, so I'm going to have some of that too. And this is the exact reason why I believe that Super Bowl Monday should be a national holiday.

Speaker 3 (03:04):
I agree. I agree. And I'm glad we're not recording on Super Bowl Monday. I mean after. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Yeah. And then Super Bowl Tuesday should be a national holiday for my toilet.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
Oh my God. CMI.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
And let's

Speaker 1 (03:19):
Hop into story. Kristen and Chris, present story time.

Speaker 2 (03:26):
Okay. Story time. Kristen, do you want to kick it off for us this time?

Speaker 3 (03:30):
Sure. I like to kick off pun and my story. My time is also about the Super Bowl. It's about the Puppy Bowl, actually. And do you know that it is now in its 22nd year?

Speaker 2 (03:42):
I did know that. I'm a close follower of the Puppy Bowl.

Speaker 3 (03:45):
Okay. So this year they're going to showcase more than 150 rescue puppies from dozens of shelters across the us. But this is cool. There's something new for the Puppy Bowl this year, and that is, they're calling it a pro dog halftime showdown, which has nothing to do with what they're actually doing. They're spotlighting senior dogs and pups that have special needs emphasizing the adoptable dogs of all ages and abilities are looking for good homes. And I think that's really smart because we all know that puppies don't need a whole lot of help getting adopted. Right. But if you want to tune into the Puppy Bowl, it is airing on Animal Planet. It's going to be the Sunday, February 8th. It starts. What time does it start? It starts at two o'clock eastern, 11 o'clock Pacific. And it's well in advance of the actual game. So you can actually watch the Puppy Bowl and the Super Bowl, which starts at six 30.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
Absolutely. I believe last year my hometown of Norwalk had a shelter that was participating. I don't know if they switch it up every year if it's the same list. So I'm going to have to check it out. We have a really great shelter here called Paws, which I wholeheartedly support, and they do some really great work for the community and the animals here. And they had a couple of dogs get adopted from the puppy boys. Oh,

Speaker 3 (05:08):
That's wonderful.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
That was awesome. Really good to hear. And it's such a fun, cute little thing. Perfect. Pregame. You throw it on the tv, you got the volume up, you eat 18 to 20 mozzarella sticks and enjoy. I've got What's your story? I've got a fun story too. Are you Kristen? Familiar with the show Traders? It's a reality game show where a bunch of people have to do challenges. It's like Survivor, they have to do challenges to win money, but amongst them in the players that are traders and they can sabotage the nations.

Speaker 3 (05:46):
You're saying trades? Yeah, trades traders. Okay. Trade.

Speaker 2 (05:49):
They're not trading anything. They're betraying

Speaker 3 (05:52):
The

Speaker 2 (05:52):
Faithful players.

(05:54):
And it's a very popular show. It's a lot of fun. It's a really well done show, and it's hosted by Alan Cummings, who's one of my favorite actors, and he is just dripping with style. They've got them in the Scottish Highlands in a castle. He's right at home. He's wearing all sorts of ridiculous stuff. But this story is, I saw him on a interview with CBS promoting the show, and they have a dog at the castle and it turns out this is Alan Cumming's actual dog named Lala, and he was talking about the dog. She's a rescue and all this sorts of stuff. And she's not an actor, which is very funny because you would be hard pressed to get a dog in Cameron. And this is an NBC studio. Why is NBC letting him do this? Well, he is Alan Cummings. He can kind of do whatever he wants, but the point I wanted to make is it's not a trained dog.

(06:50):
So they actually, they love the dog so much. She's super well-behaved. She does all sorts of little tricks and runs around the big field. She's some sort of collie mix. They have to dub barking sounds over her because she refuses to bark. She's not mute. She can bark. She just doesn't do it. She won't. She's just such a good girl. She won't bark at anything. She doesn't get startled. So they wanted, when you think of TV dog, the dog runs up, it does its own thing. It barks a couple times and runs away. They couldn't get her to barks. They had to bring in another dog, love to do the bark sounds and then dub it over. Lala. And I guess I was listening to this interview, and you know how sometimes you love a celebrity and it's like, don't meet your heroes because it turns out they're really not great. But then there's the other thing where you get to know about a celebrity and you're like, wow, he's just like me. And I was like, this guy all, he's just like me. He's just like us. He's just like every other dog owner. When the interview turned talking about the dog, his mannerisms changed,

(07:51):
His guard completely went down. He was much more off the cuff. He was smiling the whole time. And I just thought it was so sweet. I really did. And I think it's so funny that they have to double over the dog and that comes with extra production costs.

Speaker 4 (08:05):
And that

Speaker 2 (08:05):
NBC was okay with doing that, I guess think makes for such a fun little tale.

