So here’s a story I didn’t see coming.
A few months ago, I got an email from Dr. David Haworth’s team asking if he could be on my podcast.
My first thought? “Wait, the Dog TV board member wants to talk to ME?”
My second thought? “Okay, I’m definitely going to ask him some hard questions about whether we’re just distracting dogs from bigger problems.” 😅
And my third thought? “This is either going to be awkward or amazing.”
Spoiler alert: It was amazing. 🦄
When Unicorns Find Each Other in the Wild
Here’s the thing about being a unicorn in veterinary medicine—you’re perpetually looking for innovation in unexpected places, and you’re not afraid of ideas that make people roll their eyes.
Dog TV? Eye roll. (At first, anyway.)
Microbiome medicine and FMT? Definitely an eye roll. (For years, honestly.)
Treating allergies by testing Vitamin D and fixing gut dysbiosis instead of just giving Apoquel forever? HUGE eye roll. (Still getting it from some colleagues!)
But when I sat down with David (first on the podcast, and then in real life at VMX), I realized something:
We’re doing the exact same thing in completely different corners of veterinary medicine.
We’re both asking: “What if there’s a better way? What if we stopped accepting the status quo and actually thought about what our pets need?”
And honestly? That’s what being a unicorn is all about. 💜✨
The Conversation I Didn’t Expect to Love
David is the board member for North American Veterinary Community (one of the largest organizer for veterinary continuing education), the Chair of the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, and he has worked at Pfizer Animal Health, PetSmart Charities, Morris Animal Foundation, and now sits on the board of Dog TV.
So yeah, he’s seen all corners of the pet industry.
And when we started talking, I expected a corporate pitch about why Dog TV is the solution to anxious dogs.
But that’s not what happened at all.
Instead, we had the most honest, nuanced, real conversation about:
The ethics of modern pet ownership (Are we asking dogs to adapt to lives they weren’t meant for?)
The hard questions we don’t ask before getting a dog (Spoiler: Most people put less thought into getting a pet than buying a car.)
Why “safer” isn’t always healthier (for dogs OR humans)
What enrichment actually means (Hint: It’s not just toys and puzzles.)
The guilt we all carry as pet parents (And why that’s actually okay.)
And yes, we talked about Dog TV. But not in the way you’d think.
The Fox News Story (I’m Still Laughing)
At one point, David told me about someone who said they didn’t need Dog TV because they “just left Fox News on all day.”
And David’s response?
“Regardless of your politics… there’s a lot of yelling on news channels. I’m not sure I’d want my dog exposed to people yelling all day long.” 😂
I mean, he’s not wrong.
And it made me think: What ARE we exposing our dogs to when we’re not home?
Sirens. Neighbors slamming doors. Delivery trucks. Construction. Random people yelling on TV.
No wonder so many dogs are anxious.
So here’s David’s take (and honestly, I love it):
Dog TV isn’t about replacing walks, training, or quality time with your dog. It’s not a Band-Aid for a lifestyle that doesn’t fit your pet.
But it IS a tool.
A do-no-harm tool that can help reduce background stress, provide calming white noise, and even include low-level habituation therapy (like very quiet thunder sounds to help desensitize anxious dogs over time).
Is it right for every dog? Nope.
But for the anxious apartment dog who freaks out at every hallway noise? Or the bored two-year-old Jack Russell who’s about to eat your couch? Why not try it?
What Dog TV and Microbiome Medicine Have in Common
Okay, stay with me here. 🦄
When I first started talking about fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) and treating chronic allergies by fixing the gut, people thought I was out there.
“Wait, you’re doing WHAT with poop?” (Yes. And it works. Moving on.)
And when David talks about Dog TV, he gets the same reaction:
“Wait, you made a TV channel… for DOGS?” (Yes. And for some dogs, it genuinely helps. Moving on.)
But here’s what we both understand:
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. And that’s okay.
Some dogs need FMT. Some dogs don’t.
Some dogs benefit from Dog TV. Some dogs couldn’t care less.
Some dogs thrive at dog parks. Others would rather sniff every tree at Home Depot.
The point isn’t to prescribe what works for OTHER dogs. The point is to observe what YOUR dog actually needs.
And sometimes? The solution is something people haven’t tried yet. Something that sounds weird at first. Something that makes people roll their eyes.
That’s innovation, baby. 🦄💚
The Hard Question: Are We Setting Dogs Up for Lives They Weren’t Meant For?
