My First Year with My Dog Wed, 09 Sep 2026 21:14:37 -0400 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2626295 en-us © 2026 My First Year with My Dog yes 3d6db5bc-6ece-543e-8917-87485979e732 SOPHIA MEDIA episodic false My First Year with My Dog  is an interview-style podcast that explores the profound transformation that happens when you bring a dog into your life, whether it’s your first dog or your tenth one. Through intimate conversations with dog-parents, we discover how that first year with a dog reshapes not just your daily routine, but who you are. 


Through deeply personal stories, we explore how dogs challenge us to be more present, more patient, and more vulnerable. We hear about the quiet moments of connection, the breakthroughs after struggle, and the ways our relationships with our dogs ripple out into every other relationship we have. These conversations reveal how a dog's unconditional love nourishes us in ways we didn't know we needed—offering comfort, purpose, and a kind of belonging that transforms how we see ourselves and move through the world.


Ultimately, My First Year as a Dog Owner is about how the animals we welcome into our lives don't just change our routines—they change our hearts. It's a celebration of the blessing that comes with loving, and being loved by, a dog.


Creator, Executive Producer and Host: Sophia

Co-hosts: Samira Tazari, Shareen Anderson

Senior Producer: Samira Tazari

Creative Director: Shareen Anderson 

Theme Music: Nana Simopoulos

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) love, human experience, dog, pet, true stories, real people, relationships, family, healing SOPHIA MEDIA https://storage.buzzsprout.com/7s6q0vwlkgcx4eakb3cjcn6pjxhy?.jpg My First Year with My Dog https://www.buzzsprout.com/2626295 Jenn Anderson with Morris Jenn Anderson with Morris Samira and Shareen host My First Year with My Dog and interview Jenn Anderson, Shareen’s cousin, who has worked in animal welfare and veterinary medicine since 2009 and now runs an emergency vet clinic in Los Angeles. Jenn recounts adopting her first dog, Morris, from the Richmond SPCA. 

After a divorce and a move from Key West to Virginia for a new job, Jenn felt lost and depressed; a friend encouraged her to visit the Richmond SPCA, where she adopted a scared Husky–Pyrenees mix. Jenn describes early challenges including Morris’s roaming, food aggression, and hunting instincts, alongside bonding moments, training successes, and a new social life through “yappy hours.” Morris gave her purpose, structure, and confidence. He catalyzed her career shift into animal welfare and helped open her up to new relationships. Morris later developed worsening seizures, required extensive veterinary care including multiple foreign body surgeries, and passed in January 2015, shaping Jenn’s empathy in emergency veterinary work.

🌐Visit us at https://sophiamedia.co/ 

❤️ Subscribe for more conversations about life's biggest transitions.

]]> Samira and Shareen host My First Year with My Dog and interview Jenn Anderson, Shareen’s cousin, who has worked in animal welfare and veterinary medicine since 2009 and now runs an emergency vet clinic in Los Angeles. Jenn recounts adopting her first dog, Morris, from the Richmond SPCA. 

After a divorce and a move from Key West to Virginia for a new job, Jenn felt lost and depressed; a friend encouraged her to visit the Richmond SPCA, where she adopted a scared Husky–Pyrenees mix. Jenn describes early challenges including Morris’s roaming, food aggression, and hunting instincts, alongside bonding moments, training successes, and a new social life through “yappy hours.” Morris gave her purpose, structure, and confidence. He catalyzed her career shift into animal welfare and helped open her up to new relationships. Morris later developed worsening seizures, required extensive veterinary care including multiple foreign body surgeries, and passed in January 2015, shaping Jenn’s empathy in emergency veterinary work.

🌐Visit us at https://sophiamedia.co/ 

❤️ Subscribe for more conversations about life's biggest transitions.

]]> https://sophiamedia.co/myfirstyear/ SOPHIA MEDIA Buzzsprout-19668537 Wed, 09 Sep 2026 03:00:00 -0400 2944 dog lovers, dogs, life transitions, major life changes, true stories, transformative experiences, pivotal moments, personal reflection, meaningful conversations, emotional, authentic stories, honest conversations, opening up, dog mom 1 3 full false Beth McGuire with Gremlyn Beth McGuire with Gremlyn From a Childhood Dog Bite to Positive Reinforcement: Beth McGuire’s First Year with Gremlyn.

In this episode of My First Year with My Dog, hosts Sophia and Samira interview South Kingstown, Rhode Island vet tech, canine physical therapist, and dog trainer Beth McGuire in person at the Sophia Media studio. Beth shares how being bitten in the face by a chained dog at age four—and her mother’s deliberate exposure to friendly dogs afterward—set her on a lifelong path to “fix mean dogs.” She reflects on adopting her first puppy, Gremlyn, in college, the challenges and joys of raising an energetic dog, and how she shifted from dominance-based methods to clicker training and positive reinforcement. Beth discusses canine body language, leash reactivity, scent work, and realistic expectations for dog owners. She also recounts Gremlin’s sudden death after seizures and the memorial tattoo Beth got to keep her close.

🌐Visit us at https://sophiamedia.co/ 

❤️ Subscribe for more conversations about life's biggest transitions.

