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Hi everyone, and thanks for joining me for this spotlight episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Today’s spotlight is on one of the gentle giants in the dog world. I love these dogs, and you really don’t see them very often, so when you do, it’s a special treat. Are you wondering who I am talking about? Well, it is the Irish Wolfhound! Irish Wolfhounds are shaggy, big, and gentle giants. I find them fascinating, so let’s go on a tour of the Irish wolfhound. An Irish wolfhound falls into the category of “sighthounds”. Sighthounds are hounds that have amazing sight […]
Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. On this episode, I am going to explore Addison’s disease in dogs, also known as hypoadrenocorticism. (hy-poa-d-reno-cor-ti-cism) Why? Well, lately I have had an increase in pet parents coming in looking for answers to their pet’s diagnosis of Addison’s disease. One person just the other day told me they were inheriting a dog that had been diagnosed with Addison’s disease. We talked a bit and I asked her if she had done some research and she said no. Well, I thought, that means this is […]
Well Is My Pet Fat? Don’t you just hate going to the vet, and the first thing they do is weigh your pet? The next thing is to be told their weight, and more than likely, the next part is that the vet thinks your pet needs to lose a certain amount of weight. Of course, some people have a great exercise program with their pets, and weight isn’t an issue, but many of us are the opposite. So how do you know if your pet is overweight or obese? Or maybe they just need to lose a few pounds. […]
Hi everyone and thanks for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. On this episode I want to explore something that has been happening in the veterinary world that to be honest, I’m not too sure about. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to veterinary care for my pets, I want to be able to see the vet that I have established a relationship with and the one that I know isn’t recommending unnecessary tests or procedures or is basically upselling me. Sounds reasonable? Well of late, many vet clinics have sold to veterinary corporations. […]
Introduction Hi everyone and thanks for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well we are in full summer swing and with all the heat waves we have had and turbulent weather I can’t help but think about summer safety for our pets. There are many things we have to think about to keep our pets safe and happy throughout the summer. We have to think about keeping them cool in hot weather, dealing with cuts and scrapes, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes and other bug bites. We have to be sure our dogs are safe in the water with […]
Hi everyone and thanks for joining me on this spotlight episode of Val Talk’s Pets. One of the breeds of dog that I have heard increase in popularity over the last little while is the German shorthaired pointer or what people are referring to as GSP’s. I remember when only a handful of particular people had heard of the GSP but now it seems like every week I hear that someone has a GSP. So, let’s take a little journey into the German shorthaired pointer. The German shorthaired pointer is defined as a medium sized dog, but I’m a little […]
Hi everyone and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. After my last episode’s interview with animal communicator Joan Ranquet, I was thinking more about animal communication and how do animals communicate with us. When you think about it, they communicate with us on a daily basis. How else would we know if they wanted out, were hungry, wanted to play, were down or in pain? Obviously our animals are communicating with us in a way they know they will get their desire across to us. According to scienceabc.com, “There are many ways that animals […]
Joan’s hands-on animal communication and energy healing processes troubleshoot behavioral and medical issues, stimulate healing (in conjunction with conventional treatment), and deepen her clients’ abilities to care for and understand their animals. Joan believes the capacity to attune to animals and work with them energetically is not a gift for a select few, but an innate ability we can all access with guidance. She teaches down-to-earth skills that enable her students to communicate consistently and confidently with animals. Clients include hundreds of thousands of animal guardians, animal trainers, barn managers, veterinarians, sanctuaries, wildlife, rehab, and therapeutic riding centers, as well […]
Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Last episode I talked about Animals in Arts and the TV animal stars that generations had known and loved. It was super fun revisiting some stars like Rin Tin Tin, Flipper, Skippy and of course Lassie. But, as we know, the amount of animals in the movies are extensive. Rin Tin Tin for example, had his own TV show, but started out in the movies. Lassie also had movies, so there was quite a cross-over as several animal stars went from film to TV. In […]
The following images are not those of the actual tv pets, but are representations of their breeds. Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Last episode I talked about how intelligent our pets are. When thinking about the amazing intelligence of service dogs for example, I started thinking about other roles that animals play. And if that isn’t a hint, I thought about animals in the arts, like television and movies. There are actually a lot of animal movies where a particular animal is the feature of the film. But, I thought […]
Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this episode I’d like to begin by asking some questions. Have you ever wondered if your pet knows that you love them? Do you ever wonder how much they understand what we are saying? Are they trying to communicate with us? So let’s find out how intelligent are our pets. These questions all lead to what many pet parents wonder, do dogs and cats have cognitive understanding? According to apa.org, leading canine researcher Stanley Coren, PHD of the University of British Columbia, “reviewed numerous […]
