Manifesting the Ultimate Connection with Our Dogs
Hi there. This is Krista with Episode #159 on the Wag Out Loud pawdcast. I just wanted to remind you that you should probably check out all of the amazing trusted brands that I highly recommend. Because these are products that I have tried on my dog, Winston, and that I know like and trust, I've done all the research for you. And these products will also help your dog to thrive. So just go to https://www.wagoutloud.com/ and check out the trusted brands section. And I've negotiated discounts for most of the products, so why not see what can make a difference in your dog's life.
Here's an interesting fact. A dog's sense of smell is reduced by up to 40% when they are overheated and panting, and that's because they're using the air to cool themselves rather than for smelling. And another interesting fact is that puppies have heat sensors in their noses to help find their mother during the time when their eyes and ears are closed right after they're born.
Welcome to the Wag Out Loud pawdcast, where we are obsessed with bringing you helpful tips on canine health care, nutrition, and overall wellbeing. If you'd like to support the show, check out the amazing online events, products and resources that I personally recommend on the Wag Out Loud website. I'm your host, Krista and I'm super excited to be bringing you yet another tail wagging episode.
James Jacobson is the Founder of Dog Podcast Network, which is entirely devoted to dogs and the people who love them. DPN brings together James’ two passions: dogs and the world of podcasting. He waited a long time for his own dog. He waited even longer for the podcasting world to be ready for his vision. James knows the bond we share for our dogs connects us in a very special way. He firmly believes we need this connection, now, more than ever.
Hello dog lovers! I am so glad that you're here and willing to learn more about your dog's wellness. Today I'm honored to be joined by James Jacobson. He is the founder of the Dog Podcast Network and James and I have been chatting for the last couple years, I think, so I'm so excited to have him finally on this show. James, thanks for being here.
My pleasure. I am delighted to finally join you on on your Show.
I know this has been planned for a while. So this is gonna be a lot of fun everybody and a great learning experience. So stay with us. James, would you mind introducing yourself and tell us why are you so passionate about all things dog?
Well, that I am I guess I am a dyed in the wool dog lover, I have ended up building basically a whole bunch of businesses that focus on dog lovers vs dog owners, the people who really love their dog. And I kind of happened into it. Because when I was a kid, I was promised a dog when I turned 10. And I never got one Krista. And finally, when I got on my own in my 20s I got a dog and I was hooked. And I did everything I could. And I learned as much as I could about keeping dogs healthy. And then I did weird projects like I did a video. Many, many when I was in my 20s I was an animal communicator talking about you know, animal communication and introducing people to that concept and, and then, and then I didn't do stuff for a while. And then a bunch of other businesses I had and then I ended up moving to Hawaii. And then when I moved to Hawaii, and sold my companies, I didn't know what to do. And I said I'm going to write a book about something that I have done my whole life, since I got a dog which was meditating with my dog. And that's how this whole journey started with a very silly book that turned out to be a best seller. And I flew on Oprah’s jet and did all sorts of things. But it all started with a silly book, How to Meditate With Your Dog.
And here we are, well, we're going to talk about meditating with our dogs. I said, this is going to be fun. And I mean it everybody. This is going to be amazing. We're going to cover a few different topics today, which is really cool. And James is going to be talking about manifesting the ultimate connection with our dogs. So James, I know that you've been quoted that you believe that we need this connection with our dogs. Now more than ever. Can you expand on that?
Our Connection To Dogs
Absolutely. Well, I think you know, we are living in some pretty interesting times. And dog lovers, people that you talk to on your podcast, people that we talk to on our podcasts are truly special people. They have an open heart, they're loving, they want to do what's right for their dog. They have just this big heart. And in these crazy times that we're living in, I think there's an opportunity for us to connect with other dog lovers all over the world, because that love and that commonality that we have, doesn't matter what political agenda we have or what beliefs we have. Our common love for dogs is so important. And that's why I like to do everything I can to help bring dog lovers together.
I love that. Well, let's do a deep dive, we're gonna go back to the very beginning. And again, you wrote the book on meditating with your dog. I can't believe it's 2005. You did this? That's been a while?
