Mystic Dog Mama

What if “reactivity” isn't the whole story?
What if the behaviour we find difficult in our dogs is actually communication - an expression of fear, overwhelm, a nervous system on high alert, or a dog who simply doesn't feel safe?
In this Revisited episode of Mystic Dog Mama, I return to my very first conversation with Dr Laura Donaldson, a conversation that had a profound impact on how I understood Lucky and the way I approached our relationship.
I first discovered Laura's work when I was desperately looking for help with Lucky's reactivity. At the time, I was experiencing so much of what can come with living alongside a dog who finds the world difficult: overwhelm, fear, isolation, grief, and the constant worry that somehow you're letting your dog down.
Laura introduced me to a different way of seeing things.
Rather than asking “How do I stop this behaviour?”, she encouraged me to become curious about what was happening underneath it - and to ask:
“What do I need to learn from you to help you feel safe in this context?”
That question has stayed with me. And over time, it became part of a much bigger shift in how I related to Lucky. Learning to listen differently, understanding regulation, paying attention to my own nervous system, supporting his gut health, and bringing together the physical, emotional and relational pieces of his wellbeing have all played a part.
Today, Lucky is a dog who genuinely enjoys being in the world, and I enjoy being in it with him.
That's why I wanted to revisit this conversation.
In this episode, we explore:
Why the language of “reactivity” can sometimes limit how we understand our dogs
What might be happening underneath behaviours such as reactivity and aggression
Understanding trauma and its potential impact on our dogs
The importance of safety and emotional resilience
How our own nervous systems and experiences can become part of the picture
Asking better questions of our dogs rather than simply trying to stop unwanted behaviours
How we can become stronger advocates for our dogs
Supporting dogs who carry emotional charge in their bodies
Laura's approach to grounding and regulation
EFT and energy work as possible tools for supporting emotional wellbeing
The relationship between compassion for our dogs and compassion for ourselves

Continue the conversation
Learn more from Dr Laura Donaldson
https://fourpawsfourdirections.com/
Start your holistic journey
Download my free Mystic Dog Mama Nourishment Starter Kit for practical guidance on fresh food, energetics, targeted support, curiosity, and holistic health:
https://mysticdogmama.com
Join The Nourished Pack
Continue the conversation with like-minded dog guardians inside our free community:
https://facebook.com/groups/thenourishedpack
Join me for one of my upcoming Cook-Alongs!
Saturday 26th September 10am-1pm UK time
Saturday 3rd October 5pm-8pm UK time (12pm ET// 10am MT// 9am PT)
Information and booking: https://mysticdogmama.com/upcoming-events
If this episode resonated with you…
Please consider following the podcast and leaving a rating or review. It helps more soul-led dog guardians discover these conversations and supports the growth of this community.
And if someone came to mind while listening, I'd love for you to share this episode with them.
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 understanding what dogs need begins with a much simpler question:
What is a dog?
In this revisited episode from the Mystic Dog Mama archives, I return to my very first conversation with veterinary surgeon and author Dr. Tom Lonsdale - a conversation that laid the groundwork for so much of my own thinking about canine nourishment.
Tom has spent decades challenging conventional approaches to feeding and caring for carnivores, and in this conversation we explore one of the foundations of his work: why he believes raw meaty bones are so important to canine health and wellbeing.
But this conversation goes far beyond what belongs in the bowl.
We explore the dog as a facultative carnivore and what that might tell us about nourishment, behaviour and physiology. Tom also introduces his thinking around cybernetics — the idea that living systems are interconnected and regulated through feedback — and how this framework led him to develop a hypothesis about the relationship between periodontal disease and the wider health of carnivores.
