"Don't give up." It's advice we hear all the time, seemingly from everybody, about everything. We hear it so often that it can cease to have any real meaning, and become just a kind of feel-good motivational poster quote that we repeat without thinking. It’s something that’s easy to say and to tell ourselves, but that becomes a lot harder when you actually stop to think about what it means and try to put it into practice. My guest today, however, knows all about not giving up- both how hard it can be and what rewards it can bring. Dog behavior consultant Francine Coughlin has persevered through multiple careers, cancer, and mental health struggles without ever giving up. Now she runs a dog rescue and training business, dedicated to helping others not give up—on themselves or on their dogs. Join us today for a conversation about determination, dog training, and Pirates of the Caribbean. https://colleenpelar.com/153

We often hear that life is short, but dog trainer Heide Maglott knows from personal experience just how true that is, and just how quickly things can get turned upside down. After losing both her husband and her best friend in the span of just five years, she responded by embracing her single life, spending time with her animals, and building up her training business. She came on the show today to discuss her childhood desire to be a dog trainer, the twists and turns that eventually brought her there, the importance of self-trust, and starting life over in an RV. https://colleenpelar.com/152

 “It’s not about you!” So often, we hear those words used as a rebuke or as something said sharply to snap us out of a fit of self-centeredness. Certainly, most of us don’t necessarily like being reminded that it’s not about us…but what if, instead of making us feel bad or ashamed of our selfishness, those words could be liberating? What if the realization that it is not about us actually made us freer to live our lives? My guest today believes that it is not, in fact, about her. Jeni Grant has been training dogs for over two decades and in that time she has definitely learned that most things aren’t about her—and that’s a good thing! She joined me today to talk about what that means to her, the importance of self-care, what good support for pet professionals would look like, and the difficulties of being a beginner.  https://colleenpelar.com/151

Kim Palermo is a bit of an anomaly among the guests on this show—someone who is actually doing today what she hoped she would be doing when she was ten (more or less, anyway)! Almost twenty years ago, she took a leap of faith and left a good-paying job to open her own dog-walking business. Now, she runs an updated version of that business (she added training!) with her husband and gets to train dogs and play with puppies all day. So how did she end up living the dream like this? She joined me today to talk about the journey to where she is now, how hard choices can actually make our lives easier, and the importance of not being afraid to go for what you want. https://colleenpelar.com/150

Empathy is a common trait among those of us who work with animals—one could even argue that sometimes we have too much of it. My guest today knows full well the importance of empathy, as well as the emotional toll that empathy can take on a person. In her work as a humane enforcement resource officer (HERO), Moani Makaiwi sees both the best and the worst of human-animal interactions. Working in animal welfare, she walks the line between issuing citations and providing people with support to do better. Her work takes something from her even as she loves it, and she’s had to learn—as we all do—how to take care of herself as well as others. Join us today for a conversation about empathy, enrichment, and how it’s okay to not be okay.   https://colleenpelar.com/149

We’ve all heard and read about search and rescue dogs. Most of us doubtless have an image in our mind of intrepid canines locating people lost in the woods or rescuing individuals trapped under piles of rubble. But what actually goes into canine search and rescue work? What does it entail and what is it like going out with your dog, hoping to find the best, but knowing you might encounter the worst? My guest today is retired canine search specialist Bob Deeds, who spent decades training and deploying with search and rescue dogs, beginning with his very first assignment—the ruins of the Twin Towers. He joined me on the show today to talk about his experiences in search and rescue work, the easiest and hardest parts of the job, and the importance and power of love. https://colleenpelar.com/148

Normally on this podcast, we talk to people who work with animals. Today, we’re talking to the person who works with the people who work with animals. Tara Cojocaru is the volunteer coordinator at the Humane Society of New Braunfels in New Braunfels, Texas. There she works to organize and support volunteers at the shelter, making sure that everyone knows where to go, what to do, how to do it, and has what they need to get it done. It’s one of those behind-the-scenes roles that nobody thinks about but that the shelter couldn’t work without. Tara didn’t set out to be an animal shelter volunteer coordinator, though. She ended up there after first meandering through psychology, business, and photography. In our talk today, we discussed how each of those earlier areas of study helps in the work she does now, as well as what it means to be strong, and the joy of seeing both humans and animals thrive. https://colleenpelar.com/147

