It's not every day that a law enforcement officer, trained to seek out proof and follow the letter of the law, comes out with a book about how a special bond with his dog led him to a spiritual awakening, but, thankfully, Brandon Wainwright did just that. A police officer of over a decade, Brandon was never one to jump on a bandwagon, especially when it didn't ring true to him. He needed to see it, feel it, and believe it before endorsing anything in life. Then, he lost his beloved Tyson, a Chih...
Dec 17, 2021•41 min
Have you ever heard the term canine mental health? If so, you may know this week's guest, Jenna Romano, because she's credited with coining the term and specializes in teaching families how to prioritize and ease their anxious dog's psyche. In episode 41, Isabel and Jenna talk about Jenna's journey from showing dogs at the young age of 11 to her dog training business now in her late twenties. Jenna started training dogs to make extra money in college but soon realized that dog training was more ...
Dec 07, 2021•53 min
It was such a joy to have the opportunity to chat with Kimberly Gauthier, the creator behind the Keep the Tail Wagging blog, which is about to celebrate its 10th year anniversary. Kimberly has done years of research on feeding dogs raw dog food and how to keep things simple. She recognizes that life is generally 'too expensive, too complicated, and too time-consuming' as it is, she therefore doesn't think raw dog food should be as well. In this episode, I ask Kimberly to rebut the reasons dog pa...
Nov 18, 2021•50 min
It was an honor for Isabel to sit down with Dr. Christopher Pachel of the Animal Behavior Clinic in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Pachel is one of fewer than 100 Animal Behaviorists in the WORLD! In this episode, Isabel and Dr. Pachel discuss what it takes to become a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and earn the right to call oneself an Animal Behaviorist. Apart from a Veterinary degree, and a bunch of research and on-the-job training, Dr. Pachel describes his 4+ year proces...
Nov 12, 2021•43 min
Are your pets in your funeral plans??? For Covered in Pet Hair's Halloween Special, Life After Death, I had the opportunity to talk to Traci Denver about things I have never thought about when it comes to funeral homes, cemeteries, cremation, etc. and how our pets fit into all that. As Funeral Director & Embalmer at The Life Forest, Traci and I discuss all things funerals, cremation, and spending eternity in the same plot as our pets. Traci walks me through the ins and outs of pets and the f...
Nov 04, 2021•41 min
In Covered in Pet Hair Episode 37 with Tori Mistick of the Wear Wag Repeat blog and podcast, Isabel and Tori talk about why Tori chose to make women and dogs her focus. In short, Tori wants to dismantle the patriarchy and help dogs, one successful female pet pro at a time. Tori is a lover of all things dog and stays active with her two older pups. As they age, she becomes more enamored with her senior pups and all the benefits that come with sharing her life with them. In this episode, Tori play...
Oct 30, 2021•32 min
Elizabeth Gallardo, a longtime rescue volunteer, works with her team and Miami Dade Animal Services to find cats forever homes after they spend some time being socialized around both cats and humans at The Cat's Meow Cafe in Miami. Humans pay a cover fee to enter, can purchase drinks and refreshments, including beer, and play with cats to their heart's content. It's a great concept and a serious undertaking. Isabel quizzes Elizabeth on cat café trivia, asks all about The Cat's Meow's admission f...
Oct 22, 2021•34 min
Jake Thomas, creator of Golden Hearts, a blog about Golden Retrievers, is Isabel's guest on Covered in Pet Hair's 35th episode. Isabel and Jake play Golden Retriever trivia and Jake aces the whole thing. He even adds additional trivia throughout the interview. In game 2, he lists all the reasons why he believes that Golden Retrievers are the best dogs ever. Did you know that Golden Retrievers have the loudest bark on record? Neither did Isabel but she learned a lot about this beautiful breed dur...
Oct 11, 2021•30 min
Isabel does her very best to keep this week's show upbeat and fun, while broaching one of the most important pet-related topics there is: pet loss and grief. Isabel talks to Wendy Van de Poll, Pet Loss & Grief Coach, about the ways in which loving and caring for our pets creates a bond unlike any other. Both agree that sharing our lives with our companion animals fulfills us and gives us purpose. Yet, no matter who we are or how much we love our pets, we will all be faced with the inevitable...
Oct 04, 2021•42 min
Professional pet care is more than just playtime but this week's guest, Doug Keeling, enjoys it just the same. A guy that is taking the pet sitting industry by storm with his positivity, enthusiasm, and varied contributions, Doug is just the person to talk to about pet sitting as a career. In this episode, Isabel invite Doug to play a couple games, including Badass Bookshelf, in which he lists out the most influential business books he's read and why they made such an impact. He also plays Book,...
