1 00:00:15,476 --> 00:00:24,316 Speaker 1: Pushkin. When it comes to feeling happier, there's no one 2 00:00:24,356 --> 00:00:27,396 Speaker 1: size fits all approach when times get really tough. Many 3 00:00:27,436 --> 00:00:30,036 Speaker 1: of us have our own unique ways to cope, and 4 00:00:30,076 --> 00:00:32,396 Speaker 1: that is what we'll be exploring in this new season 5 00:00:32,396 --> 00:00:35,436 Speaker 1: of The Happiness Lab, the creative strategies that different people 6 00:00:35,556 --> 00:00:38,916 Speaker 1: use to bring joy back into their lives, especially during 7 00:00:38,956 --> 00:00:42,356 Speaker 1: times that don't feel so great. Over the next few episodes, 8 00:00:42,396 --> 00:00:45,116 Speaker 1: I'm going to be talking to people about their coping strategies, 9 00:00:45,396 --> 00:00:47,636 Speaker 1: the things that bring them pleasure and palm, that get 10 00:00:47,636 --> 00:00:49,756 Speaker 1: them out of the house and meeting new people, and 11 00:00:49,796 --> 00:00:53,556 Speaker 1: that ultimately help them cope when they're feeling overwhelmed. You'll 12 00:00:53,556 --> 00:00:56,556 Speaker 1: hear about the power of music, nature, sports, and simple 13 00:00:56,596 --> 00:00:59,756 Speaker 1: hobbies to make our lives happier. And First up is 14 00:00:59,796 --> 00:01:03,796 Speaker 1: the story of Elias Weiss's Friedman. If that name's not familiar, 15 00:01:04,036 --> 00:01:07,316 Speaker 1: go check your Instagram feed, because you might know Elias 16 00:01:07,396 --> 00:01:09,076 Speaker 1: better as the doggiest. 17 00:01:08,956 --> 00:01:12,156 Speaker 2: Right Italian greyhound in an outfit. Excuse me, I take 18 00:01:12,156 --> 00:01:13,796 Speaker 2: a photo of your dogs? I quite yeah. 19 00:01:16,836 --> 00:01:19,276 Speaker 1: For over a decade, Elias has walked the streets of 20 00:01:19,316 --> 00:01:22,156 Speaker 1: New York asking dog owners if he can take photos 21 00:01:22,156 --> 00:01:25,076 Speaker 1: of their pets. Elias's pup portraits are amazing. 22 00:01:25,316 --> 00:01:29,116 Speaker 2: How old is we go? You're in change? Yeah? Can 23 00:01:29,116 --> 00:01:32,156 Speaker 2: you have a little biscuit? Yeah that's true. 24 00:01:32,596 --> 00:01:34,516 Speaker 1: But what's really made The dog Ist a huge hit 25 00:01:34,556 --> 00:01:38,196 Speaker 1: on social media are the heartwarming interactions Elias has with 26 00:01:38,276 --> 00:01:39,556 Speaker 1: both the dogs and the. 27 00:01:39,556 --> 00:01:42,916 Speaker 2: Humans that he Oh my god, I'm honored. I've never 28 00:01:42,956 --> 00:01:46,276 Speaker 2: met a witch's dog. There's a movie, a Disney movie 29 00:01:46,276 --> 00:01:46,996 Speaker 2: in there somewhere. 30 00:01:47,156 --> 00:01:49,676 Speaker 1: Elias has a new book out, This Dog Will Change 31 00:01:49,676 --> 00:01:52,556 Speaker 1: Your Life, which explores how dogs improve the lives of 32 00:01:52,636 --> 00:01:55,076 Speaker 1: so many people, and there's lots of research to back 33 00:01:55,156 --> 00:01:57,876 Speaker 1: this up. Studies show that dogs help us stay active 34 00:01:57,916 --> 00:02:00,356 Speaker 1: and engaged. They keep us in the moment and help 35 00:02:00,396 --> 00:02:04,036 Speaker 1: us notice our surroundings. They're also goofy companions who encourage 36 00:02:04,076 --> 00:02:06,476 Speaker 1: us to let down our barriers and talk to strangers. 37 00:02:06,996 --> 00:02:08,836 Speaker 1: But This Dog will Change Your Life isn't just a 38 00:02:08,836 --> 00:02:11,636 Speaker 1: book about dogs. In the abstract has lots of stories 39 00:02:11,636 --> 00:02:15,036 Speaker 1: from Elias himself about how our furry friends help us cope, 40 00:02:15,356 --> 00:02:18,916 Speaker 1: including tales from his youngest days which explained the very 41 00:02:18,956 --> 00:02:21,116 Speaker 1: special place dogs hold in his heart. 42 00:02:21,476 --> 00:02:23,036 Speaker 2: It's a little bit of like a scary story. 43 00:02:23,076 --> 00:02:25,876 Speaker 3: Perhaps I was with my grandmother at her house and 44 00:02:25,916 --> 00:02:28,916 Speaker 3: she was watching me, and I was a toddler, and 45 00:02:29,116 --> 00:02:31,596 Speaker 3: she went in to get a jacket and left me 46 00:02:31,676 --> 00:02:34,196 Speaker 3: outside with Oreo, her black labrador. 47 00:02:34,356 --> 00:02:35,916 Speaker 2: I don't know what was going through my head. 48 00:02:36,876 --> 00:02:39,716 Speaker 3: Maybe it was let's go on in an adventure. And 49 00:02:39,756 --> 00:02:42,676 Speaker 3: when she came back outside, I was gone. She called 50 00:02:42,676 --> 00:02:46,516 Speaker 3: the police and called my parents and fire department and everything. 51 00:02:47,036 --> 00:02:48,036 Speaker 2: They thought the worst. 52 00:02:48,156 --> 00:02:50,796 Speaker 3: I don't remember it personally, this is what my parents 53 00:02:50,796 --> 00:02:53,996 Speaker 3: would tell me, but a landscaper saw me on the 54 00:02:54,036 --> 00:02:57,036 Speaker 3: side of the road with Oreo, and Oreo was sort 55 00:02:57,076 --> 00:02:59,476 Speaker 3: of like keeping me out of the road, and I 56 00:02:59,516 --> 00:03:03,276 Speaker 3: guess Oreo kept me out of harm's way. And it 57 00:03:03,316 --> 00:03:05,716 Speaker 3: was an early indication of my love of dogs, and 58 00:03:05,796 --> 00:03:07,596 Speaker 3: like that's part of my origin story. 59 00:03:07,636 --> 00:03:08,156 Speaker 2: You could say. 60 00:03:08,276 --> 00:03:10,596 Speaker 1: It also seems like you've been around dogs like your 61 00:03:10,596 --> 00:03:12,076 Speaker 1: whole life, and they've been kind of helping you your 62 00:03:12,076 --> 00:03:13,716 Speaker 1: whole life. Tell me a little bit about kind of 63 00:03:13,756 --> 00:03:15,996 Speaker 1: your childhood in some ways that dogs helped you even 64 00:03:15,996 --> 00:03:16,356 Speaker 1: back then. 65 00:03:16,676 --> 00:03:19,676 Speaker 2: I was always a shy kid. I was social, but 66 00:03:20,036 --> 00:03:20,836 Speaker 2: just not sort. 67 00:03:20,636 --> 00:03:25,196 Speaker 3: Of extroverted, introverted person, and dogs are sort of not 68 00:03:25,476 --> 00:03:30,276 Speaker 3: burdened by self consciousness and anxiety about approaching others. I mean, 69 00:03:30,316 --> 00:03:32,756 Speaker 3: not all dogs, but most of them are, I would say, 70 00:03:32,956 --> 00:03:34,676 Speaker 3: And so when you go up to a dog. That 71 00:03:34,836 --> 00:03:36,956 Speaker 3: was just sort of like a safe place for me 72 00:03:37,156 --> 00:03:40,476 Speaker 3: was going up to my dog Ruby and getting attention 73 00:03:40,676 --> 00:03:43,636 Speaker 3: and love. And I always had this sort of dry 74 00:03:43,716 --> 00:03:46,596 Speaker 3: sense of humor and would speak on my dog's behalf, 75 00:03:47,196 --> 00:03:48,796 Speaker 3: you know, make everyone in the house laugh. 76 00:03:49,316 --> 00:03:52,196 Speaker 2: And that was me expressing myself in a very. 77 00:03:52,076 --> 00:03:54,876 Speaker 3: Like fun pure form that I didn't really get to 78 00:03:54,876 --> 00:03:55,516 Speaker 3: do otherwise. 79 00:03:55,996 --> 00:03:58,356 Speaker 1: Maybe this is too much, but can you do a 80 00:03:58,436 --> 00:04:01,796 Speaker 1: version of the Ruby ventriloquism for the podcast? 81 00:04:01,836 --> 00:04:04,316 Speaker 2: Yeah, let's see. She would go up to my brother 82 00:04:04,756 --> 00:04:07,236 Speaker 2: and say, like, hen, Wei, what are you doing? You 83 00:04:07,276 --> 00:04:10,076 Speaker 2: never pet me anymore? I don't know, it's been it's 84 00:04:10,156 --> 00:04:11,956 Speaker 2: been a while since I've done that in a while. 85 00:04:12,716 --> 00:04:15,716 Speaker 3: But like you know, Ruby, you know, and other dogs 86 00:04:15,716 --> 00:04:18,396 Speaker 3: were like my muses, and it was like you're seeing 87 00:04:18,556 --> 00:04:21,836 Speaker 3: the true Lias come out, and it made everyone relax 88 00:04:21,916 --> 00:04:24,396 Speaker 3: and liked me more. That's where the origin of my 89 00:04:24,436 --> 00:04:26,556 Speaker 3: love of dogs, I think began, was just sort of 90 00:04:26,636 --> 00:04:29,756 Speaker 3: enabling me, as a shy kid, to be my true self. 91 00:04:29,876 --> 00:04:31,796 Speaker 1: Kind of going back to the origin stories, I wanted 92 00:04:31,836 --> 00:04:34,276 Speaker 1: to start with the second time a dog saved your life, 93 00:04:34,596 --> 00:04:36,996 Speaker 1: at least metaphorically set up what was going on when 94 00:04:36,996 --> 00:04:39,316 Speaker 1: you were twenty five and sor what happened next. 95 00:04:39,636 --> 00:04:43,316 Speaker 3: So I worked in a brand strategy agency, helping companies 96 00:04:43,356 --> 00:04:45,476 Speaker 3: tell their story. It was a great job, Like I 97 00:04:45,556 --> 00:04:48,236 Speaker 3: learned probably more in that job than I did in college, 98 00:04:48,236 --> 00:04:49,956 Speaker 3: you know, just like about how to work in the 99 00:04:49,956 --> 00:04:52,396 Speaker 3: real world as a professional. But then, you know, me 100 00:04:52,516 --> 00:04:54,796 Speaker 3: and a colleague both got an email like, oh, come 101 00:04:54,876 --> 00:04:57,196 Speaker 3: to the office of like the group director, and I'm like, oh, 102 00:04:57,236 --> 00:04:57,596 Speaker 3: what's this. 103 00:04:57,676 --> 00:05:00,396 Speaker 2: Okay, we'll bring our notebooks. This could be our new thing. 