Shadowing Practice: English Listening Practice Podcast - Dogs - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
223 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Welcome to the Listening Time Podcast.
2
Hey everybody, this is Connor and you're listening to episode 148 of the Listening Time Podcast.
3
Thank you all for listening.
4
Today I want to talk about a topic that I've already talked about
5
but a long time ago in one of the first episodes,
6
and I also talked a little bit about it in a bonus episode,
7
if I'm not mistaken, and that is the topic of dogs.
8
I think in the normal episode that I recorded a long time ago,
9
I talked about pets in general, but today I want to talk about dogs specifically.
10
When I was trying to think of ideas for this episode, I saw a dog walk by my window,
11
and so that's the topic that came to mind, so we're going to talk about it today.
12
And I know a lot of you are dog lovers.
13
I'm going to give you a spoiler alert.
14
A spoiler alert is an alert that you give people
15
when you're going to already reveal some important information to them at the very beginning.
16
and so it might kind of ruin the story because you already know what I'm gonna say.
17
So people say this when they are gonna talk about a new movie that they saw recently.
18
They might say, hey, this is a spoiler alert,
19
so don't listen if you don't want me to ruin the movie for you, and then they'll talk about something in the movie.
20
So just a spoiler alert, I don't really like dogs that much,
21
but I'll explain myself, and I know that most of you probably like dogs,
22
so you're gonna want to hear my explanation, but we'll talk about that soon.
23
And if you feel like these episodes have become a little bit easy for you,
24
then make sure to sign up for my advanced podcast episodes.
25
The link is in the episode description below this episode.
26
You can click on it to sign up to become a Listening Time family member and you'll receive my advanced episodes.
27
And if you want my U.S.
28
Conversations podcast in which I talk to other native speakers from around the country, the link is also down below.
29
And as always, please share this episode, give it a five-star rating, and write a review.
30
Alright, let's get started.
31
Alright, let's talk about dogs.
32
Now that I'm recording this, I can see that this is the perfect episode for today,
33
because my neighbor's dog is barking.
34
He just stopped, but he might start again,
35
and normally I would just edit that out, but today, since the topic is dogs,
36
if he barks, I'm probably just gonna leave that in,
37
and you can just enjoy the background barking as I talk about dogs.
38
So let me talk very briefly about my history with dogs.
39
My family had a lot of dogs when I was growing up.
40
I think we had a total of seven different dogs.
41
So I have a lot of history with dogs and I've I've had some interesting dogs.
42
One of them, he's not mine,
43
he's my sister's, but you still live with us and he's still alive.
44
He's a pretty interesting dog because we're pretty sure that he's part coyote.
45
He's half coyote, I think.
46
The word coyote refers to the animal that kind of looks like a wolf,
47
but it's smaller and lives in desert areas.
48
So this dog that is still alive,
49
he was rescued from an area where it's very common for dogs to breed with coyotes.
50
The word breed, when used as a verb like this, refers to animals having babies.
51
Okay, so in that area, many coyotes and dogs breed,
52
and so there are these hybrid dogs that are part dog and part coyote.
53
And I can't say for sure,
54
but I would guess that this dog that my sister has is part coyote.
55
It looks like a coyote,
56
it acts like a coyote sometimes and a coyote dog hybrid expert once told us
57
that he was sure that our dog was part coyote
58
so we assume that he's part coyote so that's pretty interesting
59
and another interesting dog that we had for many years was an Australian Shepherd which are sometimes just called Aussies.
60
This Aussie was really smart.
61
She was an extremely intelligent dog and sometimes that was a problem.
62
She was too intelligent and she was able to do certain things
63
that we didn't think she could do and so that once in a while was a problem for us.
64
I remember a couple instances of that and the same thing has happened with the coyote dog.
65
He's really smart and he's also used his intelligence to get into trouble before.
66
But that Australian Shepherd that we had was one of the smartest dogs I've ever encountered.
67
By the way, we can say that you encounter something
68
or someone to say that you have had an experience with that thing.
69
So that dog we had was one of the smartest that I've ever encountered.
70
And one other interesting one, another interesting dog that we had,
71
was this really small white mutt.
