Elias Weiss Friedman (The Dogist) on How Dogs Help Us To Matter More | EP 688
Passion Struck with John R. Miles
Passion Struck Network
4.9 • 1.3K Ratings
🗓️ 11 November 2025
⏱️ 52 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this heartwarming and insightful conversation, John R. Miles sits down with Elias Weiss Friedman, the creator behind The Dogist, the beloved photo-documentary project with over 11 million followers, and author of This Dog Will Change Your Life.
Together, they explore how dogs have become not only our best friends but also our greatest teachers: modeling presence, emotional regulation, and unconditional love. From rescuing animals in Puerto Rico to photographing 50,000 dogs around the world, Elias reveals how each encounter is a story of joy, resilience, and connection.
John and Elias also discuss why dogs are “factories of empathy,” how they help combat loneliness and trauma, and what happens when we slow down long enough to really see and be seen by them.
This episode is a celebration of light, loyalty, and the life-changing power of our four-legged companions.
Read the full show notes: https://passionstruck.com/how-dogs-help-us-remember-we-matter/↗
Listen + Watch + Go Deeper
All episode resources—including guest links, John’s books You Matter, Luma and Passion Struck, The Ignited Life Substack, and the Start Mattering store—are gathered here:
To learn more about Elias Weiss Friedman and The Dogist, visit thedogist.com.
🧠 About the Episode
- The Origin of The Dogist: How a layoff, a camera, and a love for storytelling sparked one of the most uplifting social media movements of our time.
- Dogs as Social Architects: Why walking a dog can transform neighbors into community and strangers into friends.
- The Light They Bring: How dogs embody optimism, presence, and nonjudgment—showing us what it means to live without ego.
- Healing Companions: From veterans with PTSD to overworked nurses, the science of how dogs regulate our emotions and restore hope.
- Human Invention, Canine Connection: Why breeds are a reflection of us—and what our relationship with dogs says about humanity itself.
- Rescue and Responsibility: The grit behind true rescue work and what it really takes to save a life.
- The Dog-Human Mirror: How dogs reflect who we are—and how, through them, we evolve into better versions of ourselves.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Your first great love story is free when you sign up for a free 30-day trial at audible.coed. |
| 0:05.5 | U.K. slash Wondery. That's audible.com.uk. U.K. slash Wondery. |
| 0:11.2 | Coming up next on Passionstruck. |
| 0:13.7 | The dog doesn't have to ask you a question of like, how are you doing? Just being in their presence |
| 0:19.6 | and they have an ability to listen and sense |
| 0:23.4 | the way you're feeling and whether it's eye contact touch warmth letting you connect with them |
| 0:30.9 | there's just something that it has a powerful way of making you feel better and de-escalating |
| 0:36.2 | and relieving stress they're the best listeners and even though they don't speak to you, they know exactly what to say. |
| 0:42.3 | And there's also a stigma around mental health. |
| 0:45.3 | Now everyone's going to raise their hand and say, I need help. |
| 0:48.3 | So with a dog, you don't have to raise your hand. They just show up for you. |
| 0:53.3 | Welcome to Passionstruck. I'm your |
| 0:55.3 | host, John Miles. This is the show where we explore the art of human flourishing and what it |
| 1:01.3 | truly means to live like it matters. Each week, I sit down with change makers, creators, scientists, |
| 1:07.0 | and everyday heroes to decode the human experience and uncover the tools that help us lead |
| 1:12.4 | with meaning, heal what hurts, and pursue the fullest expression of who we're capable of |
| 1:17.7 | becoming. Whether you're designing your future, developing as a leader, or seeking deeper alignment |
| 1:22.6 | in your life, this show is your invitation to grow with purpose and act with intention because the secret |
| 1:29.2 | to a life of deep purpose, connection, and impact is choosing to live like you matter. |
| 1:41.3 | Welcome back, friends, to Passionstruck. I'm John Miles, your host, and this is episode |
| 1:46.4 | 68 of our new series The Irreplaceables, rediscovering human worth in an age of acceleration, |
| 1:53.8 | whether you've been with us from the beginning or you're just joining our community of |
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