104 00:05:00,516 --> 00:05:01,276 Speaker 2: We'll work together. 105 00:05:01,396 --> 00:05:03,316 Speaker 3: And then it was a rainy day, just like today, 106 00:05:05,076 --> 00:05:07,596 Speaker 3: and he says things were slow at the office, so 107 00:05:07,956 --> 00:05:09,556 Speaker 3: today we'll be relaxed day. 108 00:05:11,076 --> 00:05:16,756 Speaker 2: And we're like, oh, okay. That was obviously a bit startling. 109 00:05:17,116 --> 00:05:19,996 Speaker 3: I was dreading having to slink home with the tail 110 00:05:20,036 --> 00:05:22,276 Speaker 3: between my legs and have to tell my friends and 111 00:05:22,356 --> 00:05:25,116 Speaker 3: family that I was fired. But that was the worst 112 00:05:25,116 --> 00:05:27,836 Speaker 3: of it. My inner child was like, oh, this may 113 00:05:27,876 --> 00:05:31,316 Speaker 3: actually be a good thing. I was in New York 114 00:05:31,356 --> 00:05:34,276 Speaker 3: as a twenty five year old, and I didn't know 115 00:05:34,276 --> 00:05:36,796 Speaker 3: what I wanted to do next, and so I sort 116 00:05:36,836 --> 00:05:39,876 Speaker 3: of sought the council of my friends who were in 117 00:05:39,916 --> 00:05:41,676 Speaker 3: the tech space in the city and who were like 118 00:05:41,716 --> 00:05:44,116 Speaker 3: making things on their own and being their own bosses. 119 00:05:44,196 --> 00:05:45,676 Speaker 3: And I sort of just had this moment of like, 120 00:05:45,716 --> 00:05:47,796 Speaker 3: what would I want to do instead of getting the 121 00:05:47,836 --> 00:05:50,756 Speaker 3: same job somewhere else, What is my soul want? I 122 00:05:50,796 --> 00:05:52,516 Speaker 3: want to hang out with dogs. I missed having a dog. 123 00:05:52,676 --> 00:05:55,196 Speaker 3: They're walking all over around New York City. People are 124 00:05:55,196 --> 00:05:57,396 Speaker 3: fascinated with them, They're obsessed with them. I had grown 125 00:05:57,476 --> 00:05:59,196 Speaker 3: up with the dark room in the house and had 126 00:05:59,236 --> 00:06:03,236 Speaker 3: always been into like creating dog content, and I had, 127 00:06:03,316 --> 00:06:05,236 Speaker 3: you know, a bunch of camera equipment. Within a year, 128 00:06:05,356 --> 00:06:07,236 Speaker 3: you know, I was like interviewing dogs about world news 129 00:06:07,236 --> 00:06:08,996 Speaker 3: on video. But that was a little bit like strange, 130 00:06:09,316 --> 00:06:11,036 Speaker 3: you know, to get people's dogs all riled up. But 131 00:06:11,076 --> 00:06:13,876 Speaker 3: then I started taking portraits. I was like the epiphany. 132 00:06:13,996 --> 00:06:16,516 Speaker 3: I just remember, like I was in Williamsburg in Brooklyn 133 00:06:16,636 --> 00:06:18,116 Speaker 3: and came across a frenchie and I. 134 00:06:18,236 --> 00:06:20,356 Speaker 2: Like had said, Okay, may I take a photo of. 135 00:06:20,316 --> 00:06:22,876 Speaker 3: Your French shye and he said, yeah, I did, and 136 00:06:22,916 --> 00:06:24,836 Speaker 3: then he said what's this for? And I was like 137 00:06:24,916 --> 00:06:28,236 Speaker 3: the doggiest and just so I rolled off my tongue. 138 00:06:28,276 --> 00:06:30,276 Speaker 3: I was like it sounded good, and then I was 139 00:06:30,316 --> 00:06:32,796 Speaker 3: off to the races. It sort of started as a joke, 140 00:06:32,836 --> 00:06:35,636 Speaker 3: like wouldn't it be funny to photograph dogs in this 141 00:06:35,716 --> 00:06:38,556 Speaker 3: sort of serious way, you know, the sartorialist for dogs. 142 00:06:38,876 --> 00:06:41,036 Speaker 3: And I would walk around the streets of New York. 143 00:06:41,476 --> 00:06:43,396 Speaker 3: I figured out my system. You know, I'm wearing the 144 00:06:43,396 --> 00:06:46,476 Speaker 3: same pants I wore eleven years ago, these like cargo pants. 145 00:06:46,836 --> 00:06:48,676 Speaker 3: I used to wear knee pads because I need to 146 00:06:48,676 --> 00:06:51,516 Speaker 3: get down into the dog zone, the dog level. Literally, 147 00:06:51,556 --> 00:06:53,556 Speaker 3: My job was a walk in the park. I would say, oh, 148 00:06:53,596 --> 00:06:56,156 Speaker 3: I'm gonna go to Central Park today, or I'm going 149 00:06:56,196 --> 00:06:59,636 Speaker 3: to go to Brooklyn or walk around Soho and just 150 00:06:59,676 --> 00:07:02,916 Speaker 3: try and create great images, whether the dog stands out 151 00:07:02,916 --> 00:07:06,116 Speaker 3: on its own because it's like unique looking or charismatic, 152 00:07:06,516 --> 00:07:09,756 Speaker 3: or the person is wearing like cool shoes or an outfit. 153 00:07:09,916 --> 00:07:11,196 Speaker 2: Of course, my dad was like, how are you going 154 00:07:11,236 --> 00:07:13,156 Speaker 2: to make money? Like this is like what is this? 155 00:07:13,396 --> 00:07:14,876 Speaker 3: When are you going to get a real job type 156 00:07:14,876 --> 00:07:17,756 Speaker 3: of thing like, But that was sort of like the 157 00:07:17,756 --> 00:07:20,836 Speaker 3: moment when I accepted myself this is going to be okay. 158 00:07:20,876 --> 00:07:22,516 Speaker 3: This is going to be good. How could people not 159 00:07:22,596 --> 00:07:27,116 Speaker 3: love this? People love dogs, so I've chosen a good subject. 160 00:07:27,476 --> 00:07:31,756 Speaker 3: And also people love New York. New York has this magnetism. 161 00:07:31,796 --> 00:07:33,916 Speaker 3: Everyone around the world is so curious about New York. 162 00:07:34,036 --> 00:07:37,316 Speaker 3: And it just sort of got traction quickly, and you know, 163 00:07:37,356 --> 00:07:40,676 Speaker 3: Huffy in Post and all local news, and of course 164 00:07:40,796 --> 00:07:43,396 Speaker 3: everyone was like, thank god, this now exists. And so 165 00:07:43,636 --> 00:07:46,716 Speaker 3: I went from being a twenty five year old person 166 00:07:46,756 --> 00:07:48,836 Speaker 3: in New York trying to like find their purpose to 167 00:07:49,556 --> 00:07:53,716 Speaker 3: being celebrated as like an artist and a dog person, 168 00:07:53,996 --> 00:07:57,236 Speaker 3: like celebrated for something I really wanted to do that's fun, 169 00:07:57,396 --> 00:07:59,556 Speaker 3: and like I wanted to be known for. 170 00:07:59,756 --> 00:08:02,516 Speaker 2: And so the dogs save me again. 171 00:08:03,796 --> 00:08:05,556 Speaker 1: I mean, one of the cool things about what you 172 00:08:05,636 --> 00:08:07,996 Speaker 1: do is that you're kind of using the power of 173 00:08:08,036 --> 00:08:11,276 Speaker 1: technology for good. I think, unlike many influencers, you're really 174 00:08:11,356 --> 00:08:13,436 Speaker 1: using the power of technology to get people to connect 175 00:08:13,556 --> 00:08:16,116 Speaker 1: rather than divide people. You had this lovely quote in 176 00:08:16,156 --> 00:08:18,796 Speaker 1: your book where you said, I think sometimes dog content 177 00:08:18,876 --> 00:08:21,276 Speaker 1: is the single strand of why are tethering our society 178 00:08:21,316 --> 00:08:24,236 Speaker 1: to decency insanity? Kind of explain what you mean there. 179 00:08:24,276 --> 00:08:26,516 Speaker 3: That's sort of like, I think part of the success 180 00:08:26,876 --> 00:08:29,556 Speaker 3: of the doggest is that everything on the Internet is 181 00:08:29,716 --> 00:08:31,516 Speaker 3: very like grown up most of the time, or we're 182 00:08:31,556 --> 00:08:35,556 Speaker 3: expected to take things seriously, and here I was being like, 183 00:08:35,596 --> 00:08:39,036 Speaker 3: what if, like we just had a whole account about dogs, 184 00:08:39,316 --> 00:08:41,516 Speaker 3: this is what the dogs would want for us? And 185 00:08:41,596 --> 00:08:44,236 Speaker 3: everyone was like, oh my god, can we actually do that? 186 00:08:44,716 --> 00:08:46,636 Speaker 3: Can we make this a real thing? And I'm like, yeah, 187 00:08:46,676 --> 00:08:49,516 Speaker 3: we can. The joke is like, you know me, this 188 00:08:49,556 --> 00:08:52,356 Speaker 3: guy who's like going to take this project extremely seriously. 