72
The word mutt is kind of a not very nice term to describe a mixed breed dog.
73
So it's not purebred, meaning its two parents weren't of the same breed,
74
as we say, the same type.
75
So this dog was a mutt and not a very beautiful mutt.
76
and she was really small and what was interesting about her was
77
that she was very portable I'll say portable means
78
that something can be taken and transported very easily
79
so I remember my dad just carrying her on his shoulder almost like a scarf.
80
He would throw her over his shoulder and walk around the city with her, and she would just chill there on his shoulder.
81
We can use the verb chill like this to mean that someone just hangs out in a peaceful way.
82
They're not really doing a lot.
83
They're just sitting there or whatever.
84
So she would just chill on his shoulder as he would walk around and go different places,
85
and one time I took her on a stand-up paddleboard with me on the water here in San Diego.
86
I was doing this stand-up paddle sport where you stand on that paddleboard and you go out
87
onto the water.
88
I did that with this dog with me.
89
So she was standing on this board with me in the bay on the water.
90
So that was probably my best memory of her doing that stand-up paddling with her.
91
So she was very portable, so it was interesting to take her to some different places.
92
So that's my history with dogs in terms of dogs that I've had.
93
And I need to say that throughout my childhood and early adulthood, I never liked cats.
94
And I always thought that dogs were better.
95
However, recently, in the last five years or so, my opinion has changed a little bit.
96
I actually appreciate cats a lot more now than I used to, and I'm allergic to cats.
97
I can't spend time in an area where there's a cat.
98
However, when I see that my neighbor has a cat instead of a dog,
99
I actually prefer that more now.
100
And let me tell you why.
101
So when I lived in Mexico for some years,
102
I had to deal with a lot of dogs barking.
103
And it's funny I say that because,
104
as I mentioned, my neighbor's dog was just barking earlier when I was recording.
105
I don't think he'll bark anymore now hopefully.
106
But yeah, it's funny that that happened because this is what I dealt with for years in Mexico.
107
My neighbor's dogs would bark all day long.
108
I'm exaggerating of course, but sometimes it seemed like I would just hear barking all day no matter where I lived.
109
It didn't matter which apartment I lived in.
110
I lived in multiple apartments, but there would always be barking dogs.
111
And when you have a podcast like mine,
112
this can be very frustrating when you want to record and you need silence,
113
but the dog next door won't be quiet.
114
You can imagine how many times I got frustrated
115
when trying to record podcast episodes
116
and I had to wait for the dog to stop barking
117
and sometimes I would wake up really early to record before there was any noise from the dog or anyone else.
118
So that was always really frustrating for me.
119
And not only that, but I also lived the last year
120
and a half of my time in Mexico with a baby boy.
121
And it was very frustrating,
122
very annoying when dogs would bark loudly and wake my son up.
123
I hated that.
124
I would always get frustrated when that happened because my son was just a baby and needed to sleep,
125
but some dog or something would wake him up.
126
I definitely didn't like that, and just in general, I would want to enjoy some peace and quiet,
127
and just in general,
128
these barking dogs would always interrupt the peace and quiet
129
that we had for short periods of time
130
and then the barking would start and not just barking there were motorcycles
131
and car horns and things like that of course
132
but you get my point I'm someone that appreciates the quiet
133
when I'm trying to work or when my son is sleeping
134
and so it was always annoying to have to deal with that.
135
And there were some other things that made me stop liking dogs as much when I lived in Mexico.
136
Another thing was that there was dog poop everywhere all over the city on the sidewalk.
137
It was annoying to always have to try to avoid stepping on it
138
and I'm sure a lot of you agree with me
139
that it's not very nice to see that on the ground all over the place.
140
So I didn't like that.
141
Another thing I didn't like was when
142
we would be walking on the sidewalk
143
and suddenly some vicious dog would poke its head out of the fence of some house
144
and start barking at us and scare us like that.
145
That happened a lot.
146
By the way, we can use the phrase poke your head out.
147
this means that you stick your head out of some opening.
148
So these dogs would poke their head out of the fence
149
and bark and growl at us and it would always scare us when that happened.