That’s it for gross pictures. For the rest of this article they only be cute pics of cats and dogs. I promise! Hi everyone and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Pet owners are a different breed. A real lover of pets will put up with paw prints on the floor, hair and fur everywhere, drool, puke, cat litter tracked around, things getting broken, you name it. But, we love them with their gross habits and all. Sooo talking about gross habits, sometimes our animals do things that the average non-pet person would really […]
Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me on this spotlight episode of Val Talk’s Pets. The other day I realized how often someone tells me they have an American Bully. I wondered, what exactly is that? Is it an American Bulldog and this is the shortened nickname? Or is it something else? Well let’s take a look at the American Bully and see what we can learn. We might as well start with the definition of the American Bully. According to Wikipedia, “the American Bully is a modern breed of dog that was developed as a companion dog.” There […]
Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well spring is around the corner. I know it sure doesn’t look like it here in Southern Ontario, Canada, but it will be soon and for many areas spring has already sprung. Lucky ducks!! Spring Is Here? With spring comes some great things we can finally do with our pets, like get outside more and go for walks without the challenges of snow banks, salty streets and icy surfaces. Along with this wonderful time of warmer weather and trees and plants coming into bloom, we […]
Hi everyone, and thanks for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Last episode I talked about the vet crisis shortage in Canada. Getting into the vet right now has become challenging with reduced hours in many clinics and the increase of clients. For this reason it has become even more important for pet parents to become proactive with preventative care with our pets. I’m going to explore what preventive care entails for our pets and hopefully we can avoid some unwanted visits. Let’s begin by assuming that your pet has been to a vet within a reasonable […]
Hi everyone and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well we all know that our veterinarians are a vital part of our pet’s health. Sometimes we never need to see the vet more than once a year or even longer in some cases. Sometimes we find ourselves at the vet office on a regular basis when we have a pet with an issue that needs routine monitoring or care. Either way having our pets registered as a patient at a vet office is important because just like us, we don’t want to be scrambling […]
Hello everyone and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets.On the last episode I spotlighted the Schapendoes breed of dog, and hinted that this episode would be related, and it is. So let’s expanded our knowledge as we hear from CKC registered Schapendoes breeder from SchapAnnRo Kennels Anne Harvey, whose experience with this wonderful dog spans over 18 years. Thanks for listening, and I really hope everyone learned as much about Schapendoes as I did. What a wonderful breed! I really appreciated listening to Anne’s experience and how candid she was about the journey breeders […]
Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me on this spotlight episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this spotlight, I am going to take you through a breed I bet not everyone has heard of, and that is the Schapendoes. A Schapendoes is actually a shaggy sheepdog originating in Holland and they are super cute. Obviously as a sheepdog, the Schapendoes is a herding dog and was used as a general farm dog. The Shapendoes were very versatile, lending themselves to whatever work was needed. As many of our older breeds, the Schapendoes also faced near extinction during World War […]
Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me on this first episode of 2023. Another year has flown by and when I think of all the topics we have discussed it really is mind boggling to think of all things that are important and interesting to pet enthusiasts. As a new year brings forth a look back at the past and a look forward to new things, I thought that maybe I can take a look back at some of the pet questions and issues that this past year’s pet parents have presented to me. Many conversations can last up […]
Welcome everyone and thanks for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well Christmas celebrations are right around the corner and in my last episode I went over the great gift ideas we can get for our pets, because as we all know, they are a part of the family. But, we do have to be very careful this time of year as there are so many things going on and our pets can get in to trouble. The last thing you need is an emergency trip to the vet on Christmas Day or special holiday. For this […]
Hi everyone, and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well it won’t be long before Santa Paws makes his rounds, so that means we have to be prepared for our furry family members to have what they need for a great Christmas holiday. It can be a bit confusing when trying to sort through all the great Christmas products for pets, so let me go through some ideas to consider for your cat or dog’s holiday fun. Quite often pet parents look for something to put in their pet’s stocking. Yes, most of us […]
Hi everyone and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this episode I thought I would take a look at a subject that many pet parents deal with on a day-to-day basis and that is…bad breath, not theirs but their pets’. I hear on a regular basis, “my dog’s breath is so bad, or my cat has pretty bad breath”, what can I do? Well pet bad breath is actually pretty common, but it is a sign of a deeper issue and I think we should delve deeper into this common affliction because there […]
Hi everyone and thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Today I have with me one of my favourite people and member of the National Service Dog family. I met Kat Anderson a few years ago when I partnered with National Service Dogs for fundraising and found that a working service dog was inmy area from NSD. Kat’s son Atlas is on the autism spectrum, and they had a service dog named Harris who is a yellow lab. Kat’s family’s story with NSD and Harris is quite something and I will let her fill everyone […]