189 00:08:52,396 --> 00:08:55,196 Speaker 3: I'm going to get this really dramatic pictures of dogs 190 00:08:55,196 --> 00:08:58,156 Speaker 3: and our kneepads and like make this his whole life. 191 00:08:58,236 --> 00:09:00,596 Speaker 3: And the whole thing is kind of like a joke, 192 00:09:00,636 --> 00:09:02,956 Speaker 3: Like dogs don't really want their pictures taken, not that 193 00:09:02,996 --> 00:09:05,276 Speaker 3: they wouldn't, but they don't conceive of what a camera is, 194 00:09:05,356 --> 00:09:08,396 Speaker 3: so no dog is ever like don't post that, like 195 00:09:08,596 --> 00:09:11,156 Speaker 3: delete that, make sure take it down, Like my nose 196 00:09:11,196 --> 00:09:13,396 Speaker 3: looks big or my ears look weird, Like there are 197 00:09:13,396 --> 00:09:16,236 Speaker 3: these beings that live with us and are completely free 198 00:09:16,276 --> 00:09:19,356 Speaker 3: of the things that we are so worry about. If 199 00:09:19,356 --> 00:09:22,036 Speaker 3: only we could be like that, if only we could 200 00:09:22,116 --> 00:09:25,396 Speaker 3: tell our most embarrassing story, post our least flattering picture, 201 00:09:25,916 --> 00:09:28,276 Speaker 3: and be in front of you know, ten million people 202 00:09:28,716 --> 00:09:29,956 Speaker 3: and not care. 203 00:09:30,476 --> 00:09:32,836 Speaker 2: Did RDY see the post? I hope he doesn't think 204 00:09:32,876 --> 00:09:33,596 Speaker 2: I'm weird. 205 00:09:33,356 --> 00:09:36,556 Speaker 1: Now the first time you went out on that photo shoot, like, 206 00:09:36,596 --> 00:09:36,996 Speaker 1: what was that? 207 00:09:37,156 --> 00:09:37,316 Speaker 2: Like? 208 00:09:37,516 --> 00:09:41,956 Speaker 3: I trusted my gut. I knew that there was something there. 209 00:09:41,956 --> 00:09:43,996 Speaker 3: I mean, everyone's a dog photographer, right. I was not 210 00:09:44,076 --> 00:09:46,836 Speaker 3: the first person with this idea to create a project 211 00:09:46,876 --> 00:09:49,556 Speaker 3: around dogs, but I just sort of decided I wanted 212 00:09:49,596 --> 00:09:51,916 Speaker 3: to take it to another level. I grew up in 213 00:09:51,956 --> 00:09:54,436 Speaker 3: a house that was a little bit zany, the dog 214 00:09:54,556 --> 00:09:58,036 Speaker 3: vnchrolcism thing where dogs are sort of like have inner monologues. 215 00:09:58,196 --> 00:09:59,956 Speaker 2: Like I didn't create that. I was steeped in that 216 00:10:00,036 --> 00:10:00,556 Speaker 2: growing up. 217 00:10:00,756 --> 00:10:04,396 Speaker 3: But the idea of creating a whole project around something 218 00:10:04,396 --> 00:10:06,796 Speaker 3: that on the surface seems like silly. If you have 219 00:10:06,836 --> 00:10:08,716 Speaker 3: to be a little disruptive and be willing to be 220 00:10:08,756 --> 00:10:12,516 Speaker 3: disrupt and to not listen to other people in order 221 00:10:12,556 --> 00:10:14,916 Speaker 3: to find success in the thing that you love. And 222 00:10:15,516 --> 00:10:18,916 Speaker 3: motivational speaker Gary Vaynerchuk, he would say things like, do 223 00:10:18,996 --> 00:10:22,676 Speaker 3: your smurf blog. Whatever it is that you think is cool, 224 00:10:22,996 --> 00:10:25,436 Speaker 3: there are many people who also would find it cool. 225 00:10:25,676 --> 00:10:28,156 Speaker 3: And of all the things I chose. I chose one 226 00:10:28,156 --> 00:10:30,116 Speaker 3: of the most popular things dogs. But at the time, 227 00:10:30,396 --> 00:10:33,556 Speaker 3: this was like before really being an influencer was a thing, 228 00:10:33,996 --> 00:10:36,516 Speaker 3: and like we were still figuring out what like social media. 229 00:10:36,396 --> 00:10:37,156 Speaker 2: Was and what it could be. 230 00:10:37,476 --> 00:10:40,796 Speaker 3: And so I did the thing that seemed strange at 231 00:10:40,796 --> 00:10:43,556 Speaker 3: the time but was sort of the thing we all needed. 232 00:10:44,036 --> 00:10:46,356 Speaker 1: Talk to me about just how big the dogs has 233 00:10:46,396 --> 00:10:47,956 Speaker 1: gotten since that first Frenchie photo. 234 00:10:48,076 --> 00:10:51,716 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean it's been eleven years, going on twelve years, 235 00:10:52,156 --> 00:10:55,636 Speaker 3: and I've garnered an audience of close to ten million 236 00:10:55,956 --> 00:10:58,516 Speaker 3: people from all around the world, become a New York 237 00:10:58,556 --> 00:11:02,196 Speaker 3: Times bestselling author, my first narrative book coming out about 238 00:11:02,356 --> 00:11:06,556 Speaker 3: my experiences working with all types of incredible dog organizations, 239 00:11:07,196 --> 00:11:09,676 Speaker 3: being invited to the White House, you know, ptograph something 240 00:11:09,756 --> 00:11:10,796 Speaker 3: like fifty thousand dogs. 241 00:11:11,076 --> 00:11:12,116 Speaker 2: Maybe that's a world record. 242 00:11:12,276 --> 00:11:16,116 Speaker 3: I don't know, but it's certainly changed the fabric, you know, 243 00:11:16,436 --> 00:11:18,076 Speaker 3: I say change the fabric of who I am, but 244 00:11:18,156 --> 00:11:19,956 Speaker 3: really it's just it is who I am. 245 00:11:20,036 --> 00:11:22,876 Speaker 1: It also seems like it's given you other ways to 246 00:11:22,916 --> 00:11:24,636 Speaker 1: find a sense of purpose, right, Yeah. 247 00:11:24,676 --> 00:11:26,436 Speaker 3: I mean when I was like, let go for my job, 248 00:11:26,476 --> 00:11:28,756 Speaker 3: I kind of had this bitterness in a way of 249 00:11:28,876 --> 00:11:31,996 Speaker 3: like well, if people don't like me, well, dogs are great. 250 00:11:32,236 --> 00:11:35,196 Speaker 3: I've always felt that way that like dogs represent like 251 00:11:35,276 --> 00:11:37,356 Speaker 3: the type of person we wish we could be. We 252 00:11:37,476 --> 00:11:41,156 Speaker 3: designed dogs largely we picked the ones that we loved. 253 00:11:41,436 --> 00:11:44,876 Speaker 3: That's how Golden Retrievers came to be. They just they're 254 00:11:44,916 --> 00:11:48,756 Speaker 3: not a naturally occur occurring thing. We picked dogs that 255 00:11:48,796 --> 00:11:51,676 Speaker 3: we loved and and you know, dogs are extremely expressive, 256 00:11:51,676 --> 00:11:54,356 Speaker 3: and of all the animals out there, they're the ones 257 00:11:54,396 --> 00:11:57,236 Speaker 3: that are extremely generous with eye contact. So when you 258 00:11:57,276 --> 00:11:59,476 Speaker 3: look at them, it feels like they're staring into your soul, 259 00:11:59,516 --> 00:12:02,956 Speaker 3: which they basically are. And so that dopamine hit, that 260 00:12:03,036 --> 00:12:05,556 Speaker 3: oxytocin that you get from just being around a dog 261 00:12:05,716 --> 00:12:08,676 Speaker 3: and having eye contact and feeling the sense of being 262 00:12:08,716 --> 00:12:14,396 Speaker 3: in the present, existing and pure love is something. 263 00:12:14,396 --> 00:12:15,916 Speaker 2: I didn't want people to take for granted. 264 00:12:16,036 --> 00:12:18,996 Speaker 3: And that's sort of my top line mission as the 265 00:12:19,036 --> 00:12:22,476 Speaker 3: Doggist is to help us appreciate dogs more than we 266 00:12:22,516 --> 00:12:22,956 Speaker 3: already do. 267 00:12:23,076 --> 00:12:25,796 Speaker 2: And of course no amount of obsession is enough. 268 00:12:27,276 --> 00:12:29,716 Speaker 1: We're going to take a quick break, but when we return, 269 00:12:29,916 --> 00:12:32,556 Speaker 1: Elias and I will explore the science of why dogs 270 00:12:32,556 --> 00:12:41,996 Speaker 1: can be so good for you. Dog photographer Elias Weiss 271 00:12:41,996 --> 00:12:45,716 Speaker 1: Friedman used his pup to navigate the shyness of his childhood. 272 00:12:45,956 --> 00:12:48,756 Speaker 1: Later on in life, dogs gave him a fulfilling career 273 00:12:48,836 --> 00:12:51,716 Speaker 1: path after he got fired. Dogs can indeed be a 274 00:12:51,716 --> 00:12:54,596 Speaker 1: glimmer of light in our darkest days, which is why 275 00:12:54,676 --> 00:12:57,076 Speaker 1: when times are very tough, so many of us think 276 00:12:57,116 --> 00:12:57,876 Speaker 1: about getting one. 277 00:12:58,036 --> 00:13:00,316 Speaker 3: The stat that I always think of around that is like, 278 00:13:00,556 --> 00:13:04,956 Speaker 3: after nine to eleven happened in New York, the population 279 00:13:04,996 --> 00:13:08,436 Speaker 3: of dogs doubled in the city. Something similar happened with 280 00:13:08,516 --> 00:13:10,756 Speaker 3: a pandemic, and you said, I can curse on the 281 00:13:10,796 --> 00:13:12,276 Speaker 3: show at least. 