Bark Radio

An emaciated Pit Bull showed up at Amy Harmon’s house one day when she was leaving for work. Amy rescues Pugs not Pits. But this boy stole her heart. His name is Oliver now. Hear the details in this interview with Amy and John Sibley, Oliver’s new foster dad. And take a look at before and after videos of Oliver. Like another amazing Pit, Ceasar, this wonderful dog came back from the cruelty of human beings … able to love and bond with others of the same species. Dogs rock!  Follow both Amy and John on Twitter.

What’s up, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals? Dogs and cats into rescue WITHOUT an adoption mechanism? In with no out? Wrong wrong wrong! But then after a deep breath, Terry and Dee move onto a happy tale, that of Baxter the therapy dog. Baxter started his career as a therapy dog late in life, so yes … you can teach an old dog new tricks. Fabulous story! Last but not least, a reminder of ways to get Fido out in the world during the long winter.

Happy first anniversary, Sparky!!

Terry and Dee welcome listeners to 2010 with a sneak peek at some of this year’s interviewees. Next, get ready, get set … spring is right around the corner. Does your dog need a quick obedience fix to prepare her for all those outings this spring? And finally, hear about Surrey’s experience with limp tail.

From all of us here at Bark Radio, a very Happy New Year. We’re taking a short break and will be back on the air in January.

Dee and Terry discuss the difference between therapy and service dogs. Hear why Dee considers therapy dog work the best volunteer gig ever. Interested in learning more? Join our Life’s Journey Therapy Dog group on Facebook. Need a trainer? Check out Dee’s website or go to APDT’s site to search for a positive dog trainer near you. Therapy dogs are registered, in the U.S., with one of these organizations: Delta Society, Therapy Dogs International, or Therapy Dogs Inc.

Denali & Baby Noah carting at Christmas

In the season’s final holiday special, Terry and Dee talk with bully breed advocate Mike Vermette, co-founder of Mike’s Dog House. Mike and Goldie do way more than rescue dogs. They educate. And they strive for optimal placement of their dogs through temperament testing, socialization, complete vetting, and best of all – matching the right dog with the right family. AND … they create new programs like Paws for Vets which will provide free service dogs to veterans. Mike’s vision is to partner pit bull service dogs with Vietnam era veterans – two misunderstood populations. This is a great conversation. Listen in and then give generously! Dee and Terry also caught up with Joanne Silverman from Fetch-A-Cure. FETCH was founded and run by those who have been faced with cancer and inevitable aging in their own pets. The organization focuses on issues of pet health,  specifically cancer and aging, and provides owners with the resources to recognize symptoms of early cancer. Through the establishment of their Companions in Crisis program, FETCH is working to provide financial aid to families unable to bear the high costs of cancer treatment and rehabilitation. Listen in and learn more!

Looking for inspiration this holiday season? Two women, two dogs, two amazing stories. Terry and Dee caught up with Desiree, the long distance trucker, whose story touched their hearts earlier in the year. Since that original interview in July, Desiree and her dog Karma have shared their story with nearly 5000 followers on Twitter and appeared on national TV. Desiree is an advocate for distance truckers and Karma is her constant companion. Follow them at twitter.com/TruckerDesiree. The second conversation on this holiday special is with Jamie Whitt, first interviewed by Bark Radio in May. Jamie is a hero. And Ceasar is the man! Well, actually Ceasar is dog. A big, beautiful Pit Bull with a face to melt your heart. When these two met, Ceasar had been thrown away – no longer useful as a bait dog in a Texas dog fighting ring. He had horrible injuries including a mangled front leg. Jamie rescued Ceasar. Jamie fell in love with the big lug. Ceasar had that mangled leg amputated, healed physically and emotionally, and earned his AKC Canine Good Citizen certification. What’s next on Ceasar’s agenda? Testing to become a therapy dog. Follow Jamie and Ceasar at http://twitter.com/WeblogofWeeds.

As Terry and Dee looked back on 2009, they realized they had met some extraordinary people and dogs this year. They picked a few out of the many to catch up with – for a series of three holiday specials. The journey down memory lane starts with a subject: canine cancer. How does a guy from Texas raise awareness of the disease that took one of his dogs, Malcom? If the guy is Luke Robinson, he sells his truck, stores his worldly possessions and sets out on a 2,000 mile walk from Austin to Boston … with his two Great Pyrenees, Murphy and Hudson. Bark Radio’s first interview with Luke and The Boys was in May of 2009. Since then there have been additional conversations, as well as face-to-furry-face meetings in Virginia and DC. And so, from Terry and Dee and their dogs: happy holidays to Luke, The Boys, Ginger, Erich, all the volunteers involved in Luke’s ground team, supporters of the walk, and everyone touched by cancer. Woofs & wags!

Bad things sometimes happen to good dogs. Terry and Dee discuss the Chesterfield, VA animal control officer who shot a 10-year-old Beagle – in front of the Beagle’s family. Here’s the online story. Have an opinion on this one? You can send an email to Chesterfield County Animal Control. Mr. Donald Rose is the officer’s supervisor.  Or call and speak your mind: 804.748.1683. From bad bad dog news, the co-hosts move on to a happier subject. Reviewing DogSport magazine, they learn about …. not yoga, but Doga. And finally, get the facts about canine cancer from the Morris Animal Foundation. Need a new tag for your poochie? A dollar from each of these goes to the MAF.

Bark Radio co-hosts Terry and Dee talk in today’s episode about programs that move animals from point A to point B and ultimately to forever homes. Check out Pilots n Paws. Theses great folks fly dogs all over the country. Bravo! Then there’s ground transport. Terry and his wife, Vickie, recently drove a leg of a ground transport for Catahoula Leopard Dog through the Rescue Railroad. That’s the beautiful pup, below. Last but not least: beware of products for your animals that are made in China!