Speaker 3 (08:13):
So some dogs, this dog in particular, Lala needs a stunt, not only a stunt double, but a barking double.

Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, a bark double is

Speaker 3 (08:21):
The bark would have to sound like it's coming from her as opposed to a German shepherd.

Speaker 2 (08:26):
They have to always make sure that she's doing a little spin so you can't see her mouth.

Speaker 3 (08:31):
That's awesome.

Speaker 2 (08:32):
It's very interesting. It's become complex for something that was just supposed to be like a cameo of this dog. But once the dog gets on camera, everybody online is like, when are we going to get to see that dog again?

Speaker 3 (08:42):
Right, right. Well, that's why I'm going to check out the show now. I just want to see Lala.

Speaker 2 (08:46):
It's a great show. They are not sponsors of this program, but everybody out there

Speaker 3 (08:51):
Should be.

Speaker 2 (08:52):
Yeah, A NBC hit me up. I could use a check B checkout traders airing every week. The fourth season is out now. Should be wrapping up soon. By the time this episode comes out Beyond the leash, exploring the untold stories of pet passion and

Speaker 1 (09:08):
Professionalism.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
And it is my absolute pleasure to introduce a very special guest, Jake Martin, a professional football player and defensive end for the Washington Commanders. And now he's known not only for his work on the field, but also his commitment to animal welfare and rescue advocacy. Throughout his NFL career. Jake has used his platform to support shelters, promote adoption, and raise awareness about responsible pet ownership, especially for dogs in need of homes, a lifelong dog lover. Jake regularly partners with animal welfare organizations, visits, shelters, and encourages fans to consider adoption as the NFL heads towards its biggest moment of the year. Jake's joining Pet's ad Life to talk about the connection between athletes and animals, how pets provide grounding and balance in high pressure careers, and why animal welfare matters on and off the field. Jake, thank you so much for taking some time today to join the show.

Speaker 4 (10:02):
Thank you guys for having me. I really appreciate you.

Speaker 2 (10:05):
Yeah. So most people know you from football, but many people don't realize how important animal welfare is to you. So where did that passion begin?

Speaker 4 (10:17):
Probably as early as I can remember. Truthfully, animals are something I've always been passionate about. I credit probably my love and my passion for animals to growing up, watching Steve Irwin, animal Planet, those kinds of things, James all and learned about all those people doing cool things in the world impacting animals or conservation or rescue efforts. It's something I've always wanted to do. I just happened to be good at football. My first passion or my first job dream was to be an animal physiologist. So animals have been a huge part of my life. Animals, insects. That has always been my thing. And then now that I became old enough to have my own dogs and animals, as I continue to grow and have more places to build upon, my passions are I'm able to do it now. Now I'm a grown up, you know what I mean? So I can go have and rescue dogs or horses or any other animal that may interest me at the time. But yeah, so I think that's where it came from.

Speaker 3 (11:39):
It's got to be really rewarding to be able to combine your passions like that. One thing I wanted to ask you about is life in the NFL has got to be so intense, right? I mean, you've got the games, the training, the travel, just the performance pressure. How do your pets, how do they help to bring balance and perspective into your high pressure job?

Speaker 4 (12:04):
I suggest everybody go get a dog. You know what I mean? Not just because of my, we do too. Not just because of the industry I work in, but dogs are great, man. They are the most consistent animal I think I've ever been around. They never have a bad day, you know what I mean? Every day is great. So coming home, whether it be after hard practice or a tough loss, or you didn't play well, or things aren't going your way, or whatever the case may be, whatever stresses or things you may be dealing with that your dog's always going to be that consistent, good energy, playful spirit that you need. And it's always at the right moments, you know what I mean? Dogs can be pretty chill as well, but I feel like at the right moments, they're always exactly what you need them to be. So

Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yeah, they seem to always know exactly what you need, right?

Speaker 4 (13:03):
Yes, 100%. 100%.

Speaker 2 (13:06):
And so Jake, I was viewing your socials and it seems like you've spent a lot of time supporting shelters and adoption efforts. So you spent a lot of time around rescue animals. So what's that time meant to you and what have you learned being around some of these animals that are in need of adoption?

Speaker 4 (13:25):
I think the biggest thing that I've experienced, or the best thing I could say that I've experienced being around shelters and working in or working with adoption efforts is how resilient shelter dogs are. They're so resilient. And two, they have so much personality, you know what I mean? They're all so different, yet they're all so loving and caring and have so much more to give. And just those experiences have changed the way I thought about really anything. If they can get through their hard times and still have this loving energy

Speaker 1 (14:11):
And

Speaker 4 (14:12):
There's energy, that's all right. But if they can get through their tough times and still have loving energy and be excited to meet people and meet other dogs and go on to do great things with the rest of their lives and have that important bond with a human. So I think that's so dope. You know what I mean? I think shelter hammers are super cool. They're the best for sure.

