Episodes
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Welcome, listeners, I’m so glad you’re here! I’ve missed you, and the journey to explore the world of the working dog that we have been on together!
Today I bring you the first of two special bonus episodes, in which will be celebrating another important animal who, like our friend the canine, works hard every day to assist humans in work that is essential to our way of life – the powerful, beautiful, irreplaceable horse. With their honesty, loyalty and willingness to share their hearts with us, horses are helping us to become better humans.
Welcome to The Hero Beside Me –– the Horse Edition.
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Listen to get a taste of what the first season of The Hero Beside Me is all about!
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Missing episodes?
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Welcome, listeners, I'm so glad you're here! In today’s episode we highlight police K9 officers and the work they do alongside their human partners to keep us safe. Today I bring you along for the ride as I make a few visits to a few different law enforcement agencies. Our first stop is Shelter Island in San Diego, where we chat with a few of the San Diego Harbor Police Officers who have come out with their canines to give a demonstration of the kind of work they do. This episode was recorded mostly outdoors, so please pardon the background noise.
Next up, we head to the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar to visit some military working dogs and their handlers who are military policeman. They are doing a training event in conjunction with another local law enforcement agency, and have invited us to tag along.
We stand outside of the aviation museum on base, surrounded by a lot of different aircraft. The dogs search under and around each one, sniffing for the scent of explosives, and when they find the source of the scent, they sit and stare at it until their handler joins them and gives them their paycheck …their favorite toy. They get to play with it for a few moments, but then it’s back to work.
Listeners, thanks for joining me on today’s journey. I also want to take the opportunity to say thank you to all of service members who are out there doing their best to keep us safe, and a thank you to the canine service members as well. I was able to photograph the wonderful K9s featured in this episode, and if you’d like to see some of the photos, as well as photos from other dogs featured on this show, just visit our website: herobeside.me. There you will also find our listener feedback survey on the podcast page, and I would really appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to fill that out, as your opinion is valuable to us and influential to the future of this show.
This episode is the last one of season one of The Hero Beside Me Podcast. I want to thank you so much for joining me as I have embarked on this adventure to discover all the professions that dogs can have. We haven’t covered them all…it seems like people just keep discovering even new ways for dogs to display their genius…but we’ve covered quite a few, and it’s been a blast. I’m so grateful to have had your company on this wild ride.
Please consider signing up for the newsletter so I can let you know about future developments. Whether or not there will be another season is still to be determined, and this is where your feedback would be really helpful. And if you haven’t yet, please consider subscribing and rating the show.
Thanks again for your listenership, and thank you to all the handlers, trainers and dogs who participated this season. And don’t forget to give some extra love to the hero beside you today!
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
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Welcome, listeners, I'm so glad you're here! In this episode you'll hear from Annie Zucker, therapy dog handler who works with her dog to bring comfort and happiness to those in stressful situations with an organization called Love on a Leash. Annie gives us the run down on what therapy dogs do and why she and her dog do this work; then, I tag along with her and her dog on a visit to an assisted living facility to check out what therapy dogs are all about!
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Welcome, listeners, I'm so glad you're here! In today's episode you'll hear my conversation with Karen Reynolds of Environmental Canine Services about the work she does with canines to keep our water systems pure. With sewage systems around the country that are aging, leaks are more common than anyone wants to think about, and those leaks contaminate our water ways and systems. But as usual around here, it's dogs to the rescue! Karen explains how canines are helping to keep this very real threat under control.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Listeners, welcome back! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m really glad to have the opportunity to bring you today’s episode, because it will be very educational to many on some very important issues that affect all of us. If I hadn’t been introduced to today’s guest, I don’t know if I would have ever learned about the crucial work that K9s and humans are doing in his field of expertise. Now that I’ve learned about it, I’m honored to pass on the knowledge to you, and I hope that you will do the same and pass it on to the people in your world.
Friends, I am someone who happens to absolutely relish being in the outdoors. I love camping and backpacking and going on hikes in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but nature, having an unobstructed view of the stars at night, walking along flowing streams and breathing in crisp, mountain air. Going on camping trips to national parks is one of my most cherished past times, as is hiking on public lands with my dog. If you share these passions with me, then this episode is for you.
Maybe you’re listening to this and thinking that camping and hiking sound like the last activities on earth that you’d ever want to do. But you’re listening to this podcast, which is all about dogs, which means that in all likelihood, you’re a dog lover, and if that’s the case then you’re probably an animal lover in general. I’d be willing to bet that if you’re an animal lover, then you would be incensed if I told you that much of our wildlife…I’m talking about squirrels and rabbits but also bears, mountain lions, golden eagles, and the list goes on…are routinely poisoned in large numbers on our public lands.
If you live in California like myself, then you’ve had it drilled into you how important it is to conserve water, because we have had some serious droughts in recent years. How angry would you be to learn to that billions of gallons of our water are stolen to line the pockets of violent criminals?