282 00:13:12,316 --> 00:13:13,436 Speaker 1: Yeah. 283 00:13:13,676 --> 00:13:16,396 Speaker 3: The thing, the thing I imagine is going through people's 284 00:13:16,436 --> 00:13:20,316 Speaker 3: minds is like when something bad happens, when it seems 285 00:13:20,356 --> 00:13:23,036 Speaker 3: like the world is ending or something, people are like, 286 00:13:23,276 --> 00:13:25,116 Speaker 3: fuck it, I'm going to get a dog. What am 287 00:13:25,156 --> 00:13:28,636 Speaker 3: I waiting for? Why am I delaying happiness? I've been 288 00:13:28,676 --> 00:13:32,396 Speaker 3: working this job for ten years. I'm not happy. Maybe 289 00:13:32,436 --> 00:13:34,716 Speaker 3: it's all for nothing. Maybe if I could just die 290 00:13:34,756 --> 00:13:36,636 Speaker 3: the next day, you know, why not? I just be 291 00:13:36,756 --> 00:13:39,236 Speaker 3: happy now? And so that's when people get dogs, because 292 00:13:39,276 --> 00:13:40,516 Speaker 3: it's like, let's do this now. 293 00:13:40,636 --> 00:13:42,476 Speaker 2: Havebnout that I love. 294 00:13:42,276 --> 00:13:43,796 Speaker 1: That, And if it's with so much of what the 295 00:13:43,796 --> 00:13:45,716 Speaker 1: science shows this, which is that dogs have all these 296 00:13:45,756 --> 00:13:48,436 Speaker 1: benefits both for our health and our happiness. Let's just 297 00:13:48,436 --> 00:13:50,956 Speaker 1: start with our health. You know, researchers talk about this 298 00:13:50,996 --> 00:13:54,156 Speaker 1: so called pet effect where you get double digit reductions 299 00:13:54,196 --> 00:13:57,076 Speaker 1: and things like heart disease and even like other risk 300 00:13:57,156 --> 00:13:59,676 Speaker 1: factors for dying just by having a dog. And you 301 00:13:59,716 --> 00:14:01,756 Speaker 1: talked about this in your book, with this idea that 302 00:14:01,836 --> 00:14:04,156 Speaker 1: dogs help our physical health because they get us moving, 303 00:14:04,356 --> 00:14:06,396 Speaker 1: just something you saw even as a shy kid, right. 304 00:14:06,276 --> 00:14:09,556 Speaker 3: They get us out of the apartment, they get us walking. 305 00:14:10,076 --> 00:14:12,716 Speaker 3: I mean, it seems sort of like it's almost like 306 00:14:12,756 --> 00:14:14,756 Speaker 3: a boring fact, but it's so real. 307 00:14:14,796 --> 00:14:17,196 Speaker 1: There's also like a real ritual to the dog walk too, 308 00:14:17,196 --> 00:14:18,916 Speaker 1: that you've talked about, that it's not just kind of 309 00:14:18,956 --> 00:14:21,076 Speaker 1: getting outside, but you're kind of doing something that has 310 00:14:21,116 --> 00:14:23,196 Speaker 1: this present ritual quality. 311 00:14:23,396 --> 00:14:25,436 Speaker 3: Like if we didn't have our dog, we would sleep 312 00:14:25,476 --> 00:14:29,076 Speaker 3: in probably and our circadium rhythms would be off. We'd 313 00:14:29,076 --> 00:14:32,116 Speaker 3: probably drink more because we be like, oh, we've no responsibilities. 314 00:14:32,556 --> 00:14:34,996 Speaker 3: We get sunlight at the beginning of the day, We 315 00:14:35,156 --> 00:14:39,276 Speaker 3: establish relationships with people in our neighborhood. One of the 316 00:14:39,276 --> 00:14:41,516 Speaker 3: things I've been saying recently. And I may sound like 317 00:14:41,516 --> 00:14:44,036 Speaker 3: a broken record because I've been saying it is before 318 00:14:44,076 --> 00:14:46,316 Speaker 3: you get a dog, you know your neighbor, and after 319 00:14:46,396 --> 00:14:48,716 Speaker 3: you get a dog, you know you're a neighborhood. Like 320 00:14:48,836 --> 00:14:50,996 Speaker 3: for all the intangible things that dogs do for us, 321 00:14:51,356 --> 00:14:53,636 Speaker 3: there are some very real tangible ones. They get you 322 00:14:53,676 --> 00:14:56,596 Speaker 3: out and you meet ten people, and so you take 323 00:14:56,636 --> 00:14:59,236 Speaker 3: the dog away, you're staying inside on your computer and 324 00:14:59,276 --> 00:15:02,036 Speaker 3: you meet zero people or maybe one person on the internet, 325 00:15:02,076 --> 00:15:03,276 Speaker 3: which counts for half a point. 326 00:15:03,356 --> 00:15:04,756 Speaker 1: And this seems to be one of the real profound 327 00:15:04,796 --> 00:15:06,476 Speaker 1: things that dogs do is that they can kind of 328 00:15:06,476 --> 00:15:09,436 Speaker 1: be this social lubricant. In your book, you talk about 329 00:15:09,436 --> 00:15:12,676 Speaker 1: the importance of dog assisted conversations. What do you mean 330 00:15:12,676 --> 00:15:14,276 Speaker 1: there and why can those be so important? 331 00:15:14,516 --> 00:15:19,156 Speaker 3: Yeah, dogs are fur icebreakers. People are passing each other 332 00:15:19,196 --> 00:15:21,116 Speaker 3: on the street. They probably are like ships in the night. 333 00:15:21,196 --> 00:15:23,436 Speaker 3: They don't say hi to one another. But like you know, 334 00:15:23,556 --> 00:15:25,236 Speaker 3: two people walking their dogs, their dogs. 335 00:15:25,036 --> 00:15:25,756 Speaker 2: Are going to say hi. 336 00:15:25,796 --> 00:15:27,156 Speaker 3: They're going to be interested, and then all of a 337 00:15:27,156 --> 00:15:30,196 Speaker 3: sudden you're striking up a conversation. They're the spark that 338 00:15:30,276 --> 00:15:33,596 Speaker 3: are creating and catalyzing this social interaction. 339 00:15:34,116 --> 00:15:35,076 Speaker 2: What else is going to do that. 340 00:15:35,356 --> 00:15:36,996 Speaker 3: I mean, it's like people will go to the bar, 341 00:15:37,116 --> 00:15:40,636 Speaker 3: they'll go to like social events, and maybe that'll happen, 342 00:15:40,636 --> 00:15:42,996 Speaker 3: but on a daily basis, like as a daily routine 343 00:15:42,996 --> 00:15:45,156 Speaker 3: of walking your dog, there's nothing else like it. 344 00:15:45,236 --> 00:15:47,236 Speaker 1: This is something you've also seen just in your role 345 00:15:47,276 --> 00:15:50,356 Speaker 1: of taking pictures of people's dogs. You've mentioned how even 346 00:15:50,396 --> 00:15:52,516 Speaker 1: though at first people are kind of like a bit 347 00:15:52,556 --> 00:15:54,356 Speaker 1: weirded out by you showing up and talking to them, 348 00:15:54,596 --> 00:15:56,596 Speaker 1: ultimately you get the sense that they're kind of relieved 349 00:15:56,636 --> 00:15:57,636 Speaker 1: to have someone to talk to. 350 00:15:58,036 --> 00:16:00,836 Speaker 3: Yeah, people like talking to another person, even if they 351 00:16:00,836 --> 00:16:03,716 Speaker 3: don't seem that way, Like from five feet away, people 352 00:16:03,716 --> 00:16:04,436 Speaker 3: want to engage. 353 00:16:04,516 --> 00:16:07,276 Speaker 2: You know that the Internet and the society. 354 00:16:06,836 --> 00:16:09,436 Speaker 3: That we've become where we're glued to our phones, sense 355 00:16:09,436 --> 00:16:11,996 Speaker 3: of like loneliness is so high, where like how much 356 00:16:12,356 --> 00:16:15,076 Speaker 3: eye contact and conversation do you have in person? But 357 00:16:15,076 --> 00:16:17,556 Speaker 3: anymore we're starved of it. This is like the weird 358 00:16:17,596 --> 00:16:19,996 Speaker 3: state of society right now where you can totally get 359 00:16:19,996 --> 00:16:23,436 Speaker 3: away with not talking to people. And so here I 360 00:16:23,476 --> 00:16:26,956 Speaker 3: am the sort of random person who wants to say 361 00:16:27,476 --> 00:16:28,916 Speaker 3: hi to your dog, and then all of a sudden 362 00:16:28,996 --> 00:16:31,396 Speaker 3: is asking you a question and wants to know your 363 00:16:31,396 --> 00:16:34,196 Speaker 3: opinion and wants you to tell a story and I 364 00:16:34,356 --> 00:16:37,196 Speaker 3: just stop talking and let you talk, and they're like, what, 365 00:16:37,396 --> 00:16:40,076 Speaker 3: it's my turn, Like I have the microphone. This is 366 00:16:40,156 --> 00:16:42,556 Speaker 3: kind of cool, like I've I'm happy that you're letting 367 00:16:42,596 --> 00:16:45,196 Speaker 3: me tell a story. And also the stories are about 368 00:16:45,236 --> 00:16:47,516 Speaker 3: our dogs are like the one type of story we 369 00:16:47,516 --> 00:16:50,836 Speaker 3: feel totally liberated to give every detail about. You know, 370 00:16:50,876 --> 00:16:53,196 Speaker 3: when we're talking about ourselves or we're talking about people 371 00:16:53,236 --> 00:16:54,556 Speaker 3: we know, we're like, well, I don't know if they'll 372 00:16:54,556 --> 00:16:56,396 Speaker 3: want me to say that, or I shouldn't say that 373 00:16:56,436 --> 00:16:58,796 Speaker 3: about myself, or like how will people judge me or 374 00:16:58,836 --> 00:17:00,636 Speaker 3: think of me? But with the dog, it's like let 375 00:17:00,636 --> 00:17:03,116 Speaker 3: me tell you that one. You know, like how like 376 00:17:03,236 --> 00:17:06,156 Speaker 3: freeing and fun is that to just laugh and like 377 00:17:06,196 --> 00:17:09,716 Speaker 3: connect with someone about a story and just include every detail. 378 00:17:09,916 --> 00:17:12,556 Speaker 2: And I know that. 379 00:17:12,116 --> 00:17:14,156 Speaker 3: People will like me for this story that I'm telling, 380 00:17:14,236 --> 00:17:16,436 Speaker 3: Like you know, a lot of people know the dogs 381 00:17:16,436 --> 00:17:18,676 Speaker 3: at this point, and they know like that their dog 382 00:17:18,756 --> 00:17:19,876 Speaker 3: is going to be seen by a lot of people 383 00:17:19,916 --> 00:17:22,276 Speaker 3: and the story is going to be heard, and it's 384 00:17:22,276 --> 00:17:25,556 Speaker 3: just sort of like it's awesome to I'm sure be 385 00:17:25,676 --> 00:17:28,676 Speaker 3: the person to sort of share something authentic and also 386 00:17:29,156 --> 00:17:31,196 Speaker 3: watch people be authentic. 