94. The True Cost of Pet Parenthood, Enrichment for Every Pet & Natural Healing

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Speaker 1 (00:00):

Pets Ad 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. Hello and welcome to another episode of Pets Ad Life. I'm your well caffeinated host, Chris Spotify, and joining me as always my partner in crime, my right wing woman, my right wing. Oh geez. Let's scrap that. We're going to take this from the top. Do you want to try that again? We're going to try that completely again. Okay. Pets guide to the latest in pet trends products and the joy of the human animal bond with Chris Levine and Chris Spotify, powered by the American Pet Products Association. Ken. Hello and welcome to another episode of Pets at Life. I'm your caffeinated and giggly co-host, Chris Bon. Joining me is my partner in crime and right hand woman Kristen Levi. There we go. Kristen, how are we doing

Speaker 2 (01:02):

Today? I'm freezing. I'm freezing.

Speaker 1 (01:05):

Really cold. What's the weather like in the Carolinas?

Speaker 2 (01:08):

It's in the twenties. Really? That's pretty dang cold.

Speaker 1 (01:12):

That's cold

Speaker 2 (01:12):

Now here. Yes,

Speaker 1 (01:13):

It it's it's slipper weather in the Baf household. I am far too cheap to run the heat 24 7. So I wake up to a 51 degree downstairs of my condo and I have to turn on the heat and I get all sniffly and I get my hot cup of Joe and I sit down, I contemplate life. I think about wonderful stories to share with without our share in the audience. The show. Yeah, show. I think about pet products. Sometimes I just sit cross-legged on the hardwood floor waiting for the heat to turn on thinking about my product of the week.

Speaker 2 (01:46):

Chris, seriously, you don't do any of that? No, I don't. You don't do any prep whatsoever. Prep I can do. Nobody knows it

Speaker 1 (01:54):

And there is nothing. My mornings are nowhere near that column.

Speaker 2 (02:00):

Not with a baby in the house,

Speaker 1 (02:01):

Not with the baby in the house. To be able to sit cross-legged on the floor and think about anything would be a treat. I'm mostly laying on the floor and allowing the baby to drool directly on my face is just kind of standard. I guess that's not cute. Standard operating procedure. I mean, he's got to get that lip strength up. But anyway, cold December morning here for everybody. I hope everybody's enjoying their morning or evening or whatever time you listen to the show. I always figure morning because I'm a morning commute podcast. Listen, I don't know about you, Kristen.

Speaker 2 (02:34):

I think a lot of people are too. I listen to podcasts when I'm getting ready in the morning.

Speaker 1 (02:38):

Yeah, if you're listening to this other, another cool people do, you're a freak. If you're listening to this after 11:00 AM you are a freaky, freaky person. But we love you anyway and we've got a great episode for everybody counting Down Till Christmas. We've got some awesome episodes in the future, including as always, our Christmas and New Year's special. So be on the lookout for those. I think we've got some really awesome content lined up for you all. So let's get started with this episode of Pets Ad Life, Kristen and Chris, present story time. All right, Kristen, story time. What do you got for us this week?

Speaker 2 (03:21):

Okay, so I pulled this story from rover.com and I thought it might be appropriate for this time of year because I know that a lot of families use the holiday season to get a new pet, whether it's a dog, cat or whatever kind of pet. But in this particular story, it's talking about dogs, the actual, let's see, what's the name of the article? It's the true Cost of Dog Parenthood. So while you're kids are dreaming of a puppy or an adopted dog under the Christmas tree, I think all too often pet parents or future pet parents tend to overlook the overall cost of the pet. So I think it's an important thing to consider before you go all in and decide that yes, we're definitely getting a puppy for Christmas. So according to this 2025 report by Rover, the total lifetime care for a dog can range anywhere from $16,000 to $52,000.

(04:24):

Now, that's a huge range, but that's because it could depend on the breed, the size, your lifestyle, and the health of your dog. Now, the upfront costs, they also vary widely because if you adopt, it's going to be much, much less expensive. Whereas if you purchase from a breeder, it's going to be a lot more expensive. But in either case, you're going to have that initial veterinary care costs, the supplies, spaying and neutering, vaccinations, et cetera. So those acquisition costs, so to speak, range from $1,100 to 40. I think this is low, $4,400. I'd say that's probably

Speaker 1 (05:01):

Low. That's

Speaker 2 (05:02):

Really low. That is really low if you adopt a purebred, especially a trending breed. So I just think that it's important for you to think about if this is what you're planning on doing for Christmas or the holidays, just put a budget together. I mean, add up what you're going to cost to acquire the pet, approximate veterinary cost, feeding costs, toys, and you also have to plan for the unexpected veterinary emergency and just make sure that your family is in a position to provide the best care possible. Doesn't have to be on that high, high end, but the dog's basic needs so that you don't find yourself in a really difficult spot where you simply can't afford that animal. It's just not the right time. Consider some alternatives like fostering or volunteering at the shelter, and maybe start saving for that pup.

