71. Guardian Dogs, Animal Intuition & Fourth of July Pet Safety

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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 and welcome to another episode of Pets Add Life. I am Chris Bonafide and joining me as always. She has 104 unique catch phrases. It's Kristen Levine. Kristen, how are we doing today?

Speaker 3 (00:29):

Hey, I'm doing great. I'm doing great. This show is dropping on July 1st. We are officially in summertime. We've got July 4th coming up. Do you have plans for the holiday?

Speaker 2 (00:41):

No, not quite. It is so hot here though. It's so swampy, and I'm going to get on my soapbox and complain real quick. And this is how much I love our audience and our viewers. I could turn the air conditioner on and I could be a modern man in a relaxed climate, not sweating his butt off doing this podcast, but the air conditioner is really loud and it would create a lot of background noise and it would distract from the quality of the audio experience. And so I sit in this swamp in the humidity and I speak my words for you, dear listener, so that you can get the best possible audio experience out of your POW podcast.

Speaker 3 (01:24):

Well, you are a much better professional than I am because I've got my air cranked right now, and if you can hear it, I don't care.

Speaker 2 (01:32):

No, we can't. That's the thing. But I'd be my air's right there and this thing, it turns on, it's louder than the train that goes right by my condo.

Speaker 3 (01:39):

We can't,

Speaker 2 (01:40):

How

Speaker 3 (01:41):

About a fan? Can we get you Ron? Can we get Chris a fan?

Speaker 2 (01:44):

I've got a few fans, all of them DM me. Really weird things. Put yeah, put. Anyway, if you're new to the show, welcome. If you're a longtime listener, welcome. If you're a pretty new listener, you're welcome as well. You know what we do here? We've got two stories. We're going to report on two products. We're going to recommend two incredible guests, and then we're going to answer two of your questions. So I think we're just going to go ahead and jump on into story time. Kristen and Chris, present story time. This is a nice little AP report that I found interesting, especially we're coming into hurricane season here, which lately has been less than ideal, lots of destruction and plenty of disasters to go around. So in Florida, they just passed legislation that will impose tougher penalties on people who abandon pets during natural disasters.

(02:49):

So the state of Florida recommends that every family, regardless of where you are in the state of Florida, has an emergency action plan for hurricanes. And that you should consider your pets part of that plan. So you should be thinking of what's our evacuation route? What types of supplies do we need? And that would include pet supplies, what type of carrier or leash would be most appropriate for my animal? So these are all things that you need to be considering if you're in some of those southern states or a state that's bound to be affected by a hurricane. This year. Hopefully we have a nice calm one. The last couple hurricane seasons have been really, really, really, really rough. So hopefully this is a non-issue this year, but it's good to see the states guiding folks to being more responsible pet owners.

Speaker 3 (03:44):

Yeah, that's great because when you're not prepared, that's when people refuse to leave home because they won't leave their pets behind and that's when people get hurt, killed, et cetera. So that is really good news.

Speaker 2 (03:56):

Be prepared.

Speaker 3 (03:58):

So my story is sort of similar. It's weather related right at the top of the show, you said it's hot here and it's hot here in Western North Carolina as well and pretty much everywhere this time of year. And I feel like we probably don't need to warn people about this, but I'm going to do it anyway because just last weekend I was at Lowe's with my husband. We were going to the garden center for the 35th time, and we saw a car parked with a dog inside and it was hot. And I checked from afar, I could kind of see the windows were rolled up and I was like, oh man, I can't believe this is happening. So we were actually getting ready to pull out. So we pulled around to where the car was, we got out and turns out they had left the air conditioning on and the dog didn't look distressed at all.

(04:48):

It was just kind of sitting there happily in the passenger seat and join the ac. But that's not a great idea either because your car can stall out and how are you going to know that unless you have some kind of stall out alarm, which I know cops have those on their cars. But anyway, if you've got to leave your dog or pet any pet in the car, even for a few minutes, just don't take them, leave them home. Also, just the hot pavement warning, depending on the surface, whether it's concrete or asphalt, either one can really heat up quickly. And a good way to test it is to put your hand, and I think the back of your hand is a better test because it's a little more sensitive, but the back of your hand on the surface, you're about to walk your dog. And if you can't hold it there for five seconds or more, then you shouldn't be walking your dog on it. And then of course, just making sure your pets have a lot, great hydration, great access to clean water, things like that, just the common sense stuff, because heat can kill, and unfortunately we see it happen every single summer.

Speaker 2 (05:50):

Absolutely. If you could fry an egg on that pavement, your dog probably shouldn't be walking on it. Those little booties are helpful too. A lot of people consider it like a winter product because of the salt, but if you are in a place like Arizona where it's like all pavement and sun, you may want to consider a product like that to keep your doggos paws nice and safe. Yeah,

Speaker 3 (06:14):

For sure. And keep those walks to the early part of the day or the latter part of the day too.