387 00:17:31,516 --> 00:17:33,196 Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean this is something that we know from 388 00:17:33,236 --> 00:17:35,436 Speaker 1: some of the research, right, which is that what really 389 00:17:35,436 --> 00:17:38,796 Speaker 1: connects people are these like deep, very vulnerable conversations where 390 00:17:38,796 --> 00:17:41,196 Speaker 1: you show your messy self and you kind of take 391 00:17:41,236 --> 00:17:43,196 Speaker 1: some humor in that, right, But it can be really 392 00:17:43,236 --> 00:17:45,716 Speaker 1: hard to do just talking about yourself. But somehow the 393 00:17:45,796 --> 00:17:47,716 Speaker 1: dot when you're talking about your dog, you can do that, 394 00:17:47,756 --> 00:17:50,396 Speaker 1: and it sometimes leads to kind of vulnerabilities about yourself 395 00:17:50,396 --> 00:17:51,916 Speaker 1: that you wouldn't share either, because you start with the 396 00:17:51,956 --> 00:17:53,556 Speaker 1: dog and then it kind of leaks into you talking 397 00:17:53,556 --> 00:17:54,236 Speaker 1: about yourself. 398 00:17:54,476 --> 00:17:55,276 Speaker 2: It's all connected. 399 00:17:55,276 --> 00:17:57,636 Speaker 3: You know, a story about our dog is also really 400 00:17:57,676 --> 00:18:01,316 Speaker 3: a story about us, you know, unconditional love and helping 401 00:18:01,356 --> 00:18:04,516 Speaker 3: them meet their significant other. You know, we're such good 402 00:18:04,596 --> 00:18:08,556 Speaker 3: like detectives of when people are bullshitting. You know, we 403 00:18:08,596 --> 00:18:11,676 Speaker 3: watch someone and talk and it's like, I don't know 404 00:18:11,716 --> 00:18:15,876 Speaker 3: about themselves, but the way people light up and let 405 00:18:15,916 --> 00:18:19,116 Speaker 3: their hair down when they're talking about their dogs and laughing, 406 00:18:19,196 --> 00:18:21,916 Speaker 3: and it's just sort of like charming to watch. 407 00:18:22,076 --> 00:18:24,716 Speaker 1: You've also found that kind of connecting over dogs can 408 00:18:24,836 --> 00:18:26,956 Speaker 1: really help us get over our political differences. 409 00:18:27,076 --> 00:18:30,076 Speaker 3: Yeah, I you know, I'm always like looking at the 410 00:18:30,076 --> 00:18:32,916 Speaker 3: dog first when I'm walking around. So I saw a 411 00:18:32,956 --> 00:18:36,316 Speaker 3: German shepherd and like, oh, beautiful dog. I asked them, 412 00:18:36,596 --> 00:18:37,636 Speaker 3: they take a photo of your dog? 413 00:18:38,316 --> 00:18:38,756 Speaker 2: It sure? 414 00:18:38,996 --> 00:18:41,196 Speaker 3: And he, you know, he turns around. He's like wearing 415 00:18:41,196 --> 00:18:44,516 Speaker 3: a big Trump shirt. And you know, in New York City, 416 00:18:44,556 --> 00:18:47,676 Speaker 3: walking around with that, you're sort of like asking for attention. 417 00:18:48,356 --> 00:18:51,916 Speaker 3: And so I'm like, oh, he's making a political statement, 418 00:18:52,036 --> 00:18:55,076 Speaker 3: and like that's not what the dogs is about, and 419 00:18:55,316 --> 00:18:57,156 Speaker 3: I like to keep it sort of a political But 420 00:18:57,196 --> 00:18:59,876 Speaker 3: then the second thought was just like, we're just talking 421 00:18:59,876 --> 00:19:01,596 Speaker 3: about his dog here. Why do I need to like 422 00:19:01,876 --> 00:19:04,556 Speaker 3: get political with this, Like I'm making it political. You know, 423 00:19:04,636 --> 00:19:07,956 Speaker 3: let's just be humans here. Forget the shirt and we 424 00:19:07,996 --> 00:19:11,556 Speaker 3: connected about the dog. The dog save the day. You know, 425 00:19:11,636 --> 00:19:13,956 Speaker 3: it was a reminder of how important is that we 426 00:19:14,116 --> 00:19:16,516 Speaker 3: don't be at odds with each other, and dogs help 427 00:19:16,596 --> 00:19:18,956 Speaker 3: us not be at odds with each other. I've heard 428 00:19:18,996 --> 00:19:23,036 Speaker 3: so many stories about people across party lines who when 429 00:19:23,076 --> 00:19:26,116 Speaker 3: they find out that someone who they might be opposed 430 00:19:26,156 --> 00:19:28,436 Speaker 3: to politically is a dog person, you know, they can 431 00:19:28,436 --> 00:19:30,636 Speaker 3: get along now. It's like we have common ground, Like 432 00:19:30,676 --> 00:19:34,596 Speaker 3: you're cool, that's healthy politics. Right, we can disagree and 433 00:19:34,796 --> 00:19:36,596 Speaker 3: still hear each other out, you know. 434 00:19:36,676 --> 00:19:39,436 Speaker 1: And so that's how dogs can connect us with one another. 435 00:19:39,676 --> 00:19:41,916 Speaker 1: But another thing we get from dogs also is just 436 00:19:41,956 --> 00:19:44,596 Speaker 1: the social support and the connection that they give us directly. 437 00:19:45,316 --> 00:19:47,396 Speaker 1: And this seems like something you've heard most on the 438 00:19:47,436 --> 00:19:49,516 Speaker 1: dog is you talk about if there is one message 439 00:19:49,556 --> 00:19:51,876 Speaker 1: you get from all the kind of dog lovers you've met, 440 00:19:51,876 --> 00:19:53,796 Speaker 1: it's just this idea of unconditional love. 441 00:19:54,396 --> 00:19:57,036 Speaker 3: Ask people point blank, like, what's your favorite thing about 442 00:19:57,076 --> 00:20:00,036 Speaker 3: having a dog, It's like almost ninety percent they'll say, like, 443 00:20:00,316 --> 00:20:02,596 Speaker 3: it's when I come home and the dog is just 444 00:20:02,676 --> 00:20:05,716 Speaker 3: so happy to see me. Because sometimes we feel stressed 445 00:20:05,796 --> 00:20:08,596 Speaker 3: during the day, it affects our mood. But when we 446 00:20:08,796 --> 00:20:11,276 Speaker 3: come home and there's someone who doesn't know what happened 447 00:20:11,316 --> 00:20:15,116 Speaker 3: to us that day, and it's just so unconditionally happy 448 00:20:15,116 --> 00:20:18,636 Speaker 3: to see us and isn't asking questions about the work 449 00:20:18,716 --> 00:20:22,276 Speaker 3: drama or how the presentation go. There's just something very 450 00:20:23,116 --> 00:20:27,556 Speaker 3: soothing and comforting about that. That consistent happiness we can 451 00:20:27,596 --> 00:20:30,076 Speaker 3: expect and we can plan on it that sort of 452 00:20:30,236 --> 00:20:32,396 Speaker 3: washes away the anxiety we may have. 453 00:20:32,836 --> 00:20:35,756 Speaker 2: It's like one hundred percent of the time, Kida, you 454 00:20:35,756 --> 00:20:40,876 Speaker 2: know kind of belly rub like how are you? That 455 00:20:40,996 --> 00:20:42,076 Speaker 2: is such a mood enhancer. 456 00:20:42,516 --> 00:20:45,116 Speaker 1: There's also lots of evidence that it really literally decreases 457 00:20:45,156 --> 00:20:46,916 Speaker 1: our stress and our level of pain. One of my 458 00:20:46,956 --> 00:20:50,156 Speaker 1: favorite studies had participants like put their hand in this 459 00:20:50,236 --> 00:20:52,316 Speaker 1: so called cold presser task, which is like you actually 460 00:20:52,316 --> 00:20:54,276 Speaker 1: put your hand in the super super cold water that 461 00:20:54,716 --> 00:20:57,276 Speaker 1: puts you in pretty terrible pain, and you either have 462 00:20:57,316 --> 00:20:59,516 Speaker 1: a dog present or not, and they find that you 463 00:20:59,636 --> 00:21:02,556 Speaker 1: literally experience less pain when you have a dog present. 464 00:21:02,676 --> 00:21:04,636 Speaker 1: So it seems like all the anxieties of work, all 465 00:21:04,636 --> 00:21:07,316 Speaker 1: that stuff, we come home and they're literally helping us 466 00:21:07,356 --> 00:21:07,636 Speaker 1: through it. 467 00:21:07,836 --> 00:21:10,596 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm not surprised by that. And they're extremely intuitive 468 00:21:10,636 --> 00:21:13,396 Speaker 3: about our emotional state. I'm pretty sure they can like 469 00:21:13,476 --> 00:21:16,076 Speaker 3: smell it. I just did a talk at Harvard and 470 00:21:16,556 --> 00:21:18,836 Speaker 3: they have this lab there where they did an empathy 471 00:21:18,836 --> 00:21:21,156 Speaker 3: test where I pretended to hit my finger with a 472 00:21:21,156 --> 00:21:25,036 Speaker 3: hammer and I faked it and started crying, you know, 473 00:21:25,116 --> 00:21:27,636 Speaker 3: like ahow, and the dog came running up and licked 474 00:21:27,636 --> 00:21:30,716 Speaker 3: me on the face. Dogs are extremely empathetic. They know 475 00:21:30,796 --> 00:21:34,476 Speaker 3: when things aren't going well, they know when you need love. 476 00:21:34,876 --> 00:21:36,796 Speaker 2: They will give it to you whenever you need it, 477 00:21:36,996 --> 00:21:39,116 Speaker 2: and we need it more often these days, I think. 