On today's episode, the boys talk tea, health, eating, family vacations, boredom on the beach, burger toppings, head tilts, forest fire smoke, the romance of a post-apocalyptic landscape, and other related tangents! Could the hosts instill fear into the common Black Bear if need be? And would they rather take on said bear, or a big cat? Some food for thought...

As always, we hope you enjoy!

We're straight to business in today's episode! Stephen has almost fully implemented some of the schedule changes he discussed on the last pod, and Ben has just returned home from a work trip that he's eager to share about. Listen along as we hear about Ben's adventures in Tennessee working at Tight End University; the conversation centers around how groups of people come together for a defined period of time with a shared goal, and how relationships form quickly in such an environment. We also touch upon the way people pedestalize celebrities, what it's like to work along side fame without getting star struck or acting like a fanboy, and what it means to be a good employee and work to execute someone else's vision at the highest level.

We're back! The boys each have new family members: one is furry and the other is not. Fatherhood, fasting, and fostering connection with our kids are all topics of conversation. Enjoy!

We're back for episode thirteen! Today the boys welcome you into their new studio (even though you can't see it yet)! Discussion includes: how Matzoh is a terrible desert food, being a "kept" man, opinion overload, being vulnerable on social media, a moment or meal we would like to relive for the first time (fan question), phone zombification and the inability to be bored, the expectation of being in touch, forgetting what our children looked like at earlier stages of life, and the qualities of ourselves from the past that we cringe at. Also, Stephen organically does a lot of impressions.

Welcome back to Child of Dog! On today's episode, the boys take questions and commentary from a few listeners. One wonders why Stephen is so unwilling to discuss conspiracy theories on the pod, and another wonders what the hosts think about Valentine's day. In their usual back-and-forth manner, Stephen and Ben reflect on the best and worst holidays, age-old questions like: can you see the "man in the moon" and do people have a good side and a bad side? Other topics include: childhood levitation, Stephen's aversion to cherubim, the best Reese's holiday shape, fruit and nuts in dessert, the end of summer, "Sunday scaries," and exposing children to extreme temperatures in the pursuit of mental and physical fortitude.

Welcome in 2026 with Ben and Stephen! The boys are back to recap holiday chaos, and decide to try out a small format change, with one of the hosts' presenting a question or topic for discussion each episode. Now responsible for creating their own family's holiday cheer, Ben and Stephen reflect on their childhood experiences of Christmas Day and how that compares to today. Other topics include: Ben's recent concert, the peach and the pit of the most recent holiday season, aversion to chanting in unison and anytime groups of people say the same thing at the same time, the movement to keep Christ in Christmas, the dreaded toddler hitting phase and strategies to manage, what keeps us up at night, and the sudden loss of gravity.

The band is back together for another episode of Child of Dog! The boys discuss the perfect Thanksgiving leftover sandwich, Vas recounts how his pup Gus has eaten a container of dried Szechuan chili peppers, and Ben proclaims himself as the "King of Analogies," to which Stephen objects. Topics include Turkey day responsibilities, the origin of Vas's rescue dog and his emotional sensitivities, the challenges of fostering animals, appropriate client/practitioner boundaries (kind of), and the far-too-common faux pas of people shouting "don't worry, my dog is friendly." Thanks for joining us on another episode of the CODPOD!