How to Split a Toaster: A Divorce Podcast About Saving Your Relationships

Listener favorite Karis Nafte, pet custody mediator and certified dog behavior consultant from South Africa, returns to talk with Seth and Pete about the challenges of visitation in the world of pets. Can it work? Are certain breeds better at adapting than others? And what’s really the bottom line when it comes to the welfare of your dog? Plus, we have a listener question!

Show Notes

Do Dogs Need Visitation After a Divorce?
Listener favorite Karis Nafte is back! In this episode, she’s talking to Seth and Pete about the challenges of sorting out visitation when it comes to the family pet. Some dogs can handle it, others cant. There’s also the factor of how much excitement the ex brings every time they visit. Are they playing ‘Disney Dad’ but with the dog? That can lead to stress and anxiety in your dog. How about different breeds? Different ages? What about mixes? We dig into a lot of factors that could affect how well your canine handles visitation rights. The bottom line, however? You really have to think about what’s best for the dog which usually is letting it stay with just one person.

About Karis
Born in Oregon, Karis started training dogs professionally in 1996. Where, in addition to teaching puppy and obedience classes she worked at the very first doggy daycare in Portland.  She has hugely varied background in professional animal work; obedience, agility, aggressive dogs, shelter work, flyball, and movie work with animals.

In 2005 Karis came to South Africa on a vacation, fell in love with the country, and decided to stay put. She lives there with her husband, daughter, 3 cats and 4 dogs. 

Known for her humane and effective training and behavior solutions, Karis is a nationally known and well-respected dog behavior expert, regularly appearing on TV and radio interviews.  Her training school, Happy Dogs, offers 60 plus classes per month.  She is a judge for the South African Dog Agility Association, and a licensed animal wrangler for the film industry.

After recognizing the need for ‘dog centered mediation’ during divorce, Karis became an internationally accredited family mediator. Now, she combines her wealth of experience of dogs and family pets with mediation to help her clients make the best decision for their dog’s long-term wellbeing. 

Her goal is to help her clients see the dogs not as weapons or leverage against their ex, nor as human children, but as the individuals they are with their own doggy needs. She collaborates with mediators and attorneys worldwide as well as offering regular webinars to educate divorce professionals about pets and divorce. 

Links & Notes
  • (00:00) - Welcome to How to Split a Toaster
  • (00:26) - Meet Karis Nafte... Again
  • (02:02) - Pet Visitation
  • (07:04) - Shared Custody vs. Visitation
  • (08:54) - A Dog's Perspective
  • (18:57) - Levels of Excitement
  • (22:28) - Sponsor: Soberlink
  • (25:25) - Other Factors
  • (36:36) - Mixed Breeds
  • (38:34) - Best With One
  • (41:46) - Where to Find Karis
  • (43:44) - Listener Question

Creators & Guests

Host
Pete Wright
Podcaster and co-host, Pete Wright brings years of marriage and a spirit of curiosity to the divorce process. He's spent the last two decades interviewing experts and thinkers in emotional healing and brings that with him to the law, divorce, and saving relationships in the process.
Host
Seth R. Nelson
Seth Nelson is the founding attorney and managing partner at NLG Divorce & Family Law. He is a Tampa-based family lawyer known for devising creative solutions to difficult problems.
Producer
Andy Nelson
Hailing from nearly 25 years in the world of film, television, and commercial production, Andy has always had a passion for storytelling, no matter the size of the package.

What is How to Split a Toaster: A Divorce Podcast About Saving Your Relationships?

Seth Nelson is a Tampa based family lawyer known for devising creative solutions to difficult problems. In How to Split a Toaster, Nelson and co-host Pete Wright take on the challenge of divorce with a central objective — saving your most important relationships with your family, your former spouse, and yourself.