478 00:21:39,196 --> 00:21:41,116 Speaker 1: And I think that's another thing we forget that dogs 479 00:21:41,116 --> 00:21:44,076 Speaker 1: can give us, That dogs can connect us better to ourselves. 480 00:21:44,116 --> 00:21:46,636 Speaker 1: They can kind of model how we should be treating ourselves. 481 00:21:46,796 --> 00:21:48,716 Speaker 1: And I know this is something you talk about a lot. 482 00:21:49,116 --> 00:21:50,956 Speaker 1: You've argued that dogs can make us a little bit 483 00:21:50,996 --> 00:21:53,516 Speaker 1: less self conscious, which is helpful and kind of maybe 484 00:21:53,596 --> 00:21:55,716 Speaker 1: less self critical too. What do you mean there? 485 00:21:56,116 --> 00:21:59,876 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think we see the way that dogs are 486 00:21:59,916 --> 00:22:04,676 Speaker 3: free with themselves, how they are totally candid. They express 487 00:22:04,956 --> 00:22:09,956 Speaker 3: their emotions, whether it's fear or happiness or confused or sadness, 488 00:22:10,036 --> 00:22:12,996 Speaker 3: without any hesitation about the way they're perceived. You know, 489 00:22:13,036 --> 00:22:14,796 Speaker 3: I don't know that dogs have a sense of humor, 490 00:22:14,836 --> 00:22:16,316 Speaker 3: but I think I think they do. You know, like 491 00:22:16,516 --> 00:22:18,876 Speaker 3: I feel like dogs would be like funny and just 492 00:22:18,916 --> 00:22:21,036 Speaker 3: sort of like willing to be silly. Like you see 493 00:22:21,036 --> 00:22:23,676 Speaker 3: the way dogs play with each other. And so when 494 00:22:23,716 --> 00:22:27,196 Speaker 3: we see that, I don't know whether it's mirroring or something, 495 00:22:27,476 --> 00:22:31,756 Speaker 3: or behavioral association, but we become more like that. We think, Okay, 496 00:22:31,756 --> 00:22:34,836 Speaker 3: maybe it's okay to like just be ourselves, to not 497 00:22:35,076 --> 00:22:36,956 Speaker 3: look in the mirror and question how it will be 498 00:22:36,996 --> 00:22:39,556 Speaker 3: perceived by others. One of the stories I read about 499 00:22:39,876 --> 00:22:42,276 Speaker 3: is my wife Sam and I went to a Halloween 500 00:22:42,316 --> 00:22:46,116 Speaker 3: party and everyone was masked and we were all freely 501 00:22:46,236 --> 00:22:49,156 Speaker 3: talking to one another and in our anonymity, like a 502 00:22:49,196 --> 00:22:52,396 Speaker 3: dog would running into a dog park. And later on 503 00:22:52,436 --> 00:22:55,396 Speaker 3: the night, this person we were talking to she took 504 00:22:55,396 --> 00:22:58,076 Speaker 3: off her mask, and my wife Sam was all of 505 00:22:58,076 --> 00:22:59,796 Speaker 3: a sudden started freaking out and she'd be like, you 506 00:22:59,796 --> 00:23:02,236 Speaker 3: know who that is, That's like one of my heroes, 507 00:23:02,276 --> 00:23:04,516 Speaker 3: like this famous person, And all of a sudden she was, 508 00:23:04,596 --> 00:23:06,876 Speaker 3: you know, self conscious and like, oh, I don't know, 509 00:23:06,956 --> 00:23:08,476 Speaker 3: like if I should talk to her. We'd already been 510 00:23:08,476 --> 00:23:11,196 Speaker 3: talking to her for thirty minutes about bagels, you know, 511 00:23:11,276 --> 00:23:14,756 Speaker 3: like what's the big deal. But dogs, they don't have 512 00:23:14,756 --> 00:23:16,676 Speaker 3: an ego, you know, they have an ability to just 513 00:23:16,676 --> 00:23:20,516 Speaker 3: be themselves, to run into the park and sniff butts 514 00:23:20,716 --> 00:23:23,516 Speaker 3: and not worry about how that other dog may think 515 00:23:23,556 --> 00:23:26,836 Speaker 3: of them. That initial sort of lack of fear around 516 00:23:27,396 --> 00:23:30,716 Speaker 3: their reputation and being self conscious is something that we 517 00:23:30,836 --> 00:23:34,396 Speaker 3: admire and we wish we could possess more. And that's 518 00:23:34,396 --> 00:23:37,036 Speaker 3: probably the biggest reason why I gravitated towards dogs, because 519 00:23:37,156 --> 00:23:41,676 Speaker 3: I was shy, and dogs aren't shy, And just by 520 00:23:42,276 --> 00:23:45,436 Speaker 3: being at the other end of the leash of a dog, you, 521 00:23:45,876 --> 00:23:49,076 Speaker 3: by proxy, you just become less shy, you know, more social. 522 00:23:49,836 --> 00:23:52,316 Speaker 1: It's time for another break, but we'll be back soon 523 00:23:52,396 --> 00:23:55,076 Speaker 1: to discuss the surprising ways that dogs can help us 524 00:23:55,116 --> 00:23:58,276 Speaker 1: heal after trauma. The Happiness Lab will be back in 525 00:23:58,276 --> 00:24:07,316 Speaker 1: a moment, and his role is social media sensation. That 526 00:24:07,436 --> 00:24:10,036 Speaker 1: dog is Elias Wiss. Free Men had the privilege of 527 00:24:10,036 --> 00:24:13,596 Speaker 1: photographing hundreds of dogs each year, but Elias's fame has 528 00:24:13,636 --> 00:24:16,116 Speaker 1: also given him the chance to meet some very special 529 00:24:16,156 --> 00:24:19,676 Speaker 1: pops service dogs, dogs that are individually trained to help 530 00:24:19,716 --> 00:24:23,076 Speaker 1: people with health issues or disabilities. These encounters have had 531 00:24:23,076 --> 00:24:25,836 Speaker 1: a huge impact on Elias. In his book This Dog 532 00:24:25,876 --> 00:24:29,036 Speaker 1: Will Change Your Life, he describes one such meeting with 533 00:24:29,116 --> 00:24:30,436 Speaker 1: a woman named Sharon. 534 00:24:31,276 --> 00:24:36,276 Speaker 3: Sharon, she was an army nurse and as an army nurse, 535 00:24:36,676 --> 00:24:39,676 Speaker 3: you see people in their worst moments of their lives, 536 00:24:39,836 --> 00:24:43,596 Speaker 3: right you can only imagine, and so when you come back, 537 00:24:43,836 --> 00:24:47,716 Speaker 3: those memories don't go away. And so this woman had 538 00:24:47,716 --> 00:24:50,716 Speaker 3: a dog from America's Vet Dogs who basically helps her 539 00:24:51,356 --> 00:24:54,956 Speaker 3: with a PTSD and nightmare interruption and dog will turn 540 00:24:54,996 --> 00:24:56,756 Speaker 3: the lights on so that she doesn't have to enter 541 00:24:56,916 --> 00:24:59,636 Speaker 3: a dark room. So yeah, you know, I've worked with 542 00:24:59,676 --> 00:25:01,756 Speaker 3: America's Vet Dogs a number of times over the years 543 00:25:01,796 --> 00:25:05,716 Speaker 3: and scheduled this series, you know, for veterans. And so 544 00:25:05,756 --> 00:25:08,796 Speaker 3: I went to Sharon's house in New Jersey and everything 545 00:25:08,876 --> 00:25:11,196 Speaker 3: was just sort of like normal, Like she was just 546 00:25:11,236 --> 00:25:13,916 Speaker 3: talking to me like a regular person and telling me 547 00:25:13,956 --> 00:25:15,276 Speaker 3: what her dog did for her. 548 00:25:15,436 --> 00:25:17,036 Speaker 2: And it was not very dramatic. You know. 549 00:25:17,836 --> 00:25:24,196 Speaker 3: Later in the day we ended up at Later in 550 00:25:24,196 --> 00:25:26,236 Speaker 3: the day, we ended up at the headquarters and I 551 00:25:26,356 --> 00:25:30,076 Speaker 3: was speaking with America's Bet Dog CEO and she said, oh, 552 00:25:30,116 --> 00:25:33,676 Speaker 3: I heard you met up with Sharon earlier. And said, yeah, yeah, 553 00:25:34,036 --> 00:25:36,276 Speaker 3: and you know, recounted it a little bit and she said, 554 00:25:36,316 --> 00:25:39,236 Speaker 3: you know that Sharon used to be nonverbal and she 555 00:25:39,276 --> 00:25:40,116 Speaker 3: would shake. 556 00:25:40,276 --> 00:25:47,396 Speaker 2: And sorry, it gets to me like it's talking about. 557 00:25:47,156 --> 00:25:50,836 Speaker 3: It, but like that, that's that's what her dog did 558 00:25:50,836 --> 00:25:58,156 Speaker 3: for her. So, through all the stuff that she's been 559 00:25:58,196 --> 00:26:01,516 Speaker 3: through and state that she was in previously, to have 560 00:26:01,596 --> 00:26:04,276 Speaker 3: a dog come in and just change who she is 561 00:26:04,356 --> 00:26:06,636 Speaker 3: as a person, it's hard to quantify that, you know 562 00:26:06,676 --> 00:26:09,436 Speaker 3: the power of a dog that to take someone who 563 00:26:09,476 --> 00:26:12,596 Speaker 3: is completely non functional, make them appear normal, Like, how 564 00:26:12,636 --> 00:26:14,676 Speaker 3: do you how do you quantify that? 565 00:26:15,716 --> 00:26:18,396 Speaker 1: You've also seen this again and again with dogs who've 566 00:26:18,396 --> 00:26:20,556 Speaker 1: been working with veterans. I know you've talked about Nathan, 567 00:26:20,596 --> 00:26:23,076 Speaker 1: another retired vet from the Air Force. You know, how 568 00:26:23,076 --> 00:26:24,316 Speaker 1: did his dog help him? 569 00:26:24,476 --> 00:26:24,676 Speaker 2: Yeah? 570 00:26:24,716 --> 00:26:28,436 Speaker 3: Nathan, he worked, as he would say, in nukes in 571 00:26:28,476 --> 00:26:31,836 Speaker 3: the nuclear division. And the one thing you have to 572 00:26:31,876 --> 00:26:35,276 Speaker 3: be to work in that space is one hundred percent 573 00:26:35,396 --> 00:26:36,316 Speaker 3: good all the time. 574 00:26:36,556 --> 00:26:37,676 Speaker 2: Are you okay? Yes? 575 00:26:38,276 --> 00:26:42,076 Speaker 3: So that's like being a robot basically, And Nathan wasn't 576 00:26:42,076 --> 00:26:45,076 Speaker 3: always okay. It's so intense, like you can't even have advil. 