2.27: The Calm in the Chaos—Jon Nordin on Love, Rescue, and a Life of Service

About this episode

Jon Nordin shares his experiences supporting his wife Jenny's dog rescue mission and the impact of their challenging dog, Gracie, on their lives.

Jon Nordin didn’t start the dog rescue—but he married the woman who did. A Ranger-qualified Army paratrooper with a background in logistics and calm under fire, Jon thought he was buying a companion German Shepherd named Rolex. Instead, he got a once-in-a-lifetime dog who nearly broke him... and saved his life. In this episode, Jon opens up about what it’s been like to support Jenny's mission from the very beginning—through marriage, three kids, late-night emergencies, medical crises, countless shituations, and his least-favorite foster dog ever (looking at you, Brigid). He shares how his military training kicks in at unexpected times (like the Bothell 4th of July Parade) and spills the tea on what really happened with Gracie. This is a story about service beyond the uniform—answering a different kind of call, and about how one very challenging dog (and one very determined woman) set into motion a life of purpose, sacrifice, and second chances—for both people and dogs. POD MENTIONS: 2025 IACP Conference Dr. Melanie Uhde Von Waldberg Kennels Camp Happy Paws 'There are ways to get better, I promise you”: No-cost treatment for vets with PTSD [FOX 13] Viral Dobie Poops the Bed Video…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ashlyn Kauh, Jenny Nordin

Guest: Jon Nordin

Topics covered

• dog rescue
• military service
• family life
• supporting a partner
• pet adoption
• personal stories

Keywords

• dog rescue
• military training
• family
• pet adoption
• personal story
• service
• support

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Animal Advocacy Rescue Coalition (AARC), Search Dog Foundation, K9 Kennel Boss, Camp Happy Paws, Dog Gone Seattle, FOX 13, Seattle Times

More episodes of So You Want to Run a Dog Rescue

• 3.7 — “Science Says” - Stress, Welfare, and Punishment: Dogma vs. Reality with Dr. Melanie Uhde · January 1, 2026 · 1h 32m
• 3.6 — Starting with Science: A Primer on Operant Conditioning (and Where We Stand on Training, Officially) · December 28, 2025 · 1h 10m
• 3.5 — Dogs Biting Kids + 9-5 Crazy F*cking Shit List = Big Feelings · November 21, 2025 · 1h 42m
• 3.4 — The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Dog Rescue Edition) · November 3, 2025 · 1h 12m
• 3.3 — Dog Detective Case Files: Luna, Rex and Clyde · October 12, 2025 · 1h 5m
• 3.2 — Senior Adopters: Balancing Limits, Hard Truths, and Potential Payoffs · September 22, 2025 · 1h 23m