]]> From a Childhood Dog Bite to Positive Reinforcement: Beth McGuire’s First Year with Gremlyn.

In this episode of My First Year with My Dog, hosts Sophia and Samira interview South Kingstown, Rhode Island vet tech, canine physical therapist, and dog trainer Beth McGuire in person at the Sophia Media studio. Beth shares how being bitten in the face by a chained dog at age four—and her mother’s deliberate exposure to friendly dogs afterward—set her on a lifelong path to “fix mean dogs.” She reflects on adopting her first puppy, Gremlyn, in college, the challenges and joys of raising an energetic dog, and how she shifted from dominance-based methods to clicker training and positive reinforcement. Beth discusses canine body language, leash reactivity, scent work, and realistic expectations for dog owners. She also recounts Gremlin’s sudden death after seizures and the memorial tattoo Beth got to keep her close.

🌐Visit us at https://sophiamedia.co/ 

❤️ Subscribe for more conversations about life's biggest transitions.

]]> https://sophiamedia.co/myfirstyear/ Sophia Media Buzzsprout-19527981 Wed, 26 Aug 2026 04:00:00 -0400 3335 dogs, dog lover, dog parent, life transitions, real stories, human experiences, pivotal moments, personal reflection, life, work, emotional, authenticity, honest, family 1 2 full false Brian Berger with Christie Brinkley Brian Berger with Christie Brinkley In this first episode of “My First Year With My Dog,” co-hosts Sophia and Samira interview Brian Berger, who shares his story of adopting a rescue dog with his wife, Amy, after years of wanting a dog. They initially sought a small dog but connected with a quiet blonde pit bull (later named Christie “Brinkley”) at a Brooklyn rescue. Brian describes bringing Brinkley home and early adjustments in a Brooklyn apartment, including crate training, consistent positive-reinforcement training, and milestones like learning stairs. He reflects on how Brinkley provided companionship, patience, emotional support during stressful finance work, strengthened relationships and community connections. A year after Brinkley’s death, Brian discusses grief, therapy, and complicated feelings about adopting again.

🌐Visit us at https://sophiamedia.co/ 

❤️ Subscribe for more conversations about life's biggest transitions.

]]> In this first episode of “My First Year With My Dog,” co-hosts Sophia and Samira interview Brian Berger, who shares his story of adopting a rescue dog with his wife, Amy, after years of wanting a dog. They initially sought a small dog but connected with a quiet blonde pit bull (later named Christie “Brinkley”) at a Brooklyn rescue. Brian describes bringing Brinkley home and early adjustments in a Brooklyn apartment, including crate training, consistent positive-reinforcement training, and milestones like learning stairs. He reflects on how Brinkley provided companionship, patience, emotional support during stressful finance work, strengthened relationships and community connections. A year after Brinkley’s death, Brian discusses grief, therapy, and complicated feelings about adopting again.

🌐Visit us at https://sophiamedia.co/ 

❤️ Subscribe for more conversations about life's biggest transitions.

]]> https://sophiamedia.co/myfirstyear/ SOPHIA MEDIA Buzzsprout-19668517 Wed, 26 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400 2529 dogs, dog lover, dog parent, life transitions, real stories, human experiences, pivotal moments, personal reflection, life, work, emotional, authenticity, honest, family 1 1 full false Season 1 Trailer - A Podcast about Dogs, Life and Love🐾 Season 1 Trailer - A Podcast about Dogs, Life and Love🐾 What happens when you bring a dog into your life? From Sophia Media comes a new podcast exploring the profound transformation that begins when a dog enters your universe. Whether it is your first dog or your tenth, that first year reshapes far more than just your daily routine—it changes who you are.

In this trailer, hear from dog parents Brian, Jennifer, and Beth as they share the exact moments they fell in love, discovered a new sense of purpose, and realized their hearts had grown bigger than they ever thought possible.

Join us for My First Year with My Dog—an intimate look at how the dogs we welcome into our homes end up transforming our hearts, our relationships, and who we become. Premiering August 25, 2026. 

🌐Visit us at https://sophiamedia.co/ 

❤️ Subscribe for more conversations about life's biggest transitions.

]]> What happens when you bring a dog into your life? From Sophia Media comes a new podcast exploring the profound transformation that begins when a dog enters your universe. Whether it is your first dog or your tenth, that first year reshapes far more than just your daily routine—it changes who you are.

In this trailer, hear from dog parents Brian, Jennifer, and Beth as they share the exact moments they fell in love, discovered a new sense of purpose, and realized their hearts had grown bigger than they ever thought possible.

Join us for My First Year with My Dog—an intimate look at how the dogs we welcome into our homes end up transforming our hearts, our relationships, and who we become. Premiering August 25, 2026. 

🌐Visit us at https://sophiamedia.co/ 

❤️ Subscribe for more conversations about life's biggest transitions.

]]> https://sophiamedia.co/myfirstyear/ SOPHIA MEDIA Buzzsprout-19670679 Fri, 21 Aug 2026 03:00:00 -0400 119 firsts, life transitions, major life changes, life milestones, transformative experiences, pivotal moments, personal reflection, meaningful conversations, personal stories, emotional journeys, authentic stories, honest conversations, opening up, dog pare 1 trailer false