Speaker 2 (06:20):

Ular walks, remember we learned that word prop?

Speaker 3 (06:23):

That's a great word.

Speaker 1 (06:25):

Beyond the leash, exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism.

Speaker 3 (06:30):

Okay, it is my pleasure to introduce our guest Berger. He's a US Marine veteran devoted family man. And now the beloved author of the children's book series Gunner goes inspired by his adopted black Labrador retriever gunner. I'm going to love this guy already. I know it because I love labs. Carl and his wife Karen have a deep passion for the Labrador retriever breed, and they often open their home as a temporary refuge for rescue dogs seeking permanent families, drawing from their joy and humor found in his adventures with gutter and the experience of raising five children. Carl writes heartwarming bedtime stories that entertain both children and parents alike all while supporting animal rescue causes. So welcome, Carl, and thank you for your service.

Speaker 4 (07:18):

Well, thanks for having me. You guys. Were all welcome.

Speaker 3 (07:21):

Awesome, awesome. Well, we're looking forward to talking to you today. I'm a big Labrador lover, so I'm particularly excited. Let's just start off with having you share the story of how Gunner came into your life and what inspired you to turn his adventures into a book series.

Speaker 4 (07:35):

I had an 18-year-old chocolate lab, believe it or not. We rescued him in 2000 and 2000. He lived to 18. He passed away in 2018. And I told my wife at the time, I said, I'm never getting another dog. It's too painful. They give you thousands of really good days and one really, really bad one, but no one likes that. So I told her, I'm not going to get another dog. And she's like, what about fostering? And I said, okay, maybe let's think about it. Not a big deal. We don't have to keep them right. She goes, no, no, no, we

Speaker 3 (08:09):

Don't have to keep them. Right.

Speaker 4 (08:10):

So I get suckered into fostering. We started off in November, December, we had two dogs. In comes this dog gunner. He's a five-year old black lab. He must have seen a big hole in my heart, like true canine wolf instincts goes for the weakest of the pack. And he just would follow me around and there was nothing I could say to say no to this dog. He knew he wanted to stay, he ended up staying. We obviously fell in love with him, and that's really the story. The story was, I didn't want to get another dog, but listen, every new dog is a new journey. And you have to realize that when the door closes on the old one, don't expect to ever be able to replace him or her. You just get a brand new dog with a new journal.

Speaker 2 (08:58):

You've raised five children, which is an amazing accomplishment. But how do those experiences as a parent sort of shape the books themselves? I mean, we all, and anybody with children, they want to impart important lessons and values onto their kids. So how do you take your experience raising kids and sort of create these incredible children's stories

Speaker 4 (09:24):

With five children, I would always go on a Saturday morning to the library and we'd pick out 20 to 25 books or so and bring them back and read them the whole week at bedtime, and then the next Saturday, bring those back and get another 25. So this is just as much as relating positive stories about my dog gunner as it is for children's literacy, right? So I'm big on children's literacy. I want children to be able to enjoy the reading that they do. I want them to hold a physical book as opposed to a tablet. I mean, these books are on ebook. You can purchase them on an e tablet and you can look, but let's face it, kids have enough screen time as it is. So children's literacy. But I think I was able to, because of all those books that I read and I've read every single book you can imagine in the kids like it. I like the ones that are a little bit humorous and the ones that engage the parent as well. No one likes to read a book that is not a little bit funny for the parent. I think it just keeps it interesting. So that's what I try to incorporate in these books.

Speaker 3 (10:29):

So Carl, why do you think Labrador retrievers hold such a special place in people's hearts and how do you reflect that in your books?

Speaker 4 (10:37):

They're the most loyal, the most loving, the most friendly, family oriented breed out there. And by no means is Gunner purebred, right? He's not a pure Labrador. In fact, we know that he's half pit bull and half Labrador, but the qualities of both come out in Gunner, the sporty dog that loves to swim and fetch is there. And then the loving side, the family oriented side of the pit bull that likes to snuggle on the couch. So Gunner has both of those. I'm not going to say they're all lab features, but my wife and I, we've had all colors in our lifetimes and we just gravitate toward those types of dogs that you don't have to worry about taking to the dog park, taking anywhere, taking to the mall, and just sharing them with others. I mean, because a joy,

Speaker 2 (11:28):

I love labs too. There's so many in my life that are just the cutest little things and they're a joy to be around. We probably have some listeners out there who are interested in fostering dogs. I mean, the picture of fostering dogs is awesome. You don't have to keep 'em. You get them in your lives a little bit. You get to have a pet, but you are not the first person to come on this show and say, I fostered a dog and it stayed forever. What are some tips you may have for folks who may be considering fostering and how to do a good job of keeping a welcoming home, but also a good job of saying the inevitable goodbye?