Listeners, what I’m talking about is the situation we find ourselves in as Americans today – in a war for our environment, our wildlife, and our water – that most of us didn’t even know we were fighting. My guest today is John Nores, who, according to his bio, served 26 years as a warden for the California Department of Fish & Wildlife and co-developed and lead his agency’s elite tactical unit and sniper unit, which were developed to combat the most environmentally damaging criminals working within California and impacting the nation. He’s going to tell us all about those criminals, what they’re up to, why it matters, how dogs are integral to the fight against them, and how we can help.
Find out more on John's website, in his books, the latest of which is Hidden War, on his podcasts, The Thin Green Line, and Warden's Watch, and on social media @johnnores.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Welcome, listeners, I'm so glad you're here! Today's guest on the episode is Debi DeShon, a long time dog trainer and handler and owner of Dogs with Jobs and Mussel Dogs. In this episode we talk about what it was like being a dog trainer on the set of the movie Beethoven, what contraband detection dogs are doing at schools, and how dogs are helping with the important work of protecting our waterways from the invasive quagga and zebra mussels, which are causing huge problems for our environment. Check it out and learn how you can help out, too!
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Welcome, listeners! In today's episode, you'll hear my conversation with Mike Hadsell, founder of Peace River K9 Search and Rescue. He explains the relatively new discipline of electronic storage device detection, as well as when and why a K9 handler might end up in court, how even a chihuahua can be a working dog, and he mentions a topic for further exploration: scenting horses – whaaa? I think you'll enjoy this episode, and if you do, please let us know!
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Welcome back, listeners! I’m so glad you’re here. Today we’re highlighting the career of a dog whose job revolves around university life, and college sports: two powerful forces in the lives of many students, faculty, alumni and fans in the state of Washington and beyond. Having gone to a large state university with a huge emphasis on sports myself, I can relate to the importance of school spirit. And for Dubs 2 and his trainer, Anne-Lise, school spirit is what a day on the job is all about.
In this episode you’ll hear from Anne-Lise Nilson, the trainer of the University of Washington's live mascot, Dubs 2, about the ins and outs of what it’s like to be a university’s live mascot. And as a special treat, you'll even hear from Dubs himself!
Follow Dubs 2's adventures at www.gohuskies.com, or on social media on his Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Welcome, listeners, I’m so glad you’re here! In today’s episode, we’re going to focus on dogs who help their humans find things hidden in the forest. In a way, they’re treasure hunters. And what is the treasure they seek? First up, we’ll talk to Alana McGhee, a dog trainer, handler and owner of Truffle Dog Company, who will explain to us what she and her dogs go looking for in the forest: truffles! Next, Roger Sigler, owner of Antler Dogs, gives us the inside scoop on what antler shed dogs do.
For more information on either Alana or Roger and their work with dogs, visit https://truffledogcompany.com or http://www.antlerdogs.com, respectively.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Listeners, welcome! Thanks for joining us.
Today, you’ll hear from three dog handlers who are partnering with dogs in different ways to help humans and wildlife live together safely and harmoniously. They’ll be shedding light on a special career path for dogs: wildlife management. While that sounds like a job title for an administrator at a zoo or the department of fish and game, this version of the job is only for dogs.
Listen in as Rebecca Gibson of Flyaway Geese, Mark Biel of Glacier National Park and Nils Pederson of Wind River Bear Institute explain the important work that they are partnering with canines to do to protect people and wildlife and the precarious relationship between the two. It's an important topic and a fascinating one, and I hope you'll enjoy! You can follow the adventures of Gracie the border collie at Glacier National Park on her Instagram account, @barkrangernps.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Welcome back, listeners, I’m so glad you’re here! Today I have a real treat for you! In this episode, I invited you to join me as I tag along with Red Rock Hounds, a foxhound hunt club just outside of Reno, Nevada. We’ll get to ride alongside as the members ride their horses behind their pack of hounds through the high desert on a glorious winter day, and watch these incredible working dogs in action.
If you'd like more information on fox hunting or about Red Rock Hounds, you can visit their website at https://www.redrockhounds.com.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Listeners, today we get to hear from dog trainer and founder of Dogs Finding Dogs, Anne Wills, about how dogs are helping to find lost pets around the globe. This was a canine career that I knew nothing about before this episode, and I'm excited to share what I learned with you today. Listen in as Anne explains how she and her organization's trackers have found 8,000 lost animals and counting, reuniting them with their families. You can see them in action on their television show, Trackers, on Nat Geo Wild.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Welcome, listeners! In this episode, you’ll hear from Fire Chief Steve Swaney of Heartland Fire and Rescue in El Cajon, CA. (He’s the chief of the station where Yara the Firehouse Dog from Episode 20 lives!) Chief Swaney was a USAR K9 handler and deployed with FEMA for years, and today he shares with us what it’s like to work on a FEMA task force, and specifically, what his experience was like working his dog Sherman at Ground Zero in the aftermath of 9/11.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out anytime at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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In today’s episode, you’ll hear a conversation between myself and Jamie Robinson of Canine Bio Detection Services. Jamie has been a dog trainer for almost fifty years, and today she’s going to be telling us about the work of medical alert and bio detection dogs specifically. I hope you are ready to be impressed by yet another avenue by which dogs are helping humans in a significant and life-changing way!