Meditating With Your Dog
I did. Yeah. Well, I was I was a meditator my whole life as a kid. But it wasn't until I had a dog that I realized that dogs are natural meditation partners. I would show people who were reluctant to meditate like, Oh, this is some, you know, weird Eastern thing I can never meditate. And then I’d say, Hey, if you love your dog, you can you can leverage that love into a meditation practice, because dogs live in the moment, they are totally present. If you kind of ever looked at a dog, that is what I call in “hound lounge” where their eyes are half open. They're very much…they're perfect meditators. And so I have shown through the book and through classes I used to teach that it's incredibly easy to do, you just have to give it a shot and kind of put one hand on the dog's chest and another hand on the dog butt. So depending upon the size of the dog, you can either you know, have them sit on a chair with you in a comfortable place, or get down on the floor with them if they're really big dog, and do that and focus on the breath, which is a normal part of the pasna meditation, which is a focus on the craft. And after doing this for a really short period of time, sometimes as little as a few days or a week or two, your dog will totally love it and get into it and appreciate the bonding time. And you will begin this beautiful, sweet practice that once you start, you will realize why haven't I been doing this my whole life with my dog. And it's a beautiful thing. That in a very quick distillation of what how to meditate with your dog is all about.
Well, I love that you bring this up, because I don't know about you. But we all have stress and anxiety. And of course our dogs can feel that. So they appreciate when we actually take a moment to be at peace. So they are the perfect meditators. I totally agree with you. And I meditate with Winston on the Calm app. I love that app. And you're right, you do need to touch them. And as soon as he knows that, I'm going to our meditation space, he jumps up on the couch, and he's right next to me, let's do this. He's excited. So I encourage everybody, if you're not doing this with your dog, it is going to bring a total peace at least the time that you're doing the meditation it's going to bring bring so much peace to your life. And it is a great bonding experience. And James, don't you agree that even taking our dogs on walks can be a kind of meditation practice?
Yes, I talk about that, which is like sort of an Oh, so there's a thing in meditation philosophy, called an open eyed meditation. So in How to Meditate With Your Dog, I talked about walking meditations with your dog, dog walks where you kind of do it at the dog's pace, which is you sniff the hydrant and you sniff the flowers and you go around, and you become incredibly conscious and look at the world and see the world and pour into all the dog’s senses, the way they see the world and that is in and of itself a meditation practice. You don't need a soundtrack, you don't need anything. You just need to be present with your dog on those walks. And that can turn it into a meditation. But you have to be very conscious and deliberate about it. But the dogs will totally dig it. More recently I've been calling it a sniffari. Letting the nose drive the dog. And that is an open eyed meditation. It's different for sure than a closed eyed meditation, we are in one place. But it is another way of savoring the moment and just being there. And all of this helps dogs. I mean, the benefits are like there's so many it helps in terms of things like separation anxiety and anxiety in general. It helps human beings obviously because of all the stressful times we live in. And it just helps the the dynamics in the family. As you pointed out you said you know Winston picks up on any stresses and stuff that are happening. They do that. And so the more common, the more regularly you do this, hopefully daily just for him 20 minutes, it can make an amazing difference.
I agree. And I really encourage people when you are out on these meditation type walks with your dogs, don't bring your phone, don't bring your music and your earbuds. Make it a true present time in nature for the two of you. I think I do my best thinking during our dog walks, because my mind is so open.
I couldn't agree more, I am lucky enough to live on the beach. And almost every morning, my dog and I walk on the beach right now she's getting a little old and arthritic. So the sand is a little tough. So we go in the grass above it. But being out there in nature is just extraordinary. And being barefoot, if you can, if the weather permits, that there's a whole bunch of people talking about the importance of grounding, which sounds all very deep again. But it's just really connecting with the earth and so doing that, and mimicking and modeling what our dogs have to teach us. So extraordinary.
Yes, I agree. And back to the closed eye meditation with your dog. It's funny how you both your breathing is in sync. And it just falls into sync, so naturally.