Speaker 4 (12:07):

This has come up time and time again. We've done 58 Fosters, including Gunner in the five or six years that we've been doing this. We have a current foster right now. She will have a meet and greet tomorrow with a woman that is probably going to adopt her. She's actually a German Shepherd. We usually do labs, but we have this tripod, German Shepherd that's come in and she's just beautiful. She's a great dog. But anyway, I think it's come up time and time again with my wife. She is the more emotional one. I'm a little bit more business. Being a marine business, we got a job to do. I always tell her like, listen, we're in the shipping business. We get the package, we receive the package, we take care of the package, and then we ship the package out. And if you think about fostering, yes, of course you can keep them all, but that's not the ultimate is to ship out the package.

(13:00):

And then what we get is pup dates along the way afterwards of on the phone. My wife is more admin, she does all the phone, the interaction and stuff. But we get pup dates after we foster, and it's great. We both say that dog is in the best place. We could have never offered that to that particular dog, that lifestyle. And so that's the benefit. And we feel if you go into it that way, I think you'll come out, that's where you get your gratification, but bringing them into your home is the most wonderful thing. Our Christmas card this year, since my kids are getting a little bit older, our Christmas card is going to be the 12 dogs of Christmas. So we're doing one a month. That's great. So one a month we've had, well, this is Ms. June, she's a female. So we are going to have a Christmas card with all 12 dogs that we rescued or fostered. So I don't consider myself rescuing them. We work with rescues that pull 'em from shelters or pull 'em from unfortunate circumstances, but we step in and we become their comfy couch and the love that they need to be able to be rehabilitated and put out into a family forever. That's ultimately, we don't ever want to see a dog come back into the system. Ultimately, we want them all to be live out their lives as short as they may be. Unfortunately. We want them to be comfortable and the family to enjoy them.

Speaker 3 (14:26):

Well, this is clearly an entire family endeavor for you, which makes me wonder how have your wife or your kids influenced the stories that you write?

Speaker 4 (14:37):

Well, most of these stories were all written during conversations with my wife at dinner. So we would talk about the funny things that Gunner would do, and all the stories are actually inspired by things that Gunner has done or will do or makes me believe that he does. They're all bedtime storybooks with dream sequences in them. And when Gunner Dreams, he typically dreams on two feet that he's standing. In this case, it's Gunner goes for a car ride, he's driving the car. And the reason why I think he dreams about driving is when I first got him, we'd go to the gas station, I'd jump out, pump the gas, I get back to the car and he's sitting in the driver's seat. So I take these real life things and I tell my wife, yeah, he was in the driver's seat when I got out of the store and this and that. And then I weave them into fun books for children and of course, fun books for adults so they could share them with their children at night, at bedtime.

Speaker 2 (15:35):

Absolutely. And of course they're fun, but they also, like any good children's book, they impart a little bit of wisdom. So if, I know you probably are teaching a lot of lessons through these books, but if there's one lesson or value that you think the Gunner Go series really represents and you want to impart on the next generation, what would you say that is?

Speaker 4 (15:59):

I think you need to think of your pet, whether it's a dog or a cat or gerbil as family. And I think if you truly believe that you don't own that pet, but you're more of a guardian of that pet, right? We're all parents. We have children. We don't ever say, I own my child. We are the guardian of that child. We help raise them, we feed them, we nurture them. And I think if everybody had that mindset around animal guardianship, not ownership, I think, and including them as a family member, you'd have a better outcome. Case in Point Gunner, a year ago, two and a half years ago, we felt a lump. We brought 'em in for consult with the vet. It seems to be not a good lump. So we had it surgically removed. It was cancer, and we thought everything was done.

(16:49):

So we would do anything for him as you would do for your own child. We took him back in again when it grew back a second time, they did a surgery, it grew back. So ultimately we had to amputate his leg at 10 and a half years old. That was a very difficult decision, but not a cheap decision, but a costly decision. But we would've done that forever. I wouldn't want to amputate my son's leg to that effect, but you do what you need to do for a family member, and we did what we needed to do for Gunner.

Speaker 3 (17:20):

That had to be really difficult, that whole process. So what is next for Gunner and the whole Gunner Goes series Carl?