577 00:26:45,596 --> 00:26:48,996 Speaker 3: And so for his whole career that's the way he 578 00:26:49,036 --> 00:26:50,636 Speaker 3: had to be. And you know, he had all types 579 00:26:50,676 --> 00:26:53,596 Speaker 3: of like physical ailments because of a number of hours 580 00:26:53,596 --> 00:26:55,716 Speaker 3: he had to be at the controls. And so when 581 00:26:55,716 --> 00:26:59,356 Speaker 3: he retired, how do you like deprogram all that training 582 00:26:59,876 --> 00:27:02,836 Speaker 3: and live in a relationship with someone and be a 583 00:27:02,876 --> 00:27:05,236 Speaker 3: human again after you know, what if you're not okay? 584 00:27:05,596 --> 00:27:07,756 Speaker 3: And so he became like a shut in and like 585 00:27:08,076 --> 00:27:11,156 Speaker 3: was completely a social all had all types of fear 586 00:27:11,316 --> 00:27:14,436 Speaker 3: of things, and only he could articulate all those details. 587 00:27:14,476 --> 00:27:18,276 Speaker 3: But he knew he needed help, and as a veteran, 588 00:27:18,516 --> 00:27:21,076 Speaker 3: he reached out to this organization of America's Vet Dogs 589 00:27:21,076 --> 00:27:22,236 Speaker 3: and he got this dog. 590 00:27:22,996 --> 00:27:24,716 Speaker 2: Fast forward a couple of years. 591 00:27:24,756 --> 00:27:28,836 Speaker 3: He's now a public speaker and is like the most outgoing, 592 00:27:28,996 --> 00:27:30,676 Speaker 3: big personality, you know, he's. 593 00:27:30,556 --> 00:27:31,236 Speaker 2: Like a mohawk. 594 00:27:31,836 --> 00:27:35,676 Speaker 3: He's a totally different person, or rather he is his 595 00:27:35,756 --> 00:27:41,316 Speaker 3: true self instead of a scared person who's affected by PTSD. 596 00:27:41,596 --> 00:27:44,876 Speaker 3: And so once again, the dog isn't doing all types 597 00:27:44,916 --> 00:27:47,756 Speaker 3: of magic tricks, and it's all in the subtlety and 598 00:27:47,796 --> 00:27:51,196 Speaker 3: in the nuances of living with a dog, and little 599 00:27:51,236 --> 00:27:53,996 Speaker 3: by little they chip away at these things that we 600 00:27:54,076 --> 00:27:57,236 Speaker 3: create for ourselves so that we can live a better life. 601 00:27:57,476 --> 00:27:59,636 Speaker 1: So it seems like dogs have all these benefits even 602 00:27:59,676 --> 00:28:02,756 Speaker 1: in these extreme situations. But a lot of folks who 603 00:28:02,836 --> 00:28:04,756 Speaker 1: kind of see these benefits, or maybe you're thinking about 604 00:28:04,796 --> 00:28:07,836 Speaker 1: getting a dog, they don't actually take the plunge. And 605 00:28:07,876 --> 00:28:09,676 Speaker 1: one of the things I loved about your story was 606 00:28:09,676 --> 00:28:12,596 Speaker 1: it it surprisingly maybe it actually took you a while 607 00:28:12,676 --> 00:28:14,676 Speaker 1: to take the plunge too. I think this is one 608 00:28:14,676 --> 00:28:16,956 Speaker 1: of the dirty secrets of the early doggiest years, was 609 00:28:16,996 --> 00:28:19,036 Speaker 1: that you yourself did not have a dog. 610 00:28:19,116 --> 00:28:22,396 Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, well, I was on dog hiatus. 611 00:28:23,116 --> 00:28:26,316 Speaker 3: You know, I sort of saw myself as a bit 612 00:28:26,316 --> 00:28:29,356 Speaker 3: of an artist, but I felt like a lot of 613 00:28:29,356 --> 00:28:32,036 Speaker 3: my motivation came out of this dog stalgia where I 614 00:28:32,076 --> 00:28:32,956 Speaker 3: missed having a dog. 615 00:28:33,316 --> 00:28:34,476 Speaker 2: What would happen if I got a dog? 616 00:28:34,516 --> 00:28:37,836 Speaker 3: Would I stop being the doggest Because I was driven 617 00:28:38,196 --> 00:28:40,796 Speaker 3: to meet other people's dogs and to travel around the 618 00:28:40,796 --> 00:28:42,996 Speaker 3: world and to try and meet as many dogs as possible. 619 00:28:43,276 --> 00:28:45,836 Speaker 3: And also obviously having a dog requires a lot of 620 00:28:45,836 --> 00:28:49,036 Speaker 3: responsibility and time. So I think there was just this 621 00:28:49,116 --> 00:28:51,756 Speaker 3: period in my life where I was just sort of 622 00:28:51,996 --> 00:28:56,076 Speaker 3: focused on building my career and exploring who I was 623 00:28:56,116 --> 00:28:58,756 Speaker 3: as a person. And I had all the dogs, is 624 00:28:58,756 --> 00:29:01,556 Speaker 3: what I would say when people had asked me that question. 625 00:29:02,116 --> 00:29:04,916 Speaker 3: But I was still missing something, right, Like, it's hard 626 00:29:04,956 --> 00:29:08,636 Speaker 3: to fully relate to other people and the relationship they 627 00:29:08,676 --> 00:29:10,556 Speaker 3: have with their dog if you don't have one yourself, 628 00:29:10,596 --> 00:29:12,276 Speaker 3: if you're not experiencing it yourself. 629 00:29:12,676 --> 00:29:15,676 Speaker 2: So I grew up a bit, I matured. 630 00:29:15,836 --> 00:29:18,396 Speaker 3: I mean it was during the pandemic that everything slowed 631 00:29:18,436 --> 00:29:21,316 Speaker 3: down and things came into context, into focus, and I 632 00:29:21,396 --> 00:29:23,396 Speaker 3: decided that I wanted to foster a dog, and then 633 00:29:23,436 --> 00:29:27,036 Speaker 3: I met Elsa. She came you know, from Texas and 634 00:29:27,396 --> 00:29:30,916 Speaker 3: on a rainy day, just like today, you know, she 635 00:29:30,996 --> 00:29:34,276 Speaker 3: came in into our house and I was like, oh 636 00:29:34,276 --> 00:29:35,796 Speaker 3: my god, oh crap, Like. 637 00:29:35,956 --> 00:29:36,636 Speaker 2: She's amazing. 638 00:29:36,796 --> 00:29:37,996 Speaker 1: Maybe just describe her for it. 639 00:29:38,116 --> 00:29:43,596 Speaker 3: She's a beautiful husky mix, all white, with a toasted 640 00:29:43,636 --> 00:29:48,516 Speaker 3: marshmallow top, two blue eyes, and a medium size. She's 641 00:29:48,596 --> 00:29:52,356 Speaker 3: like about fifty pounds, although in all honesty, she's like 642 00:29:52,396 --> 00:29:54,356 Speaker 3: fifty five pounds and needs to get back to fifty 643 00:29:54,396 --> 00:29:56,916 Speaker 3: pounds according to the vet. She spends too much time 644 00:29:56,916 --> 00:30:01,196 Speaker 3: at Grandma's house. And she's the best dog. You know, 645 00:30:01,196 --> 00:30:02,836 Speaker 3: every dog is the best dog, but she's also the 646 00:30:02,836 --> 00:30:07,436 Speaker 3: best dog. Extremely well behaved. She's non destructive and doesn't 647 00:30:07,476 --> 00:30:10,196 Speaker 3: bark unless she's at the dog park, doesn't eat street 648 00:30:10,236 --> 00:30:11,596 Speaker 3: treats off the ground. 649 00:30:11,796 --> 00:30:12,636 Speaker 2: Yeah, she's amazing. 650 00:30:12,756 --> 00:30:15,996 Speaker 3: And you know, as the dog is, I was like, 651 00:30:16,196 --> 00:30:18,716 Speaker 3: what type of dog will I end up with? Like, 652 00:30:19,196 --> 00:30:21,556 Speaker 3: which is the dog for me? I've seen them all, 653 00:30:22,236 --> 00:30:24,476 Speaker 3: but Elsa is the right dog for me. You know, 654 00:30:24,556 --> 00:30:27,316 Speaker 3: she wasn't the dog I imagined sort of ending up with, Like, 655 00:30:27,596 --> 00:30:30,756 Speaker 3: but now I'm a husky guy. I love huskies or 656 00:30:30,836 --> 00:30:35,116 Speaker 3: husky mixes. They have a independent thinking mind. They're very smart. 657 00:30:35,236 --> 00:30:37,956 Speaker 3: They keep you on your toes, they do shed a lot. 658 00:30:38,196 --> 00:30:40,676 Speaker 3: Our vacuum gets a lot of use. You know, I've 659 00:30:40,716 --> 00:30:42,636 Speaker 3: heard people say like, once you get a dog that's 660 00:30:42,716 --> 00:30:46,316 Speaker 3: like very smart, then you're used to certain things, Like 661 00:30:46,636 --> 00:30:49,276 Speaker 3: they just have like an adeptness through life that is 662 00:30:49,356 --> 00:30:52,516 Speaker 3: sort of charming. And so I think I've gotten used 663 00:30:52,556 --> 00:30:55,716 Speaker 3: to that. Like she's really like her own independent person. 