What if one of the biggest problems in canine nutrition is that we’ve barely studied fresh food at all?

In this deep and thought-provoking conversation, I sit down with veterinarian and researcher Dr. Anna Hielm-Björkman from the University of Helsinki’s DogRisk research group - one of the only independent, university-connected teams in the world researching raw feeding and fresh food diets in dogs.

But this episode isn’t about telling you what you should feed your dog.

It’s about asking a much bigger question:

How do we actually know what we know about canine nutrition?

Together, we explore how pet food research is conducted, why so much of it focuses on ultra-processed diets, and what happens when fresh and raw food are finally brought into the scientific conversation.

Dr Anna shares her own journey from conventional veterinary medicine into a more integrative approach to canine health — including acupuncture, nutrition, and preventative care — and why she became passionate about researching the relationship between food and chronic disease.

We also dive into:

• why there is still surprisingly little independent long-term research on canine nutrition,
• how veterinary nutrition education is shaped,
• what “complete and balanced” actually means,
• why the form of a nutrient matters just as much as the nutrient itself,
• how processing changes the way a dog’s body metabolizes and utilizes food,
• and why fresh-fed dogs may require entirely different frameworks for feeding guidelines, lab reference ranges, and health evaluation.

This is a conversation about nuance, evidence, and curiosity beyond fear, marketing, and polarized internet debates.

Whether you feed raw, gently cooked, wet food, kibble, or somewhere in between, this episode invites us to think more deeply about what health really looks like for our dogs - and how science can evolve when we begin asking better questions.

And this is only part one.

In the next episode, Anna and I will dive into one of the most controversial aspects of this conversation: pathogens, risk, food safety, and the myths surrounding raw feeding.

If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a fellow dog guardian, leave a review, or tag us on Instagram @mysticdogmama with your biggest takeaway. These conversations matter because the future of canine health depends on the questions we’re willing to ask.

More about DogRisk:

https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/dogrisk-health-via-nutrition-epidemiology-and-disease-detection-dogs

Register for the DogRisk Seminar: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/health-via-nutrition-epidemiology-and-disease-detection-dogs/news-and-happenings/save-the-date-the-8th-dogrisk-seminar-2026

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

In today’s episode, we’re exploring one of the most misunderstood approaches to healing: homeopathy.

But beyond the debates, what is homeopathy, really?

How does it differ from conventional medicine? Why does it view symptoms so differently? And what happens when we begin seeing symptoms not simply as problems to suppress, but as communication from the body itself?

Joining me for this conversation is holistic veterinarian and veterinary homeopath Dr. Lise Hansen. Together, we explore homeopathy as an entirely different model of healing - one rooted in the idea of supporting health, observing the individual as a whole being, and working with the body rather than against an ailment.

We discuss:

• what homeopathy actually is (and isn’t)
• the philosophy behind homeopathic healing
• how homeopathy differs from allopathic medicine
• why two dogs with the same diagnosis may receive different remedies
• the meaning of symptoms through a homeopathic lens
• Dr. Hansen’s suggestions for a basic homeopathic first aid kit
• when homeopathy may not be appropriate and when conventional veterinary care is essential

This episode isn’t about telling you what to believe. It’s an invitation into a broader, deeper conversation about healing, vitality, and the ways we’ve been taught to think about the body - both our dogs’ and our own.

Whether you’re deeply familiar with homeopathy, a little bit curious, or even a little bit skeptical, I hope this conversation encourages greater curiosity, discernment, and reflection around what it truly means to support health.

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow dog mama who might need to hear it 💛
And I’d love to hear your reflections. Come say hello on Instagram @mysticdogmama and let me know what landed for you.

Don’t forget to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.

Learn more about Dr. Lise Hansen and her work: https://alternative-vet.co.uk

Resources mentioned:

The British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons https://bahvs.net/

Homeopathy Research Institute https://www.hri-research.org/

The film Introducing Homeopathy: https://introducinghomeopathy.com/

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

In this episode of the Mystic Dog Mama podcast, I’m joined by Shamanic Dog Trainer, Tamryn Fudge, for a deeply expansive conversation exploring what becomes possible when we move beyond behavior modification, and begin relating to dogs through connection, cooperation, nervous system awareness, and deeper listening.