Hello everyone and welcome to this reprised Halloween episode of Cats – Lore and Legend. Black cats are synonymous with Halloween as they arch their backs and pose in front of ethereal moons, cats of all kinds are the quintessential icon for Halloween. With this night of ghouls and goblins right around the corner I thought we could explore again the lore and legends that surround cats. So, puton your witch’s hat and grab a steamy drink from your cauldron and sit back to explore cat’s lore and legends. Welcome Welcome to this spooky Halloween episode of Val Talk’s Pets. […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this episode I thought we would explore what to do after our pet has had surgery or a wound. Sometimes our pets have routine procedures like spaying or neutering and sometimes they end up with some very serious surgeries or boo boo’s. I find that pet parents are often looking for solutions to help their pets feel more comfortable after surgery and also to protect surgical sites from licking or biting. So, let’s explore what to do when our pets have had surgery or have a wound. Ask […]
Hi everyone, welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. So, we are now moving into fall, and I have had a lot of pet parents asking about things they can do to help their pet with symptoms of seasonal fall allergies. Now, this past spring, I interviewed Joanne Carr from Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals about this exact issue as it related to spring allergies. So, is there a difference between spring and fall allergies? And what can we do? Well as usual, let’s go exploring. Food or Environmental Spring and summer allergies are quite common as we deal with snow […]
Hi everyone. Thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this episode I’m going to talk about one of our most popular small animal friends, and that is rabbits. Rabbits are a great pet for many families, single pet, seniors and for multiple pet households, so that means, pretty much everyone! Domestic rabbits are cuddly, fun and trainable. So, let’s take a look at the rabbit as a pet. Longevity Pet rabbits can easily live up to 8 years with many living up to 12 years. In the scheme of so-called starter pets, rabbits […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this spotlight episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this spotlight, I’m going to highlight a breed of dog that I think is being very misused and not appreciated for who they are. This is the poodle. The unbelievable doodle trend and “oodle” for every cross breed you can think of, really has me shaking my head. I don’t understand why everything has to be crossed with a poodle? What is wrong with a poodle? Well I think there is nothing wrong with a poodle, so let’s explore poodles and then talk a bit more about […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this episode, I’m going to stick with our feline friends again and talk specifically about nutrition and food for our cats. Throughout many of my episodes on cats I’ve addressed how cats get often painted as fussy and finicky and picky. Are they? Is there a reason? Well let’s go through some of the food issues and nutritional requirements for cats and kittens and if you are new to feline parenthood I hope you can pick up some good tips to make sure you have a healthy and […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. It’s time to get back to our feline friends so in this episode I’m going to try and make sense of…are you ready…cat litter! You would think that cat litter would be a simple product that you just fill up the litter box with and away you go. Well you would be surprised how many people have cat litter questions. We get questions often asking for a dust free litter, or one that clumps better or litter that doesn’t clump and even what litter can I flush down the […]
Hi everyone, welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this episode, let’s talk collars! Getting the right collar for your dog can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. So, let me go through the various types of collars and their use and see if I can’t make things a bit easier when you go collar shopping. Let’s start with puppies. Often a new pet parent will come in with a tiny new puppy and they want to get a collar. My number one suggestion is to just get something cheap and cheerful because they are just […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. So, this is an episode that I knew was coming but I just didn’t know when. In early 2020, the world was plunged into a Pandemic and we were all faced with lockdowns, remote learning for schools, closures of businesses, restaurants, and job loss as well as a new working from home schedule. The working from home, created a huge exponential rise of dog and cat adoptions as people were home and thought this would be a good time to get a puppy or kitten. The highest adoptions was […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. On this episode I am going to explore how some breeds of dogs have been altered in physical appearance or temperament over time. What some breeds originally looked like and what they look like now from breeding modification, is quite significant. Why do they fool around with a dog’s genes? Are these aesthetic changes really necessary and do they present health issues? Well let’s go exploring. I’d like to start with the German shepherd. Have you noticed that many German shepherds have that slant in the back end so […]