Speaker 4 (17:27):

We're going to continue to stay on tour with Gunner. We live in Florida, so I go as far north as, or west as Pensacola, as far north as Jacksonville, as far south as Fort Myers, Orlando. We go to events primarily. I like to do local events with children at schools. We go and read his stories. They get to meet Gunner. Gunner relies on his back, gets a bunch of belly rubs, amazing. And that's how he gets paid. So he loves meeting people, especially children. He has a great time with children. But really the message is get small children to understand that fostering is an option when they go out into the world, they're in their twenties and thirties and they think about, Hey, I want to get a dog or a cat. Think about fostering as a first option because it's actually a bit of a test drive. You could test drive several animals. They may not be the perfect fit for you, but they're obviously a perfect fit for somebody. But you can certainly test drive them, and if you feel so inclined, adopt.

Speaker 2 (18:27):

Amazing. So Carl, we're coming up on time here. Where can our listeners go to find more information about yourself and your books?

Speaker 4 (18:35):

Gunner goes series.com is Gunner's website. He sells all of the books. He even sells a plus of Gunner, adorable. They're all named Gunner, as you can see right there. But he sells all his books. Proceeds do go back to Animal rescue. The rescue that we work with specifically is Florida all retriever rescue. They're in Clearwater. They do primarily retriever breeds, but you can also go to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube. He's on all of 'em. He is up late at night updating all of his social content to make sure it's, I'm sure. Yes, of course.

Speaker 3 (19:12):

Well give Gunnar a belly rub for us,

Speaker 4 (19:15):

Obviously. Yeah, he's right here with me. I wish I could turn the camera. You'd see how with,

Speaker 2 (19:20):

Alright, well thank you so much for taking the time today to sit with us and talk about these amazing books. Thank you again for your service and everything you do for all the wonderful animals in your life.

Speaker 4 (19:29):

Thank you guys, appreciate it.

Speaker 3 (19:33):

After we have these interviews with these great guests, I always think of a bunch more questions that I wish I'd asked them, especially given the week that this show comes out. It's 4th of July is around the corner. And I wonder if Gunner is planning a book around fireworks like Gunner, afraid of fireworks like most dogs are.

Speaker 2 (19:54):

Well, the books are about gunner's dreams. So would this be Gunner's nightmare?

Speaker 3 (19:58):

Yeah, it might be. It might be. But just a good opportunity to remind folks to keep your pets indoors, keep them safe. If your dog is afraid of the noisy fireworks, then set up a zen zone for them in a quiet room or in a crate. Make it comfortable. Put their favorite things in there, maybe play some ambient noise and just do whatever you can to keep them comfortable.

Speaker 2 (20:21):

Take care of those animals with 4th of July, it is the number one day that dogs go missing. So keep them indoors like Kristen said, and keep 'em nice and safe. And it is my pleasure to welcome Danielle McKinnon, a renowned animal communicator and pet psychic with over 20 years of experience helping people interpret their pet's thoughts and emotions. A pivotal experience in 2001 when a pet psychic accurately diagnosed her dog's health issue ignited her path in intuitive animal communication. Today she teaches her signature soul level animal communication method through her school and certification courses, empowering pet parents to deepen their bonds with their animal companions. Danielle, thank you so much for hopping on the podcast today.

Speaker 5 (21:12):

Thank you. I enjoy hopping on your podcast.

Speaker 2 (21:15):

So let's start right at the top with that experience in 2001. Give us a little more detail to that experience and what sort of led you down this path?

Speaker 5 (21:24):

The experience in 2001 was a dog. My puppy got really sick and she was so sick, vets couldn't figure out what was going on. She was at the vet for four nights and when does a chocolate lab get sick for four? It was just out of the ordinary. And a friend suggested, Hey, take her to the pet psychic in town. And there was actually a pet psychic in my town. I'm a go-getter. I immediately booked an appointment, met the guy in the parking lot of the place where he was, was at an expo with my husband and my dog who pulled her out of the vet and he was able to say, Hey, your dog is telling me she's sick because she ate corn cobs and she ate the corn cobs because she was upset. You and your husband have been fighting about your mother and that really upset her. And that was right, I mean, mostly right, mostly right. It was my mother-in-law, but

Speaker 2 (22:21):

Okay,

Speaker 5 (22:23):

I went with it. And for me, that was my all in moment. I had been in the corporate world, I'd been finishing up my MBA, I've been doing all this stuff, which really wasn't my thing. This was way better, I was way more into this.

Speaker 3 (22:40):

That's an incredible story and I can see how that inspired you. But how did you go from having this incredible experience with your pet psychic to becoming one and becoming a communicator?