Together, we explore the space where science and soul meet in our relationships with dogs. From modern dog culture and the limitations of compliance-based approaches, to intuition, regulation, energetic awareness, and ancient wisdom traditions - this conversation invites us to reconsider not only how we work with dogs… but how we live alongside them.

Tamryn shares how her path evolved from veterinary medicine into dog training, animal communication, and then into a more relational and shamanic approach. She shares what she has learned through her work with dogs, humans, and Peruvian shamanic lineage teachings. We discuss the difference between compliance and cooperation, what dogs may be communicating beneath behavior, and how our own nervous systems, emotional patterns, and presence shape the relationship far more than many of us realize.

We also dive into the realities of living with challenging dogs - reactivity, fear, sensitivity, overwhelm - and the profound ways these experiences can become portals into our own healing, self-awareness, and transformation.

This episode is not about abandoning science or practical support. It’s about widening the lens and asking deeper questions. It’s about remembering that dogs are not simply beings to manage, but conscious participants in relationship.

Inside this conversation, we explore:

• What “shamanic dog training” actually means
• The difference between compliance, cooperation, and connection
• Why behavior is often communication, not simply something to stop or fix
• How dogs respond to our nervous systems, emotional states, and presence
• What modern humans may be missing in our relationships with dogs
• How challenging dogs can become catalysts for growth and healing
• Tamryn’s experience studying within a Peruvian shamanic lineage
• What ancient wisdom traditions can teach us about relationship, healing, and interconnection
• How to begin listening to your dog differently in everyday life
• Why deep connection with dogs begins within ourselves

Whether you’re navigating challenges with your dog, longing for a deeper relationship, or simply curious about what dogs might be helping us remember in this moment in time, this conversation offers a grounded yet expansive perspective on living in partnership with our dogs.

Connect with Tamryn:https://tamrynfudge.ca

Connect with me:

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re “too much,” too sensitive, or quietly carrying parts of yourself that long to be expressed - this conversation may feel like a remembering.

What if healing isn’t about fixing what’s wrong with you - but remembering what has always been true?

In this deeply soulful conversation, I’m joined by Nicole Barton - healer, archetypal guide, and founder of the Archetypal Apothecary - to explore the concept of Wellness 3.0 and what becomes possible when we stop seeing ourselves as broken.

Together, we journey into the world of archetypes, sensitivity, homeopathy, shadow work, and the symbolic power of the witch - not as a label, but as an invitation to reclaim the parts of ourselves we’ve learned to hide.

Nicole shares her own path through chronic fatigue, burnout, and healing, and how those experiences became a doorway into understanding that our wounds often hold the medicine we are here to offer.

This conversation explores what it means to come back into the body, to create safety within ourselves, and to reconnect with our own wildness - especially in a world that often teaches us to suppress it.

And because this is Mystic Dog Mama, we also explore the mirror our dogs provide: how they reflect the parts of ourselves that feel too sensitive, too emotional, too much - and how healing ourselves can deepen the way we relate to them.

In this episode, we explore:

• What Wellness 3.0 really means - and why healing isn’t about being fixed
• How sensitivity can become a gift rather than something to overcome
• The archetype of the witch as a symbol of healing, intuition, and reclamation
• Nicole’s personal journey through chronic fatigue, homeopathy, and archetypal healing
• The connection between wounds, shadow work, and discovering your gifts
• How our dogs often mirror the parts of us we’ve learned to suppress
• What it means to reclaim your own inner medicine

Connect with Nicole Barton

Website: www.nicolebarton.co.uk

Secret Witch Show Podcast - www.secretwitch.co.uk

Instagram: https:instagram.com/iamnicolebarton

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

What if illness wasn’t the enemy?

What if symptoms weren’t signs that the body had failed, but invitations into a deeper conversation?