Hi everyone, and welcome as always to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. So, one of the issues I have seen a bit on the rise is an interesting one, considering in topics past I’ve talked a fair bit about getting new puppies and how to avoid the pitfalls when looking for a new puppy and the food and toys etc. But, we can’t forget that many people have pets already and many of those cats and dogs are becoming senior. So, I thought it would be a good idea to have a look at how we can manage our […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well we are launching into summer and I hope you accessed my episode on summer safety and tips. So, to take things a bit further I thought I would go over some of the toys and treats that we can get for our pets, dogs in particular in this episode to make them have a happy and fun summer. Not every dog is a swimming dog so we have to think of ways to let them have fun on the shore or from the pool deck or from under […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well it is finally getting to some nice weather and where I am, spring has been a slow start. But, summer is around the corner, so I thought I would go over some summer tips and things to think about. I do have an episode on summer safety so please access that for full summer safety practices. As well we know it is flea and tick season, so please access my episode on fleas, ticks and worms oh my! But, in the meantime, let’s take a look at some […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this spotlight episode of Val Talk’s Pets. So, I have chosen a cat breed for this spotlight episode and I have a reason for choosing this one. Many years ago, I was involved in some specific events with my local SPCA. I was at the shelter and I went into the cat room just to look at the cats. There was this little cat, beautiful white and sort of caramel colour, super cute, but it looked like her ears had been bent over. I asked at the counter about the cat’s ears and they just […]
In this episode I once again have the pleasure of speaking with Joanne Carr, R.H.N, B.A., of Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals. Joanne is a bilingual Registered Holistic Nutritionist with 15 years experience in the holistic health field. She lectures extensively at natural health product seminars for retailers and consumers across Canada. Joanne also Contributes to natural health publications such as Vista, Alive and Healthy Directions. She is the Director of OASIS (Education Division) at Omega Alpha, supporting all 3 product divisions (Human, pet & equine). Joanne and I will be discussing pet allergies and how to avoid/deal with them. For more […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. So, many of my listeners are seasoned pet owners or experiencing having a pet for the first time. But, there are many people out there that are in that place where they are wondering if getting a pet is something they may want to do. People with children wonder if it is a good time to get a pet or when is it a good time to get a pet? Senior’s often wish for companionship and wonder if pet ownership is for them. There are many reasons for why […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this very special 50th episode! That’s right, this is my 50th episode and in the scheme of things that is a drop in the bucket but when I look back, that’s a lot of episodes! So, for this episode, I’m going to highlight some of my favourite topics and interviews and some best lines, in my opinion of the last 50 episodes. One of my first episodes was on getting a new puppy. In this episode I was able to go through the basics when choosing type of dog and even more important where to […]
Hello everyone and welcome to this spotlight episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In these spotlight episodes I like to highlight a breed of dog or cat and talk about their history, personality etc. I really enjoy looking at the different breeds of dogs and cats and looking at their special traits. So, on this episode I am going to talk about a breed that is close to my heart because I had one of these dogs and he was wonderful. So with some of my own experience thrown in let’s talk about the Rottweiler. Many, many years ago, I shudder […]
Belinda Smith is a Sales Representative for Horizon Pet Nutrition, working in Western Ontario and the Maritime Region in Canada. Belinda has extensive experience in the pet industry, beginning when she was only 15 years of age. She has worked in all areas of the industry and is a parent to all kinds of pets, and gives her heart and knowledge to those with special needs and attention. In this episode, Belinda will take a look at common ingredients found in pet food, and provide her opinion on their nutrition value. For more information on Horizon Pet Nutrition, please visit […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well this episode is one that has caused controversy, mayhem with dog’s diets, and basically left many pet owners very confused as to what to feed their dogs. I am talking about DCM, Dilated Cardiomyopathy. If you haven’t heard of this yet, well maybe that means the panic and knee jerk reactions have settled down, or it just hasn’t reached your ears as of yet. So, I’m going to try and wade through this miasma of misinformation, look at some peer reviewed papers and see if I can’t help […]
Hello everyone and welcome to this first episode of 2022. I hope everyone is staying safe and smart and all our furry friends and family members are also well and happy. Unfortunately I do have a sad update to share. On December 15th my little orange cat Esme lost her battle with a strange cancer she had in her nasal passage. She had been fighting with this cancer for about 2 years along with her stage 3 renal condition. I had mentioned several times how I had been quite successful keeping her renal situation under control for 2 years using […]
Welcome everyone to this special Christmas Eve episode of Val Talk’s Pets. As many get ready for the festivities to come and Santa Paws is going to be making his rounds, I thought when we think of Christmas, what breed of dog springs to mind. I’ve noticed that a lot of yellow labs and golden retrievers seem to be on Christmas cards and advertisements, so I think they seem to be a constant representation of Christmas. But, I also thought of another breed that I think captures a lot of the Christmas spirit and that is the Siberian husky. When […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well it is that time of year when holidays are upon us, whether you are celebrating Hanukkah or Christmas, our pets are usually included in all the festivities. Our pets are part of the family, so just about every pet owner I know has their pet’s Christmas stocking hanging up to be filled by Santa Paws. Special occasions like Christmas can add a whole other dimension to our pet care and management. And I’m sure that many of the tips and suggestions I will be making for holiday preparedness […]
