Honest conversations with pet professionals about real life and how to show up for yourself with grace and compassion. If you worry that you aren't doing enough for the animals and clients you serve—yet what you're already doing feels exhausting and unsustainable—you're not alone. In each episode, I talk with fellow pet professionals about what drew them to this work, what keeps them going, and what drains them. We explore the meaningful words, quotes, or mantras that guide them, and discover…
Subscribe:.rss.atom.json.md.m3u.pls
Live Last read · last published · next check
Saves to your Listen queue, to pick up on another day or another device.
Eileen Anderson resists easy labels—she’s a dog writer, a passionate amateur, and the person most likely to tell you that the product promising your dog silence during a thunderstorm is working against physics. In this conversation, Eileen shares how a difficult dog pulled her out of a doctoral program and into behavior science, why most sound-dampening products can’t deliver what they promise,…
Debbie Sheridan has spent her career helping people understand fearful dogs—and unlearning the idea that "obedience" is the goal. As the owner of Debbie's for Dogs, a certified end-of-life doula for companion animals, and a dog bite prevention educator, Debbie brings warmth, directness, and a deep respect for what dogs are actually communicating. In this conversation, she talks about the message…
Liz Clarke spent decades zigzagging through careers — nursing, witness care, celebrity coaching, travel — before a week in Bulgaria stretched into three months and a street dog named Kathleen changed the direction of her life. Now the founder of Kathleen's Paws, Liz supports animal rescuers and expats in Bulgaria through advocacy, education, and the kind of behind-the-scenes work that frontline…
Jenny Roberts has spent years doing the invisible work that holds a veterinary practice together. As a customer service representative (CSR) at Partners Animal Hospital of Asheville, she's the person who answers the call when someone's pet might be in crisis, who notices the doctor hasn't called back, who makes sure the schedule doesn't quietly implode. In this conversation, Jenny talks about what…
Valerie Bogie spent sixteen years training animals in zoos and aquariums before a convergence of burnout, a cross-country move, and a chance connection led her to veterinary social work. Now she splits her week between animal behavior consulting at a board-certified behaviorist practice and her own business supporting veterinary and pet professionals navigating caregiver burden. In this…
Holden Svirsky came to animal behavior sideways — through a layoff, a shelter volunteer shift, and the slow realization that what she'd studied about human learning applied just as well to dogs. Now a behavior consultant and longtime shelter professional, she chairs the Pet Professional Guild's Shelter and Rescue Committee and thinks carefully about what sustains people in this work over the long…
Melissa McCue-McGrath has spent over 20 years as a dog trainer, and she's writing a book called The Misadventures of the World's Okayest Dog Trainer — which tells you something about how she holds this work. In this conversation, she talks about carrying old cases in your heart, the particular loneliness of a field where there's often no one to debrief with, and why "forgive yourself" might be the…
When things are going badly, it sometimes helps to remind ourselves that “this, too, shall pass.” The flip side of that, of course, is that the good times pass as well. That can seem depressing at first, but what if instead it was simply a reminder to really soak up those good times while they’re there? That’s the philosophy of dog trainer Morgan Jenkins, who finds encouragement from remembering…
“Be kind” is the kind of advice we hear so often that it seems almost trite. But what does it really mean to be kind and why does kindness suddenly seem so much more important than ever? How does kindness look- to others, to animals, to ourselves? Dog trainer Kim Brophey believes in the power of kindness and giving people grace. Not only does she believe in it, she’s developed a whole system…
Lili Chin didn’t set out to be an animal artist—she set out to be an animator. But a crisis with her own dog drew her into the world of dog training and animal behavior. From there, one thing led to another and suddenly she found that she was the “go to” person for illustrations of animal body language. Now, her adorable drawings can be found in books, posters, and brochures, helping people…