150
That happened to me a lot when living in Mexico
151
and I would just get a little bit nervous about my son too.
152
And now that my son can walk and he's there on the ground, when other dogs come up to us,
153
I get a little bit nervous and I kind of want to protect my son
154
and make sure that he doesn't get bit by a dog because that would be a disaster.
155
So as you can see,
156
there are some different reasons why I stopped liking dogs that much when I was living in Mexico.
157
And I know that these things are not the dog's fault.
158
They're the owner's fault.
159
I know that.
160
So don't accuse me of unfairly blaming these dogs.
161
I know that these are animals.
162
So I know that the owners are the ones responsible for this.
163
But still, because of this reality, I don't really like dogs that much nowadays.
164
And I know many of you love dogs, so don't get mad at me, okay?
165
This is just my personal preference.
166
And I know that dogs are fun and friendly, but they're just not for me.
167
Over the years I've realized that I prefer not having a dog
168
and I prefer when my neighbors have cats rather than dogs simply
169
because of the noise and because it makes it hard for me to work
170
or for my son to sleep or whatever right and I do want to close the episode with some positive words about dogs.
171
I don't want you all to hate me now that you've realized that I'm not a big dog lover.
172
I do want to say that I like certain things about dogs.
173
For example, I like that dogs are very loyal.
174
I really admire that trait.
175
The word trait means characteristic.
176
I like that dogs are loyal to their owners.
177
That's cool.
178
So dogs will just follow their owners everywhere and they won't abandon them,
179
hopefully, and they will protect their owners.
180
That's really cool.
181
And dogs tend to be happy.
182
They're like happy animals, which is nice because when your dog is in a good mood,
183
it puts you in a good mood, right?
184
So I think that they have a good effect on their owner's mental health and their mood.
185
so that's a big advantage of having a dog
186
and dogs are fun you can play with them you can
187
invent games you can teach them different tricks dogs are fun animals compared to some other pets let's say
188
and I even think it's good to raise them with kids.
189
It's good to have dogs and kids in the same house.
190
I think that that's a good thing in most cases.
191
However, I am not going to do that with my kids.
192
In the past, my wife and I talked about the possibility of getting a dog
193
if we lived in a house with a backyard and space and all of that.
194
However, that was years ago when we talked about that.
195
Now we both realize that there are more complications that need to be considered.
196
And as I already mentioned, I'm not a big dog person anymore.
197
I liked dogs as a kid, it was nice growing up with dogs,
198
but I would prefer not to have one.
199
Especially because I don't like having the responsibility of taking care of these animals and feeding them,
200
taking them out, doing all of the things that you need to do if you want to be a good dog owner.
201
So because I'm not able to assume that responsibility,
202
I shouldn't have a dog and I'm sure you would agree with me
203
that a person who isn't capable of being responsible for an animal shouldn't have that animal, right?
204
That's better for everyone.
205
So that's pretty much it for today.
206
I know that a lot of you probably like me less now because you know that I don't like dogs that much,
207
but really you and I both know
208
that my problem is more with the dog owners who let all of these things happen that I didn't like, right?
209
So dogs are fine, dogs are cool animals,
210
but I prefer not to have dogs barking around me and all that kind of stuff.
211
All right, that's it for today.
212
I hope you enjoyed this episode and if you feel ready to practice with my advanced podcast episodes,
213
make sure to sign up to become a Listening Time family member.
214
The link is in the description below this episode.
215
That's patreon.com slash listening time.
216
And if you want my U.S.
217
Conversations podcast, in which I talk to other English teachers from around the country about different topics,
218
then you can also sign up for that.
219
The link is down below.
220
That's patreon.com slash U.S.
221
Conversations.
222
And as always, please share this podcast with any English learners you know, and please give it a five-star rating and write a review.