It is. When I first came out with the book in 2005… I feel very old. People thought oh, this some sort of gimmick. But I mean, I was on Jay Leno and CNN and did all this stuff. And a lot of the TV producers thought they would be pretty clever. They would bring me this like dogs who I’d never met and then have to meditate with the dog live on television. And sometimes they brought me some nasty dogs, but you know what, it worked out every time. Because the dogs just they get it, they get the intentionality. And they really do follow your breath if you had sort of a dog trainer mindset, but they get it in a very cool way.
Well, I encourage everybody to try it. If you've never done it is a super cool experience that once you start doing it, it becomes a habit and something both you and your dog look forward to. So thank you, James, that was awesome. We're now going from a happy calming subject to a not so happy subject of dog cancer. But James, you have been in this field for 13 years now. And you say dog cancer diagnoses does not have to be a death sentence. So do you want to unpack that a little bit?
Coping with Canine Cancer
Well, as you know, cancer is the number one killer of dogs, one in three dogs get cancer. And if you have a dog who's 10 years or older, the odds are 1 in 2, 50% of dogs over 10 get cancer and some breeds like Golden Retrievers. The odds are even worse 75% of Golden Retrievers die, die of cancer, and it’s horrible. And I only discovered this when, because of the success of how to meditate with your dog. People started writing me and telling me about their dogs. And I learned about the prevalence of cancer. And that's when I connected with my then veterinarian and then later on my business partner, Dr. Demian Dressler, who is one of the world's most respected dog cancer veterinarians on creating a book called The Dog Cancer Survival Guide. Him and Dr. Susan Ettinger wrote the book and it's sort of the Bible of dog cancer. 500 pages and it talks about everything you need to know to you know, help your dog with cancer and as you say it is about viewing cancer from a different lens not as a death sentence, but instead of as a thing that you can live with and thrive with because at the end of it all, we all want quality of life for our dog. And so I have basically spent since I got onto this journey with dog cancer, most of my time has been focused on helping to improve the quality of life for dogs and the people who love them and so many of those dogs have cancer and we've figured out all sorts of ways to help them live better lives.
Oh, that's fantastic. Well James, we're gonna get a little deeper into this because you are super close to this topic. We are going to take a quick sponsor break and we will be right back.
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We're back and we are speaking with James Jacobson from the Dog Podcast Network. And we are speaking about cancer. And James before we left for the break, I know that you have had two dogs I believe that have been diagnosed with cancer. Can you share your journey?
Yeah. So Kanga and Roo are Maltese that I have. Roo passed earlier actually late last year from from cancer. And Kanga our other dog has had it for about three years, and has been thriving, but she's getting up there now she's approaching 14. And that's the other thing is like, you know, when that was first diagnosed, they're like, she's just totally beating the odds by doing the things that are talked about in the book like the dog cancer diet, and we use a nutraceutical that I helped found a company called Functional Nutriments, that makes a nutraceutical called Apocaps that we've been giving and used by veterinarians all over the world, and feeding the right diet and doing exercises even like meditation and things that improve the quality of life. And so Kanga has been has been doing really well, up until this point, you know, she's, she's still doing well, but she's, you know, unfortunately, we all get older and things happen. But she just had a beautiful walk this morning, and she's enjoying her food and, and a lot more cheat days as well. Things that are that make life worth living for a dog.
That's great. Well, you have a Show. You're the host of Dog Cancer Answers on the Dog Podcast Network. So you are speaking to scientists and veterinarians that are on the front lines. What do you see as the future of cancer treatment?
The Future of Canine Cancer Treatments
Wow, that is a good one. Yeah, that Show has been on the air since 2009. So it is a really old podcast. It's a very niche podcast. Most shows like yours are like general interest. But this is a very nice one of the shows on DPN, which is extremely niche, which is like, hey, it's just all about cancer. And I tell people, you know, it's one of the things I'm sorry, you have to listen to this show, because you're probably listening to it because you have a dog with cancer, but it's super helpful. So the scientists, the veterinarians, we talk to are from all spaces on the veterinary community from super holistic, people who are using, you know, Chinese herbs and acupuncture to cutting edge on the other side that may be a little pushy. And like, we just did a show recently with a veterinarian who uses an approach that basically does full body irradiation of a dog. And they give the dog so much radiation that they have to do a bunch of things, basically, because it'll kill the certain blood cells, that they have to do a whole bunch of things. But it does actually show an objective response relative to other treatment options to preserve every last possible day that a dog could live on this planet. So we look at all those different approaches. And we answer questions from our audience about specific questions that they have for their own dog's journey. But in terms of like where I see the future of dog cancer, the thing that I think is most exciting is genomics. Looking at the dogs. It's the same thing with human medicine, looking at cancer through the genome and seeing how one might approach a cancer diagnosis and a treatment plan based specifically on your dog's DNA and genes. That's, that's the future.
