The is the Spring Special Episode! Transcript

McConnell describes learning the craft of fiction, developing protagonist Maddie McGowan, for her recently released murder mystery, 'Away To Me'. The conversation also explores what herding teaches about partnership and training without leashes, how breed and context affect behavior, and what she hopes the next generation of trainers advances.

Guest Bio: Patricia McConnell, PhD, CAAB is an internationally renowned animal behaviorist and author whose acclaimed books, including The Other End of the Leash, For the Love of a Dog, and The Education of Will, have sold more than 1.2 million copies. She saw clients whose dogs had serious behavioral problems for twenty-five years, and spoke around the world about canine training and behavior. A former adjunct professor in Zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her nationally syndicated radio show, Calling All Pets, played in more than 110 cities for 14 years and her television show, Petline, aired on Animal Planet for two and a half years. Her debut novel, Away to Me, is her first venture into fiction, and has received rave reviews. She lives with her husband, Jim Billings, her Border Collies Skip and Maggie, and a spoiled flock of sheep on a farm in Southern Wisconsin, and can be found online at PatriciaMcConnell.com.

Book Recommendations: The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd's Life by Helen Whybrow

Related Links:

Book Recommendations: The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd's Life by Helen Whybrow

Related Links:

Spring Special 2025

Spring Special 2022

Ep. 82 Expanding Understanding of Canine Behaviour with Suzanne Clothier

TDWA Blog

Guest Book Recommendations List

TDWA Blog

Guest Book Recommendations List

Wrapping up Series 15: I’m filled with gratitude for the incredible insights shared by researchers on animal communication. From primates to birds, it's evident that the way we connect with animals echoes far beyond what we initially perceive. This series to be continued...(TBD)

Introducing Series 16: We navigate the complex dynamics of captivity, I aim to challenge our preconceptions and invite diverse perspectives. Whether you're curious about our roles as caretakers or questioning the moral implications of captivity.

Patreon and a call to Sponsor at... www.thedealwithanimals.com

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Episode 6 of Series 15: Animal Communications - Transcript (linked)

I’m joined by Dr. Kaeli Swift and Dr. William Feeney to explore how birds learn from one another—sometimes within a species, sometimes across species lines. From crows passing along reputations to magpies inheriting the neighbourhood’s opinion of a cuckoo in seconds, we dive into the fast, social, and surprisingly nuanced ways information moves through bird communities, and what these systems reveal about communication, cooperation, and survival.

Guest Bios: William Feeney currently works as a Research Fellow at Griffith University in Australia and at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany. His PhD focused on understanding the ecology and evolution of cuckoo-host arms races in Australia, and since finishing his PhD he has continued working on this as well as predator-prey relationships in coral reef fishes. His current work is split between working on fishes and birds, and in particular at two long-term projects in Australia.

Dr. Kaeli Swift is a research scientist with the University of Washington. For the past 5 years she has lived and worked on the remote island of Tinian, where she studies the ecology of the endemic Tinian monarch. She received her PhD from the University of Washington where she studied crow funerals.

Book Recommendations: Will's Recommendation- Letters to a young Scientist by EO Wilson, Kaeli's Recommendation- Any local birding book you can find! Here is one for England and Europe

Related Links: Episode 2 of Series 13, Sex and Animals

Episode 1 of Series 13, Sex and Animals

This is a quick explanation of a phenomenon seen in animals who are considered 'conscious' beings. Essentially the difference between automatic or reflexive responses to their environment and reactions that are thought out.

This was my final project for the IAABC Foundation class "The Thinking Animal" with Instructor, Dr. Kristina Spaulding

Regularly scheduled programming on March 2nd.

This was my final project for the IAABC Foundation class "The Thinking Animal" with Instructor, Dr. Kristina Spaulding

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Episode 4 of Series 15: Animal Communications - Transcript

The discussion dives into the often misunderstood social behaviors and communication methods of reptiles, from chemical and tactile cues to visual displays. The episode also explores ethical considerations in reptile pet ownership, conservation challenges, and groundbreaking research on reptile emotions and personalities.

Guest Bios: Dr. Julia Riley is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at Mount Allison University (MtA) and a Canada Research Chair in Integrative Wildlife Ecology. She leads the Integrative Ecology Lab that aims to increase our knowledge of amphibian and reptile behaviour, evolution, and ecology, as well as aid in the conservation of these imperiled taxa. She was a postdoctoral fellow at University of New South Wales in Australia, Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. Her research has broadly fit into the fields of behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology, and herpetology.

Dr. Emily Taylor is a professor of biological sciences at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, where she conducts research on the physiology, ecology, and conservation biology of reptiles and amphibians with her students. She is the author of the California Herping Guides. Learn more at EmilyTaylorScience.com and follow her on social media @snakeymama.

