On the Dogwatch
A dogwatch is an evening shift of early or late duty, or the people who undertake it. This Dogwatch considers the natural world and the things that help us experience it—from dogs to watches, and everything in between. Ultimately, it’s a place where we go wherever curiosity takes us.
Episodes
67 episodes
67. Richard "Dick" Proenneke, and the One Man's Wilderness Journals
Today On the Dogwatch it is a tremendous pleasure to be able to talk with John Branson, who was a longtime friend of Richard “Dick” Proenneke, and the one who edited and ...
•
46:48
66. Meet LCDR Ike, Ship Dog on the USS Wasp
When Lieutenant Commander Ike boards the USS Wasp, the lead amphibious assault ship in the U.S. Navy, people notice. He...
•
55:15
65. On Parachutes and Paratroopers, with Author James Fenelon
There are a lot of ways of getting around in the natural world, from hiking to canoeing to biking to swimming. Parachuting is one that few of us have experience with, but is an important historical and current mode of travel. Fortunately, to...
•
1:03:45
64. Inside of a Dog, with Alexandra Horowitz
Alexandra Horowitz is a cognitive scientist who teaches courses like canine cognition and animal behavior at Barnard College in New York. She’s also an acclaimed aut...
•
1:17:53
63. Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea," with Mark Cirino
Hello, thank you for joining us today On the Dogwatch, where we consider the natural world and the things that help us experience it. On this podcast, it is like we are on a ship’s watch together, staring out at the ocean, thinking about the...
•
1:03:30
62. The Chelsea Clock Co. A Thing of Beauty
If I’m not mistaken, it was John Keats who said “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.” That pretty much sums up Chelsea Clocks. This company is the oldest functioning clock company in...
•
45:01
61. Everything Rope, with Knot and Rope Supply
Hello, thank you for joining us today On the Dogwatch, where we consider the natural world and the things that help us experience it. I am Michael Canfield, it is currently 10:37 on the Forenoon Watch, and this is Episode 61.We...
•
49:21
60. Game Fair, a Sport and Outdoor Tradition for Dogs and Humans
What can happen when you combine 4,200 dogs and 39,000 people? It turns out a lot of learning and fun. In this episode, we talk with Chuck Delaney of the Armstrong Ranch a...
•
35:38
59. In Pursuit of the Finest Toothpicks, with Peter Smith at Daneson
So what is a toothpick, where did these originate, and what happens when you set out to make the finest toothpicks in the world? Our guest today, Peter Smith at Daneson, hel...
•
50:53
58. Campaign Furniture and Taking Design Outdoors, with Christopher Schwarz
What happens when you both love to travel and want to take some of the comforts of home along with you on your adventures? You guess it, you turn to campaign furniture and its descendents. Today On the Dogwatch we have the opportunit...
•
51:42
57. Screen Printing Selvedge Bandanas, with One Feather Press
A bandana is a useful item. It can serve as a napkin, rag, bandage, drain plug, motorcycle repair tool, headwear, blindfold, flag, mask, pouch, or a stylish scarf. But not all bandanas are created equal. Many to most are stiff, paisley-print...
•
44:37
56. Notebooks and Paper for the Field, with Rite in the Rain's Sean Leacy
When you head to the field with your notebook and pen in your hand–to either record the natural world or your thoughts while there–you want materials that will hold up to a wicked squall, a blizzard, or any combination of dirt, dung, misplac...
•
41:06
55. What the Dog's Nose Knows, with Biologist Nathan Hall
Today On the Dogwatch we have the rare opportunity to talk with Nathan Hall, head of the Canine Olfaction Lab at Texas Tech. Nathan is ...
•
52:09
54. Tartan vs. Plaid? Clans? Castles Hidden Under the Driveway? Miles Kerr-Peterson Drops Scottish Knowledge
Today On the Dogwatch we cross the Atlantic and head to the Highlands of Scotland in search of the nature of tartan, one of the most long standing and iconic outdoor patterns. Along the way, we meet Miles Kerr-Peterson, a PhD historian who h...
•
1:05:01
53. True Crime? A Stuntman's Search for a Rolex Lost at the Bottom of a Lake
In his professional context, you might find Tom Place smashing through the windshield of a bus, getting hit by a car, or in
•
57:54
52. Baby Talk to Dogs. How? Why? With Psychologist Bob Mitchell
We’ve all heard people talking to dogs like they are small children. Some people find it cute, others consider it absurd, and there are also those who understand it implicitly. So what do we know about how humans talk to dogs? Today ...
•
55:02
51. To Be a Designer at Christopher Ward Watches
When wearing a fine wristwatch, or looking at many other human-created objects of function and beauty, it is easy to forget that it was conceived of and designed by an actual person. Looking at the
•
1:02:46
50. James Cox, the Rolex Daytona, and What Good You Can Do with $18 Million.
What better way to celebrate the 50th episode of the On the Dogwatch podcast than to have a conversation with someone who has provided steadfast support and positive energy, and has become the de facto patron saint of the podcast, James Cox....
•
1:15:25
49. The Kala Pocket Sundial, with Matt Kala
Today On the Dogwatch we have the opportunity to learn about the Kala Pocket Sundial, and to get to know its purveyor, Matt Kala. We go the distance on this epi...
•
1:11:45
48. Lessons From Skiing Out of a Helicopter and Off the Berlin Wall, from Hall of Famer Dan Egan
Today we have our first hall of famer on the podcast, and it is with great pleasure that I introduce Dan Egan, member of the Ski and Snowboard Hall...
•
50:19
47. Formex Watches Exhibit Beauty, Complexity, and Thoughtful Design, Like Ants
What happens when a couple of Swiss guys take over a mostly dormant watch brand, and reinvigorate, reinvest, and then engineer it back into one of the leading independent brands? One outcome is that when you see these watc...
•
1:06:31
46. Goodyear Welt Style, with Wyatt Gilmore from Grant Stone Shoes and Boots
Today On the Dogwatch we are joined by Wyatt Gilmore, CEO of Grant Stone, a company devoted to making high-quality
•
1:16:18
45. These Watches are Fire. With Jonny Garrett at William Wood Watches
Whether it is collecting rubber fire hoses and crafting them into watch bands, melting down a brass fire helmet for crowns, or working to create a case that can house two movements at different price points, today’s guest Jonny Garrett...
•
1:03:19