Speaker 1 (06:01):

And also ask yourself the question, who's walking this dog in the morning in December at 22 degrees? It's freezing and the sun's not up. Yeah, that's what stopped Hope and I from always becoming dog parents. We're always cat people because we'd always think it fits into our lifestyle. Well, and then it's like, but who's going to be up at the crack of dawn? Sometimes the baby is easier. Baby doesn't need to go outside.

Speaker 2 (06:27):

No, thank goodness.

Speaker 1 (06:29):

No baby is not

Speaker 2 (06:30):

Need. Obviously you've got diaper changing responsibilities, but with a pet who's going to clean up after the pet before their house broken.

Speaker 1 (06:38):

Yes. So ask yourself these important questions. And I like your point about volunteering as well. Sometimes that scratches the itch. Yeah,

Speaker 2 (06:49):

For sure.

Speaker 1 (06:49):

Very well,

Speaker 2 (06:50):

For sure.

Speaker 1 (06:51):

I've got a really fun story here. Oh,

Speaker 2 (06:53):

What is it?

Speaker 1 (06:53):

And shout out to all of my A PPA coworkers for laughing with me as I found this one in the office because we had such a joy reading through this article. And the headline, the real headline is See how Thailand's pets become Contest Champions, which is a boring headline, but then you click on the article and the article's headline is great. It says, these cats do it for glory, not salmon. And then in parentheses, no, it's the salmon. So I found that in Thailand, there are all sorts of pet related competition events going down in Thailand.

Speaker 2 (07:38):

Wow.

Speaker 1 (07:39):

And the big one right now is competitive eating. And I know what everybody's thinking. This is probably a bad thing, but it's not like they're putting full stakes in front of dogs and cats and stuff like that. So the cat race was like a churro tube. It was like a toothpaste, and the winning time was 49 seconds. So it's not like, you know what I mean? It's not like they're force feeding these pets. You read through the article and it's clear there's no animal cruelty here. It is fun. It is fun. These cats are not training for it.

Speaker 2 (08:18):

Are there videos of this?

Speaker 1 (08:19):

There are. There's all sorts of pictures and videos in the article of the participants, and they had skateboarding competitions. They had a contest for cats that look like cows, like

Speaker 2 (08:40):

The black and white ones like Holstein cows.

Speaker 1 (08:42):

They keep it real goofy over there in Thailand. That's so fun. But it's all part of their growing pet industry that they're expecting to hit roughly 1.8 billion next year.

Speaker 3 (08:55):

Holy.

Speaker 1 (08:57):

And they do it different. This other one, this is where we were really, really laughing this sentence. Her other cat, Dino Gong part stinks and part stray, which is the best way to describe a cat. That's great. Who was competing for the first time, came in second gobbling down his treat in 50.4 seconds.

Speaker 4 (09:22):

Oh

Speaker 1 (09:23):

My gosh. And the cash prize for second place was $60.

Speaker 2 (09:31):

And the glory.

Speaker 1 (09:33):

And the glory, this is just, I mean, there's a picture here of a cat in a little go-kart. He's got a little red cat hat on and sunglasses. He looks like he's having a great time. There were all sorts of photo ops at the event for you to pose your pets in sitcom esque couches and things like that. And they interviewed the event manager and one of his quotes is, the world is a stressful place and people love watching cute pets eating. So I just think it was so fun to see this. I think it looks like a really fun event. There's a lot of pictures of kids going around and interacting with the animals. It looks like they had some reptiles and other exotics there for people to go see all sorts of cute pets and outfits and stuff like that. Just good. That

Speaker 2 (10:26):

Is so

Speaker 1 (10:27):

Clean fun.

Speaker 2 (10:28):

That is so fun. I think you guys need to plan something special at Global Pet Expo. Have a Thailand pet culture booth

Speaker 1 (10:35):

To

Speaker 2 (10:35):

Entertain us,

Speaker 1 (10:36):

The Global Pet Expo speed eating competition. Chris is cleaning up 50 seconds, 49 seconds. I'll take that tube down. One scoop of cat food. I'll do it.

Speaker 2 (10:46):

That's a lot. I love that story. We got to post a link to that.

Speaker 1 (10:51):

The link will be in your show notes. And I also recently discovered, I don't know if I should talk about this on the show, but I'm going to the beautiful website

Speaker 2 (11:02):

Warning.