223
All right, thank you for listening to this episode, and I'll talk to you on the next episode of Listening Time.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
A14,606
A1 English Listening Practice - Language Learning
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A12,255
A1 English Listening Practice - Money
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A1682
A1 English Listening Practice - Transportation
American AccentTravel EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A11,188
A1 English Listening Practice - Supermarket
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A22,350
A2 English Listening Practice - Travel
American AccentTravel EnglishWorking Adults
A11,338
A1 English Listening Practice - Weather
American AccentKidsTravel EnglishTeens
B2257
B2 English Listening Practice - Living Abroad
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B1132
B1 English Listening Practice - Immigration
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A2151
A2 English Listening Practice - Cars and Driving
American AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
A11,311
A1 English Listening Practice - Daily Routine
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A291
A2 English Listening Practice - Learning
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B239
B2 English Listening Practice - Idioms in English 2
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
A2223
A2 English Listening Practice - Names
American AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
A2761
A2 English Listening Practice - Reading and Books
American AccentDaily Conversation
A12,599
A1 English Listening Practice - Cooking
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B1124
B1 English Listening Practice - Adulthood
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A271
A2 English Listening Practice - Dentist
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A2199
A2 English Listening Practice - Zoo Animals
American AccentKidsTravel EnglishTeens
A2103
A2 English Listening Practice- Communication
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A2248
A2 English Listening Practice - Clothes and Fashion
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B13
268 sentences
English Listening Practice - Introverts and Extroverts
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B14
20 sentences
How to Talk About Dogs - 2 Minute English Mini Podcast #dogs #englishspeaking #ieltsspeaking
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
241 sentences
English Listening Practice Podcast - Super Bowl
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B116
531 sentences
Real English Conversation: English listening practice
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B15
172 sentences
Bước Tiến Mới Giúp Bạn Học Tiếng Anh Giao Tiếp Hiệu Quả Hơn | Podcast Chậm Rãi | Tập 29
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B27
275 sentences
🎧 Luyện Nghe Tiếng Anh B2 - Intermediate Level 4 (CEFR B1) | Listening English Podcast |🎯
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B16
310 sentences
23 Minutes of British English Listening Practice! (MODERN RP)
British AccentCambridge Exam PrepDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B13
624 sentences
Don’t Give Up On Yourself | English Podcast for Easy English Conversation | Learn English Fast
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B113
216 sentences
English Listening Practice | The Power of Love
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B19
240 sentences
Speak English With Me: 15-Minute English Podcast (Real-Life Listening Practice)
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B13
223 sentences
English Shadowing Practice | Slow English Listening & Speaking for Fluency Beginner to Intermediate
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B15
787 sentences
English Podcast For Learning English | Talk About Coffee Habits | Real English Listening Practice
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
What You'll Learn
This video is a goldmine for building real-world speaking skills! You’ll practice casual storytelling as the speaker shares personal anecdotes about dogs—perfect for IELTS speaking practice, where sharing experiences is key. You’ll also learn to handle interruptions naturally, like the background dog barking, which mirrors how conversations flow in daily life. Plus, you’ll pick up colloquial phrases like “spoiler alert” and “edit out,” making your speech sound more native.
Listen For These Sounds
Pay attention to connected speech! The speaker often links words, like “a lot of” becoming “alotta” and “I think” sounding like “I think” with a soft “k.” You’ll also hear reductions, such as “he's not mine” shortened to “he's not mine” (with a relaxed “not”). Notice how “coyote” is pronounced with stress on the first syllable: “KYE-ote.” These small sounds are what make your listening and speaking feel fluent—great for shadowing practice!
Say It Like a Native
To mirror the speaker’s rhythm, focus on stress and pauses. He emphasizes key words like “seven different dogs” and “half coyote” to keep the story engaging. Try the shadowing technique: pause the video, repeat his lines, and match his pace—even the casual “alright” and “let's get started.” If you’re using a shadowing app, slow down the audio to catch his natural flow. Don’t worry about perfection—embrace the background barking as a chance to practice speaking over distractions, just like in real life. With time, you’ll sound as comfortable as he does talking about dogs (or any topic!).
Ready to level up? Use this video to practice shadow speech, and soon you’ll be using phrases like “breed with” and “rescued from” effortlessly. Remember, every listen brings you closer to sounding like a native—so hit play, repeat, and have fun!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've already talked · have become · I've had |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was rescued · are sometimes just called · can be taken |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | Shepherd which are · animals, which is · person who isn |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was trying · was growing · was doing |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.