Speaker 3 (14:43):
So my dog, tulip got super excited. She woke up and realized we were talking to Jake Martin lost her mind. Jake, I wanted to ask you about, you have huge visibility as an NFL player. Why is it so important for anybody that has the ability to reach a lot of people, why is it so important to use your platform for important causes and what's that been like for you?

Speaker 4 (15:12):
Well, I think for me growing up, my parents were big on us finding something that we wanted to champion and pushing us to do that in whatever way possible. Whether if I had this platform or not, I'd probably still be doing the, I know for a fact I'd still be doing the same exact thing. So I think it's important for everybody to find a cause that they can get behind and support, whether it be through social media or volunteer hours or reposting donations, those kinds of things. I think that goes so far, just like in the world we live in, I think everyone could use a little humility in terms of how they approach their extra time or for free time. And people are passionate about a whole bunch of different things. So if you have that passion, might as well spend some time figuring out how you can help out. But for me, yeah, I think it's super important, like I said, to champion something. And I think rescue efforts for any animal or animal conservation efforts for any animal, I think I can always get behind that.

Speaker 2 (16:29):
And I agree wholeheartedly. The NFL football itself, huge team sport, in my opinion, the American sport that requires the most teamwork. I mean, it's 22 starters, 11 guys on the field at the same time. So you really have to be a cohesive unit in order to succeed in the NFL. Do you see similarities between your teamwork in sports and sort of the teamwork and bond between you and your pets?

Speaker 4 (16:59):
Without a doubt. I think those do go hand in hand. Obviously, as a pet owner, you're making that commitment to provide the best life possible for your pet and for them their whole life is you. So that's the commitment that you guys are making together to go through life, through the ups and downs and challenges and persevere through those together. And same as a team. You're making that commitment to be on that team to perform your best, not just for your benefit, but for the benefit of the guys around you. And that goes back to having a dog. You want to be the best dog owner you can so that dog can enjoy its life and be healthy, and you guys can have those great moments together. So I think they go hand in hand.

Speaker 3 (17:59):
So you've spent obviously hundreds and hundreds of hours with shelter, pets and animals shelters, excuse me. And for our listeners who all of our listeners are pet parents and they love their pets with their dogs, cats, rabbits, what have you, but some of them may never have adopted a pet. Maybe they've purchased their pet from a breeder. What would you say are some misconceptions that people still have about shelter dogs or rescue animals that you would love to help to change?

Speaker 4 (18:27):
They're just as good as dogs that you'd get from a breeder. You know what I mean? They're just as loving. They're just as playful. They're just as fun. They're just as silly, just as goofy. And I think sometimes they're even better. It's even better to have a dog that the things that they've been working on, their history, the things that you may need to work on when you're getting a new dog. And it allows you to have a better understanding and build off of the things that the foundation that's already been set because there's tons of great, throughout my career and throughout my life, I've had an opportunity to meet some great volunteers that have done some great work with hundreds, thousands of shelter animals, and they're talented trainers or talented people that love these animals just as much as someone that would be taking one home. So shelter dogs are great. They're awesome. They're a great addition to the family. Great addition to your pack if you already have one.

Speaker 3 (19:36):
Well, hey, Jake. Yeah, we're coming up on time, so we're going to let you go. But tell us where can we follow your work with animal shelters and can we follow you on social?

Speaker 4 (19:44):
Yeah, you can follow me on social. You can follow me on Instagram at Jacobs photos or on Twitter at Jacobs speaks. And my Twitter's kind of, I don't really use Twitter as much. I got get better at that. That's okay. Yeah, you can check me out there. I'm always out and about in the community, so if you see me, awesome. Awesome.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
All right, well, we'll see you on Radio Row. Have a good time out there.

Speaker 4 (20:09):
Thank you. Appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (20:14):
Well, Kristen, I think that's the closest I'll ever get to a Super Bowl championship is talking to a guy who's going to be there on Radio Row. The Jets are certainly never going to get there. I've accepted the fact that I'll die with zero championships. My son will probably, you're

Speaker 3 (20:31):
Young. You are young, you're young guy. There's plenty of decades left for the Jets off,

Speaker 2 (20:36):
There's I'm off. There's no hope for Jets

Speaker 3 (20:38):
Fans, not with an attitude like that.

