Happy Paws

Join host Mikkel and her coworker and bestie Natalie Gruchow as they discuss all things 'Petiquette,' which includes Natalie's advocacy for leashing dogs in order to increase physical and emotional safety for other dogs and people. Natalie discusses her top tips for advocating for your dog if you encounter an off leash dog, top safety tips if encountering an off leash dog when out walking your own, and how she personally walked through this journey with her own beloved and reactive dog, Sniff. Natalie Gruchow Bio: Natalie’s love for animals began in childhood when her patient parents allowed all sorts of critters in the house, from salamanders to birds. To this day, she rescues earthworms from the pavement and releases the creepy crawlies from the house that belong outside. As an only child her dogs were the equivalent to her siblings, and she is now a forever dog mom.She is from Fargo, North Dakota and graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with minors in business administration and English writing. She fell in love with the veterinary industry when she was hired as the Human Resource Generalist at Animal Health Clinic in 2014. She was soon promoted to Practice Manager and obtained her Certified Veterinary Practice Manager credential. AHC began Fear Free practices in 2017, and she would lead her team to become the first Fear Free Certified Practice in the Dakotas in 2019. Since then, she has been on the Fear Free Speaker’s Bureau with Elite certification and joined the Fear Free team full time in the fall of 2023.Natalie founded a nonprofit, Petiquette, which focuses on raising awareness about leash etiquette, and is adding Pet Loss Grief Support services. Her bearded dragon, Piney, is an education ambassador to demonstrate that pets don’t need to be warm and fuzzy to need love.When she isn’t working, she enjoys going on traveling adventures with her husband, Tim. Snorkeling with sharks, zip lining, charter fishing, and front row concerts are favorites. She also enjoys hiking and camping with their Champagne Lab, Bubbles, and Black Lab, Sally. Fun fact: Bubbles is Sally's biological grandpup.

On this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Fraser and Brian Burton, co-founder and co-CEO’s of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. Nationally recognized as experts in the field, we’re learning all about the interaction of breed and behavior. Does your dog’s breed matter? Find out more in this episode!

We're joined once again by Dr. Zazie Todd, author of Wag and Purr: The Science of Making Your Dog and Cat Happy. This time it's all about dogs, why we choose the dogs we do, the science behind their behavior and how we can give them their best life. https://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/the-right-way-to-pet-a-doghttps://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/?m=1 https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/p/podcast.html?m=1https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pawsitive-post-in-conversation-by-companion/id1685998335

Is your dog a talker? Do you know what they're trying to tell you? Dr. Chris Pachel, DVM, DACVB, CABC joins us to discuss all aspects of barking and lends his expertise on how to address barking issues with your dog.

On this episode, we’re incredibly excited to be joined by Temple Grandin, world renowned animal behavior expert. Dr. Marty Becker, the founder of Fear Free joins us for a conversation with Temple about her work with animals, why Fear Free is so important to animal mental and physical health, and some of the things she’s learned on her journey.

Dr. Evan Antin is so many things; An exotic animal veterinarian, a world-renowned wildlife advocate, and even star of his own TV show, Evan Goes Wild. Dr. Antin joins us to discuss his path to veterinary medicine, his passion for wildlife and gives a glimpse into the life of an exotic veterinarian.

Doug Keeling, owner and founder of award-winning Bad to the Bone Pet Care, joins us to talk about how Fear Free has changed pet sitting, how you can find the best fit for your pet, and a few secrets of the trade.

In this episode, we're joined by Arden Moore, master instructor of pet first aid and host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Arden Moore’s Four Legged Life." We’re honing in on pet first aid, why it’s important, what you need to do in an emergency situation, and how to keep your pet safe from harm.

On this episode we're joined by Travis Brorsen, Founder and CEO of Greatest American Dog Trainers and host of Animal Planet’s My Big Fat Pet Makeover. We talk pet weight loss tips, how to set realistic expectations for your weight loss goals, and a Travis’ journey to becoming a world class-trainer.

Barking is often the number one behavior complaint from dog owners. However, the causes of barking are often misunderstood and mistreated. Lori Chamberland, Education Manager for Fear Free and Certified Animal Trainer joins us to talk about how we can create a healthy relationship with barking for us and our dog.

Canine aggression can not only be stressful and embarrassing, it can be incredibly difficult to treat on your own, let alone understand the causes. On this episode, we're joined by Michael Shikashio, a world-renowned expert in cases of canine aggression. He shares his philosophy on aggression, the causes and effects, and ways you can help alleviate the causes leading to aggressive behavior.

Hear a first-hand account of the cost of the Ukraine war on pets and their families directly from Alexandra Sava of Sava’s Safe Have in Romania, a family-run shelter that's instrumental in helping pets and people fleeing Ukraine. We'll also be joined by Eli Francovich, a reporter from the Spokesman Review, who joined Fear Free founder Dr. Marty Becker on his trip to Romania to help pets in need.

In our inaugural episode, Dr. Marty Becker, founder of Fear Free and America's Veterinarian, joins his daughter and our host Mikkel Becker, to discuss the genesis of Fear Free, why caring for our pet's mental health matters, and how a little awareness of our pet's stress can go a long way.