Pets are important companions to adults and children who are home during the pandemic: A look at the myriad shared photos on social media and Wired’s recent article “Thanks to Sheltering in Place, Animal Shelters are Empty” makes that abundantly clear. It’s a good time to tune into pet-focused podcasts for some extra comfort and some fun, too.

Are you interested in dog shows? In a Storynory episode on the topic, a prize-winning owner breaks down the behind-the-scenes of big competitions. “Eat Your Spanish,” dedicated to helping kids learn the language, offers an animal-themed episode. Stories about a humorous dog-cat rivalry, a pet contest, and interviews with an aquarium veterinarian and a military detection dog manager round out the list.

Go to the Pets Playlist

Eat Your Spanish! “Lesson 8: Pets/ Animals!”

Ages 5-12: Bilingual musicians and former Montessori teachers Evan and Vanessa speak mainly in English but select a couple of Spanish words to practice based on a theme. Here, they include words for common pets, including cat, dog, fish, and hamster, repeating them to help listeners retain knowledge. This show will help kids stay on top of their language skills while having a blast with the featured jolly, warmhearted songs.

Extra BLURT Game Show “Extra BLURT: The Pets We Get”

Ages 8-12: Extra Blurt is a fast-paced game show that tests your knowledge of a variety of popular kid-centric topics like sports, Harry Potter, outer space, pets, and much more. This episode will appeal to factoid-loving animal aficionados. It’s highly interactive, with pauses and timers that keep you guessing. The grown-up game show hosts, Charlie and Aleah, tell jokes between episodes while delivering animal terminology and facts.

This Podcast Has Fleas “Episode 1: The Sleepover”

Ages 5-12: This comedic, scripted podcast for kids includes professional actors, including Alec Baldwin, voicing household pets. The crux of the episodes usually pits Waffles the dog against Jones the cat, leaving other pet characters to choose sides. In this one, Waffles can’t believe Jones “stole” her idea to start a podcast and is rather upset—especially when other pets make guest appearances on Jones’s show. It all unfolds during a sleepover party where the pets are vying for snacks.

Storynory “Jana’s Studio Interview About Show Dogs”

Ages 5-12: In this production for young kids, Storynory host Jana Elizabeth talks with Anita Mitchell, owner of show dogs Dolly and Mabel, both west highland white terriers. Listeners learn about grooming and training routines, while Mitchell responds to kids’ questions such as, "Have your dogs ever had an accident in the ring?" She talks about how to get involved in showing dogs and what she has learned about calming nerves while preparing for serious competitions over 25 years.

Also read: Nine Podcasts About COVID-19 for Children Ages Five to 12 | Kidcasts

Story Pirates “The Knights Pet Dragon/ Turtle Beach”
Ages 5-12: In this episode of the humorous series voiced by skilled actors, the Story Pirates reveal the winner of The Secret Life of Pets 2 contest, focusing on “What happens when pets are left alone?” The answer involves a disobedient dragon and singing turtles.

Short & Curly “Pets, Pests and Farm Animals: Why Do We Value them Differently?” (Note: This link works on browsers besides Chrome.)

Ages 8 to 12: This Australian podcast takes on the challenge of explaining ethics and philosophy to kids and does so in engrossing ways. Host Carl Smith, a science journalist, focuses on helping kids think more deeply about the names we give to animals and how that impacts how we treat them. Interview snippets feature kids who live on a farm and public school students. Excellent for students and families working on their critical thinking skills. Warning: This episode does talk about farm animals dying and being killed.

Working Like Dogs “Episode 165: Making the World a Safer Place”

Ages 9-17: Podcaster Marcie Davis co-hosts this episode with her assistance dog, Lovey. She interviews people who work with all types of working dogs—guide, search and rescue, police, and more—and share the best ways to care for them. This show includes an interview with Paul Hammond, who served as a senior working dog advisor for military, defense, and research agencies. It is full of captivating information about how military detection dogs are keeping the world safe, with riveting examples from around the United States and the world.

Working Slate  “Working Classics: How Does the Aquarium Veterinarian Work?”
Ages 9-17: Listen to veterinarian Leigh Clayton from Baltimore’s National Aquarium as she dives deep into the challenges of looking after over 1,500 animals. Host Jacob Brogen asks insightful questions about animal procedures and the decisions involved in keeping them thriving and ensuring the aquarium business on track. That’s just one of the absorbing, behind-the-scenes career interviews included in this podcast. 

To link or embed this playlist to share with your students, click here.

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Additional information: Listen Notes: How To Listen to Podcasts

Also read: A Universe of Podcasts: A Summer Listening Guide for K-12 Students

Youth technology integration consultant Anne Bensfield helps libraries and schools implement new models for innovation. Librarian and Buttons & Figs podcast creator Pamela Rogers inspires creative expression from elementary school kids by reading, writing, and playing with words.