Speaker 1 (11:03):

Yeah, warning might be illegal. The website archive that kind of lets you get around paywalls. This was a paywall New York Times lifestyle article, and I did use a workaround because I had used all my free articles. So we'll include the real link, but hey, I use the internet Tier Advantage people. Okay, that's all I'll say. Use the internet tier advantage beyond the leash, exploring the untold stories of pet passion and professionalism. And joining me now is Alex Johnson, a senior designer and pet enrichment specialist at Nestle Purina Pet Care, where she leads strategic planning for pet enrichment programs and collaborates on research, exploring how play interaction and environment shape the wellbeing of dogs and cats. Her work has included a Purina led study showing that just 15 minutes of focused calm human interaction with the dog can measurably reduce heart rate and improve behavior even in unfamiliar settings. Alex often speaks at industry panels such as the pet care innovation events about the importance of designing toys, spaces and routines that meet pet's, cognitive, emotional, and physical needs. On the Pet's Ad Life podcast, Alex brings expert level insight into how everyday pet owners can enrich their animals' lives, not just with toys, but with meaningful interaction, environment design and mindful practices. Alex, thank you so much for taking some time today to join us.

Speaker 3 (12:31):

Thank you for having me. And I just wanted to make one correction. My beautiful and amazing coworkers, Reagan McGowan led that study on the Can you spare 15 minutes, which inspired a lot of my work, so I just wanted to make sure I gave credit work. Credit

Speaker 1 (12:46):

Was too, because this is your 15 minutes of fame in the spotlight. Thank you. Tell you are generous and kind. But to begin, would you just broadly, how would you define enrichment for pets? Enrichment is such a broad term, we toss it around so much. And so why is it so much more than just giving the dog a bone to chew on and leaving?

Speaker 3 (13:11):

I think that's such a great question. I get asked this all the time, and there's a lot of misinterpretation, especially because a lot of people think that it's just primarily play and toys and that's kind of it, where it actually encompasses all facets of animal care. So thinking of play and training, emotional connection, there's physiological, physical, mental, all of these different facets of taking care of an animal. And I think one the, and the second part of your question was

Speaker 1 (13:45):

How is it just more than just the idea of just giving the dog the toy and sort of the human participation aspect of enrichment?

Speaker 3 (13:54):

So basically it's all the things that make a life worth living for a pet,

(13:57):

And it really helps us expand the world that they live in. So I think what we have to remember is our cats and dogs worlds are as big as we make them. If we can invest a little bit of time and thought into how we can incorporate new experiences within that boundary space, how to bring the outside in a little bit when necessary and really helping cats and dogs express natural behaviors in that environment. But yeah, it really goes back to how can we keep them active, engaged, healthy, happy, all within the boundaries of our home.

Speaker 1 (14:33):

Yeah, that's great. And I want to go back to that study that you were so kind to credit your colleague for, but I really like the summary finding that idea of 15 minutes, everybody's got 15 minutes. If I have 15 minutes, believe me people, you have 15 minutes. So talk a little bit about the findings of this study and how that 15 minutes of calm focused interaction makes a measurable difference.

Speaker 3 (15:00):

So in their study they were researching, they're trying to help shelters where there was a low participation in volunteers because people felt like they didn't have enough time to stop in for an hour or two or whatever it might be, and I'm probably butchering this, but essentially they wanted to prove that all it takes is 15 minutes to help these shelter dogs. And so they were checking heart rate variability, heart rate, cortisol levels, behavioral things that they were seeing the dogs doing, and they were able to prove that it does make a measurable difference, especially in the socializing of these dogs and helping them get adopted, feeling more confident with new adopters who are coming into that space. And when I first read this paper, it's one of my most favorite Purina papers that we have. I was extremely inspired and motivated to kind of adapt my own version of the study.

(15:52):

I wanted to see what happens when we bring this into the home and take it out of the shelter setting with folks that don't know each other and animals that don't know the people, and what does that look like inside the home? So I actually went home that day. It was a Monday, and I committed to petting my dog for 15 minutes every day at the same time each day for five days. I just wanted to see what would happen, was there any kind of difference in his behavior and our connection and our relationship. And it was totally, I mean, it was a breathtaking experience for me. I kept a little journal each day and my husband's dog, he rescued him. They have a very strong connection. The sun rises and sets with my husband, but I had a very, very good relationship with him too.

(16:36):

We were playmates, we did lots together. Being an Richmond specialist, I kept him busy a lot of the time, but after the five days, my dog was seeking me out, he was following me room to room where he used to watch my husband neurotically about where he was going and what he was doing. And it wasn't in an annoying way where he was asking for anything. It was just I would get up, go to the kitchen for something and he'd just kind of casually get up, follow me, and lay down in the kitchen while I was doing whatever it was. Or if I went upstairs, he'd casually follow me up. So we had this unspoken new dynamic between us and he would show up for his 15 minutes at the same time each day, and we kept going with that because I couldn't now stop doing it.