Hello everyone and welcome to this spotlight episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this spotlight episode I thought I would have a look at the gentle giant of the cat world. Who would this be? Any guesses? How about the Maine Coon. So if you are not familiar with a Maine Coon, one distinct feature is they are big. They can easily be 30 to 40 inches long and weigh 9 – 18 pounds and they do originally hail from Maine USA. Male Maine Coons are larger than the females, and both have lovely coats that are silky, smooth and […]
Welcome to this special episode of Val Talk’s Pets. On this episode I’m very excited to have a return guest, Danielle Forbes, co-founder and Executive Director of National Service Dogs. We’ve just marked Remembrance Day in Canada and around the world countries are honouring and remembering their veterans and military service members. With this commitment, many military members have left service with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and others are still serving while managing this condition. As well, first responders are not immune as members of the first responder community have also been diagnosed with PTSD. Danielle has joined me to walk […]
Welcome to this spooky Halloween episode of Val Talk’s Pets. It’s almost Halloween and what goes with Halloween but ghouls, witches and cats!! How on earth did cats particularly black cats get associated with Halloween? Well let’s crawl onto a broomstick and swoosh into the folklore surrounding cats. Let’s start with Celtic folklore. In Celtic lore there are magical cats. The magical cats are called the cait sidhe (pronounced caught shee). The cait sidhe translates to “fairy cat”. The cait sidhe are special cats that are witches, fairies or spirit-type creatures that take on cat form. They are described as […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to another spotlight episode. On this spotlight I thought I would look at one of the breeds of cats that I hear fairly often that people have or are looking for. And that is the Ragdoll cat. The Ragdoll is a very pretty cat and to be honest I’ve only seen actual Ragdoll cats at a pet expo where the cat fanciers had a section. They are very striking looking cats with their blue eyes and semi-long silky hair. I guess one of the first questions to address is why are these cats called Ragdolls? They […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Have you ever had a situation with your pet where they are doing something like acting in pain, or they are eating grass or you know they have just ingested a large amount of something they shouldn’t? It is such a horrible feeling for a pet parent when something is happening and you just do not know what to do. And I’m focusing here on the scenario where your vet is closed, it’s off hours and you are not sure if you should try and get to an emergency […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this spotlight episode on Val Talk’s Pets. In this spotlight episode I’ve chosen to highlight one of my favourite breeds of dogs, and no I’ve never actually had one, but I love them and they are the West Highland White Terriers or Westies. Westies are so cute and rugged wee things. I’m sure all my Scottish friends just loved Wee Jock from the TV series Hamish MacBeth, or in the comic Oor Wullie, his wee dug, Harry! The westie is quintessentially Scotland, so let’s have a wee look at the West Highland White Terrier. The […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. As we all know, things are a bit different right now, and our time off and vacation plans are also quite different. Many people are travelling within their own area or their own country and this actually opens up a type of travel that many people have not done before and that is travelling with your pet. We still have quite a bit of very nice weather to get out and about in, so the idea of going on a road trip or camping or visiting friends or family […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. This is a super exciting episode because my guest today is Dr. Rob Hillerby from Caledon Mountain Veterinary Hospital in Caledon Ontario Canada. It’s a busy life for most veterinarians and they are relied upon so greatly by pet parents. In the human world there are specialists for just about every condition but vets have to be able to diagnose within a vast array of ailments and conditions our pets can have. Plus, they are the ones we go to for maintenance with checkups and vaccinations. They really do, […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to the first of a new spotlight on different breeds of cats and dogs. Every few episodes I’m going to spotlight a type of cat or dog and explore some of their history and traits and maybe answer some questions you may have about these furry, or in some cases not, so furry companions. And I would love if any listeners could visit the website for suggestions for cat breeds or with some stories to relate about owning a certain breed. So, I’m going to kick off this spotlight with a cat that I have seen […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well the puppy craze continues and many, many people are getting a puppy for the first time or getting a puppy after many years without a dog and some are adding to their canine family. With these new pups coming into the family we are finding quite a few questions that are cropping up and there are certain ones that are asked more than others. Now, not all new canine friends are pups. Some people have gone to great lengths to adopt a dog from a rescue or shelter […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well it’s that time ofyear again when the weather is warm or hot and our pets are spending a lot moretime outside, going on hikes, visiting parks or lying in the grass or dirt as the casemay be. We have had a rise in questions about fleas and ticks which isunderstandable this time of year and also about bug repellant.A question about bug repellant for pets is a really good one. Our pets getpestered by pests just the same as we do and you can see them doing thatannoyed […]