Speaker 5 (22:52):

This is back in 2001, the internet was not like it is. So there was no social media that was not even a thing. So I didn't see anyone around me doing this. So I went to that one guy and I went to a weekend workshop, took his workshop and it worked. And I was like, what? I've been doing this my whole life. My family telling me I'm crazy. I'm not crazy. This is real. And that kind of gave me the inner power to be like, this is what I want to do with my life. And since I didn't see anyone around me having a business doing this stuff, and I was finishing up my MBA, which I did not finish by the way, I was like, well, I'm going to start a business. So I started a part-time business. There was no one to compare myself to that I could see. So I ran with it.

Speaker 2 (23:44):

So let's talk about the skillset a little bit. I think everybody with a pet has some experience in reading their pet's thoughts or communicating with their animal or understanding how they feel or what they're trying to communicate to us. How do you distinguish the intuitive messages that we get from animals versus our own human feelings and wishful thinking that we sort of put and transpose onto our pet?

Speaker 5 (24:14):

What I would say is most people are already intuitive with their pet. They just don't trust it. They think they're really smart or they know their pet really well or they're gathering all this data and that's why. And they don't realize that they're actually receiving information from their pet and acting on it. So I always kind of nudge people who are thinking, Hey, could I do this? Could I do this with my own pet? I nudge people to kind of err on the side of no caution and say, Hey, maybe that was intuitive. Maybe it's in there. And the reason is because I believe we can all do this when I train people to do it, everybody can do it. Some people certainly do it better than others, but usually the thing that gets in the way is not believing and not trusting their own head and being like, I need such good evidence before I believe it. You kind have to be like, I'm going to believe it first. And then you get the good evidence.

Speaker 3 (25:05):

We tend to want that second opinion. We think it's this, but we want to hear from a professional. So I can imagine there's just so much practical use for this ability that you have and that apparently we all probably have. Can you give us an idea of some of the practical, let's talk about some of your clients. What's an example of someone who comes to you about a particular problem and give us a feel for what a session feels like and how it gets resolved.

Speaker 5 (25:32):

People come, I mean, for 9 million different reasons. They come because their dog is barking and won't stop because their cat is sick, because their horse won't canter because they love this animal so much and they desperately want to know what this animal has to say, or there's every reason. So there's a problem solving aspect usually, or there's, I love them so much, or my animal is about to die or died and I just want to feel connection and know I'm doing right by them. So a lot of the time there's a lot of emotions involved. There's a lot of, it's not, my demeanor is always light and happy even when I'm dealing with an animal that's crossed over because I know how animals feel about their death and dying process and they're very light and happy about it actually. But there's a lot of emotions. Think about, do either of you have pets?

Speaker 2 (26:26):

Oh yeah, okay,

Speaker 5 (26:28):

I would think you would being on this podcast. So think about how you feel about them and then think about maybe the fears you have. Is my cat judging me? Is my dog, what does my dog really think of my partner? And so these things, when you have access to an animal communicator or when you can do it yourself, are really cool questions to be able to ask your pet.

Speaker 2 (26:52):

I always feel like my cat's judging me. She has one skill. It's that, and you said before that anybody can do this. So I don't want you to give away the entirety of your product here with these sessions, but maybe a couple top line tips for some of our listeners who may want to begin tuning into their pets and begin that type of journey. Alright,

Speaker 5 (27:19):

The first thing I would say is the thing we already started talking about, which is really stopping, doubting that the ability is in you and starting to maybe throughout the day, consider could there have been an intuitive message from my dog in there? Could it possibly be? The next thing would be when you want to try it out to just try it out. Don't worry, is the time right? What's happening? Is he distracted? Am I hurting him? A lot of people get worried about, well, what if he doesn't want to talk to me or what if he's busy right now, I'm bothering him. And so the animals will let you know if they don't want to talk, then you won't receive anything back. And then the third thing would be energy management and energy management is this idea of kind of bringing yourself into a place where you're not emotionally revved up.

(28:11):

You're not like, can I do this? What's happening? Why isn't heating? You're not worried. You're not. You kind got to be in what I call the zone. When I'm in the zone, I'm in this awesome neutral space where I can receive the information and I'm not judging it. So that's how I would tell people to start and last, have the conversation, sit down with your dog. They can be there with you or not often. They don't look like they're listening and talking when they're actually talking. So it might be easier if they're not there and ask 'em a question and just wait, give yourself a moment and wait and see what happens.

Speaker 3 (28:45):

What's the most surprising thing in your professional experience over the years? What's the most surprising message you've gotten for a pet that you've relayed to their pet parent or that one of your proteges has gotten from their pet as opposed to ones that are like, oh yeah, that makes sense.

Speaker 5 (29:05):

What do you mean by surprising?

Speaker 3 (29:07):

Just something you didn't expect to come out of this reading or this, I don't know if that's the right word, but you know what I mean?

