Sophia and Samira interview Feenix, a Manhattan-based environmental advocate and aerialist, about fostering rescue dogs and ultimately adopting Kya, a young Siberian Husky she felt was destined to be hers. Raised in New Jersey, Feenix describes early experiences that shaped her concern for animal welfare, vegetarianism, and later a life of fostering and rescuing. She recounts past dogs—Shira, Spirit, and Bella—highlighting their distinct roles as healers and protectors, and explains why she believes Bella reincarnated in Kya.

After taking a year break from taking care of others, Feenix fostered Kya, who had multiple prior placements, severe crate aversion, and separation anxiety; Feenix adopted her after sensing Kya couldn’t handle another loss. Soon after, Feenix was hit by a car, and Kya helped her recovery by alerting to potentially deadly medical episodes and offering protection and companionship while motivating daily adventures.

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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.

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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.

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