Kissable K9 Care Does your cat or dog have bad breath, but you find that maintaining their dental hygiene through teeth cleaning and regular check-ups is cost prohibitive. Well, I may have a solution for you! Or at least Jill Thompson has. On this episode I chat with Jill who is the owner of Kissable K9 Care. Kissable K9 Care is a successful and affordable cosmetic teeth cleaning service that includes brushing and scaling above the gum line with the use of hand instruments to gently remove tartar. Jill talks in-depth about this service and how it is designed to […]
Hello everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well the weather has finally changed and it’s time to talk about summer safety and summer activities with our pets. There are definitely some summer do’s and don’ts for pets and some equipment that you might want to have on hand for activities and hot days. Cats Let’s start with cats. Many cats are indoor cats that do not go outside. When the temperature outside really soars it is best to keep your indoor cat in a cool air conditioned environment. Cats will sometimes bath in the sun and […]
About Wendie Patrick Wendie is a Biochemic, a Quantum Practitioner, the host of Quantumly Yours podcast, and is the Founder of Dogs of Pride and the holistic health brand Finnessiam. From a lifelong passion for animals and more recently a revelation in her own health, Wendie has committed herself to sharing her energy, skills, knowledge and experiences to give everyone, two and four legged, a better and alternative solution to feeling and being better.Wendie offers help with nutrition (people and pets), energy healing through Quantum Touch (people) and Animal Reiki. Real Tissue Salts (functional nutrition) and testing for deficiencies, allergies, […]
About Theresa Gilligan Theresa has been riding and training horses for over 25 years. She has a special affinity for thoroughbreds and their rehabilitation. Theresa is the owner of Neachai Equine Ayurveda, and is certified in Ayurvedic medicine and currently enrolled in the Ayurveda doctorate program. She is also a certified Animal Neuro Myofascial Practitioner and practices Cranial Osteopathy. Theresa travels throughout North America advocating for and treating horses, humans and dogs through the practice of Ayurveda. Ayurveda According to Ayurveda, there are three primary forces or biological humors in the body called ‘Doshas’. The Doshas bind together the five […]
Hello everyone and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. So, in keeping with my series on natural alternatives and complementary care for our pets, I’d like to explore the different types of treatments that we can get for our pets to help with their overall health but more specifically when they need that extra care. As humans we can venture off for a massage, or to the chiropractor or have a Reiki session or see a naturopath or homeopath etc. etc. But, I wonder how many people know that many of these type of treatments or modalities are […]
In this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with Joanne Carr, R.H.N, B.A., of Omega Alpha Pharmaceuticals. Joanne is a bilingual Registered Holistic Nutritionist with 15 years experience in the holistic health field. She lectures extensively at natural health product seminars for retailers and consumers across Canada. Joanne also Contributes to natural health publications such as Vista, Alive and Healthy Directions. She is the Director of OASIS (Education Division) at Omega Alpha, supporting all 3 product divisions (Human, pet & equine).Joanne and I discuss natural supplements for our pets and how they can enhance their well being. For more […]
Hello everyone, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this episode, I am going to look into the world of alternative and complementary supplements for our pets. Just like humans, dogs, cats and small animals, suffer often from very similar maladies. From itchy dry skin, to reactions to food, to anxiety, to weakened bladder function, to senior on set issues, to aches and pains from over exertion or getting old, our pets can suffer just the same as we do. As humans, we look to something that will help alleviate the pain, manage pain, and possibly get […]
In this episode, I explore the world of cat breeding, with Himalayan cat breeder Diane Simpson. With Diane’s expertise we learn all that it entails, from, quite literally, inception to purchasing and bringing kitty home. So regardless of breed, if you are thinking of purchasing a pedigree cat, or have recently purchased one, then this is the show for you! Support The Show For the price of a coffee, or more if you are feeling generous, you can help keep this podcast going & growing. Please visit my ko-fi page to make a donation. Thanks for all your support! Please remember to […]
Hi everyone and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. So I thought with this episode I would address some of the frequently asked questions I get about cats. Some of the questions are covered in Cat and Kitten care and Cats mysterious behaviour, but it’s always good to go over things again and see if I can’t take things from a different perspective. As you know, I love cats and I’ve always had a cat since my very first cat made her way into our home when I was about 9 years old. All my cats have been […]
In This Episode I have the pleasure of chatting with Danielle Forbes, The Co-Founder and Executive Director of National Service Dogs (NSD) here in Canada. During our conversation, we talk about the inception of NSD, it’s programs, it’s challenges and rewards, and of course those very special dogs and people who change the lives of so many in our communities. The following is taken, with permission, from the website of National Service Dogs. Please visit their website for more information on the organization, and what you can do to help. About National Service Dogs Our vision is to be Canada’s premiere service […]