Speaker 5 (29:16):

I feel like I want to share a story that maybe I shouldn't share. Okay. Let's just say that the animals know exactly what you're doing and what's going on in your life. So if you think you're hiding something, you're not. Okay. I got, and so a lot of the times the animal will kind of give that little bit of information out that needs to happen in that session to open the person up and open the reading up and they can say she's having an affair and that's why she's unhappy. It's not really, they can give that information, not intended to hurt the person, but intended to open everything up. So the session can be everything that it needs to be.

Speaker 3 (30:02):

Yeah, that would be a surprising message.

Speaker 2 (30:05):

So you're telling me that my cat knows I'm lying when I say there's no people food that she could eat in the fridge In these training programs, obviously people progress, they get better at this stuff. And so the ultimate goal is to create a more powerful bond. But what type of shifts in that bond do you see over the course of somebody gaining experience in this art? We all know what it feels like to be close to our pets, but to have that type of communication, what does that mean for your clients, both the animal and the owner?

Speaker 5 (30:46):

Well, imagine that you and I are in a relationship and I just spend all my time trying to figure out what you really mean because you're not telling me.

(30:58):

So it's really empowering to be able to have a back and forth. It helps the relationship grow. And also we make up a lot of stories in our minds about what they think, what's happening, what's going on. And imagine having a way to stop that story and just get the truth. It's just more empowering in every way. And then you can also know, hey, actually this is an emergency. There is a big deal thing going on here. Or this is me getting all up in my head. My dog is not really hating my partner for this. You can really get to the truth. And that ability that creates a connection, a type of connection that we as humans want to have with each other, it more easily gets created between us and animals. And so when we can do that with the animal, we can then take that skill and turn it to the skill that we have with humans. We can take what we learned and apply it there so all of our relationships can improve.

Speaker 3 (31:56):

Well, Danielle, we're running up on time here, but where can our listeners and viewers find you and learn more about this?

Speaker 5 (32:03):

My website, danielle mckinnon.com, my YouTube channel as well. I'm online. I'm doing the online thing. You started

Speaker 3 (32:12):

Online one time. Time? Yes. Fantastic. Well, thank you so much for joining us today. That was really great interview.

Speaker 5 (32:20):

Thank you. Thank you for having me,

Speaker 3 (32:23):

Chris. I feel like I had this experience one time in my life with my father's dog. When my father passed away, my sister took his dog bear, and one day I was at her house and I was looking at bear. I swear to you, the way bear looked at me was just like my father looking at me, and I just felt like, I guess from Bear was telling me that he's here, he's here with us. I haven't had experience like that since, but it was in a very, very powerful feeling.

Speaker 2 (32:58):

I don't think I've, it's so weird because it's so tough, this idea of intuitiveness. I feel like everybody communicates with their pets in some capacity. And I think the one real vibe I always get from Tiger is when we leave and we see her on the camera and she comes downstairs and she has a different tone to her meow, and it's so heartbreaking. She literally sounds like she's saying hello. She's like, Hur, and I'm like, oh my goodness. She's looking for, she doesn't know that we'll be right back. So yeah, I mean, I think it's great to build that bond with your pets. So be sure to check out all of Danielle's amazing content, the product of the week. Kristen, why don't you go ahead and share with our audience what wonderful product do you have for us today?

Speaker 3 (33:57):

Yeah, so this is something I was actually just shopping for, and it kind of ties into my story theme from earlier in the show. I found this really cool pet bowl. So it's a water bowl that keeps the water cold during the summer. It's from k and h pet products. We've got a link in the show notes, and basically they say it's long lasting cooling for pets. It'll keep the water cold for over 15 hours. So this is really great for backyards, patios if you're going on a road trip or taking your dog to the beach. I know some dogs don't like cold water in the house, but that's why I think it's a really great outdoor or patio product because if the water gets too hot, your dog can't drink it, it's really easy to use. No electricity needed. It just apparently it has this crystal filling in the inner core of the bowl that activates when you fill the core with water and freezes it overnight and then it stays that way for 15 hours. So pretty cool.

Speaker 2 (35:04):

Powered by crystals.

Speaker 3 (35:05):

What's that?

Speaker 2 (35:06):

Powered by Crystals.

Speaker 3 (35:07):

That's right. And there is a link, did I already say this? I think there's a link. So in the show notes. I think so. Okay.

Speaker 2 (35:14):

There is always a link people.

Speaker 3 (35:16):

Yeah. What's your product?

