Category: Tracie Hotchner

Brandon McMillan

How Smart is Your Mutt?

Brandon McMillan, star of the television show Lucky Dog, and author of the book Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days, recently contributed to an article about the smartest top 10 breeds of dogs. But have you ever wondered whether mutts are smarter than purebred dogs? Though the notion that “hybrid vigor,” or
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Dog Talk Radio

Happy Anniversary from DOG TALK (and Kitties, Too!) As It Reaches Its 500th Show!

This past weekend the 500th show of Dog Talk (and Kitties Too!) aired on Peconic Public Broadcasting – over 9 years of consecutive weekly shows celebrating the human-animal bond in all its permutations. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to interview authors, artists and experts on far-ranging topics, from advice and health information,
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Humane Society of the United States

Embracing #GivingTuesday

Today on my show Humane Talk I heard from Kim Alboum, the director of the Emergency Placement Partners program for the Humane Society of the United States. I wanted to know more about how she and HSUS were celebrating #GivingTuesday. This day is the ultimate antidote to the rampant consumerism of Black Friday, when everybody
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Julie McGuire Photography

Stray Gardens: Photographer Julie McGuire on Dog Talk

When British-born photographer Julie McGuire moved to India 11 years ago, she was shocked to find some 250,000 stray dogs living on the streets of Bangalore. The melee of homeless hounds inspired her to focus on a long-term project documenting the roles of dogs in societies around the world. Her book, Hounds of Hope, is
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Bribe vs. Reward for your dog

Do You Have to Bribe Your Dog? Or Do You Reward Her?

There’s a general misunderstanding floating around about what “positive reinforcement” means in training, and the use of food rewards that often accompanies it. There are some “old fashioned” trainers who dismiss reward-based learning concepts as being “bribery” and think a dog should do what you want because he “wants to please you” or is obedient
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