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 temperament testing? In this episode I explore: The origins, benefits and limits of puppy assessment testsHow to use the information gained through the tests​How to find a good puppy tester Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 wisdom and experience to point that out. Someone who has raised 100 puppies, particularly if they raised puppies of that breed, could really save those owners a lot of trouble. What do you think? Would any of you be interested in doing this? Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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, though I'm sure you'll understand – it's just a "let me down!" kinda thing). We've introduced gentle restraint over the last week and they all get a little annoyed if they want to go play/explore etc but nothing out of the ordinary. I just wanted to check if this is normal - should we be upping gentle restraint, or something we should be concerned about?" In this episode, I cover:‌ What you should do about puppies who growl when restrainedWhether you should be concerned about puppies who growl or don’t like to be cuddledHow to balance the will of the puppy with the will of the puppy owners Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 can cause kidney and bladder stones. ​Any advice please? I'd love to supplement this to my pregnant girls but if the kale thing is a fact I’ll take it out of the list.” In this episode, we discuss: Does kale cause kidney and bladder stones in dogs?Is flax seed meal a phytoestrogen to be avoided by breeding animals?Should those who feed kibble be offering different formulas to their intact and neutered animals?Can flax seed meal cause cyanide poisoning? Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 determining what that optimal age is.Extenuating circumstances that influence the decision when to place puppies. Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 handWhat you should do about itTips for working with puppies or dogs in groups Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 placed him back at the starting point again. He was able to complete the challenge then. Should I have waited him out? I am second guessing myself.” ‌ In this episode I cover: ‌How do you know how much challenge is enough and not too much in any given training session?‌Why is so important that we try to guess right about the amount of challenge the puppy or dog can handle?‌What do you do if you guess wrong and make the challenge too difficult? Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 up and mix in, I have canned (Royal Canin) I try mixing in…anything to get her to eat. What else can I do to get her to eat?” In this episode, I talk about: What is and is not normal as far as loss of appetite and nausea in pregnant damsWhy dams get morning sickness and pickiness about food, andSuggestions and ideas to get your reluctant dams to eat Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 periods, but in this episode I’m throwing out some big, universal landmarks that I have observed in adolescent dogs. I discuss: The shift in reinforcers around the time of teething – why it happens, what it looks like, and what to do about itThe shift in brain capacity for different kinds of learning – when it happens, how you know it’s happening, and what to do about it.Major considerations and priorities for guiding dogs through adolescence Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 reason we experience motion sicknessHow to treat and manage carsicknessCarsickness prevention protocols for breeders, andThe prognosis for carsick puppies Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 littersGreat time savings suggestions submitted by our followersPrioritizing what’s most important for you and your puppies Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 morningWhat you should do to stop “early risers” from screamingHow to effectively look at the total picture to see why your puppy is screaming and if it’s an “I want” or an “I need.” Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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?‌ Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

​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 somewhat retiring within her litter, and that puppy grew up to be reactive to other dogs. The person is hoping that this new puppy will be her next big performance prospect, but she’s worried about winding up with another reactive dog that she can’t run in dog sports. What should she do? Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading.

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 – phosphatidylcholine, to be exact. Visit our website, madcapradio.com for further reading and studies referenced in this episode.

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, madcapradio.com for further reading and studies referenced in this episode.

Why It Hurts So Bad to Be Wrong   Why is it so threatening to realize that you might have been wrong about something?  Turns out there's an evolutionary basis for this. Plot spoiler: that evolutionary strategy was awesome in the stone ages, but maybe not so much now.

Act One: Low Birthweight Puppies How our "stories" can blind us to what's before our eyes and potentially keep us from learning something new.