Howdy, doggos and humans! I’m saying ‘howdy’ because I’m writing this article from the Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch in Colorado where I’ll be spending my third summer as an honorary ranch dog, and I’ll be explaining my recent appearance on the Dog Stories podcast.
My human dad, Traveling Food Dude, and I spent the last six weeks driving from Florida to Colorado and when we were in Salt Lake City, Utah, we took some time out of our day to be interviewed for this really cool podcast all about dogs! Our episode can be found where you listen to podcasts, including iHeartRadio, Spotify, and the Apple Store.
The podcast, called Dog Stories, was founded by Maria Bell who lives in the Toronto, Ontario area (I’ve been there) and co-host, Surane, who lives in Los Angeles, California (I’ve been there, too). Maria and Surane take turns interviewing dog owners around the world to share their stories about how dogs bring a positive impact to the lives of people around them. I actually had the chance to meet another dog, Parker the Snow Dog, and his owner that Maria interviewed last year. After Maria interviewed my dad about our story, I had the chance to ask her some questions about her story and the podcast. I wanted to share her answers with you here today:
Holland the Pup shares about her story on the Dog Stories podcast recently.
Holland the Pup: What prompted you to start the podcast?
Maria: I am a dog photographer that loves being out with dogs and their owners. I meet new people all the time but now that COVID has come along it’s been very hard. The podcast was a way for me to carry on meeting people and talking about their dogs AND I can connect with people all over the world which is so wonderful
Holland the Pup: How many dogs have you had in your lifetime?
Maria: Hmmmm…Misty, Minty, Farina, Waldo, Brazil, Luke, FiFi, Kiba, MegaTron and Lexi – 10!
Holland the Pup: How long have you had your current dog?
Maria: 11 years – she’s a Chihuahua named Lexi
Holland the Pup: How did you meet your co-host who’s based in Los Angeles?
Maria: I met him in Toronto at his dog’s 16th birthday party. I was the photographer for the occasion. Surane lives in LA but came home for the party. We became friends. Surane was thinking about starting a podcast for dogs and asked if we could collaborate on Dog Stories.
Holland the Pup: Why do you think dogs are so special?
Maria: That’s a question that I could write a book about but to sum it all up in a few words – they are quiet, gentle souls that ‘get’ what it means to be alive and connected.
Holland the Pup: Do you think there’s anything different about owning a dog in Canada versus owning a dog in the USA?
Maria: No not really. City and country dog owners are much the same in both countries. I believe North American laws/regulations regarding dog ownership are about the same in general
Holland the Pup: Do you have any advice for someone thinking about getting a dog?
Maria: Well to start rescuing a dog is such a wonderful way to include a dog in your life but I believe you need to do a lot of homework to understand what type/breed/energy level of dog is best for your lifestyle before you get a dog whether it’s a rescue or from a breeder. Having said that I know a lot of people who just ‘fell in love’ and things worked out beautifully.
Holland the Pup: Anything else we should know about your story or the podcast?
Maria: I love talking to people about their dogs so please send your friends my way. You are such an incredible dog – I am very happy to know you. Dog Stories made that possible.
So there you have it, folks. This is a really cool podcast that I think you should check out and if you have a great dog story to share maybe you, too, could be a guest on the podcast. Feel free to reach out to me or Maria to see if we can make that happen. I’ll be checking back soon with some more updates on what I’ve been up to and the doggos I’ve met along my journey, but until then, enjoy the ride!