Speaker 2 (20:39):
Plenty of hope for shelter, dogs and cats. Plenty of hope out there. So if you're listening to this Adopt Don't Shop, check out your local shelters. I think rescue dogs are amazing animals, and the tribulations that they've been through only make them better pets, in my opinion. So check out your shelters, see how you could help out too, if you're not ready to adopt a dog. Shelters are always looking for volunteers or foster parents. There's all sorts of ways to get involved.

Speaker 3 (21:13):
Rating is a pet podcast. Well, with Super Bowl Sunday coming up, we wanted to keep our guests kind of sports related. So we've got a Sports Sportsy guest for you, Megan Wolf Graham. She's the founder and the CEO of Swift Paws. It's a company that brought Lure coursing, which is a sport traditionally limited to Sighthounds into the homes and yards of everyday dog parents, swift paws designs, portable app controlled lure coursing systems that provide dogs with a safe, engaging outlet for their natural chase drive. And through Swift Paws, which has been on Shark Tank a couple of times, actually, Megan has helped redefine canine enrichment by making high intensity play accessible, structured and fun for dogs of all different breeds and sizes, not just those competitive athlete dogs. Alright. And her work emphasizes physical exercise, mental stimulation, and the joy that comes from letting dogs do what they were born to do, which is Chase, run and play. Welcome, Megan.

Speaker 5 (22:16):
Wow, Kristen. I had no idea you had that prepared. I'm blushing.

Speaker 3 (22:19):
Thank you so much for browsing me. You should be blushing. You've accomplished so many amazing things. Well, for our listeners who have never heard of it, what exactly is Lu coursing and why is this such a great enrichment tool for dogs?

Speaker 5 (22:34):
At its most basic, A lot of dogs and cats, I mean, we can't leave them out because cats are having a moment right now, but a lot of dogs like to chase. It's a very natural drive. Not every single dog is going to, but for the ones that do lure, coursing gives them a simulated type of chasing game. So instead of chasing after a live squirrel rabbit, they get to chase after a lure, which can be a lot of different things, but it's usually just a bag or a flag or something like that.

Speaker 2 (23:06):
And I actually have a friend whose border Collie did a lure coursing, but they had to go to a facility and it was like a hole to do. So what sort of inspired you to bring it into the backyard?

Speaker 5 (23:23):
Yeah, Chris. So we got our start in that side of it. So I found out about the sport. It was of course only limited to Sighthounds at the time. I had a miniature pincher, clearly not a sight hound, but he loved to chase. So one thing led to another. I ended up making a machine with the help of my dad and my miniature pincher loved it. So eventually I was doing these events in my hometown where people could just bring their dogs out. There was no business plan, there was no idea that this was going to turn into a consumer brand, but that is how we got to grow organically. So the good timing is that the A KC opened up a version of the sport to all breeds the same year that I found swift paws. You can't argue with that good timing. And we were in the right place at the right time.

(24:07):
So we got our start making professional grade equipment for all breed lure coursing sports. And then about seven years later, a little dense. And it took me that long to figure it out. I realized that if I didn't make a version for people's backyards, somebody was going have to, because every competitor who did it, they were asking us how much the equipment was because they wanted to practice at home. Even people who had no interest in ever competing, they just wanted to have access to this type of enrichment. So that's what led me to going, alright, I've got to make a backyard version,

Speaker 3 (24:39):
And I'm so glad you did. I'll tell you what, I have a min pin mix and she absolutely loves to chase critters. So I think this is going to be perfect for her. How does structured lure coursing differ from unstructured chasing behaviors? When Tulip takes off after a chipmunk, tell me what that looks like.

Speaker 5 (25:01):
Yes. I think not a single pet owner could ever relate to their dog trying to take off after something that they don't want them to. Right,

Speaker 3 (25:09):
Right, right.

Speaker 5 (25:10):
So we all know what that looks like. They orient, I went down the rabbit hole, pun intended, about the predatory cycle. So they orient, they look around, they lock in on a prey, a rabbit, a squirrel, or a lure. And so the steps are really kind of the same. Then they stalk, they chase, they catch, and that's all really important. But what we're doing by simulating prey, obviously when the Dow catches the lure or your cat catches it, they know it's not the real thing and that's not the point. The point isn't to make them believe that it's real. So we say that we take their prey drive, we turn it into play drive just like a ball or a Frisbee. Those objects, although maybe not as close to chasing after a squirrel, they're still using that chase drive and that instinct. And so any one of those types of things can be an incredibly healthy outlet, a little bit closer to our lure course as a flirt pole who hasn't played with a flirt pole or a wand teaser for their cat.