If you would like to get in touch with Jamie, you can reach her at 727-686-4246 or at [email protected]. Her website is http://k9biodetection.net/.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
Listeners, I hope you enjoyed this episode and learned something new about the amazing things dogs can do. If you did, please be sure to subscribe to this podcast and review it so that others can find it.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! And if you’d like to say hi or comment on this or any other episode, feel free to reach out at [email protected], or on social media @herobeside me. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure to give the canine hero beside you some extra love today.
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Listeners, welcome! In today's episode I bring you with me to the snowy world of the Mt. Rose Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe to hang out with some avalanche rescue dogs. This week's guest, ski patroller Paulette Schneider, takes us behind the scenes at a training exercise for the Mt. Rose Ski Patrol team, as their K9's Carmen and Baucus hone their cold-weather scenting skills to find subjects hidden beneath the snow. When it comes to being buried in an avalanche, time is obviously of the essence, and there’s nothing as timely as a dog’s nose for saving the day. Join me as I observe a work day for these amazing dogs and their handlers!
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
Listeners, I hope you enjoyed this episode and learned something new about the amazing things dogs can do. If you did, please be sure to subscribe to this podcast and review it so that others can find it. We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! If you’d like to say hi or comment on this or any other episode, feel free to reach out at [email protected], or on social media @herobeside me. As always, thanks for listening, and be sure to give the canine hero beside you some extra love today.
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Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we're talking about HRD - human remains detection - canines, also known as cadaver dogs. I invite you to listen in on my conversation with two veteran K9 search and rescue volunteer dog handlers who partner with their HRD dogs to assist law enforcement in in finding missing persons who are thought to be deceased. Shelby Baran and Lori Wells both have a lot of experience in this discipline, and if you've never given much thought to this important task that dogs are so helpful with, allow us to introduce you to the world of the HRD K9!
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Listeners, on this Valentine's Day I celebrate my love for all of you by bringing you this short but sweet BONUS episode! Today I invite you to join my guest, Rafael Vazquez, as he walks down memory lane to tell us about his life as a circus performer. He grew up in a family whose connections to the circus stretch back to the 1800’s, and in his time as a performer he had a high bar act, was a clown, did trampoline and aerial performances, was an elephant trainer, had an act with chimpanzees, and, relevant to the purposes of this podcast, he and his wife had a very popular act with dogs, which was known as “Al’s Pals.” I hope you enjoy hearing about this intriguing canine career!
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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Listeners, in today's episode you'll hear from two former military dog handlers on what it takes to be a K9 service member in our Armed Forces, as well as what it takes to be a K9 handler. Dustin and Fidel walk us through what characteristics are required of a military K9, their training regimen, their day-to-day, and the bond between them and their handlers. Tune in and gain a new appreciation for these special partnerships that work tirelessly to defend our nation's freedoms and interests.
If you're looking for dog training services or expertise, check out North County Canine Training for info.
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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When you ask little kids what they want to be when they grow up, how often do you hear the answer “fireman!”? Did any of you listening to this episode want to be a firefighter when you were a kid? Firefighters are society’s heroes…their job requires running toward danger in order to keep others safe. Saving lives, saving homes, saving cats stranded in trees…”saving” is what they do best. But who comes to save them when the burdens they bear after responding to one too many traumatic calls becomes too much? Who takes care of those who take care of all of us?
In this episode, we explore how one fire station in Southern California found a solution to his problem in the form of a therapy dog named Yara. With the blessing of their city's management and the help of dog trainer Sonny Madsen of K9 Caring Angels, this fire station adopted Yara to be their facility dog, to provide solace, comfort, joy and, as a result, ongoing anonymous therapy to first responders experiencing trauma on a regular basis. Listen in, as this heartwarming story is sure to bring you inspiration and hope, and teach you something as well.
If you'd like more information about facility dogs, you can reach dog trainer and founder of K9 Caring Angels, Sonny Madsen, at [email protected], or Fire Captain Travis Timmins of Heartland Fire & Rescue in El Cajon, California at [email protected].
On this podcast, we seek to highlight the work being done by working dogs of all disciplines. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to it, rating it, leaving a positive review, and sharing with people you know who are interested in this topic. This show exists in support of its sister photography project on the same topic and of the same name. You can learn more about that by visiting www.herobeside.me.
We are currently trying to determine the future of this podcast and would love your feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey, and be sure to leave your email address so we can keep you updated! You can also reach out at [email protected] or on Instagram @herobesideme. Thanks for listening! Be sure to give the furry hero beside you some extra love today.
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