Book Recommendations: An Immense World by Ed Yong, The Overstory by Richard Powers, Snakes and Snake Hunting by Carl Kauffeld

Related Links: From Strange by Nature Podcast, Please Fish Don't Eat Me

109. How Do Aboriginal and Bengali Stories Shape Cultural Understanding of Nature? with Dipanwita Pal, PhD. (S12)

31: Attitudes Towards Animals with Matti Wilks (S5)

www.jonathanbalcombe.com
What a Fish Knows (NYTimes bestseller)
Super Fly (National Outdoor Book Award winner)
Jake and Ava: A Boy and a Fish (illustrated children's book)

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⁠⁠⁠⁠Read the Blog! (Guest profiles, book recommendations, trailers and more!)

What to start your own podcast in he Animal Advocacy or Animal Welfare Space? Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast Mentoring Services⁠⁠⁠⁠!

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Mentioned in this episode:

Jake and Ava- New Book by Jonathan Balcombe

www.jonathanbalcombe.com

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Winter Special with Dr. Nunro Henrique Franco!

The conversation covers ethical frameworks, the importance of transparency through pre-registration and non-technical summaries, and the impact of public trust on scientific practice. They also explore the philosophical perspectives that shape animal research ethics and emphasize the role of scientists in advancing animal welfare.

Guest Bio: Nuno Henrique Franco has degrees in Natural Sciences and Teaching (BSc + MSc), Animal Biology (BSc Hons), Basic Studies in Veterinary Sciences (BSc) and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences. Nuno is a researcher at the i3S (University of Porto) on the topics of laboratory animal welfare, animal ethics and the 3Rs, scientific quality, thermoregulation, veterinary education, and other topics. He is vice-president of the Portuguese Society for Laboratory Animal Science (SPCAL), Past-President of the E.U. Education & Training Platform for Laboratory Animal Science (ETPLAS), and President of the Animal Research Tomorrow society. He sits on the Animal Welfare Body of the i3S and of the U.Porto faculty of medicine, and founded and coordinates the Portuguese Network of Animal Welfare Bodies – RedeORBEA.

For Nuno's Book recommendation see Episode 134

Related Links:

E21: Spring Special! Hal Herzog: On the the Past, Present, and Future of Anthrozoology

119. April Special! What Does the Future Hold for Human-Animal Studies? with Dr. Ken Shapiro

84: How To Build a Bond With a New Dog with Stacey Colino and Jen Golbeck (December Special!)

www.jonathanbalcombe.com
What a Fish Knows (NYTimes bestseller)
Super Fly (National Outdoor Book Award winner)
Jake and Ava: A Boy and a Fish (illustrated children's book)

Support the show

Show Credits⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Read the Blog! (Guest profiles, book recommendations, trailers and more!)

What to start your own podcast in he Animal Advocacy or Animal Welfare Space? Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast Mentoring Services⁠⁠⁠⁠!

⁠⁠⁠⁠Become a Patron! ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for the Newsletter

Mentioned in this episode:

Jake and Ava- New Book by Jonathan Balcombe

www.jonathanbalcombe.com

Send us a text

Episode 3 of series 15: Animal Communications Transcript

From energetic impressions to emotional insights, Maribeth shares how she supports guardians through behavioral challenges, end‑of‑life transitions, and the deep bonds we form with our animal companions.

Maribeth Coye Decker is an intuitive animal communicator, energy healer, and retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander. After becoming a Reiki Master, Maribeth discovered her ability to connect intuitively with animals — a skill that grew into her life’s work. She now helps people understand their animals’ emotional and energetic needs, navigate behavioral challenges, and find peace during end‑of‑life transitions.

Maribeth is the author of Peace in Passing: Comfort for Loving Humans During Animal Transitions, and she offers courses, consultations, and resources through her practice, Sacred Grove. Her work focuses on strengthening the bond between humans and the animals they love, including those who have passed on.

Website: https://sacredgrove.com

Guest Book recommendations: Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals by Rupert Sheldrake doctor.

Related Links:

107. October Special! Ghost Dogs and The Anthropology of Paranormal Pets with Researcher and Author, Jen Golbeck

101. Burn Zone (S11: Animals of the Maui Wildfires)

70: Beyond Symbolism: Understanding Animals as Ancestors with Author, Ben Stimpson (S7)

Support the show

Show Credits⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Read the Blog! (Guest profiles, book recommendations, trailers and more!)

What to start your own podcast in he Animal Advocacy or Animal Welfare Space? Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Podcast Mentoring Services⁠⁠⁠⁠!

⁠⁠⁠⁠Become a Patron! ⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for the Newsletter

Mentioned in this episode:

Jake and Ava- New Book by Jonathan Balcombe

www.jonathanbalcombe.com