(17:17):

So it was this sort of vicious cycle. So the power of 15 minutes, and it really showed me as an merchant specialist, especially when I talk to pet owners where there's a lot of guilt and shame in not spending hours and hours and hours playing all these activities and giving fun to the pets. All it takes is five to 15 minutes of true undivided attention and connection with your pet to make a massive change in a relationship that could be a soul kitty or a soul mate dog. I mean, I've worked with pet owners who have tried this themselves and the difference in how they see their connection with their pet is extraordinary when they never anticipated seeing a change.

Speaker 4 (17:58):

So

Speaker 3 (17:59):

That undivided attention for that selected amount of time can really make a huge difference.

Speaker 1 (18:04):

I think that's an incredible story and I love that you have a personal anecdote with it. So you're already here first folks, 15 minute commitment, come on. Got challenge

Speaker 3 (18:14):

You all to try it.

Speaker 1 (18:16):

Yeah, it's the 15 minute challenge. Get in the comments. So you also, in your work as an enrichment specialist, you often look at the environment that pets are in and the environment design these interaction routines. So what's some advice that you could give dog owners or cat owners, how they can improve their at home environment to be more enriching, maybe some simple stuff that's often overlooked that parents can implement pretty easily?

Speaker 3 (18:50):

Yeah, well of course the 15 minutes and that will make all the difference in the world. But also looking at, I think we need to all, and I am talking about myself too, I think when we think about enrichment, we have to remember or animal care in any capacity, it's a fluid ever evolving world where I'm learning something new tomorrow, you're learning something new pet owners are learning something new. And I hope that we don't ever stop learning. So this stuff is always going to be changing. No one's doing anything perfect. We're all just doing the best we can. And I think one of the things we need to all do more of, and I include myself, is really educating and continuously educating ourselves on natural behaviors of our cats and dogs. And not just the species specific, but

Speaker 1 (19:38):

Our

Speaker 3 (19:38):

Cats and dogs have very particular natural behaviors that need positive outlets. So finding dogs are going to chew. That's it. That's a totally normal thing. That is not a bad dog thing to do, it's just we need to give them the positive outlets to do that. As well as there's some digger dogs, there's scratching, scratching posts and things like that for cats. So there's definitely some new types of thinking we can apply when we think about what does our dog and cat need to do as a dog and cat in our home and giving them those outlets. I think sensory is also a major one that can go in partnership with natural behavior. So giving, really giving thought to what are all the senses our dogs and cats are prone their eyesight, what do they hear? All these things play a big role in their happiness and in their security. So thinking about playing music or books on tape or dog TV

Speaker 1 (20:34):

Or dog tv,

Speaker 3 (20:35):

This is just saying. And so making sure you're giving them positive outlets for those things, but also that connection point. So the 15 minutes, I think that's giving the undivided attention to your dog or cat is really critical. And I like to also think of, I think we all say good morning and hello to our dogs and cats when we come home from work or school and that's a special moment and we say hello. But another challenge I'd love to give pet owners, and I'm giving this to myself too, is be really present in that moment. This is an opportunity where you have your dog and cats full undivided attention. They're so excited, you've woken up, they're so excited that you're home that this is a great point, a really powerful moment where you can make that extraordinary connection. I see you, I touch you, I talk to you, you matter to me.

(21:28):

And it only needs to be that microsecond. So that's another component to that socialization and emotional connection with our pets. So I think if we look at natural behaviors, sensory challenge, so not just puzzles and cognitive stuff, but change how your dog or cat moves around the house. So take your window perch and put it in a different window and it just makes 'em think a little bit more, how do I get up to that new window? What am I looking at now that I'm looking at the window from this perspective? And then also giving moments of control. So opportunities for them to control outcomes. So what I mean by that is my mom used to have this box of invisibility that when our cat was in this box, you weren't supposed to look at the cat, you weren't supposed to talk to the cat, you weren't supposed to touch the cat.

(22:17):

I hated it as a kid, I thought it was so dumb. I would complain all the time about it. I would break the rules all the time. It was so bad. Now, in my profession and everything I've learned, I think this is one of the most powerful things you can do for a cat or a dog, and I talk about it all the time where you're giving that dog or cat control over interaction. So they know if they go to this invisibility spot that you can't touch them, you can't see them. So they have control over interaction, which a lot of times our cats and dogs do not have control over our intense need to cuddle them, kiss them, squeeze them, play with them. So giving them control in the environment that you ultimately control is also helpful.

Speaker 1 (22:55):

I think that's some really amazing advice. And speaking of that box of invisibility, which I love the name of the box of invisibility, well Alex, we're up on time here, but why don't you tell our wonderful listeners where they can follow you, learn more about your work and if you have any resources that are available for them.

Speaker 3 (23:19):

Yeah, so as I mentioned before, I run a program called Happy, which is free enrichment activities to do with your cat or dog. We ask you to give 15 minutes to this activity to try to do it the same time each day if possible, and to come back each day and get a new activity. You can find that on my Purina app and if you opt into happy it's there and starting in December and January, we will start to have little micro challenges, which will allow you to explore specific themed areas of your choice. So we'll have dog training, we'll have the cat play challenge and other resources for cat and dog owners that want to engage more in enrichment.