This is where the conversation got really real.
I asked David: “What if the problem isn’t that dogs need Dog TV—what if the problem is that we’re asking dogs to adapt to lives that don’t fit them?”
Like, if you’re working 12-hour days in a tiny apartment, should you really get a working breed that needs a job and two hours of exercise daily?
And David’s answer was so honest and thoughtful:
He said, “I fundamentally believe in the power of the human-animal bond. But I also don’t think most people can predict what their life will look like in 15 years when they get a dog.”
He’s right.
We don’t always have the luxury of perfect circumstances. Sometimes we inherit a dog from a family member. Sometimes life changes—you lose a job, you move, you have kids, you get sick.
And the question becomes: What’s the alternative?
Do we rehome every dog whose life doesn’t look “ideal”? Or do we do the best we can with the tools we have?
David’s take (and I’m with him on this):
We acknowledge the reality. We have honest conversations about what different dogs need. We use every tool available—training, exercise, enrichment, yes, even technology—to give our dogs the best life possible within the constraints of our actual lives.
And we forgive ourselves for not being perfect. 💙
The Stat That Made Me Stop in My Tracks
David shared a statistic I can’t stop thinking about:
In married couples where one spouse dies, the surviving spouse has a 50% chance of dying within the next year.
Devastating, right?
But if that couple has a dog, the mortality rate is cut in half.
Why?
Because even in the darkest moments of grief, the dog still needs to be walked. Still needs to be fed. Still forces you to get out of bed.
The dog gives you a reason to keep going. 🦄💜
And honestly, I think most of us who love our dogs have had moments like that—moments where the dog was the only reason we got up. The only comfort we had. The only thing that kept us tethered to the world.
That’s the power of this bond. ✨
What I Loved About Meeting David at VMX
After we recorded the podcast, David and I met up in person at VMX.
And you know what? He’s exactly the kind of person I love in this industry.
Someone who’s worked in big pharma, nonprofits, genomics, and now a quirky little Israeli company that makes TV for dogs.
Someone who’s seen all sides of veterinary medicine and still believes in innovation, even when it’s unconventional.
Someone who asks hard questions and isn’t afraid of nuanced answers.
Someone who gets that being a unicorn means you’re always looking for better ways—even if people think you’re weird at first. 🦄💙
So What Does This Mean for You?
Here’s what I want you to take away from this:
- There’s no one “right” way to love your dog.
Some of you have perfectly trained dogs who go on three-mile hikes every day. Some of you have anxious rescue dogs who pee when the doorbell rings. Some of you work from home. Some of you work 60-hour weeks.
All of you are doing your best. And that matters. 💚
- Tools are just tools.
Dog TV, puzzles, snuffle mats, training classes, calming supplements, yes, even FMT and microbiome testing—they’re all just tools. Some will work for your dog. Some won’t. The key is knowing YOUR dog and what they actually need.
- You’re going to feel guilty sometimes. That’s okay.
You’re going to wish you had more time. More energy. More patience. A bigger yard. A different schedule.
But the fact that you care enough to feel guilty means you’re doing better than you think. 🦄💜
- Innovation always sounds weird at first.
Five years ago, if I told you I’d be transplanting poop into dogs to cure allergies, you would’ve thought I was out of my mind. (Some people still do! 😂)
But sometimes the weirdest ideas are the ones that change everything.
So stay curious. Stay open. And don’t be afraid to try something new—even if it sounds a little ridiculous at first.
Want to Hear the Full Conversation?
If you want to listen to my full podcast episode with Dr. David Haworth (and trust me, it’s a good one), check out “My Dog Is Better Than Your Dog” wherever you listen to podcasts.
We go DEEP into:
The ethics of pet ownership in 2026
What enrichment really means (and what it doesn’t)
Why dogs experience the world so differently than we do
The stats on the human-animal bond that will make you cry (in a good way)
And yes, the Fox News story 😂
👉Listen Here: Podcast Link
And next week? We’re going even deeper into grief, longevity, and why the bond we share with our animals might be the most powerful medicine we have. 💙🦄
P.S. If this resonated with you, forward it to a friend who’s struggling with their anxious dog, or feeling guilty about not being a “perfect” pet parent, or just needs a reminder that they’re doing better than they think. 💜✨
With so much love (and gratitude for all the unicorns out there doing things differently),
Dr. Lily Chen & The IPWC Team 🦄💙