In this deeply rich episode, I’m joined by Dr. Erin Hayford of Aurora Somatic Medicine and the host of the Sacred Illness podcast to explore a radically different understanding of disease, healing, and the intelligence of the body.

Drawing from her own experience with Crohn’s disease and her work in naturopathic and mind-body medicine, Dr Erin invites us into a new paradigm - one where illness is not simply something to fix or overcome, but something that holds meaning, wisdom, and even transformation.

Together, we explore what it means to listen to symptoms as messengers, to understand disease as part of a healing process, and to cultivate a relationship with the body rooted in curiosity rather than fear.

This conversation is both grounding and expansive. It is an invitation to consider that healing is not always about cure, but about becoming.

And because this is Mystic Dog Mama, we also explore how our dogs’ illnesses can become mirrors and initiations of their own - inviting us into deeper awareness, responsibility, and relationship.

In This Episode, We Explore:

* Why illness may not be your body failing you - but your body trying to communicate

* The concept of “Sacred Illness” and how symptoms can hold meaning

* The innate healing intelligence of nature and the human body

* What dis-ease may be asking you to become

* Why healing is a verb - not a destination

* The paradox of not wanting illness, while also recognising its gifts

* How our dogs’ symptoms and illnesses can become invitations for our own growth

* What happens when healing doesn’t look the way we expected

* How curiosity, trust, and acceptance can change our relationship with illness

This Episode Is For You If…

* You’ve ever felt betrayed or confused by illness - your own or your dog’s

* You’re navigating chronic symptoms and longing for a deeper understanding

* You feel called toward a more holistic, mind-body-soul approach to healing

* You want to move beyond fear and into a more trusting relationship with the body

* You believe healing may be about more than symptom management

* You’re ready to explore what illness might be asking of you

Connect with Dr. Erin Hayford

Aurora Somatic Medicine: https://www.aurorasomatic.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/drerinhayford

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

Cancer in dogs is one of the most confronting diagnoses a guardian can face.

It often arrives suddenly, bringing fear, urgency, and a sense that decisions need to be made immediately - before there is even space to fully understand what is happening.

In this episode, I’m joined by integrative veterinarian Dr. Judy Jasek for a grounded, holistic exploration of cancer in dogs - what’s really behind it, and what we can do to support our dogs in a more informed, conscious way.

We begin with the basics: what cancer actually is in the body, and how it develops within the wider internal environment of a dog’s system.

From there, we explore the deeper terrain - how toxicity, chronic inflammation, stagnation, and gut health may all play a role in the conditions that allow disease to develop.

We also discuss the importance of species-appropriate nutrition, and how everyday lifestyle and environmental factors can either support or challenge long-term health.

For guardians navigating a diagnosis, we talk about how to approach decision-making in a way that stays centred on your dog’s overall wellbeing—not just the disease itself.

This includes:

• What to consider when exploring treatment options
• Key questions to ask your veterinarian
• How to stay grounded when faced with overwhelming information

We also open a conversation that is often left unspoken in clinical settings: the emotional and energetic dimension of caring for a sick dog.

Our dogs are deeply attuned to us. They feel our states, respond to our nervous systems, and move with our emotional reality. Understanding this adds another layer of awareness - not blame, but responsibility and presence.

At the heart of this episode is a simple but powerful reframe:

Health is not something we force into being.
It is the body’s natural state when it is supported.

And when we begin to understand more about what is really behind cancer, we don’t lose power - we gain clarity about where our influence actually lies.

This conversation is for any dog guardian who wants to move beyond fear, and into a more informed, connected, and grounded relationship with their dog’s health.

Connect & Share

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow dog mama who might need to hear it 💛
And I’d love to hear your reflections. Come say hello on Instagram https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama and let me know what landed for you.

Don’t forget to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.

Connect with Dr Judy Jasek:

https://ahavet.com/

https://www.instagram.com/animal.healing.arts/

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

What if your dog’s anxiety, fear, or reactivity isn’t something to fix, but something to listen to?

