On this episode of Working Like Dogs on Pet Life Radio, Marcie and her loyal service dog, Fenway, sit down with Chris Diefenthaler, Executive Director of Assistance Dogs International (ADI). As the leading authority in the development of standards for the assistance dog industry, ADI is a global coalition of nonprofit organizations that raise, train, and place assistance dogs. Chris shares insights about ADI’s rigorous accreditation process, its critical role in shaping industry best practices, ...
Jul 21, 2025•35 min
Tune in to this fascinating episode of Working Like Dogs on Pet Life Radio as Dr. Cynthia Fast, Director of Training at APOPO in Tanzania, joins Marcie and Fenway to share the incredible work of their “HeroRATs” and “HeroDOGs.” In over 60 countries contaminated by hidden landmines and explosive remnants of war, APOPO’s scent detection animals are saving lives and transforming communities by safely and efficiently locating deadly threats. They’re also tackling the global tuberculosis crisis, help...
Jun 17, 2025•36 min
Don’t miss this powerful episode of Working Like Dogs on Pet Life Radio featuring Felicia Ako and Celeste Walsen from the Courthouse Dogs Foundation. Hosts Marcie and her amazing service dog, Fenway, sit down with Felicia and Celeste to explore how their groundbreaking nonprofit partners with facility dog handlers to support children and other vulnerable victims of crime. With heart and expertise, they share how these specially trained dogs provide comfort and a sense of safety to those navigati...
Jun 04, 2025•30 min
Tune in to Working Like Dogs on Pet Life Radio as Marcie and Fenway welcome the incredible Tamara Martin. With over 40 years in the criminal justice system, Tamara has dedicated her career to supporting both victims and offenders. She and her first facility dog, Willow, pioneered the first statewide facility dog program in the U.S., transforming how facility dogs provide comfort and support in the legal system. Now, as a Facility Dog Handler for the HERO program with the Office of Prosecution Se...
May 13, 2025•34 min
Caitlin Erickson, Executive Director of Horses for Healing joins Marcie and Fenway to share her inspiring journey into the transformative power of equine-assisted therapy. Caitlin’s passion for horse-centered and client-centered behavioral health work shines through as she reveals how these magnificent animals help individuals heal from trauma, build confidence, and rediscover their inner strength. Through deep connection and nonverbal communication, horses provide a safe, judgment-free space fo...
Apr 28, 2025•34 min
Listen in as Dr. Maggie O’Haire takes us on an inspiring deep dive into the transformative power of service dogs for veterans with PTSD. Dr. O’Haire’s groundbreaking Service Dog and Veteran Experiences Study (SERVES) research project at the University of Arizona is the first national, randomized clinical trial to scientifically measure the medical benefits of service dogs compared to anecdotal beliefs. Dr. O’Haire’s work is proving what many have long believed—service dogs are more than companio...
Mar 25, 2025•35 min
Steve Morris from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) visits with Marcie and Fenway about his office’s recent report focusing on the working conditions of Uncle Sam’s working dogs. Dozens of federal agencies employ working dogs to fulfill their missions, including Homeland Security and the Department of State. Dogs are deployed throughout the U.S. and abroad. Keeping these dogs healthy and ensuring their quality of life is paramount and this recent report suggests that federal agencies ne...
Apr 19, 2024•25 min
Marcie and Fenway welcome Dr. Brennen McKenzie to the show to learn about his groundbreaking research with Loyal for Dogs on medical treatments that will potentially expand the lifespan of large breed dogs. The concept of doubling dogs’ current lifespan is no longer science fiction. It is becoming a scientific fact! Dr. McKenzie talks about the hormonal changes identified in large breed dogs and how lifechanging drugs may soon be available to address the accumulation of the harmful effects of ag...
Feb 23, 2024•28 min
Suzanne Elshult, K9 search and rescue professional volunteer, and her K9 Keb stop by to visit with Marcie and Fenway about their many intense search and rescue missions, adventures and new book, A Dog’s Devotion: True Adventures of a K9 Search and Rescue Team. Suzanne discusses the active crime scenes, wilderness, avalanches, mudslides, and other dangerous terrains she and her dogs traverse to find missing individuals or remains. She shares information about the different types of search and res...
Jan 25, 2023•31 min
Executive Producers SQuire Rushnell and Louise Duart Rushnell stopped by to talk with Marcie and Fenway about their upcoming Netflix feature movie, Rescued by Ruby which tells the remarkable TRUE STORY of a shelter dog that was saved from being put down, made history by becoming the first shelter dog to earn a spot on the Rhode Island State Police K9 unit, and then went on to make a rescue so incredible, and unlikely, that it earned Ruby the honor of being named as the nation’s “Search and Rescu...