(26:06):
And that type of activity is actually an incredibly healthy way to give your pet an outlet for that drive. And it can actually reduce, this is kind of crazy, but you can look up the science if you want to. Don't take my word for it. That can actually reduce the amount that they're doing, the unwanted chasing behavior. One of the crazy questions I get asked is, is this going to make my dog chase my cat? The answer is, if they don't already, no. If they do chase the cat, they probably won't stop. But if they love something like the lure course, they might prefer that over chasing the cat.

Speaker 2 (26:42):
And so we mentioned Sighthounds a bunch. For those of you who don't know, those are your greyhounds, your whippets. I think you like your lean athletic skinny dogs that you may see around. But I'm sure there are a bunch of people wondering which dogs you've seen have begun to thrive with lower cosing and maybe some breeds that might be surprised they actually love this kind of thing.

Speaker 5 (27:07):
Chris, I have one. Okay. So I have never seen a breed that has a better uptake percentage than this one. And it is the Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Really?

Speaker 3 (27:22):
You never would've guessed it.

Speaker 5 (27:24):
Yes. Over 10 years ago now, I got reached out to by somebody who organizes a Cavalier Fund day in the state of Florida, and they must have had over a hundred people attend. Many, many, many Cavaliers. And they said, we'd love for you to come out with your lure course. We think it would be fun. And I did. And I thought, oh, cute. Little lap dogs. Some of them will enjoy it. Oh my gosh. At one point in time, I think we had 10 or more dogs at once, and every single one that came out onto that course lit up like a Christmas tree. It said, I just found my calling and they took off. It was amazing.

Speaker 2 (28:00):
That's so funny. Those spans are just little stuffed animals. You look at 'em and you're just like, this is just a little thing, not an athlete, but they love it.

Speaker 5 (28:11):
Yeah, little dogs have big instincts too. And so many breeds that we don't think of as a working breed anymore, still were designed for a certain purpose. You think humans have been selectively breeding dogs for a very long time, and there are very few dogs that weren't originally created with a job in mind.

Speaker 2 (28:32):
Yeah. Let's jump right into that because a lot of pet parents out there are looking for solutions to behavior challenges, whether that's reactivity or frustration, excess energy. And you're talking about a broader plan here. So obviously we have the lure course being something great to get some of that excess energy out. But how does it plug into a broader enrichment plan?

Speaker 5 (28:59):
Yeah, exactly. And I believe you guys had mentioned that you've had some conversations with Dr. Zzi Todd, I have her book Behind Me Bark, and I really am a student of what we can do to give our pets the best lives possible. And each one is an individual. So what I call enrichment stacking is really just having more than one tool in your enrichment toolbox. And we say that all the time. A lure course shouldn't be the only tool. A puzzle toy shouldn't be the only tool. But when you think about the predatory cycle, so let's get nerdy for a second. It happens in order. They're not going to catch before they chase. They have to chase in order to catch. They're not going to be able to dissect and chew if they haven't first chase the animal and then caught it. So this really, it's a rhythm.

(29:45):
It starts with orienting, eyeing, stalking, all of these steps. Not every pet is going to exhibit every single step of the predatory sequence, but you can watch your own pet's specific behavior and you can see which ones they like better. Some pets love to point, right? Some pets love to stalk, some don't. Some go straight for the chase, and that is where we can think about layering it. So what I would love to do if I had, especially a young energetic dog, and I had a zoom call coming up and I needed them to be a little bit more relaxed during that zoom call because I adopted a puppy from a shelter a couple of years ago now, and she would grab her loudest, squeaky toy as soon as I got on any type of zoom call, that's actually where I started to develop this idea.

(30:30):
So the first thing that I would do is a high intensity activity that is throwing the tennis ball, going outside and playing with the Swift P lure course or a flirt pole. And that is a chasing high active enrichment game, only a few minutes long. That might take two, three minutes tops, then they're going to be tired, but they'll take a five minute nap and be ready to go again. Anybody who's had a young dog knows that. They're like, Hey, nice warmup. So what I love to do after that is something that's going to be a little bit more mental. That would be maybe as simple as scattering some food for them to sniff and find or using a puzzle toy or a lick mat, something that's going to combine consuming with foraging. That's the natural next step. After they've caught something, right, they're going to eat it.

(31:14):
We have little predators. We can't forget that. And then after they've done that, and that'll only take them a few minutes after they've done that, it's time to settle down with a longer lasting chew. So many of our things like puzzle toys and even snuffle mats or lick mats, people get frustrated because they say once they finish the food, they start chewing on the lick mat or the device itself. Well, that's because chewing is the next step. They're naturally going to settle down with the bones and they're going to work on it, and it's great for their dental health. Now bones have problems, so we have to be careful when we are thinking about what we're going to give them. But if we select a longer lasting chew that we know is good for them, we can offer that to them when we take the puzzle or mat away and now they're going to settle in for 10, 15, even 20 minutes of chewing. And what comes after that? A nice big map. So I'd say pick three things that they like in that predatory sequence. Do them in order, and you'll be so surprised. It'll only take you maybe 10 minutes tops and they're going to be passed out in bliss.