In this powerful and thought-provoking episode I am joined by expert dog trainer, behaviour consultant, and certified trauma professional, Dr. Laura Donaldson, to explore Clinical Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) - also known as tapping - and its potential to support deep emotional healing in both humans and dogs.

Blending science, somatics, and the unseen bond between species, this conversation invites you to consider a different approach to behaviour - one rooted not in control or correction, but in nervous system regulation, safety, and connection.

Together, we explore what’s really happening beneath the surface of common behavioural challenges, and why so many dogs (and their guardians) remain stuck despite doing “everything right.”

You’ll learn how tapping on acupressure points can influence the body’s stress response, how trauma is stored and processed in the nervous system, and why emerging research around memory reconsolidation is shifting the way we understand healing.

Through the lens of surrogate tapping, we explore the how working on your own emotional state can create meaningful shifts in your dog - not through force, but through the deep, often invisible connection you share.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• What Clinical EFT (tapping) is and how it works
• The science: neurobiology, stress response & memory reconsolidation
• How dogs experience trauma and emotional stress
• Why some behavioural issues don’t resolve with training alone
• Surrogate tapping: can working on yourself help your dog?
• The human–dog emotional connection (mirror neurons, resonance & beyond)
• Consent, safety, and ethical considerations in healing work with dogs
• Moving beyond “fixing” into true co-regulation and relationship

At its heart, this is a conversation about relationship, and about learning to meet your dog not as a problem to solve, but as a sentient being with their own nervous system, their own story, and their own path.

And perhaps, as a mirror, guide, or invitation into your own healing, too.

If you’ve ever felt that your dog is reflecting something back to you, if you’re curious about the connection between your emotional world and theirs, or if you’re searching for a more compassionate, holistic way to support your dog - this episode will open something up in you.

Connect & Share

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow dog mama who might need to hear it 💛
And I’d love to hear your reflections. Come say hello on Instagram @mysticdogmama and let me know what landed for you.

Don’t forget to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.

To learn more and connect with Dr Laura Donaldson:

https://fourpawsfourdirections.com

Enrollment link for Emotional Freedom Techniques: Clinical Tapping for You and Your Dog webinar:

https://laura-s-school-1f3f.thinkific.com/enroll/3725201?price_id=4676486

Discount Coupon: podcast50

(for 50% off the price of webinar tuition)

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Tom Lonsdale - veterinary surgeon, long-time advocate for raw meaty bones, and author of the new book, Spin Doctors.

This conversation invites us to step back from the noise, the labels, and the often polarised debates around dog food—and instead, to look more closely at the foundations those conversations are built upon.

Because this isn’t about kibble versus raw. It’s about understanding the animal in front of us… and the systems that have shaped how we care for them.

We explore what it means to feed a dog in alignment with their biology as a facultative carnivore, and how modern feeding practices compare to that reality. From feeding trials and the origins of “balanced and complete,” to the rise of ultra-processed diets, and the growing conversation around vegan dog food, BARF, Prey Model Raw, etc—this episode gently but courageously questions the narratives many of us have inherited.

We also speak about trust, how it is formed and outsources - and what it might look like to begin reclaiming it—not through fear or perfectionism, but through curiosity, observation, and discernment.

At its heart, this conversation is not just about food. It’s about power, conditioning, and the quiet invitation to see more clearly.

A question to sit with:

What assumptions have I made about how to feed my dog—and where did they come from?

If this episode resonated:

Share it with a fellow dog mama who’s been quietly questioning what’s in the bowl.
And if you feel called, leave a review - it helps more people find these conversations.

Learn more about Dr Tom Lonsdale and his books:

https://www.thepetfoodcon.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thepetfoodcon

Connect with me!

Website: https://mysticdogmama.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

Come join my free Facebook group, First Light. It’s my sanctuary where soulful dog mamas like you find clarity, confidence, and connection https://facebook.com/groups/fetchfirstlight

Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease, or replace medical guidance. Please speak with your veterinarian.