Mar 04, 2022•36 min
Dr. Philip Tedeschi, Director Emeritus and Founder of the University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection and co-author of the new book Transforming Trauma Resilience and Healing Through Our Connections with Animals, visits with Marcie and Fenway and discusses the power of animal-assisted interventions. Dr. Tedeschi describes the pioneering and innovative ways canines support humans through trauma recovery, isolation, and loneliness. EPISODE NOTES: Transforming Trauma Become a suppo...
Sep 13, 2021•36 min
Dr. David Crenshaw, Clinical Director of the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie, stops by to talk with Marcie and Lovey about the many ways highly-trained facility dogs are supporting children and youth who have experienced trauma. Dr. Crenshaw shares his experiences and how it all began with a canine named Rosey. Rosey, trained by Educated Canines Assisting Disabilities, was the first dog to comfort a witness in a criminal trial in New York State. Dr. Crenshaw discusses the myriad of ways that fac...
Aug 05, 2021•32 min
Carol-Ann Doyle, Paws With a Cause service dog handler, visits with Marcie and Lovey about the joys and realities of being partnered with a service dog. Carol-Ann shares personal stories and experiences about all of her service dogs – Cal, Breeze, and Winnie – and how each of these self-less canines contributes to her quality of life. EPISODE NOTES: Pure Love! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-like-dogs-service-dogs-and-working-dogs-pet-life-radio-origi...
Jul 16, 2021•31 min
Ashley Drew, National Director, Special Events, at Pet Partners drops by to talk with Marcie and Lovey about the fun of becoming a registered Pet Partner volunteer team in the United States or in 15 countries around the world! She announces lots of exciting opportunities for you to join in on the celebration of this year’s National Therapy Animal Day Ashley dishes on the types of animal species that can participate in Pet Partners’ training and creative ways you and your pet can volunteer in you...
Apr 27, 2021•33 min
George Tarver III and Rudy Cabrera stop by to visit with Marcie and Lovey about Houston’s Memorial Hermann Life Flight®’s new K9-Casualty Care Course (K9-CCC) and Transportation Service. This innovative Life Flight program is the first air ambulance service in the United States to provide training, treatment and transportation for injured K9 officers. EPISODE NOTES: K-9 Officers’ and Memorial Hermann Life Flight® Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-like-d...
Mar 30, 2021•31 min
What a pleasure to visit with Andrea Martine, a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor from Guiding Eye’s for the Blind based in Yorktown Heights, New York, about the innovative ways they are training canines to support people who are blind and deaf/blind. Andrea’s enthusiasm for her work is infectious as she shares how Guiding Eye’s gets to know each person and their specific needs and how they can match the perfect dog to their needs and interests. Their graduate teams live exhilarating lives as runner...
Mar 16, 2021•38 min
Karen Shirk, Founder of 4 Paws for Ability and Ericha Flateau, proud mom of Austin and his 4 Paws for Ability dog, Paris, visit with Marcie and Lovey about 4 Paws for Ability--a leading service dog organization. Karen shares her own personal challenges that led her to creating 4 Paws, an organization that specializes in placing dogs with children with disabilities and veterans who have lost use of limbs or hearing who might otherwise not be able to realize their dream of being partnered with a s...
Dec 22, 2020•30 min
David Frei, the expert analyst on NBC’s National Dog Show broadcast every year on Thanksgiving, stops in to chat with Marcie and Lovey about the 2020 show and the upcoming National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium at Rowan University. David has been an advocate for service dogs and therapy dogs for decades. His experiences and heartwarming stories are endless! The New York Times called him “…one of the most famous human beings in the dog universe...” EPISODE NOTES: Legendary Dog Show Broadcaster D...
Nov 24, 2020•35 min
International renowned trainer and New York Times best-selling author, Suzanne Clothier visits with Marcie and Lovey about what we can learn from our dogs and how we can better communicate with them. She talks about how to deeply connect with our canine partners through her Relationship Centered Training™ approach. She offers sage advice for people who want to self-train their own service dog and to seasoned guide and service dogs handlers who want to deepen their authentic connection with their...
Oct 15, 2020•43 min
Kajla, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) explosive detection canine who works at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii, and her handler, Penny, along with Lorie Dankers, TSA Spokesperson, joined Marcie and Lovey to talk about Kajla being crowned TSA’s Cutest Canine. Not only is she cute, but Kajla ranked first in the nation among TSA Passenger Screening Canines for highest daily average time worked, time spent training and screening in the security checkpoint. P...