Speaker 1 (24:01):

Absolutely Amazing. Alex Johnson, everybody, thank you so much for taking some time to talk enrichment with us.

Speaker 3 (24:07):

Cheers. Thanks.

Speaker 1 (24:12):

I think it's really cool that it only takes 15 minutes a day to achieve a recognizable difference. You can't do that with diet, your diet or your exercise. You can't really learn a skill just doing 15 minutes a day, but you can enrich your animal, create a stronger bond. So start, come on. You got 15 minutes. I'm more busy than you. I've got a newborn son. I'm working three jobs. Okay. I don't sleep if I have 15 minutes. You have 15 minutes. So do it. Alright. We are super excited to welcome Dr. Andrew Jones, who was raised on a farm in rural British Columbia and inspired by James Harriet Har Harriet Harriet, I was close tales of dedicated veterinarian in rural England, leading him to pursue a career in veterinary medicine here in his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan. Nailed it.

Speaker 2 (25:21):

Good job

Speaker 1 (25:21):

In 1992 and practiced small animal veterinary medicine for 17 years, treating thousands of animals. Dr. Jones is the former owner of the Nelson Animal Hospital in Nelson, British Columbia with a special interest in alternative and natural pet health remedies. He has authored several pet health books, produced numerous videos on home remedies and formulated premium nutritional supplements for dogs and cats. Thank you so much for joining us today, Dr. Jones. It's a real honor and thank you

Speaker 5 (25:54):

For having me. It's a pleasure.

Speaker 1 (25:57):

So now, because I mispronounced Mr. Harriet's name, I got to know the story and why it was so inspirational for you. What really called out to you with that?

Speaker 5 (26:06):

So James Harriet is a fictional character who was based on the real life veterinarian of veterinarian in England, who essentially wrote stories of him in rural veterinary practice. He's a very funny writer and author who just relayed what it was like maybe in the 1950s or sixties when veterinary practice involved host calls,

Speaker 4 (26:31):

Be

Speaker 5 (26:32):

Treating a dog for anal glands and then going outside to deliver a calf and then having a barter for carrots or something to help with a sick sheep. The good old days, it was very much, but really you're drawn in like, oh, that's what I want to do.

Speaker 2 (26:48):

Yeah. So what inspired your interest to go into the more alternative and natural care side of veterinary merits?

Speaker 5 (26:55):

So I was in veterinary practice working in a small community where there was a large number of people that were really themselves into alternative medicine. So for instance, they would come in with me and say, my dog has this condition, and I would say, your dog, for instance, your dog had a hotspot, we're going to have to click and clean it, put on some steroids. No, no, no. What we can do is here's something I use at home Teen Aspen. I'm like, really? And sure enough, often these remedies worked. So that was my first exposure. And from there is this whole world of alternative treatments.

Speaker 1 (27:35):

And where did you get that information from? I imagine at a university it's more of a practical, what might be considered traditional medicine. So how did you find that path and discover what really works.

Speaker 5 (27:54):

So in part of it is just you're learning from your clients in terms of some of the things they're doing. It's just a whole lot of your own research into what is alternative. And I'm more drawn to things that have an alternative basis to them, but maybe there's some science behind it. And then starting out discussing this with pet parents and then trying it and getting feedback on what was working or not. And then we sort of went down that in terms of just doing more and more of that and I was able to fortunate enough to sell my practice and do this.

Speaker 2 (28:31):

That's awesome. Is that what led to the book Veterinary Secrets?

Speaker 5 (28:35):

Very much. It was just a matter of documenting all of this in terms of there's array of different really common dog health conditions. And as you said in veterinary school, it is very conventional. I mean, you're taught this, your dog has whatever specific health condition via an allergy, and these are the scientifically studied treatments. We didn't discuss much at all alternative. So yeah, that led to the book and

Speaker 1 (29:01):

I think for a lot of pet parents or most people jumping into alternative medicine two feet at a time isn't really an option. You sort of have to ease them into it, and I think animal nutrition is a great place to start them. So I'm curious your thoughts on animal nutrition. I think because a great entry point for pet parents, instead of just buying off the shelf, do you have any tips on how to just feed your pets better so that they live longer, healthier lives?

Speaker 5 (29:29):

Yes, and in truth, some of this came from clients and pet parents as well, who I would say feed this dry kibble. And I might see, and even with my own, I had a dog that unfortunately developed cancer at the age of eight, dementia sarcoma is something that I couldn't treat.