664 00:30:56,436 --> 00:30:59,356 Speaker 3: And you know, whenever we're having like chicken night or something, 665 00:30:59,836 --> 00:31:02,996 Speaker 3: she would go up to sam my wife and you know. 666 00:31:03,356 --> 00:31:05,356 Speaker 4: Mommy all got the big piece of chicken. Yet that's 667 00:31:05,356 --> 00:31:08,236 Speaker 4: why I go to mo. Daddy had chicken too, but 668 00:31:08,516 --> 00:31:10,916 Speaker 4: Mommy all give me the big pieces. Daddy gives me 669 00:31:10,996 --> 00:31:13,076 Speaker 4: the small pieces. Not as good. 670 00:31:14,316 --> 00:31:14,676 Speaker 2: I don't know. 671 00:31:15,676 --> 00:31:17,876 Speaker 1: And so even for you, it took a while to 672 00:31:18,156 --> 00:31:21,476 Speaker 1: maybe take the plunge. I know, what occupational hazard of 673 00:31:21,516 --> 00:31:23,636 Speaker 1: your job is that people ask you for advice all 674 00:31:23,676 --> 00:31:25,396 Speaker 1: the time about whether they should get a dog and 675 00:31:25,436 --> 00:31:28,476 Speaker 1: picking a dog. When you think about all the benefits 676 00:31:28,556 --> 00:31:30,796 Speaker 1: of having a dog, what advice would you give people 677 00:31:30,956 --> 00:31:32,436 Speaker 1: who are thinking about taking the plunge. 678 00:31:32,476 --> 00:31:33,756 Speaker 2: I think make sure you're ready. 679 00:31:34,236 --> 00:31:36,356 Speaker 3: So many dogs that end up in shelters because people 680 00:31:36,356 --> 00:31:39,796 Speaker 3: aren't ready, whether it's because they are seeing some trend 681 00:31:39,876 --> 00:31:42,676 Speaker 3: on the internet around a certain breed, or a celebrity 682 00:31:42,716 --> 00:31:44,636 Speaker 3: has one and oh, I want that dog then, or 683 00:31:44,636 --> 00:31:47,116 Speaker 3: maybe the kids want a dog for the holidays. But 684 00:31:47,156 --> 00:31:50,436 Speaker 3: then the dog grows up and you haven't socialized or 685 00:31:51,076 --> 00:31:54,436 Speaker 3: trained it properly, and now it's sort of eating your apartment. 686 00:31:54,476 --> 00:31:56,596 Speaker 3: Like there's a whole bunch of things that you have 687 00:31:56,636 --> 00:31:58,876 Speaker 3: to be careful about and be responsible about. So I 688 00:31:58,876 --> 00:32:00,956 Speaker 3: think the first thing is, you know, researching what it 689 00:32:00,996 --> 00:32:03,356 Speaker 3: means to be a dog owner, what is required? 690 00:32:03,556 --> 00:32:04,676 Speaker 2: Can you afford to have a dog? 691 00:32:04,836 --> 00:32:06,956 Speaker 3: You know they're not as expensive as kids, but you 692 00:32:06,996 --> 00:32:08,676 Speaker 3: know you have to bring your dog to the vet. 693 00:32:09,236 --> 00:32:13,116 Speaker 3: Dog food can be expensive. And then if you check 694 00:32:13,156 --> 00:32:16,356 Speaker 3: all those boxes and you're truly sort of ready to 695 00:32:16,356 --> 00:32:17,956 Speaker 3: have a dog, and I think there's no like good 696 00:32:17,996 --> 00:32:19,356 Speaker 3: time to have a dog. 697 00:32:19,436 --> 00:32:21,396 Speaker 2: Now is a good time if you're ready. 698 00:32:21,676 --> 00:32:24,236 Speaker 3: I love the idea of fostering a dog from a 699 00:32:24,276 --> 00:32:27,396 Speaker 3: rescue group because you get an idea of what that 700 00:32:27,476 --> 00:32:30,636 Speaker 3: dog will be like to live with and you can 701 00:32:30,676 --> 00:32:33,916 Speaker 3: try it out for a minute while doing an important service, 702 00:32:33,956 --> 00:32:37,876 Speaker 3: which is to help alleviate the shelter system. If you 703 00:32:37,916 --> 00:32:39,876 Speaker 3: have a dog for a couple of weeks and you say, oh, 704 00:32:39,916 --> 00:32:41,996 Speaker 3: like this is great. I love the feeling of this. 705 00:32:42,316 --> 00:32:44,276 Speaker 3: Follow your heart, you know. I think there's so many 706 00:32:44,276 --> 00:32:47,476 Speaker 3: ways to end up in a good situation with a dog, 707 00:32:48,196 --> 00:32:51,156 Speaker 3: as long as you're being responsible about it and you 708 00:32:51,196 --> 00:32:54,516 Speaker 3: do plenty of research. You know, if you do decide 709 00:32:54,556 --> 00:32:58,516 Speaker 3: that you want, you know, a puppy from a particular breed, 710 00:32:58,956 --> 00:33:02,276 Speaker 3: you should not be able to get that dog next weekend, 711 00:33:02,716 --> 00:33:05,076 Speaker 3: which is what a lot of people I think fall 712 00:33:05,076 --> 00:33:07,156 Speaker 3: prey too, is this sort of like oh, we want 713 00:33:07,196 --> 00:33:09,836 Speaker 3: like this gold noodle or something, and we can go 714 00:33:09,876 --> 00:33:12,036 Speaker 3: next week and when we're free. Like, that's a little 715 00:33:12,036 --> 00:33:14,796 Speaker 3: bit too impulsive in my book. You know, I've seen 716 00:33:14,836 --> 00:33:17,716 Speaker 3: the shelter systems how overcrowded they are. So I'm always 717 00:33:17,756 --> 00:33:20,396 Speaker 3: a proponent of if your heart isn't set on something 718 00:33:20,436 --> 00:33:24,356 Speaker 3: so specific, then oftentimes the best dog is already there 719 00:33:24,436 --> 00:33:26,956 Speaker 3: waiting for you. A lot of those dogs are mutts, 720 00:33:26,956 --> 00:33:30,556 Speaker 3: you know, they're one of a kind, interesting dogs. A 721 00:33:30,596 --> 00:33:32,076 Speaker 3: lot of them are are adults, so you know what 722 00:33:32,076 --> 00:33:35,036 Speaker 3: they're like already there, they're sort of temperament's already established. 723 00:33:35,076 --> 00:33:37,556 Speaker 3: You know what you're getting into And there's also this 724 00:33:37,636 --> 00:33:41,836 Speaker 3: sort of serendipitous cosmic thing that happens when you save 725 00:33:41,876 --> 00:33:46,916 Speaker 3: a dog from effectively they could be euthanized. Seriously, you 726 00:33:47,156 --> 00:33:49,756 Speaker 3: have a special relationship with that dog, and I think 727 00:33:49,796 --> 00:33:52,036 Speaker 3: that they know that you save them from that, that 728 00:33:52,116 --> 00:33:55,316 Speaker 3: you took them out of a place that was uncomfortable. 729 00:33:55,556 --> 00:33:57,996 Speaker 2: Dogs aren't meant to live in kennels. They're social beings. 730 00:33:58,076 --> 00:34:00,076 Speaker 3: They're meant to live in the outside and get to 731 00:34:00,076 --> 00:34:03,316 Speaker 3: know their family and have a couch and predictability. So 732 00:34:03,636 --> 00:34:05,996 Speaker 3: if you put all those things together, that's sort of 733 00:34:06,396 --> 00:34:07,436 Speaker 3: the best way to go about it. 734 00:34:07,436 --> 00:34:09,876 Speaker 1: In my opinion, dogs gives so many better I'm just 735 00:34:09,916 --> 00:34:12,396 Speaker 1: wondering what you think a world without dogs would look like. 736 00:34:12,916 --> 00:34:15,436 Speaker 3: If you take dogs away, that would not be good. 737 00:34:16,836 --> 00:34:20,396 Speaker 3: Like hopefully that never happens. I think the world would 738 00:34:20,396 --> 00:34:23,996 Speaker 3: not be a better place. It would be more depressing. 739 00:34:24,556 --> 00:34:28,076 Speaker 3: We would go for a fewer walks, we would laugh 740 00:34:28,236 --> 00:34:31,236 Speaker 3: a lot less, we would spend less time vacuuming. 741 00:34:31,316 --> 00:34:33,596 Speaker 2: That's one thing. I guess it would be a weird world. 742 00:34:34,916 --> 00:34:36,636 Speaker 1: Let's hope we never do have to live in a 743 00:34:36,676 --> 00:34:40,956 Speaker 1: world without dogs, because they are pretty awesome. But in 744 00:34:40,996 --> 00:34:43,396 Speaker 1: the unlikely event that you're not a dog person or 745 00:34:43,396 --> 00:34:45,476 Speaker 1: you're allergic to them. There's still a lot you can 746 00:34:45,516 --> 00:34:48,556 Speaker 1: take away from Elias and his story, because dogs are 747 00:34:48,596 --> 00:34:50,836 Speaker 1: a great reminder that the best way to cope is 748 00:34:50,876 --> 00:34:54,476 Speaker 1: often getting back to the happiness fundamentals. Whether without a dog, 749 00:34:54,756 --> 00:34:57,636 Speaker 1: you should get outside and get active, don't worry about 750 00:34:57,636 --> 00:35:00,676 Speaker 1: being goofy or vulnerable, find new ways to play and 751 00:35:00,716 --> 00:35:03,876 Speaker 1: get more present, and above all, make sure you excitedly 752 00:35:03,956 --> 00:35:06,476 Speaker 1: meet and greet the people around you, just like a 753 00:35:06,516 --> 00:35:09,036 Speaker 1: dog in a dog park would. While you work on that, 754 00:35:09,476 --> 00:35:11,516 Speaker 1: I'll be hard at work on the next episode in 755 00:35:11,556 --> 00:35:15,236 Speaker 1: our special season on creative coping strategies, in which we'll 756 00:35:15,236 --> 00:35:19,196 Speaker 1: focus on the surprising power of ritual and etiquette. Oh 757 00:35:19,236 --> 00:35:21,996 Speaker 1: and napkins, lots of napkins. 758 00:35:22,396 --> 00:35:25,356 Speaker 2: Does everybody not have a napkin collection? They should. I 759 00:35:25,356 --> 00:35:26,956 Speaker 2: can strongly advocate for having one. 760 00:35:27,556 --> 00:35:29,876 Speaker 1: All that. Next time on the Happiness Lab with me, 761 00:35:30,156 --> 00:35:31,316 Speaker 1: Doctor Laurie Santos,