Speaker 3 (32:15):
I love the sound of that passed out in bliss while I'm on my zoom call.

Speaker 5 (32:18):
Yes,

Speaker 3 (32:19):
Megan, this has been fantastic. We're coming up on time. We're going to have to have you back because you're so knowledgeable and I just love all the advice you've given us, especially with the enriched stacking. I love that. I think there's a lot more to talk about in that realm. But before we let you go, tell our listeners where they can get more information about swift paws and maybe where we can follow you and what you're up to.

Speaker 5 (32:42):
Absolutely. I mean, anywhere you want to be social, look for Swift Paws. You will find us. We have our website, of course. We're also on Amazon and Chewy and in several independent retailers. But I also encourage people to go out there and DIY. You don't have to spend a dime to add a little bit of enrichment to your pet's day, even if you just take the same walk every day and you go out your door, turn to the left, go around the block, the next time you do it, go out your door, turn to the right, take the walk backwards. You'll be surprised how different it's for you and your pet.

Speaker 3 (33:07):
I love it. That's a great tip. Great advice. Thank you again, Megan. We look forward to having you back sometime.

Speaker 5 (33:12):
Thank you.

Speaker 3 (33:16):
Wow. I love how knowledgeable she is and how she does those deep dives to research about enrichment, and she's been successful on Shark Tank and just,

Speaker 2 (33:26):
Yeah, a very well learned inventor. But I'm curious if there's a person version of this, because I've put on some dad weight wait, and I think some rigorous exercise is called for. But in all seriousness, I think it's a great product. There's a big trend right now in bringing professional pet products into the home, and I think this is just a great shining example of it that's done in a smart way, safety in mind, good for your dog, good for you, because it's good for your dog. So be sure to check him out.

Speaker 3 (34:01):
And by the way, Chris, as soon as Grayson learns to walk, you'll have that built in exercise,

Speaker 2 (34:06):
I'm sure the product of the week, and it's time for the product of the week. And I'm going to kick it off here, Kristen with a fun one. This is a company that has been at Global Pet Expo before, and I was very aware of them, and I sort of never really considered this for a product of the week, but with the Super Bowl coming up,

(34:32):
I thought that this would be a great opportunity to bring them up. It's pets first. Pets first is in a unique position because they have a license to sell NFL branded products. So at the time of the recording, we do not know the two teams in the Super Bowl quite yet. Not quite yet. But if your team is in the Super Bowl this year and you need a jersey for your dog, because deep down in your fan heart that will lock in the win you're going to want to head on over to pets first company.com. There's a whole section dedicated to NFL licensed merch. They have every single team. They even have some players. I'm looking at a Jalen Hertz jersey. He won't be in the Super Bowl. That's unfortunate for Eagles fans. But yeah, I'm looking at Cowboys and I know Kristen loves the Cowboys, and we got the 49 ERs, which is the home representative, I believe, the Super Bowls in San Francisco.

(35:32):
I believe it's, I know my stuff. So all sorts of stuff, officially licensed stuff, high quality. It's not going to be crap. It's not going to fall apart. And I just think that these are a lot of fun. You could either order 'em online. A lot of Pet Superstore carry these products, especially around this time of the year, especially if you are home team is in the Super Bowl. I guarantee you if you walk into your local pet store, you're going to be able to find their products. Prices range based on the style of Jersey and things like that. It's not going to kill, it's not buying a person jersey where it's like, oh, for this piece of fabric, they want $120, it's for dogs, and they get it. So's much more reasonable. But lock in your good mojo now for your team and check these products

Speaker 3 (36:21):
Out. Even if your team's not in the big game Sunday, you can get a headstart on rooting your team on for next year.

Speaker 2 (36:27):
You could be a terrible person like me and lock your pets into Jets Fandom, which Grayson is now a Jets fan. He wore a little Jets jersey every Sunday. And I have, it's like the first bad thing I've done for him as a father.

Speaker 3 (36:43):
You never know. There's always next year or next decade.

Speaker 2 (36:46):
That is how a Jets fan operates. Operates. We're always looking at next.

Speaker 3 (36:52):
All right, well, that is a perfect product for this week. Mine is along the theme of Pet Dental Health Month, and I actually discovered this product at VMX when we were there recently. It's called a Nyla Bone Nubs Flavor Burst. And here's a little package, and I already tried it out on Tulip and she absolutely loves it. These are actually veterinary approved too. Let's see. They come in cheese and bacon flavor or chicken flavor. There's zero artificial preservatives and dogs. They have these little nubs on them.