Speaker 4 (29:50):

And

Speaker 5 (29:50):

That really got me into like, okay, there's got to be another way. So as far as nutrition wise, I mean these were clients that are feeding raw, many are making their own home diets, and I was seeing a lot of those animals seemingly be a lot healthier, like having some less health problems. So if there was one big takeaway from that that I got was number one, just feeding less kibble period. I mean, especially if it's a cat, they should probably not be on any kibble at all feeding a lot, a much more simpler diet that involve more whole foods. So be it a simple protein, if it's going to be a carbohydrate for dogs, like a healthier carbohydrate, some form of veggies. So you're antioxidant rich

Speaker 4 (30:34):

And

Speaker 5 (30:34):

Just seeing these animals have less disease. I mean there's the right, and that is the one big thing. You're feeding simpler things that you and I would potentially eat that we would call healthy often that same thing. Is equivalently good for your dog?

Speaker 2 (30:49):

That makes sense.

Speaker 5 (30:50):

Yeah, makes

Speaker 2 (30:50):

Perfect sense. So I know more and more pet parents have some concerns about medications for common ailments such as arthritis or allergies. Can you share some of the veterinary secrets that you've learned and prescribed or shared over the years?

Speaker 5 (31:06):

Definitely. So for the example, so when I think back in practice, what is one of the things I saw most common aside around animal coming in just for a wellness check is like a dog that has an allergy, obviously, right? Most commonly it'd be an environmental allergy who knows exactly what environmental allergen there is and us seeing, yep, we would discuss, let's do a proper food trial, but then often we didn't have many other options like we're resorting to something like a steroid to suppress that. And there's now obviously new generations of specific meds to deal with that underlying allergen. But as far as a veterinary secret would be obviously number one, we're looking at increasing the amount of essential fatty acids, which most people are aware of, but typically at higher levels than are often recommended. Secondarily, we're looking at things like natural antihistamine. So yes, we can use conventional ones, but there's one, there's a flavonoid called cetin. It's found in apple peel, it's found on red onion, a number of different things, but we're finding it to be really helpful for our dogs in particular that have allergies. And it's got a really high safety level, so you can give it at reasonable amounts. No serious, no side effects really noted in any dogs, and a number of them respond really well to it and it's relatively inexpensive for you to treat your dog with.

Speaker 1 (32:33):

I think that's great. And obviously this shows mostly pet parents listening, but we've got a pretty good following vets, vet techs and vets to be. So my question to you is, for the vets out there who are listening and may want to add some alternative practices to their practice and their daily routine, what's a good way to get started? Are there any resources out there they could look for? Obviously your experience was a lot of open communication with clients and sort of a little bit of trial and error and seeing what works for pets, but now that you've gone through it, maybe if you could give yourself some advice, your past self, some advice, what would that be?

Speaker 5 (33:12):

I get through probably the biggest thing is not being so concerned about seeing a pile of studies or seeing a bunch of other people doing it. If I am seeing something that's equivalent being used in people with minimal chance of side effects, and I'm seeing many pet parents have tried it, it's okay to talk about that.

Speaker 2 (33:35):

Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (33:35):

Yeah. I think that's all great. And we're coming up on time here, so I want to give you the chance to shout out your platform where people can go learn more, especially some of these pet parents who may be looking for some alternatives to those steroids shots.

Speaker 5 (33:48):

Right. So we're on a whole host of the social media sites, obviously we're on YouTube, we have over a million subscribers. We're on TikTok. Do you have the big plaque?

Speaker 2 (33:56):

Do you have YouTube plaque with

Speaker 5 (33:57):

The Yes, I have big YouTube plaque. And we're all on. You just search for at Veterinary Secrets or search for me, Dr. Andrew Jones. Awesome.

Speaker 1 (34:05):

I'll be checking it out. I've got a 21-year-old cat who I would do anything to keep her to 22 and 23. But thank you so much Dr. Jones for sharing that insights with us today. Thank

Speaker 2 (34:18):

You.

Speaker 1 (34:18):

Thanks.

Speaker 2 (34:22):

I've been following him on YouTube for about a year now, so it was really fun to talk to him in person. And he even offered off the record to help me with my YouTube channel and

Speaker 1 (34:34):

He's

Speaker 2 (34:35):

Quite successful, so I'm going to take him up on it.

Speaker 1 (34:37):

Yeah, that YouTube hard place to navigate, hard place to navigate. Yeah, my YouTube feed is all cat videos and cooking recipes. Yeah, diaper changing diaper, yeah. Yeah, baby stuff. A lot of baby content on YouTube, all of it. Terrible advice. My advice for everybody is don't listen to the internet. I know I just told you in the previous segment that the internet is great. The internet is horrible. I'm flip flopping on that. So yeah, I'm all places. What

Speaker 2 (35:10):

Need to do. Maybe you need a YouTube channel to talk about being a baby daddy. YouTube.

