DOG TALK® (and Kitties Too!) on

icon of side silhouette of dog and cat drawn inside the dog Tracie Hotchner the Radio Pet Lady

DOG TALK® features Tracie's interviews with authors, pet experts and animal welfare advocates from around the world, discussing practical and philosophical issues regarding our relationships with dogs, cats, other pets, wildlife and the natural world.

The show broadcasts from WLIW FM 88.3 in Southampton, the only NPR station on Long Island, reaching from the East End across Long Island into Southern Connecticut and Westchester.

The show’s theme song is “Mmm My Best Friend” by Sophie B. Hawkins from her album TIMBRE.

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“Until the Last Dog: One Man’s Lifelong Journey to Alaska with his Dogs”

#950B: Rob Downey’s memoir of a lifetime passion for sled dogs and the racing sport is filled with adventures and misadventures — reminiscent of the tales of the great explorers in history, who risked everything to fulfill their dream of conquering the wild.

The Newly Proven Value of a Dog’s Life

#950A: Christopher Berry, the Executive Director of the Nonhuman Rights Project, celebrates a milestone victory on behalf of pet owners whose dog was killed — and for the first time the court recognized that dogs are family members, worth more to their people than the original cost.

The Last Animals Left on Earth

#949B: Emma Sloley “The Island of Last Things” a novel set in the dystopian future, centered on a friendship between two women at the Alcatraz Island zoo, the last zoo in the world, who have different ideas about managing the animals.

Kitty Krack and the Lies About Carbs in Cat Food

#949A: Dr Elizabeth Hodgkins rejoins Tracie to set the record straight about the extreme harm of feeding carbohydrates to kitties, because an old [flawed] study of carb-heavy cat foods is being trotted out to promote and defend carbohydrate-based foods for obligate carnivores. Could the pet food industry finally be reacting to their years of advocacy against "kitty krack?"!

Does Your Old Dog Want a Puppy? Or is it About You?

#948A: Helen St Pierre, co-author of “Old Dog, New Dog: Supporting Your Aging Best Friend and Welcoming a New One,” talks about her sanctuary Old Dogs Go to Helen and advice about making a senior dog’s life more comfortable with or without the addition of a puppy, and practical considerations about euthanasia.

How To Be a Better Pet Patient

#948B: Dr. Andy Roark, the “relentlessly optimistic” philosopher veterinarian (The Cone of Shame podcast and Dr. Andy Roark blog) talks about optimizing communication between pet owners and doctors for the best medical and personal outcomes.

Birdie & Louie — What a Name for A Dog Food Company!

#947B: Chas Worthy talks about how he and his brother founded the pet food company Birdie & Louie with the intention of bringing premium pet food that is affordable and accessible to “everyday people” like themselves — putting high quality ingredients inside top shelf design and packaging — to reach people who shop at big box stores and 7-11.

The Challenge of Counting Cats

#947A: Andrew Rowan, whose Wellbeing International publication covers the world of animals globally, talks about the wildly exaggerated numbers of community cats and how collaboration between cat lovers and environmentalists is needed, instead of high emotions and misinformation.

Dog Overheated? Life-Saving Solution: Dunk Their Head in Water!

#946B: Dr Cynthia Otto [Director of the Penn Vet Working Dog Center and Professor of Working Dog Sciences & Sports Medicine] knows a thing or two about the dangers of heatstroke for dogs, particularly ones who are active outdoors as military or Search & Rescue working dogs. But for pets, when the ground and air outside are really hot for you, it’s too hot for dogs! No hiking! No jogging! Dogs can collapse (and die) from heatstroke. Dr. Otto did a study on the best way to cool down a dog in a heat emergency: Dunk their head!

World Class Dog Food & Philanthropy — Born From a Family Tragedy

#946A: A story of triumph over tragedy. Jim Scott and his wife Janet sold Wellness pet foods (the very first truly holistic recipes) to look after their sons, who both had been in life-altering accidents — but then created an even more premium pet food — RAWZ — so they could give away 100% of their profits in gratitude for all they still had.