In this episode, we explore:
Why Tom believes raw meaty bones are fundamental to the health of carnivores
What it means to consider the dog as a facultative carnivore
The relationship between food, behaviour, physiology and environment
Why the mouth may be far more significant to whole-body health than we traditionally consider

Continue the conversation
Learn more from Dr Tom Lonsdale
https://www.thepetfoodcon.com/

Start your holistic journey
Download my free Mystic Dog Mama Nourishment Starter Kit for practical guidance on fresh food, energetics, targeted support, curiosity, and holistic health:
https://mysticdogmama.com
Join the waitlist for my Mystic Dog Mama Oracle Deck! https://mysticdogmama.com/oracle-deck
Join The Nourished Pack
Continue the conversation with like-minded dog guardians inside our free community:
https://facebook.com/groups/thenourishedpack
If this episode resonated with you…
Please consider following the podcast and leaving a rating or review. It helps more soul-led dog guardians discover these conversations and supports the growth of this community.
And if someone came to mind while listening, I'd love for you to share this episode with them.
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 does it mean to be a responsible dog guardian when science asks us to rethink what we've always believed?
In this Revisited episode of Mystic Dog Mama, I'm joined by holistic veterinarian Dr. Lise Hansen for one of the podcast's most listened-to and talked-about conversations.
For many of us, routine neutering was simply part of responsible dog ownership. It was the advice we were given, and we made those decisions with the best information available at the time.
But science evolves.
As our understanding of the body's interconnected systems has deepened, so too has our understanding of the long-term health implications of routinely removing a major part of the endocrine system. This conversation explores what that growing body of research means for our dogs, and how it invites us to rethink not only neutering itself, but our wider role as their guardians.
Together, we explore:
✨ Why routine neutering has become one of the biggest paradigm shifts in modern canine healthcare
✨ What the latest research tells us about the role of the endocrine system and why sex hormones influence far more than reproduction
✨ The changes to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association's reproductive guidelines and what they mean for dog guardians
✨ Common concerns around pyometra, testicular cancer and population control, and how these fit into the current evidence
✨ Alternative approaches, including hormone-sparing procedures, and when they may be appropriate
✨ Why holistic health isn't about focusing on one decision in isolation, but supporting the whole dog through nutrition, lifestyle and informed healthcare choices
✨ What this conversation teaches us about curiosity, discernment and allowing our understanding to evolve as new evidence emerges
One of the themes I return to throughout this conversation is that we all make the best decisions we can with the information available to us at the time. This episode isn't about blame or guilt. It's about remaining open to learning, asking thoughtful questions, and becoming more informed advocates for the dogs who share their lives with us.
Whether you're making decisions for a young puppy, caring for an adult dog, or simply interested in how science continues to shape the future of canine health, I hope this conversation gives you plenty to reflect on.
Continue the conversation
Learn more about Dr. Lise Hansen
Visit Dr. Hansen's website to learn more about her work and her book The Complete Book of Cat and Dog Health: https://alternative-vet.co.uk/
Start your holistic journey
Download my free Mystic Dog Mama Nourishment Starter Kit for practical guidance on fresh food, energetics, targeted support, curiosity, and holistic health:
https://mysticdogmama.com
Join the waitlist for the Mystic Dog Mama Oracle Deck
https://mysticdogmama.com/oracle-deck
Join The Nourished Pack
Continue the conversation with like-minded dog guardians inside our free community:
https://facebook.com/groups/thenourishedpack
If this episode resonated with you...
Please consider following the podcast and leaving a rating or review. It helps more soul-led dog guardians discover these conversations and supports the growth of this community.
And if someone came to mind while listening, I'd love for you to share this episode with them.
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 isn’t just your companion, but also your teacher?
In this episode of Mystic Dog Mama, I’m joined by intuitive tarot and astrology expert and fellow Mystic Dog Mama, Sarah Verba, for a conversation about dogs, the mystical path, intuition, and what our animal companions reveal about ourselves.
I have followed Sarah’s work for years, and I’ve always been drawn to the way she uses tarot and astrology not as tools for predicting a fixed future, but as invitations to reconnect with ourselves, explore our inner landscapes, and move through life with curiosity and compassion.
Together, we explore what it means to embrace the unknown, to question the conditioning we’ve inherited, and to allow ourselves to be works in progress rather than constantly striving towards some imagined finished version of ourselves.