Speaker 1 (35:15):

Oh, okay. YouTube channel talking about YouTube,

Speaker 2 (35:18):

The real advice, the true advice unvarnished,

Speaker 1 (35:22):

The Chris Unfiltered. Yeah. Sign up for my Patreon where I will use swear words, the product of the week and it's time for the product of the week. And where I found my product, Kristen, the internet, where a great place for product discovery and advice. Listen, one thing that a PPA has done is release their holiday gift guide. And so saw

Speaker 2 (36:01):

That I did

Speaker 1 (36:01):

Comb through that and I found a great product for your holiday season if you're going to be traveling, if you are going to be traveling via airplane first, may the Lord have mercy on your soul this holiday season. And second, you may be wondering, how am I going to take my pet? And there's all sorts of great animal carriers out there, but this one from Coastal Pet products I really like because of a simple reason it has wheels just like your standard luggage. So if you plan on traveling with pet and backpack, I think this is a great way to go. You could kind of slip your backpack over the top of this thing. It's got that little sort of shelf on the top to help support it.

(36:51):

And this is their Bergen Rolling Pet carrier. It's going to set you back about a hundred bucks, but it's measured specifically for the airline rules. For in-cab travel. It sort of flips from going upright to flipping and going down horizontal, I guess you'd call it, so that it fits under the seat. Great little piece of equipment here. I love wheels man carrying stuff through the airport. That's a young man's game. That is a young man's game. I remember when I used to travel with just a duffle bag. I'm always wondered why my shoulder and back hurt after flying. So save your shoulders. People look at these really amazing carriers. There's a whole section on the app holiday gift guide from all of our great A PPA members. And I just really, this is the one that had wheels, so it stuck out to me and I'm recommending it here on the Pets Side Life podcast.

Speaker 2 (37:51):

I like that idea. But just be careful the way you drive that thing around with your pet inside it. If you're going over bumps and stuff, want to make sure your pet's

Speaker 1 (38:00):

Not changes. Anxious, watch out for those bumps. Watch out for other people. Hit the magic. What do you call 'em? The conveyor belts, the magic people movers. Hit those any chance you can, man. Save the steps. Okay. It's not a competition.

Speaker 2 (38:17):

All right, so my product is a budget conscious product. So if you're not finished with your pet holiday shopping, I came across this, it's actually a collection. So at PetSmart they have this collection called Mary and Write, and they literally have hundreds of different toys, treats, apparel, and accessories for get this dogs, cats, aquatic pets, rabbits, gerbils, Guinea pigs, and even reptiles. So tons of selection if you are still looking to check those pets off your list. And here's the really cool part and the budget conscious part. They have hundreds of these products for under $10 and they're not cheap, crappy. These are nice toys, nice plushies and cute outfits for under 10 bucks. I mean, you cannot eat that. And they're also going to be doing photos with Santa on December 13th and 14th between two and 5:00 PM But you do have to register online for your spot, but it's completely free. So there you go. You can get your holiday shopping finished, get your photos with Santa. You can stay warm and cozy in the store instead of being outside in the cold.

Speaker 1 (39:33):

That is incredible. Kristen Levine watching out for your wallets this holiday season. Wallet watch. Maybe that's what we should call this.

Speaker 2 (39:41):

Watching out for my wallet too.

Speaker 1 (39:42):

Wallet watch with Kristen Levine. I like that. Keep that wallet fat and sassy. I dunno.

Speaker 2 (39:53):

Wallets aren't fat anymore because people don't

Speaker 1 (39:55):

Carry cash. But with all the credit cards I carry that Costco membership card is fat with

Speaker 2 (40:03):

Plastic.

Speaker 1 (40:04):

Got to keep strapped with plastic. I don't know what I'm saying, man. Today's a weird, this is a weird show. Weird. Stay off the internet kids, it'll out your brain q and a. Alright, Kristen, it is time for our favorite segment. That's right. We're going to answer two questions from our incredibly intelligent and curious audience. And I know what you're thinking. Audience, how do I get my question answered by Chris and Kristen? I have so many pet related questions I want to ask them, and you're just going to head on over to our website, pets ad life.org/podcast. Scroll on down to the bottom of that page. Or if you are feeling as brave as a trepidatious young man, trepidatious, is that a word? It is now trepidatious young man, braving the internet for the first time. Then you can record a voice memo and that voice memo may be played live on this show. We have some great questions this week, Kristen. I'm really impressed with the quality of questions

Speaker 2 (41:11):

Coming out

Speaker 1 (41:12):

From our audience.

Speaker 2 (41:13):

Getting better.

Speaker 1 (41:13):

They're getting better. I think people are listening to the show and they're becoming more advanced. So I'm going to ask, we're making smarter and advanced. This is an advanced question and it comes from your old neck of the woods, Devin from Tampa, Florida. Alright, bill Bucks. I think this is perfect for you to answer. Okay, Devin asks, why do some dogs seem to know the sound of our car or footsteps from far away? Is it smell hearing or something else we don't fully understand yet?