That's fascinating. Well, and I also like hearing, I think it was back in 2017, that the National Cancer Institute gave out $11.5 million in grants to six veterinary schools to study immunotherapy treatments. And I love that approach, because it's, you know, you're just mentioning the vet the talked about whole body treatment radiation. And this is more targeted to the unhealthy cells, which I kind of think would be a little bit better. So I think that's really cool, that we're thinking outside the box. And there are other modalities that are being used. Because we have to remember you guys that dogs get cancer at about the same rate that humans do. So any studies in Veterinary Cancer Research benefits both of us, animals and our dogs.
That is so critical. I think that that's one of the things that this is kind of a fad subject in general. But what gives me so much solace, Krista is that what is being done in dog camps, because dogs and humans not only get it at the same frequency, but they get the same types of cancer, and they respond pretty much the same way to different treatment. So a lot of things are tested in dogs that later can be applicable to people. And then also things are being done in people that are now being used in dogs. It's this concept of one medicine. I don't know if you've, if you've touched on that in and of your shows. But one medicine is really helpful one health because it's called One Health, One Medicine, where basically, veterinarians and human physicians and researchers are all looking at the same health issues, and looking for commonalities, but we have so much to learn about treating human cancer by looking at dog cancer and vice versa.
That is a great point. And I don't think a lot of people realize I never realized before I got into this industry, that dogs share approximately 85% of the same DNA as humans. So it does make sense.
I didn't know the number, but yeah, we’re so similar.
Yeah, it's crazy. So we do need to work together with human Doc's, and veterinarians to figure this all out and make everybody better. So I'm on the same page as you. That is exciting. So we took a pretty sad subject, and put an up spin on it. So thank you, James. That's awesome.
You're welcome. It's worth you know, people. If you have a dog with cancer, it's a really good resource, Dog Cancer Answers.
Check it out, everybody. All right. Well, we are going to use our last segment here. This sounds really fun. James is going to talk to us about the difference of dog lovers versus dog owners. So you say most of us aren't crazy. So tell us more, James.
Are You a Dog Lover or a Dog Owner?
Well, I love this. I love this topic. So when I started Dog Podcast Network, we needed a way to kind of figure out who is our audience because we have podcasts for dog lovers. But who would who is our true audience? Is it just people who own dogs or the people who love dogs. And then people would ask you, well, what's the difference? And I said, ah, there are three things. There's a litmus test. So the first question is, where does your dog sleep? So, dog lovers will say, Oh, they sleep in my bed or they sleep in my bedroom. If that's the answer, we'll put a check in the column for dog lover. And if they say outdoors and they sleep, and I don't know, they sleep, you know, in the kitchen, that's the dog owner. The second question is, what do you feed your dog? And if they say I go to Walmart, and I buy the cheapest kibble. Probably dog owner, or somebody says, I cook for my dog and I do this measurement or I feed raw. I know you I know you like raw. And I do. So there are so many different if anyone is basically thinking a lot about their dog's food, whether they cook for him or they provide raw or they shop at the shi shi store. So whatever you're doing, then you're we'll put that in the dog lover column. And then the third question I ask is, How would you handle this scenario? You wake up one morning, and you're feeling sick. And your dog’s also feeling sick. Who is more likely to go to the doctor or veterinarian? You or your dog? And if you say, well, it would be I take my dog to the vet. First. No doubt about it, my dog always goes to the vet, then you're definitely a dog lover. So those are the three tests that I use to quickly find out if someone's a dog lover or a dog owner.
