Madcap Radio

This week’s question is about using temperament testing to help match puppies with owners:‌ Temperament Testing: I have someone interested in our litter and training the pup for a potential therapy dog.

They want to train him to do deep pressure therapy for her anxiety.

She grew up helping train hunting dogs and they have trained rescues, so I know she can do this if we get her a good match.

​So how do you find someone to do tempe...

I feel like there is a general need for a new kind of dog professional.

Don't you feel that many puppy owners could use something like IN PERSON "puppy parenting coach?" So not dog training per se, more like a breeder-mentor for puppy owners.

It just seems like puppy owners throw a lot of effort agains things that are not really problems, but they don't know those things are not problems because they don't have someone with enough ...

This week’s question is about puppies who growl when restrained:

"Hey everyone! We're raising our first litter, English Setters, nearly 7 weeks old. All have lovely temperaments and have been going through the PC process like little pro's.

One thing we've noticed over the last week is, if they want to hop down when a puppy family or friend is holding them, they'll do little frustrated growls or barks (I hesitate to say growl, thoug...

Magda Chiarella joins me for this week’s podcast and, if Magda is here, you know we’ll be talking about canine nutrition!

This week’s question generated a lot of interesting comments that we discuss in the podcast: “Hi I found a recipe for a dog Slushy for pregnant females. Its ingredients are baby kale, baby Spinach, coconut water and flaxseed meal. All ingredients according to Google are safe but kale. Says new studies show it ...

This week’s question is about when puppies should go to their new homes:

“I've known breeders who keep their pups till 8 weeks, and some till 10 weeks. Some even until 12. What are the deciding factors in how long pups stay with the breeder? Does it depend on breed, the specific litter, or does it just come down to breeder preference?”

In this episode, I talk about:

• Optimal age for placing puppies.
• Factors that go into determin...

When it rains it pours, and this week it’s pouring puppies who bite fingers when taking treats. We got FOUR posts on this topic this week!

The questions came from both puppy owners and breeders, and in this episode, I give you a fresh perspective on this “problem”:‌

• Why puppies take treats roughly from hand
• What you should do about it
• Tips for working with puppies or dogs in groups

Visit our website, madcapradio.com for f...

Today’s question comes from a breeder, but it’s a topic that is applicable to anyone who owns a puppy or dog:‌

“How much frustration should a puppy have before changing the game a little to make the session successful?‌

Did the barrier challenge for the 1st time today...he was continually going to the wrong side to a closed section...At the 3-minute mark, I pulled the food bowl so a small portion went beyond the barrier, then place...

Today’s question is about puppies who terrorize adult dogs: “Does anyone have experience with a pup obsessed with chasing the older dog (Labrador pups adult GSD). The GSD runs from him and has turned and bark/snarled at him, but he won’t leave her alone when he sees her. Suggestions?”

In this episode I cover:

• Is this a normal puppy behavior?
• What to do about it.
• What the long-term outlook is for this situation.

Visit our...

Today’s question is on dams who refuse to eat when pregnant:

‌“Ok friends, I’m having a REALLY difficult time getting my girl to eat…

I have mixing pumpkin purée, we currently have three different dog foods that I have been trying different combinations of. She was eating Badlands Ranch and Orijen really well, before that it was Royal Canin, but all of these she eventually has stopped eating. I have freeze dried medallions I break ...

Today’s question is a fan request for an episode on teenagers:

“I wonder if you could do a podcast covering what you have learned works best regarding how to frame the adolescents mind and some general guidelines around training and general standards we should be aware of at this time in her development. You know, like with the puppies at their different stages.”

“Adolescent dogs” is a huge topic spanning several developmental peri...

This week’s star question is from a puppy owner who’s puppy is drooling and throwing up in the car.

They’re wondering, is it general anxiety or carsickness?   It’s very troublesome because these puppy owners have lots of big plans for travel with their pet and it’s important that their puppy ride well in the car.  What can they do to fix this situation?

In this episode I answer these questions and look at:

• The evolutionary rea...

Today’s question comes to us from a breeder who’s having a large litter and wondering how she’s going to get everything done:

“Help, I am actually freaking out…just confirmed 11 via x-ray…have got a really bad feeling that I am going to be short on time for individual work. How do those of you who have big litters work?”

In this episode, I talk about:

• My Five key tips to save time when working with litters
• Great time saving...

Today’s question comes from a viewer who has a puppy that wakes up at 5AM and screams her head off.  They’ve been ignoring the screaming but it’s not going away...what should she do?

This is a common problem that both puppy owners and breeders regularly write in about.  In this episode I cover:

• Why puppies scream at seemingly odd hours of the morning
• What you should do to stop “early risers” from screaming
• How to effectively lo...

Today’s question comes from a person who’s thinking about taking in rescue litters.

She’s thinking that a good early start could help rescue puppies, but she’s wondering if she’ll be able to use Puppy Culture. She’s worried that, because the dams are stressed, she might not be able to do some of the protocols.

What should she do? Are there any special considerations for doing Puppy Culture with a rescue litter?

Visit our website, m...

Today’s question comes from a viewer who’s wondering how early puppies need to be separated from their littermates to avoid the dreaded “Littermate Syndrome.”

In this episode, I tackle that question and discuss key issues around “littermate syndrome.”‌

• Is littermate syndrome a real thing?‌
• Is it ever a good idea to keep two littermates?‌

• If you do keep two littermates, how can you successfully raise them together?‌

Visi...

​In a brand new Madcap Radio podcast series, Jane grabs a question from the Puppy Culture discussion group that sparked interested and talks about it on air.

In this first episode, the person asking the question finds herself torn… she’s very attached to a particular puppy in a litter, but also feels like that puppy does not interact a lot with the rest of the litter.

This person has previous experience with a puppy that was somewh...

Dietary Choline for Lactating Dams

In this episode, Jane is joined by Magda Chiarella to review dietary supplements and food sources that can help prevent mastitis in lactating dams.  Although sunflower lecithin is often recommended, sunflower lecithin has some potentially serious side effects and there are many far superior dietary sources of the active ingredient in sunflower lecithin, which is choline...

One Species Evolutionary Meat is another Species Evolutionary Poison

So, your dog eats poop.  Is it deviant?  Or an elegant evolutionary solution?  

In this podcast, Jane and Mark look at the research and talk about the possible functions of poop-eating, what works and does not work to stop it, and why.  

We won’t say you’ll come away happy that your dog eats poop, but for sure you’ll see it in a different light. Visit our website...