Sep 23, 2021•26 min
Dale Ward wrote the book on raising the WORST.DOG.EVER but how bad was bad? Isabel asks her just that in Episode 2 of Covered in Pet Hair's second season. While sipping a cocktail that was much too strong (thanks to Isabel's "husbandger" who misread the pours,) Isabel asks Dale, professional dog trainer and author, about the dog that inspired her book Raising the Worst Dog Ever: A Survival Guide. In this episode, Isabel and Dale discuss why dogs are "bad dogs" and how positive-based training hel...
Sep 17, 2021•40 min
Who more fitting to kick off season two of Covered in Pet Hair than Arden Moore, a pet industry giant with a bartending license?! Isabel and Arden play "What are They Having?!" a game Isabel knew she'd play with Arden before the show even made its debut. Arden is given the task to call out a drink that a pet parent would order at Ard's Den, her home office/bar/pet lounge, based on their preference for dog breeds. Are they having a messy shot, a fancy glass of champs, or something in between? Onl...
Sep 09, 2021•38 min
A super important chat about Pet First Aid & CPR with Pet Tech Master Instructor and Texas' top Pet First Aid Instructor, Beth Bowers. In episode 30, Isabel wraps up season 1 with an episode that's bound to set pet parents and their pets up for a summer of fun in the sun! As a former Pet First Aid Instructor, Isabel believes that all pet parents should learn Pet First Aid - especially those that travel with their pets and/or include their pets in their adventures. first aid trivia game where...
Jul 11, 2021•47 min
Amy Toman is an SEO. She specializes in search engine optimization. She also specializes in pet care businesses and helping them land their website on that coveted first page of Google's search results. As someone that doesn’t quite consider themselves a crazy pet person or directly involved with the pet care industry, Amy is surrounded by pet-crazed pet care industry professionals every day. As an expert in pet business' online presence and Google My Business listings, Amy knows pet people and ...
Jun 30, 2021•32 min
In Episode 28, Isabel and Elise McGlone, Founder of Rogue Valley Dog Training play "Is It +R?" and discuss whether or not certain popular dog training techniques are considered positive reinforcement, punishment, or "painful punishment." Elise shares her amazing journey in dog training, which started when she was only 13-years-old and training guide dogs for the blind with the permission of her parents, who didn't want to commit to a full-time pet at the time. Isabel and Elise break down a speci...
Jun 22, 2021•46 min
Kelly Forde is a former bartender turned mobile groomer. She says she'd rather get bit by a dog than deal with drunk people and who can possibly blame her? Dogs are way better company than drunks, no doubt. In this episode, Isabel digs into what it takes to establish and run a mobile grooming service. She asks Kelly about her grooming trailer, equipment, and more. Kelly doesn't hold back and even shares the pet peeves she deals with on a daily basis when working with - not the pets - but the pet...
Jun 11, 2021•30 min
Pet retail industry entrepreneurs, AdreAnne and Andy Tesene share their secrets to creating pet boutiques that promote fun and education while encouraging pet parents to make the best decisions for their pets and employing a team of rock stars. This extraordinary couple, owners of Two Bostons - The Store for Happy Pets - in Chicagoland, are celebrating 16 years in business and recently opened a sixth location. They are unstoppable and, in episode 26, they share their secrets and knowledge with I...
Jun 03, 2021•42 min
In episode 25, Pet Problems Solved, Isabel interviews Nicole Packin, a fellow Miami girl and pet pro. Isabel asks Nicole to solve common pet problems in a Miami-inspired game called "Yo, I'll Solve It!" and pitch her vision of her new venture, The Packin Method, in a game Isabel calls “The Fish Bowl.” The episode delves into the ways Miami Pet Concierge solves common practical pet problems and how Nicole has taken her experience with canine water therapy and massage to design The Packin Method, ...
May 29, 2021•32 min
In Episode 24, Isabel interviews the one and only Malena DeMartini, the foremost expert on separation anxiety in dogs. Malena helps families around the world with their separation anxiety-ridden dogs and describes separation anxiety as a phobia just like any that humans might experience, an irrational but very real fear. Isabel plays "Is it a Myth?" with Malena in the hopes of debunking popular myths around the topic that serve only to delay much-needed relief. Isabel also has Malena consider po...
May 24, 2021•49 min
We've all heard that the pet food industry leaves a lot to be desired and have reasons to suspect that our dogs deserve better than what most pet food manufacturers sell us as "healthy dog food." But, how do we know for sure when the industry isn't exactly forthcoming and science seems to change daily? In episode 23, Isabel has the opportunity to ask Jaron Lukas, Co-Founder and CEO of Yumwoof Natural Pet Food what he has found to be the good, the bad, and the ugly of the pet food industry. An in...