(37:29):
And I have to say that. So we had a little fumble the other day when I gave this to Tulip and I told my husband, I said, can you just keep an eye on her and take it away from her when she gets about a third of the way down? Oh, well he forgot about it, so did I. And she ended up eating the whole thing. So I do not recommend that for a small dog. They actually score the center of it so you can snap it in half for smaller dogs. So that's what we're going to be doing. Oh, there you go. It's pretty easy. But yeah, any size dog, great chew treat. It does last a long time, which is great. And you can get them just about anywhere. I dropped a link to them on Amazon, different flavors. And they are, as I said earlier, veterinary approved to keep those teethies clean.

Speaker 2 (38:13):
I absolutely love their products. I think they work great. I think they're so smart. It's a simple, straightforward way. We've been talking a lot about maintenance with dental health for your pets, and this is a great product to maintain. It's obviously not going to replace the visit to the vet or the deep cleans, but this is an important step. And I have not met a dog who doesn't like the Nylabone products.

Speaker 3 (38:39):
And Nylabones been around for 70 years, actually, I think this is 71. So they really know what they're doing. They've really refined their process and they have a lot of great data on what works well for dogs. And you're right, can't go wrong

Speaker 2 (38:53):
QA. Alright, Kristen, it is time for our favorite part of the show. That's right. We're going to answer two questions from our incredibly talented and good looking audience. And I know what you're thinking, new listener. How do I get my question answered by Kristen? Kristen? Well, couldn't be easier. You're going to head on over to pets at life.org/podcast. Scroll on down to the bottom of the page and you'll see a form to submit your question to the show. Or if you're feeling as brave as an NFL quarterback in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, you can submit a voice memo and you may hear your question played live on air. So without further ado, Kristen, I've got a question for you that comes from Rachel from Scottsdale, Arizona. Thank you for your question, Rachel. She asks, I try to brush my dog's teeth, but he hates it and fights me every time. Are dental cues enough or am I missing something important?

Speaker 3 (39:50):
Good question, Rachel. And as you know already, it is Pet Dental Health Month. So we're going to be talking a lot about how important dental health is for pets this month. This is a really good question because we talked to Dr. Jan Bellows on last week's show, and he talked about this very topic. Brushing is really the gold standard, and really any vet's going to tell you that's the gold standard. But the reality is that a lot of dogs don't like the brushing, and it's because we don't start them off early enough. It's great if you get your dog when they're a puppy and you can kind of start desensitizing to you having your finger or toothbrush in their mouth. But most of us don't do that. So if brushing isn't happening, you're not out of luck because there are tons of dental products on the market, including shoes like my product up the week with the nylabone nubs.

(40:44):
That's a great chew. But what I remember Dr. Bellow was saying is that you can take a dental wipe, and I'll tell you where you can find these in a minute, but a dental wipe, and most of them have, it's almost like a piece of gauze. So it's got a little bit of a grit to it. And if you can just get your hand in their mouth to wipe the teeth every day, that's probably the next best thing to brushing. In addition to, of course, having those annual checkups to see if your dog needs a professional teeth cleaning. So dental chews are a great maintenance tool, just like the powders that go into your pet's water. Those are great maintenance tools. I would just say use two or three maintenance tools that work for you. And if you can start just taking a little dental wipe and wiping his teeth every day, that would be really ideal. There's a website that shows veterinary, it's called VOHC. I don't know if it's dot com or I didn't check that. Lemme see here. But these are veterinary Oral Health Council approved dental products. So it is. It

Speaker 2 (41:49):
Might be a.org.

Speaker 3 (41:50):
It is. It's VO hc.org. Yeah, you're right. So check that out and good luck, Rachel.

Speaker 2 (41:58):
Yeah, I think that's some solid advice. And what I would like to add is something is better than nothing.

Speaker 3 (42:06):
A good point. Excellent.

Speaker 2 (42:07):
And that

Speaker 3 (42:07):
Goes for cats too, right?

Speaker 2 (42:08):
Goes for cats. Something is better than nothing. Not everybody can brush their dog's teeth. Not every dog's going to let it happen. So the fact that you're paying attention, you're trying. You're a good dog owner, Rachel.

Speaker 3 (42:19):
That's right. Alright, you mentioned cats. So speaking of cats, I have a great cat question for you, Chris. It's from Lena from San Francisco, home of the Super Bowl this year,

Speaker 2 (42:28):
Home of the Super Bowl.

Speaker 3 (42:30):
Okay, Lena says, my cat hides whenever there's a small change in the house, whether it's new people, new smells, even moving furniture, how can I help my anxious cat feel more secure?