Speaker 2 (35:20):

My product is called the Bit and Brush by Wolf. And it is a clever little toy that is going to help your dog's teeth. It is boomerang shaped, so like a very obtuse V, and you basically load up and you can purchase from wf, these treat sticks that get loaded up right into the edges of the boomerang. And then there's two holes on the top that sort of have the toothbrush, silicone bristles, like those real thick ones that you see on toys all the time. So as your dog plays with this toy and tries to get their teeth into munch on the treat, they're getting their teeth cleaned as well. So I think it is a really, just like a really clever product. It looks nice. It doesn't look like a cheap toy.

(36:21):

They have all sorts of other products. They make the Popsicle, if you've heard of the Popsicle, that's the same brand. You could get the bite and brush starter pack with the treats and the product for 30 bucks. So not really killing the wallet, or if you're real crazy and you want the dental mix alpha pack that includes the Popsicle, the treat tray, the treat mixer, the refill pops, the doggy dental mix, the bite and brush, the bite and brush refills, the love nuggets and lifetime warranties. That could be all yours for $95. So I think I've done Wolff products before. I think we talked about the Popsicle before. They make high quality stuff. This thing is going to last you the entirety of your dog's life. So if you are good

(37:12):

Investment, yes, good investment. And if you're looking for a better way to brush your dog's teeth, this might just be it q and a. Alright, Kristen, it is time for our favorite part of the episode. I love this part and you do too. And so do all of our listeners. We are going to answer two questions from our wonderful audience, and I know what you're thinking. How do I get my question answered by Chris and Kristen? It's quite easy. Head on over to pets ad life.org/podcast. Head on down to the bottom of that page. You're going to see a little form you can fill out, or if you're feeling as brave as Kristen was when she went to go check on that dog in the truck that luckily had the AC on, which is brave because I don't get involved in other people's business because I'm a scaredy cat. You could record a voice memo. You can do it people, I swear you can do it. You record your voice, you send it in, and you might hear your question played live on our show. So Kristen, I feel like you got a question for me.

Speaker 3 (38:21):

I got a good one for you. And it's a cat question. It comes from George in Oklahoma. So shout out to our listeners in Oklahoma,

Speaker 2 (38:31):

All three of them.

Speaker 3 (38:34):

So George asks, when introducing a new cat into a multi catt household, beyond the initial scent swapping and the slow introductions, what's a subtle sign or behavior from an existing cat that indicates they are genuinely accepting and becoming comfortable with the newcomer rather than just tolerating them?

Speaker 2 (38:55):

That's a great question and I'm going to speak from, it sounds like you're asking more how do I know it's working? Seems like you kind of know what to do, but it's how do I know it's working? And I'll give you an example from my experience. We had growing up the big old main coon gizmo and down the line we brought in a new kitten and gizmo was big alpha energy. And I know alpha doesn't actually exist, yada, yada, yada. But he was a very dominant, dominant cat, a male, big cat, main coon, and this little Bombay black kitten, she was so adorable. Now she's huge in fat. And I yell at my parents every time I see 'em to make sure the cat loses weight. That's beyond the point. Gizmo was not accepting at first. And here's how you could tell when the kitten came around that the hair stuck up near the butt and he got down into a nasty posture paws out front back arched. That's not a playful stance. A cat's playful stance, they'll do the wiggle. Everybody's seen the wiggle. I'm doing it right now on camera for you.

Speaker 3 (40:09):

Love the

Speaker 2 (40:09):

Job. The wiggle is playful. So even if they end up doing slaps and stuff like that, if it's not accompanied by the hiss, if it's not accompanied by the hair standing up, it's playful. And a lot of times the way animals structure their pecking orders through play. So how we knew that gizmo was finally accepting the cat is when he just started beating around a little bit and not in a horribly violent way, but she's a kitten. She wants to play. And when he stopped hissing and raising his back and running away and started just sort of and pat and then lick, lick, lick, that's the other thing. The grooming. If the other cat starts grooming the new cat in any capacity, you're good. Cats only do that to animals. They consider kin. And finally what I'll say too is if they abandoned food competitiveness.

(41:09):

So we used to have to feed the cats in separate rooms, but eventually they were able to eat next to each other. And Gizmo bullied the new kitten out of her food every now and again. He was a big boy and he got what he wanted, but they weren't at each other's throats over the food. So those are some signs you could look for. Really look at that body language we did did have Danielle on earlier in that show. And I think that's part of that whole intuitive thing is reading your animal's body language and don't misinterpret play for aggression because that's just them sorting it out and they will sort it out eventually

Speaker 3 (41:49):

They will. Great answer. Chris.

Speaker 2 (41:52):

Yes, thank you, George, for your question.

Speaker 3 (41:56):

I assume you got one from me.