In This Episode I have the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Ridley, whose son is a recipient of an Autism Response Dog, called Beaumont. So, please join me as Stephanie reveals the incredible role Beaumont plays not only in the life of her son Ewan, but in that of her family too. We’ll also gain insight into the training this wonderful dog went through, as well as some of the obstacles faced when out and about in public. At the end of it all, this is a story of a boy, his dog, and the life adventure that they have both […]
Hello everyone and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. This episode is one that I have wanted to do for quite some time and I’ve got some great interviews lined up for this topic that I know you will just love listening to. So the topic of this episode is about animals, dogs primarily, that serve humans in specific capacities. Service dogs, emotional support dogs, therapy dogs are categories of dogs that serve people to live a better life or to cope with difficulties that makes day to day living challenging. I don’t know about you, but there seems to […]
Hello and Happy New Year. Welcome to this first episode of 2021. What a year 2020 has been and although the challenges have been very real, one of the great positives have been the consistent following of Val Talk’s Pets, from all over the world. So before I launch into the topic for this episode, I really do invite my listeners to visit the website and put forth topics that you would like to hear about or have some insight into that I can share with our community of listeners. So, thanks so much for your support of Val Talk’s […]
Hello and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well I have noticed that I get quite a few questions about my dog. When I have him with me, people are very curious about what kind of dog he is and it takes only a quick statement that he almost died twice, and people want the whole story. His story was actually so intriguing that I was asked to write his story as an article for the Pet Valu Companion magazine Spring/Summer issue in 2019. It was called, Tundra’s Story, the fate of a soul. It is quite a story and […]
Hello and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. So with this episode, I’m going to discuss puppy mills more specifically and tie this in to the exponential rise of puppy and dog purchases that has been going on over the past several months. I also want to discuss the other types of puppy sellers that may not be puppy mills in the traditional sense but let’s see what you think. In Designer Dogs part 1 and 2 I talked about puppy mills with regards to the rise of crossbreeding and how creating designer dogs has in so many […]
Hello and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. So, Remembrance Day has passed recently here in Canada and similar events around the world so it got my thinking about the role of animals in conflict. My humane society for the third year has been offering pins for sale that commemorate animals in war. The first year the metal ribbon had a dog on it and the second year it had a horse and this year it has a pigeon. I was able to get the one with a dog two years ago. I love this pin and that […]
Hello and welcome to Val Talk’s Pets. Well this post is not an episode. It is an appeal. I’d like to make an appeal directly for the Iqaluit Humane Society. In northern Canada the city of Iqaluit in the territory of Nunavut is up against a very serious timeline. They have a very small shelter that is the size of a bachelor apartment and serves the fly in communities. They are the only game in town. Well, by spring if they cannot raise money to expand their shelter and bring in supplies they will have to close. On any given […]
Hello and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Throughout the year we have many special holidays and events where our pets are a part of the festivities. Christmas and Halloween really come to mind. And with this, we have to think about our pet’s safety. When we have a new puppy or kitten in the house, we have to think about puppy safe-ing, kitten safe-ing our homes. We also have to think about our pets in the event of an emergency, like a weather event or fire. All of these things lead to us as pet parents to […]
Hello and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. This episode is part 2 of my delving into the world of crossbreeding and designer dogs. In part one I went over how the designer dog breed world began and discussed some of the concerning issues with regards to crossbreeding and designer dogs. My intent with both of these episodes is to create awareness and education. When it comes to designer dogs there is so many misunderstandings and a lot of misinformation. There are also a lot of disreputable people getting very rich. The expansion of puppy mills and the […]
Hello, and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Well I think it is time to address a topic that can be very controversial that I’m sure will have some people rather miffed or down right angry, some will be giving me the major high five and for me I will be able to deal with a super important topic that really, really needs to be explored and exposed and where education is desperately needed. Hopefully I have your attention now, because this episode is about cross breeding and designer dogs. Let me first define what we are talking […]
Hello and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. This episode is all about keeping our furry friends clean and presentable. And I’m super excited to include an awesome interview with professional groomer Christine Santon of The Spaw Grooming Salon. All pet owners know that if you want a pristine house that is free of cat or dog hair, paw prints, litter odour, shavings odour, pet ownership is just not for you. All of our furniture is covered with pet throw covers and there is a towel on the bed, there are pet beds strategically placed and there is […]
Hello and welcome to this episode of Val Talks Pets. In this episode, I am going to address the huge labyrinth of treats for pets. We love to give our pets treats to reward good behavior, to help train, to satisfy our own desire to give them something special, and to just plain enjoy their excitement and their little, and. big faces when they are offered a treat. There are treats for dogs, cats, small animals in all different sizes, shapes, flavors, textures, you name it. There are puppy treats, training treats, Senior treats, chewy treats, crunchy treats, it is […]
