This Podcast Changed How I See Dogs

Happy Father’s Day.

My parents never let me get a dog, and my dad, Lloyd, is a self-proclaimed “not a dog person.” The closest thing I got was a rabbit in the 4th grade named Floppers, that I gave away because I got bored with him (though I did love him).

Like I did two weeks ago, I’m shamelessly promoting my new YouTube show, I Learned It on a Podcast, where I share the fascinating, mind-opening ideas I discover through podcasts. The show is still brand new (this is Episode 2), so I need all the views I can get. This episode is called “Are Suburban Dogs Happier Than City Dogs?”

I know there are a lot of dog people reading this, so I wanted to give you guys a taste!

If you watch, I would be eternally grateful if you could Like, Subscribe and leave a comment!

This one dives into an episode of a podcast called No Such Thing, featuring Alexandra Horowitz, the head of the Dog Cognition Lab at Barnard College and author of Inside of a Dog. The question that kicks it all off is simple:
Would a dog be happier living in the suburbs, or in a city like New York?

The answer isn’t what you think.

It turns out dogs don’t crave grass and open space nearly as much as they crave stimulation—new smells, new people, new experiences. While suburban yards offer room to roam, city streets offer stories to sniff. In fact, the host compares a dog walk in NYC to TikTok for the canine brain—each smell, each stranger, a new post to engage with.

The episode also busts common myths, like the idea that dogs need to be dominated or that they think in human terms. Dogs sense the world through smell, sound, and motion—not language. They don’t speak English, but they’re fluent in context—and they’re incredibly emotionally sensitive to their humans.

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there—whatever animal your kids may be!

Question: What are some of your favorite pets you’ve had over the years?