Speaker 2 (41:45):

Oh, that is a good question. I like that. So Devin, it's probably a combination of things. I mean, dogs aren't psychic, but they are really experts at reading the world around them and they're really good at using all their senses. So when it seems like they know the exact moment that you're coming home, it's probably a combination of their super senses and their great memory because dogs like cats and a lot of other animals, they're just so dialed into routines. So they don't watch the clock, but they just know by the light of the day what time it is. Somehow they do that. I don't know. But also, dogs hear much higher frequencies than we do, and that means that they can pick up on a unique pitch or rhythm of your footsteps or your car engine or even the garage door long before you're even close. Although, well, I shouldn't say that because if you're opening the garage door, you're pretty close, but they can hear your car engine down the street. So it could be partly that too. And then of course, their smell is their superpower. They can smell you before they hear you. They've got over a hundred million scent receptors in their nose so they can catch your scent on the breeze or notice any lingering smells on your car or your belongings as you approach. So yeah, so I think it's just a combination of your dog using all their senses or whatever senses they need to figure things out. So yeah, they're pretty amazing creatures.

Speaker 1 (43:20):

Alternatively, you should go through your dog's toys and see if there are any crystal balls in there. It might have a clairvoyant on your hands.

Speaker 2 (43:28):

That's true. You never know.

Speaker 1 (43:29):

Yes, no, but always, when I lived with my parents and we had the dog, the best sound in the world was the scurrying of the little pads on the floor as you walked up the stairs because they knew that you were home. And they've known for a couple minutes now and are just so excited to see you. It's the best feeling.

Speaker 2 (43:50):

It sure is. Okay, so Chris, I have a really good cat question for you this week. Yay. This comes from Owen in Portland and Portland, Oregon, and Owen says, cats sometimes stare at a wall or see something visible, or I'm sorry, something invisible. Are they just zoning out or could they actually be detecting sounds, lights or movement that we humans cannot?

Speaker 1 (44:15):

Yeah, this is another great question. That

Speaker 2 (44:19):

Advanced

Speaker 1 (44:19):

Question, the answer is very, very, very similar to Kristen's answer. But with cats it's a little different. They behave a little different than dogs, but obviously have the same kinds of super senses. But cats are still much more instinctual than dogs are as far as the way they've evolved with humans. A lot of dogs like core instincts and their behaviors have adapted and changed with the human experience, while a lot of cat behaviors have not. And when your cat is zoning out, really what they're doing is hunting because the way cats hunt in nature, they don't p prowl and patrol as much as you might think. They sort of wait for nature to give them clues. And those clues can be anything from a small twig snapping far away to picking up a scent. The way cats process smells is they'll sometimes freeze up. That's why if you're petting your cat's face and they're rubbing up against you sometimes they'll just sort of stop right at your hand before continuing.

(45:32):

They're processing your smell. It's like a little computer buffering, but it's all normal. They're not seeing ghosts. Maybe they even see a small insect that you can't see a little fly on the wall or a little gnat or some bend of the light that we can't perceive because we don't have the same visual spectrums and it's just enticing to them. Or maybe your cat's just being lazy. Do be on the lookout for extended periods where your cat seems to be like, I call it rebooting. So when your cat is rebooting, if they're doing it often or way too long, definitely bring them to the vet. But those normal minute and a half long stairs into the wall or out the window are them just sort of processing the world around them and taking in all those wonderful sights and smells.

Speaker 2 (46:25):

Great answer, Chris.

Speaker 1 (46:27):

I try. I really do. Can you tell that I did a lot of research beforehand? A lot of research. I did a lot.

Speaker 2 (46:33):

I could tell that you're just very knowledgeable about cats.

Speaker 1 (46:37):

They should give me a show or something. Anyway, folks, that is the end of this episode of Pets Ad Life. Can you believe it?

Speaker 2 (46:47):

I can't believe it. This was a weird one, but a fun one. I should say.

Speaker 1 (46:51):

It was a weird, the energy in the studio is weird. I don't know how else to describe it. I don't know how I'm supposed to go and do the rest of my day now. I think it's 10 30 in the morning. I'll just go back to bed. There you go. Wouldn't that be nice? Wouldn't that be nice? But hey, we're going to be back next week and guess what? I'm happy to announce that you all won't be missing an episode at all throughout the holiday season. We will not be taking any time off. We'll have an episode every single Tuesday, including our Christmas special and our New Year's special. And you should be checking out dog tv. They're running a great promotion right now. You could get all sorts of free content on their website through the holiday season, so be sure to check that out as well.

Speaker 2 (47:33):

That's a great gift for your dog, by the way. A great gift,

Speaker 1 (47:37):

Great gift for you. Great gift, great gift. So check out all that amazing stuff and we'll see you in a week. And

Speaker 2 (47:44):

Here's to a season of love, laughter, and zero presence from the Cat. Under the Tree

Speaker 1 (47:49):

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.