May 13, 2021•34 min
We all hope to be there for our pets as long as they live but what if fate takes a different turn? Isabel invited Christine Ciana Calabrese to discuss just that. In Episode 22, Isabel talks about the importance of pet care planning for the unexpected with the author of books about planning for pets. Christine Calabrese wrote "What About the Dog" and "What About the Cat" after hearing that a well known cardiologist and author had a freak accident and died. Thinking that none of us is safe from th...
May 05, 2021•31 min
Ashley Cook believes anyone can be an artist but that's only because art and design come so naturally for this New Jersey native. An "art school drop-out," and reluctant professional interior designer, Ashley's true passion lies in working with dogs and creating something out of nothing with her hands. She truly loves an underdog, whether she be adopting her foster, Captain, and helping him get a handle of his social and health challenges or bringing new life into her home, furniture, and one-of...
Apr 27, 2021•37 min
Michael Habicht has become the go-to guy for pet-related discussions on the new social media app, Clubhouse. He hosts upwards of 20 “rooms” every week on the app. The topics range from welcoming puppies to the home, to pet loss and grief, pet nutrition, and more. In episode 20, Michael and Isabel discuss the great conversations being had on Clubhouse, conversations to benefit both pet industry professionals and pet parents. Isabel considers Clubhouse an undiscovered gem and Michael is confident ...
Apr 21, 2021•30 min
Rottweilers are strong, beautiful dogs. They have many fans, including Will Smith and his famous family. In the effort to learn more about this fascinating dog breed, Isabel had the pleasure of interviewing an avid Rottie enthusiast, German-born Judy C. Taylor of Bossy Pawz in Chicago, IL. They enjoyed German-inspired drinks while discussing all things raising, training, and loving Rottweilers, the W pronounced with a V in German. Judy and Isabel play Fun Facts - Rottie Edition and Judy gets a s...
Apr 15, 2021•41 min
Best friends and self-described ‘Modern Cat Ladies,’ Rita Reimers and Linda Hall, share the story of how they became BFFs and play a little game called 123 BFF, which was inspired by a Seventeen Magazine bestie quiz. As cat moms to over 30 rescue cats combined and with over 30+ years of experience as pet parents and pet professionals, Rita and Linda, know their stuff. These crazy fun cat ladies tell it like it is, how they met on a Richard Simmons Cruise to Lose, how they came to work together, ...
Apr 08, 2021•48 min
Jenorise Mejia, Founder and Owner of Winter Park Pet Concierge in Florida, isn't your average pet care business owner. She has a background in wedding planning and, in addition to managing her pet sitting/dog walking business, works as a wedding pet attendant, helping couples make their dream of involving their dogs in their special day a pleasant and memorable reality. In this episode, Isabel and Jenorise play two wedding-themed games - "Marriage Matters" where they discuss common wedding tradi...
Apr 01, 2021•45 min
In Episode 16, Isabel asks Dr. Edward Bassingthwaighte, a holistic veterinarian based out of Melbourne, Australia about his uses of natural medicine and alternative approaches to treat his patients. Dr. Edward founded and teaches a healing modality known as Whole Energy Balance Bodywork that benefits dogs, cats, small mammals, chickens, reptiles, you name it. She asks for tips on how to keep our pets healthy long term and any additional support we can give our senior pets, including details abou...
Mar 22, 2021•35 min
In Episode 15, Abby Volin and Isabel dive into the emotional support animal conundrum. Abby hates the term "emotional support animal" and explains that it's not only a misnomer, but has also become a punch line. Abby doesn't know why the highly incorrect term has taken off but feels that it further stigmatizes those with disabilities, something she works tirelessly to prevent. She, instead, insists that the term for animals that do not qualify as "service animals" is "assistance animals" and she...
Mar 16, 2021•42 min
In episode 14, Vampire's Best Friend, Isabel interviews Tim Mitchum, President of WINPRO Pet, makers of blood protein supplement chews for dogs. Always a fan of a theme, Isabel invites Tim to play "Vampire Lies" while sipping a blood orange Flybird margarita. Tim enjoys a glass of Scout and Cellar Zinfandel while wondering if vampires really exist and what he's gotten himself into. The discussion centers around the simple yet fascinating science behind the health benefits of pig's blood protein ...
Mar 11, 2021•36 min
In Episode 13, Poop & Plastic, Isabel interviews the self-appointed Poop Bag Girl, a woman that set out to make better poop bags and one-of-a-kind poop bag holders. A true expert in all things poop and plastic, Jennifer Blaese owns GreenLine Pet Supply. Jennifer and Isabel have a lot in common including their love of animals, concern for the environment, and penchant for discussing poop, an unavoidable topic in the pet care industry. They play "Penchant for Plastic," a trivia game inspired b...
Mar 03, 2021•38 min