Well, I guess we've set it straight here, everybody, I am a dog lover through and through, which I think most of us are.
I think you are and pretty much anyone who's listening to the shows like this definitely fits in the dog lover category. And we're special. We're a breed apart as I like to joke.
Well, if there's so many dog lovers, James, why does legislation takes so long to figure out that dogs are sentient beings, that they're not a piece of furniture legally? Why are we lagging behind? I just I don't get it, you know, States are finding… And it's actually countries that are realizing it. But here, not so much. You know, you get a divorce. The dog is property.
Property and also like for malpractice, veterinarian malpractice, the value of a dog. Yes. Yeah. Is we in the United States are behind the rest of the world in a number of things that are that are news headlines these days. And that that is just one of them. Yeah, it is. It's sad and unfortunate. And I'm sure all of your listeners will appreciate the fact that dogs are should definitely be accorded a certain number of rights that that we consider our inalienable rights. Maybe not as much food as they want as many walks as they would demand. We should at least try and we shouldn't think of them as property.
Right. I agree. Well, as we wrap up, James, the Dog Podcast Network, tell us when that came about, and what shows we can enjoy on there.
The Dog Podcast Network
Well, so that started as a vision in 2019. And I planned it and I said we are going to launch in 2020. And then this little weird thing happened, like a global pandemic. So we did launch the company started hiring people in 2020, we launched our shows in 2021, of course, Dog Cancer Answers which I had been doing in the network. And so we have a bunch of shows that are really high production value. And people say they're like NPR sounding, BBC sounding shows that are focused on dog lovers. Our flagship show, which I'm most proud of, is a show called Dog Edition. And that one I co host. I have a we have a wonderful, wonderful co host who just joined me. And it is designed it we call it the world's first podcast designed to listen to while you walk your dog. It is a magazine style formatted show that right now comes out weekly, we hope someday maybe to come out five times a week, because you should walk your dog, at least that many times, like 20 minutes long. As 20 minutes long is we tell great stories that we consider dog adjacent things that you won't hear on most any other show. And we do we have a team of correspondents and reporters all over the world. So we have really good journalists who tell the stories and we have good sound and good production value. And we work really hard to make this sound like you know, like all things considered for dog lovers. And we’ve won some awards, and we're really excited and be competitive dog edition.com. And then we have other shows and we're always looking for more people and we're constantly hiring. My ambition is that by the end of this year, to have 20 different shows on DPN.
Wow, that would be fantastic. You can never talk enough about dogs. You can go on and on. And people love them. So I think that is great. So again, James, where can everybody find out more information about you and the Dog Podcast Network?
Dogpodcastnetwork.com. And there is a tab somewhere on there. To find out more about me. You can find me on all the socials. I'm James Jacobson, on Twitter and Facebook and all those places. And I'd love to talk to other dog lovers and now we know what dog lovers are.
Social Media Tags
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dogpodcastnetwork/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DogPodcastNetwork/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dogpodcastnetwork/
Yes, thanks to you. It's official. Well, I will have all of James's contact information on social media and the website all in the show notes. So James, I I hope that you get to the 20 shows by the end of the year. Because again, we can't talk enough about our dogs for sure. Thank you so much for being here today.
Thank you. It was so much fun. I really enjoyed it.
Thanks again to our friends at System Saver for sponsoring this month’s episodes . Check out this fantastic all-natural formula by going to http://caninesystemsaver.com/ and be sure to use the code WOL10 for 10% off!
Thanks for listening. You'll find some helpful links in the show notes and if you enjoy the show, please be sure to follow and listen for free on your favorite podcast app. And please, please share your feedback. Visit WagOutLoud.com for great product recommendations with discounts, amazing online events and fantastic resources. That's also where to visit our Bark About It page where you can suggest topics, guests or products. Be advised that this show offers health and nutritional information and is designed for educational purposes only. You're encouraged to do your own research and should not rely on this information as a substitute for nor does it replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your dog's health, you should always consult a veterinarian or a nutrition expert. Have a tail wagging day and we'll catch you next time.
Hey Winston was that another tail wagging episode?
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