In this conversation, we dive into:
✨ How intuitive tarot differs from traditional approaches and why tarot can be a tool for self-reflection rather than fear
✨ The mystical path as a process of deconditioning, unlearning, and reconnecting with our own inner wisdom
✨ Why being “in process” can feel so uncomfortable — and why allowing ourselves to be seen while we’re figuring things out can create deeper connection
✨ The appearance of dogs in tarot, particularly in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, and what the dog archetype can teach us about companionship, instinct, intuition, and returning to our wild selves
✨ Why dogs are such powerful guides back into nature, the present moment, and the magic of everyday life
✨ The wisdom of Chihuahua time (something Lucky has taught me very well!)
Sarah shares her own journey with her rescue dog and the ways he has challenged her to embrace her instincts, her needs, and her wild nature. We talk about how our dogs often invite us into the very places we might otherwise avoid — uncertainty, vulnerability, change, and the unknown.
This episode is a beautiful reminder that our dogs are not just animals who walk beside us. They are beings who can help us see ourselves more clearly, reconnect with the natural world, and remember that the path is rarely a straight line.
Continue the conversation
Learn more from Sarah Vrba
Visit Sarah’s website to explore her resources https://sarahtarot.com
Start your holistic journey
Download my free Mystic Dog Mama Nourishment Starter Kit for practical guidance on fresh food, energetics, targeted support, curiosity, and holistic health:
https://mysticdogmama.com
Join the waitlist for my Mystic Dog Mama Oracle Deck! https://mysticdogmama.com/oracle-deck
Join The Nourished Pack
Continue the conversation with like-minded dog guardians inside our free community:
https://facebook.com/groups/thenourishedpack
If this episode resonated with you…
Please consider following the podcast and leaving a rating or review. It helps more soul-led dog guardians discover these conversations and supports the growth of this community.
And if someone came to mind while listening, I'd love for you to share this episode with them.
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 the microbiome is about more than digestion?
When we hear the word microbiome, the conversation usually turns to probiotics, gut health, allergies, or finding the perfect supplement. While those topics matter, this revisited conversation with holistic veterinarian Dr. Odette Suter invites us to explore something much deeper.
Together, we ask what the microbiome might reveal about the nature of health itself. If we—and our dogs—are made up of trillions of microbes that influence everything from immunity and behaviour to our relationship with the natural world, what does that mean for how we understand ourselves? Where does consciousness begin? And what if supporting the microbiome isn't simply about fixing the gut, but about remembering that we are part of a much larger living system?
Alongside these bigger questions, Dr. Suter shares practical insights into nurturing your dog's microbiome, the limitations of many probiotic products, why early life matters so much, and how nutrition, movement, stress, and connection all influence health.
Whether you're curious about gut health or simply love exploring the deeper lessons our dogs offer us, I hope this conversation leaves you seeing both your dog—and yourself—a little differently.
In this episode, we explore:
What the microbiome actually is—and why it matters far beyond digestion.
Why microbes may influence far more of our lives than we realise.
How the microbiome challenges our ideas of health, identity, and consciousness.
Why true healing requires looking beyond symptoms.
The connection between the gut, nervous system, emotions, and environment.
The role of nature, movement, and diversity in supporting a healthy microbiome.
Why many probiotic products don't always live up to their promises.
How our dogs invite us back into relationship with ourselves and the living world.
Continue the conversation
🌿 Learn more from Dr. Odette Suter
Visit Dr. Suter's website to explore her educational resources, masterclasses, and programmes:
https://odettesuterdvm.com
🌿 Start your holistic journey
Download my free Mystic Dog Mama Nourishment Starter Kit for practical guidance on fresh food, energetics, targeted support, curiosity, and holistic health:
https://mysticdogmama.com
🌿 Join The Nourished Pack
Continue the conversation with like-minded dog guardians inside our free community:
https://facebook.com/groups/thenourishedpack
If this episode resonated with you…
Please consider following the podcast and leaving a rating or review. It helps more soul-led dog guardians discover these conversations and supports the growth of this community.
And if someone came to mind while listening, I'd love for you to share this episode with them.
Check out our sponsor, Aspirationery’s shadow work journals and workbooks: https://instagram.com/aspirationery
Connect with me on Instagram https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama
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.