Senior dog specialist Helen St. Pierre returns to YFD, but this time she's joined by trainer Kathy Callahan, who focuses on the other end of life- puppies! The two of them are co-authors of the new book "Old Dog, New Dog" which aims to help families navigate living with both senior dogs and puppies. Pull up a chair and listen in for a conversation about puppies, seniors, death, aging, and everything in between!
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Adding a New Dog to an Old Dog
Kathy Callahan and Helen St. Pierre are the authors of Old Dog, New Dog: A Guide to Supporting Your Aging Best Friend and Welcoming a New One.
Helen St. Pierre is the founder of the senior animal rescue and sanctuary Old Dogs Go To Helen and the owner of No Monkey Business Dog Training. She is certified as a professional dog trainer (CPDT-KSA), a dog behavior consultant (CDBC), and a family dog mediator (LFDM). Helen’s website is nomonkeybusinessdogtraining.com
Certified dog trainer (CPDT-KA) and family dog mediator (LFDM) Kathy Callahan specializes in puppies. The author of Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog and 101 Rescue Puppies, she writes monthly on training and behavior for Whole Dog Journal. Her business, PupStart, focuses on helping clients through puppyhood. Her website is www.puppypicks.com.
KATHY SOCIAL:
Instagram - instagram.com/puppypicks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathryn.g.callahan
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2XrCeyKGTvXvp4l5dSMG1A
HELEN Facebook:
Facebook Personal: https://www.facebook.com/lellow.oneplease - Helen Personal
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/olddogsggotohelen - Old Dogs Go to Helen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoMonkeyBusinessDogTraining - Dog Training Page
Time Stamps -
0:00 Introduction
1:30 Kathy Callahan Introduction - Puppies!
4:45 Helen St. Pierre Introduction - Oldies!
7:15 Old Dog, New Dog
9:00 Learning We Cannot Get From a Book
10:11 Set them up to have their needs met, Young or Old
12:50 Quality of Life Weekly Check List for senior dogs
15:00 Function, Purpose & Joy
17:15 Making the Golden Age Golden
20:32 Things often marketed for puppies are great tools for senior dogs
22:35 Puppies & Senior Dogs
24:15 The Vision (the dream)
25:02 The Challenges (time to step up)
25:46 The Work Arounds
28:00 A Plan with Resources! It can be easier
31:30 “Reels” aren’t Real Life. Great relationships are built in months, not seconds.
31:48 Lots of breaks for the senior dog, they can’t raise the puppy!
32:30 Communication is information, be ready to support the puppy and your senior
35:39 Full Vet Check for our seniors before bringing home that puppy
43:10 We can make most situations work, honoring the oldie and the puppy both!
54:05 What do people miss about changes in their senior dogs? Purpose and joy vs Function
56:23 We sometimes miss that the dog isn’t doing what he has typically done… not coming into the family room (hard floors, more light, etc) cut toenails…. Things that help increase quality of life so our senior dogs can enjoy life with us!
58:50 Preferences shift
1:04:00 Medications aren’t a failure. Ideally, they are preemptive
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The Your Family Dog Podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content provided on this podcast does not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or training advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian, a positive reinforcement-based professional dog trainer, or a qualified pet professional before making any decisions regarding your pet’s health, behavior, or training.
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