Speaker 2 (42:44):
Whole mess of Xanax in the cat food. No, I'm kidding. Don't do that. The reality is cats are creatures of routine. They are very much so creatures of routine and they dislike change heavily. What I would recommend is giving your cat a sanctuary in your house somewhere a little den, some might call it, whether that's just their own room or just something in the corner. But give them their space and don't change it. Set it up the way they like it, make sure they're comfortable. Maybe you have a cat tree, a little cat bed and their food bowls all in one area, and that always stays there. And that cat knows, even though there's new people coming in, even though the couch has changed, even though mom and dad moved the kitchen table to the other side of the kitchen, that makes me nervous. But if I'm feeling nervous, I can go over here and I could go high up in my cat tree and I can look around at all this new stuff and feel comfortable.

(43:44):
So that's definitely what I would recommend. The reality is you're not going to make it through life without change. Your cat's pretty much always going to hate it, but some exposure therapy is good. If you're going to flip all, for example, when you're moving houses, that's a huge change. So you're going from house A to house B. I always recommend people bring the cat over before you actually move in and just sort of let 'em explore and check it out, because it's a huge transition for them. They're going to want to get used to it. So anytime that you could taper the change, instead of just changing everything and ooh, surprise, it's all different now. Anytime you could taper the change and make it incremental is going to be better. Things like parties, if you're having a Super Bowl party over there, Lena, you might be having a lot of folks over.

(44:41):
My best advice is leading up to it. Have a couple people over, maybe on Thursday and a few more over on Friday. Build up to it because a lot of people all at the same time jarring for a nervous cat like that. And then if things don't get better with this advice, talk to your vet. There's other options available that do include medication, but they can also recommend some behavioral training changes and other things that you could be doing in the environment of your home to make the cat more comfortable. But that's going to vary based on how bad this really is.

Speaker 3 (45:16):
Excellent advice, Chris.

Speaker 2 (45:17):
Well,

Speaker 3 (45:18):
Kristen,

Speaker 2 (45:19):
That does it. I think that's it. Yeah. We got to gear up for the Super Bowl. I'm taking the rest of the week off to cook my chili. I'm going to start now on a Tuesday.

Speaker 3 (45:29):
Are you training on eating? What'd you say? 18 to 25 6.

Speaker 2 (45:32):
18 to 20 mozzarella sticks. So yeah, we're going to end this episode. I'm going to go in the fridge. I'm going to have about a dozen.

Speaker 3 (45:38):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (45:40):
It's like training for the marathon. Oh boy. My stomach hates me. I'm really excited though. Grayson's first Super Bowl. He's going to be asleep before the game starts, which is hilarious. Something is better than nothing on your screen right now, folks.

Speaker 3 (45:55):
Love it.

Speaker 2 (45:56):
I look like a guy at the corner of the bar who's offering you something you do not want. Great use of my face there. I hope my name, image, and likeness check is in the mail. We hope everybody enjoys their Super Bowl. Stay safe, don't drink, drive. It's the second most dangerous night of the year for drinking and driving, so just don't do it and enjoy the game. We'll be back next Tuesday. You never have to worry about that. Follow us on Instagram threads, TikTok, Facebook

Speaker 1 (46:33):
Threads.

Speaker 2 (46:34):
Yeah, we're on threads now. Are we on threads? We are. We're on threads. And I don't think we've ever gotten a single, I don't think anybody follows us there. I think it's just one of those things where if you post on Instagram, you could have it on threads now too. I actually think I'm the only real person on threads. You ever think about that with social media? You're scrolling through and you're like, this has to be all boxed, right? Yeah. Yeah. Google circles. Yeah, whatever that was. Google circles. Google Plus. Yeah. We're there too? Are we on Snapchat? We're on Snapchat. All sorts of elicit pictures of Chris that disappear after 30 seconds. Yeah, follow us on social media so you get all the updates, including a lot of fun coverage of our hundredth episode that aired a couple of weeks ago. So check all that out. And we love you.

Speaker 3 (47:22):
Are you ready for my tail and tidbit? Give me a tail tidbit please. We're sticking with the Super Bowl theme here. I wanted you guys to know this. I thought this was cool. The Puppy Bowl uses the same number of cameras as the average NFL game, and that's about 20 cameras. That includes water bowl cams, slow-mo p cams, every zoomie and tackle gets the spotlight so you don't miss any of the action on the Puppy Bowl. So be sure to tune in pets,

Speaker 1 (47:49):
Add Life, your guide to the latest in Pet Trends products, and the joy of the human animal bond with Kristen Levine and Chris Bonafide, powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog tv.