Ten years. Seven hundred and fifty episodes. And I had absolutely no idea what a podcast was when somebody told me I was going to host one.
I recently sat down with Hilltop Puppy Brittany Kennel to tell the story behind the microphone, and fair warning, it starts with a Hollywood stunt coordinator ambushing me at my own dining room table.
I Had Never Heard of a Podcast. Somebody Told Me I Was Hosting One Anyway.
I call it serendipity, which is one of my favorite words in the language. What it actually looked like was getting set up next to the same random person at a Southern California show three weekends running. That person turned out to be Mary Alby, a stunt coordinator in Hollywood, and she was way further ahead of the game than I was. Mary wanted me to host a podcast. I wanted to know what a podcast was. I fought it for a while. She flew to Southern Oregon anyway, parked a mic in front of me, and said go.
The Dog That Cooked Your Dinner
We also got into one of my favorite things to talk about, which is the Glen of Imaal Terrier. Built low, sturdy, and strong for one very specific reason. Hundreds of years ago, before electricity, somebody had to turn the spit over the fire. That somebody was a dog. Walking. Like a gerbil in a wheel.
Purebred dogs are literally living history. Every breed is a specific place, a specific moment, and the specific people who needed a dog to do a specific job, which makes the rest of us curators of a living history museum. I would dearly love to see kids taught geography and history through dogs.
Picking a Favorite Episode Is Like Picking a Favorite Child
I picked one anyway. It involves a breeder in Australia, corded Pulis, and a conversation about line breeding and temperament I could have stayed on the phone for hours. You will have to watch to find out which one, because I name names.
What’s Next for Pure Dog Talk
There is plenty. The 10th Anniversary Rewind drops a classic episode every Friday. The club partnership program is preserving legendary breeders’ voices while we still can. Pedigrees to Pups, the full circle breeding seminar I do with Dr. Marty Greer, has genuinely never been done before and is now a 10-episode on-demand series with all ten streaming. And there is a spin-off, The Marty and Laura Show, covering all pets and not just dogs, built for the people who aren’t in the show or breeding world and just have questions about the animals living in their house. We are always looking for listener questions, so send one in.
Watch the conversation with Hilltop Puppy Brittany Kennel.
Thank you for ten years, and for your continued support of the dogs and the work we all care about.