Sep 29, 2020•31 min
Caesar, the celebrity No Drama Llama and his handler, Larry McCool, dropped by for a chat with Marcie and Lovey about the high profile work they’ve been doing at the recent protests in Portland, Oregon and other major gatherings. This 6-year-old Argentine grant champion show llama works tirelessly as a therapy llama and “llamactivist.” Listen in as Larry talks about their adventures and how Caesar offers endless love and emotional-support hugs to everyone he meets. EPISODE NOTES: Caesar the No D...
Aug 29, 2020•36 min
Best-selling author Barbara Hinske stopped by to visit with Marcie and Lovey about her newly released book, Guiding Emily. The first book in her new series about a woman who is blind, Emily Maine, and her guide dog, Garth. Barbara shares how a visit to the Foundation for Blind Children ignited her passion to raise awareness for people who are blind and their guide dogs. She wants to tell the story of their path to independence and their incredible relationship with their canine partners. Guiding...
Aug 07, 2020•35 min
Puppies Behind Bars President and Founder Gloria Gilbert Stoga visits with Marcie and Lovey about their extraordinary program that provides service dogs for wounded veterans and first responders as well as explosive-detection canines for law enforcement. Based in the heart of New York City, Puppies Behind Bars works with carefully selected inmates in six prisons throughout New York and New Jersey. Get your tissues ready as Gloria talks about this agile program and the impact these incredible can...
Jun 22, 2020•32 min
Co-founder and leading service dog trainer Lu Picard from ECAD (Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities), and professor and medical health care expert Joanne Singleton, PhD, from Pace University stop in talk about their groundbreaking new programs, Paws and Breathe and Canines Assisting in Health. Lu and Joanne give Marcie and Lovey the inside scoop on how these programs were created, how they are impacting stress relief for dogs and their handlers, and how they are changing the way medical...
Jun 12, 2020•40 min
Just when you thought you couldn’t love your dog more, Clive D. L. Wynne, Ph.D., the founding director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University, talks with Marcie and Lovey about his new book, Dog is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You. Dr. Wynne shares fascinating insights about how dogs, especially working dogs, really care about humans and have a deep desire to help. He talks about the incredible mutation of three genes that occurred in the dog’s journey from wolf to d...
May 19, 2020•35 min
Will Chesney, former United States Navy SEAL and dog handler, visits with Marcie and Lovey about his new book, No Ordinary Dog. Will talks candidly about his canine partner, Cairo, and the perilous work they did together as Navy SEALS. He also shares insights about their ultimate mission in 2011, Operation Neptune Spear, which resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. Will and Cairo are authentic, self-sacrificing American heroes! EPISODE NOTES: No Ordinary Dog Become a supporter of this podcast...
May 06, 2020•34 min
Academy Award nominee Josh Aronson stops by to visit with Marcie and Lovey about his new documentary, To Be Of Service Josh wrote, directed and produced this powerful film that explores the complex stories of veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the impeccably trained service dogs they're partnered with. This film reveals the magic bullet these dogs can be to veterans who are experiencing debilitating PTSD. Josh also talks about the Paws Act legislative bill that would mandate...
Mar 05, 2020•28 min
Marcie and Lovey welcome Christine (Chris) Goodier, travel writer and co-author of the new book, Traveling With Service Animals: By Air, Road, Rail, and Ship Across America, and her black Labrador, hearing dog Raylene, to the show. Chris shares practical tips and wisdom to prepare you for traveling confidently with your assistance dog. She and her co-author, Henry Kisor, have created a practical guidebook chock-full of in-depth travel information, personal experiences and guidance. Chris tells u...
Feb 03, 2020•32 min
Staci Woodruff, Staff Vice President of Medicare Product Management and Operations for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and her Great Dane mobility service dog, Merle, join Marcie and Lovey to talk about the new Anthem Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits. These groundbreaking benefits will provide service dog support to eligible Medicare Advantage recipients in 2020. Staci gives us the details about this innovative program and how you can apply. She also talks about how Merle has impacted her...
Dec 03, 2019•31 min
Gail Harbott and her assistance dog, Coda, talk with Marcie and Lovey about Gail's exciting new position as Client Ambassador for Mobility Dogs Her enthusiasm is contagious as she talks about the wonderful work she and Mobility Dogs are doing to transform the lives of people with disabilities in New Zealand. Gail also shares some of the inspiring things that Coda performs for her every day that enable her to live a more independent and productive life. EPISODE NOTES: Mobility Dogs with Marcie Da...
Nov 22, 2019•33 min