Welcome to this episode of valid talks pets. In this episode, I’m going to discuss one of the hardest parts of pet Parenthood. And that is when our pet passes away. Sometimes we get our pets as puppies or kittens or young small animals, and we’ve had them for their entire lives. That could easily be 15 to 20 years depending. That is a long relationship and when that pet has to come to the end of its life journey, it is extremely hard to adjust to not having their little faces, or big faces as the case may be, […]
Welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets! This episode is dedicated to those wonderful, funny, mysterious and sometimes frustrating cats. As you know, I love cats. And so do a lot of other people! In Canada 57% of households own a pet. 37% of these households own one or more cats. Overall, Canada is home to approximately 5.9 million dogs and 7.9 million cats. In the United States, cats ranked second with around 42.7 million out of 63 million households with pets. In the United Kingdom, 24% of adults have a cat, with an estimated cat population of 10.9 […]
Hello and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In this episode I thought I would address some of the questions I get asked on a fairly regular basis about all kinds of topics to do with pets. Daily we give advice as best we can and hopefully educate pet owners as they look at food, treats, toys, etc. Walking into a pet specialty store can be quite daunting if you are new to pet ownership or if it has been a while since you have had a pet. Just like everything else, the pet industry evolves with research […]
Hello and welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. This episode is all about how to become a pet parent and how to avoid some of the pitfalls. It always interests me how people acquire their pets. The stories range widely from some that break your heart to some that to be honest have me shake my head. As for me I’ve had a few dogs in my time. The very first dog in my family growing up was already a member of the household when I was born. My father found a stray dog running down the middle […]
Welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. In one of my past Podcasts, I went over getting a new puppy and what to expect. So, I thought that I would take this episode to delve deeper into a very important part of getting a puppy, and that is spaying and neutering. I talked previously about the things a new owner would need for a puppy. In my Podcast called “Did you get a new puppy?” I discussed a fair few of the expenses that a new owner needs to prepare for. One of those expenses I mentioned was spaying […]
Welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Today’s episode is about little furry companions. Referred to as small animal pets, let’s talk about the little creatures that have become a part of many households. Small animal pets are usually rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats, ferrets, hedgehogs, chinchillas and gerbils but I have to admit that gerbils seems to have gone by the wayside as I really can’t remember anyone telling me in the last few years that they have a gerbil. We still carry supplies for them but food for example will be for hamsters and gerbils. Small animal […]
Hello and welcome to today’s episode of Val Talk’s Pets. Today’s episode is all about cats and kittens. I just love cats and everyone knows how cute kittens can be. I got my first cat when I was about 9 or ten. My sister found a little black and white kitten that had the markings of a Holstein cow. She found it wondering when she was going to school or coming back from school. We estimate it was probably about 7 weeks of age and how it ended up wondering on its own is a mystery. My Mum without hesitation […]
Hi everyone, and welcome to Val Talk’s Pets, the forum for pet parents and enthusiasts alike. So, I have been working in the pet industry for almost 10 years now and I hope to deal with a lot of the issues and questions that arise as I deal with pet parents on a day to day basis. I am not a veterinarian, but I do have certifications in Canine, Feline, Small Animal, Fish and Herptile and Avian Health and Nutrition from the University of California, Davis Extension, the Vet College. So I thought we could talk about the rapidly growing […]
Welcome to this episode of Val Talk’s Pets. It’s that time of year when we need to address fleas, ticks, worms and other parasites and nasty things dogs and cats can get. I have been exceptionally lucky in that not one of my pets since I left the big city more than twenty years ago, has ever had fleas. And I can’t say that I’ve been particularly proactive in the past with flea prevention. Again, as I said, I’ve been very lucky. But, times are changing with regards to climate and that has a lot to do with the flea […]
On today’s episode I am going to tackle and address puppies! Specifically getting a new puppy. The best part of our day is when a new puppy comes into the store and they look around at all the wonderful things and all the smells that are so new and enticing. Sometimes they are little puppies held in arms and sometimes they come in on leashes ready to tackle whatever is new. How people get their new puppy is a whole other topic and I am going to reserve a more in depth podcast to looking for a puppy from reputable […]
FULL EPSODES COMING MAY 1st, 2020 For the price of a coffee, or more if you are feeling generous, you can help keep this podcast going & growing. Please visit my ko-fi page to make a donation. Thanks for all your support! Please remember to follow or subscribe to ensure that you never miss an episode. Please don’t forget to Rate and Review each episode that you find helpful/educational. By doing so you will help others find Val Talks Pets. Email me at: val@valtalkspets.com with topics you think would be of interest or with any questions you may have.Also, visit and be a part of my website at valtalkspets.com and help […]