We often see people who take big risks or try daring things and admire what we see as their fearlessness. But are they really fearless? Are they genuinely not afraid of things, or are they deep down just as nervous and scared as we are at the prospect of public speaking or starting a business or moving far away from family and friends, and they’ve just learned to hide it and do things anyway?Dog trainer Ines McNeil has had people describe her as “fearless”...and she hates it. Why? Because (spoiler alert!) she’s just as scared as anyone else. She’s simply learned to push through the fear and do things anyway. She joined me today to talk about some of the anxiety-inducing things she’s done- from moving internationally to publishing her own dog training curriculum- and how pushing through fear can end up being immensely rewarding. https://colleenpelar.com/146

What do New York City, Hunter S. Thompson, and Latin legal terms have in common? Not much, but they’re all related to my guest today, who moved to New York to pursue a Thompson-inspired writing career and found herself taking up dog training instead, while sporting a tattoo that only lawyers recognize. Kellie Stevens is the owner of Gonzo Dog, where she specializes in helping anxious and fearful dogs—and their owners—find more joy in their lives. Tune in for a wonderfully philosophical conversation about diving into things, learning to communicate, and why her dog training business is not named after the Muppet. https://colleenpelar.com/145

Social work is hard. Shelter work is hard. Putting the two of them together seems like it would be almost impossible. But that’s what my guest today has done. Kelly Bremkin is a veterinary social worker who provides mental and emotional support for shelter workers, helping them to navigate the demands and emotional pressures of their job. Over the years, she’s learned a lot about what support really means and what it looks like to different individuals. Join us today for a conversation about recognizing burnout in yourself, personalizing help for others, and the importance of self-compassion. https://colleenpelar.com/144

Yvonne Rosenberger hoped to be a flight attendant, ended up behind an insurance desk, and realized she didn’t want to die there, so she took her friend’s advice to open her own pet care business. In the process, she’s learned one very important lesson—never say never. Yvonne joined me on the show today to discuss all the things she was never going to do—from getting married to owning her own business—but somehow ended up doing anyway. Join us for a conversation about self-acceptance, introspection, self-examination, and the bonds we forge with other people’s animals.

Children, both animal and human, instinctively know how to play. The drive to have fun and engage in games is there right from the beginning. As we get older, though, we begin to shut down that instinct to play. We get distracted by the responsibilities of adult life and forget how to simply enjoy the moment. And when we lose access to play, we lose access to its amazing ability to help us heal and bring us joy.My guest today believes strongly in the power of play- so strongly, in fact, that she named her business after it. Dog trainer and social worker Jodi Smith uses a combination of play therapy and therapy dogs to help both kids and adults who are struggling. She came on the show today to talk about the benefits of play, neurodivergent brains, and the importance of allowing ourselves to wander.

Choice can be empowering. We all want to be in control of our lives and feel like we have some say in what happens to us. But how often do we apply that to the animals in our life? How often do we–perhaps without even meaning to–limit the ability of our animal companions to exercise agency? How often do we limit our own agency?Today I’m joined by dog trainer Rachael Magee, who believes in a training approach that empowers both people and dogs to make choices and expand their world. Tune in as we discuss her circuitous path to dog training (including a stint working for Middle Eastern royalty!), helping blind dogs, and learning to trust that we are enough. https://colleenpelar.com/141

There’s a huge world of dog training out there. Family dogs, competition dogs, working dogs, therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, scent dogs…they all have unique training needs and Karen Deed has worked with almost all of them! Along the way, she installed computers, trained horses, and discovered positive reinforcement training before it was cool. She joined me today to share the story of the winding and varied road that brought her to where she is now. Tune in as we discuss knowing better and doing better, the importance of kindness (including to yourself), and how dog-training is really about people. Links worth clicking: Canine Connection SniffSpot Fenzi Dog Sports Academy Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or stressed? Take the burnout assessment to find your level of risk and start your recovery journey. https://colleenpelar.com/140

We often talk about dogs being “man’s best friend,” but very seldom do we stop to ask, “Am I my dog’s best friend?” Changing the way we think about our relationship can change the way we interact with our dogs, and has the potential to make our friendships with them even deeper and more meaningful.This is the philosophy that my guest today brings to her training. Sarah Rutten sees dog training as being less about training the dog and more about training the human to understand and interact with the dog better. She’s even written a book, The Canine Perspective, to help humans understand where their canine companions are coming from a little bit better. She joined me today all the way from Australia to talk about burnout, special “heart dogs,” and doing hard things. Links worth clicking: The Canine Perspective @thecanineperspective on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok Sarah's book, The Canine Perspective: Using Force-Free Methods to Unleash Your Dog's Potential Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or stressed? Take the burnout assessment to find your level of risk and start your recovery journey. https://colleenpelar.com/139