Speaker 2 (41:58):

That is a safe assumption. And this question comes from Evan in Lexington, Kentucky. We're over in

Speaker 3 (42:08):

All over the place. Yeah,

Speaker 2 (42:09):

We're in the heartland today. Evan asks, I just adopted my first horse and want to ensure I'm providing the best care. What daily routines or practices are most important for a horse's health and happiness?

Speaker 3 (42:25):

Okay, well congratulations, Evan, on adopting your first horse. I had the opportunity to adopt a horse myself many, many years ago. And just to start off, I would say I don't know what your experience is with horse care, so I'm going to kind of assume you're very new to this whole thing based on your question. It's really great idea to have a horse mentor like a friend or someone that can help you learn things along the way. My next door neighbor was that horse mentor for me. She taught me everything I needed to know. So it was really convenient. But what I would say is that horses, there are a lot of work. Yeah, they are a lot of work and they're not inexpensive to care for. You probably already know that, but the rewards are amazing. Having a horse is just such an enjoyable experience.

(43:18):

But I would say that just for starters, they need to have a very secure environment. So if you don't have your own property and barn, then you may be renting a stable at a nearby horse barn. Just make sure that that is a safe space with no sharp edges or anything like that because horses are great at rubbing against a rusty nail, for example, if it's there. So secure environment, adequate exercise every single day. They need social companionship. Horses are like pack animals. They really thrive best when they're around other horses. Of course, diet is extremely important and you're going to need to have a handful of trusted horse professionals such as your veterinarian, a farrier. And like I said, if you can have a horse mentor, horse care mentor, that's fantastic too. Horses drink anywhere from five to 15 gallons of water a day, and they can be predisposed to health conditions like colic.

(44:25):

So you want to make sure that those buckets are filled at least twice a day. So if you're not filling the bucket, you want to make sure that whatever barn you're renting from that has a really good caretaker there. They also, you need to have your eyes on your horse every day, whether again, whether it's you or somebody that's helping you with this care, because like I said, horses can get into trouble. They can get cuts, bumps, scratches, all kinds of things. Their hooves need care every day. You want to pick out the stuff that gets into their hooves and you need a farrier to come trim their hooves every six to eight weeks. Veterinarian care at least once a year. That's just kind of for starters. So don't be overwhelmed by all of that because like I said at the top, the rewards are fantastic and it's just really enjoyable providing that care for such a giant loving beast. So

Speaker 2 (45:19):

Yeah, I would not be capable of it. The jump from Cat Dad to horse dad, it's a big job. It would not be an easy one. Would not be an easy one. Thank you, Evan, for your question, and best of luck to you. Kristen. That's it. End of the show

Speaker 3 (45:38):

Already.

Speaker 2 (45:39):

Yeah, end of the show. First one in July. Done in the books. Count it. Add it to the tally. Add it to the tally. But don't worry y'all, we're going to be back. And if you haven't already, if you're listening to this show, wherever you get your podcast, check us out in 4K. It's not in 4K, I don't think. Are we in 4K? We're probably in 10 80. Check us out in 10 80 p on YouTube. Dog TV's, Amazon Fast Channel called Dog TV Unleashed, where you could get all sorts of awesome content. Be sure to check out all of Dog TV's, other amazing shows that are debuting the experts, the adoption show. There's so much good stuff on there. And if you don't already follow Pets A Life on Instagram, TikTok, wherever else we are at. I don't really know what social media is anymore. I was part of that old internet clan just like Danielle, those 2001 days where I was watching videos on Ebombs World. If anybody remembers that, are you talking about, it's like there wasn't YouTube back then. You didn't watch videos on YouTube. If you wanted to see a funny video of people goofing off, you had to go to ebos world.com.

Speaker 3 (46:50):

I never heard of that.

Speaker 2 (46:51):

Yeah, it's just the old magic. If you in the comments, put down your favorite Ebos World video, I'll see if I've seen it because

Speaker 3 (47:02):

If we get one comment, I will pay you $50.

Speaker 2 (47:06):

Okay. You hear that people, or

Speaker 3 (47:08):

A legit comment. It can't be from you or your wife or anything like that.

Speaker 2 (47:12):

Okay. A legit comment from not me, not my wife or anybody.

Speaker 3 (47:19):

Forget it. I'm going to recalling that offer because you're going to pull something.

Speaker 2 (47:24):

I'm going to pull something because I'm tricky. In the meantime, folks, hang tight. We'll be back here next Tuesday as we always do so, so long for now.

Speaker 3 (47:33):

Yeah. And keep those pets safe this summer. And remember, it's never wait. Never too late to learn new things about animal care. That horse pun. That was,

Speaker 2 (47:43):

I like it. End it on a horse pun. Wrap it

Speaker 1 (47:45):

Up. 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 Bonti. Powered by the American Pet Products Association and Dog TV.