With today’s twenty-four hour news cycle, coupled with the rise of social media, we often feel as though we are constantly being bombarded with headlines, most of them negative. It can be hard to keep any kind of positive attitude at all as we are perpetually reminded of all the things that are wrong in the world. Before long, we find ourselves feeling stuck and hopeless. Vet tech and behavior specialist Tabitha Kucera knows those feelings of depression and hopelessness, but she also knows the immense power of having a PMA--positive mental attitude--especially when things are hard. That doesn’t mean falling into toxic positivity, but instead finding the good where it is, recognizing what is in your power to do, and learning to be kind to yourself. Tune in as we discuss the value of finding and providing mentorship, learning to understand yourself, and the importance of knowing your own worth. Links worth clicking: Chirrups and Chatter @chirrupsandchatter on Facebook and Instagram @behaviorvettech on TikTok Tails  from a Vet Tech podcast Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or stressed? Take the burnout assessment to find your level of risk and start your recovery journey. https://colleenpelar.com/138

A lot of dog trainers have come on the show, but most of them didn’t start out wanting to be dog trainers, or even realize that was an option until later in life. Today, however, the script is flipped as I’m joined for perhaps the first time by a dog trainer who actually grew up wanting to be a dog trainer! Of course, life still had plenty of surprises in store for trainer Kari Joly, and despite being the thing she wanted to be as a kid, it wasn’t a straight path to get there, nor does it look exactly like she thought it would. Join us today as she shares how she went from wanting to train guide dogs to helping train family dogs, as well as a discussion about confidence, humility, and the importance of celebrating the small wins. Links worth clicking: Pawsitive Families Family Paws Parent Education Guide Dogs for the Blind Unleashed (at work & home) episodes with Eylsia Ostrander (Kari's business partner) and Jennifer Shryock (founder of Family Paws Parent Education) https://colleenpelar.com/137

The modern world is full of noise. We are constantly surrounded by sound, always hearing something. But there’s a difference between hearing and listening. We may be doing the former, but are we doing the latter? What does it mean anyway, to really and truly listen to the people, the animals, the world around us?Dog trainer and end-of-life doula Kathy Wolff believes in the power of listening deeply to help us connect with the people and animals in our lives, strengthen our relationships with them, and be present with them when they need us most. She joined me today for a conversation about listening, bereavement, and how to spin with dog hair (yes, you read that right). Don’t miss it! Links worth clicking: Mosaic Dog Training Mosaic Dog Training on Facebook Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or stressed? Take the burnout assessment to find your level of risk and start your recovery journey. https://colleenpelar.com/136

Colleen Pelar of Unleashed (at work & home) chats with dog trainer Robynn Harris. Join us for a discussion about the importance of community, the nature of grief, and how guilt can help us do better going forward.

When we talk about the “human-animal connection,” most of us tend to think of it in positive terms–therapy animals, childhood pets, and all the many ways that animals enrich our lives. What we don’t often think about, however, is the darker side of that bond–how animal abuse and other forms of domestic and family violence are often interconnected and can even be warning signs of each other. But when we treat violence against animals as completely separate from violence against humans, we often miss the chance to help vulnerable individuals of all species. My guest today, Phil Arkow, has spent decades studying the link between humans and animals in both its best and worst forms. A pioneer of animal therapy as well as the founder of the National Link Coalition, which works to raise awareness of the link between animal abuse and other forms of violence, Phil has seen both the dark and light sides of the human-animal bond. He came on the show today to talk about his work and share some words to live by. Links worth clicking The National Link Coalition (sign up for their newsletter!) AnimalTherapy.net Animal-Assisted Therapy and Activities: A Study and Research Resource Guide for the Use of Companion Animals in Animal Assisted Interventions, 12th edition, 2021 An Unleashed (at work & home) conversation about Adverse Childhood Events (ACE) scores with Samantha Clarke, LCSW Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or stressed? Take the burnout assessment to find your level of risk and start your recovery journey https://colleenpelar.com/134