The Pet Parent Hotline

Does Your Pet Dread the Vet? How Fear Free® Care Can Help

Does your dog start shaking the minute you pull into the vet's parking lot? Does your cat disappear the second you bring out the carrier? You might think that's

The “Rescue” Lie: Buyers, Sellers, and Fake Adoptions | Pet Parent Power-Up

Just because someone calls it an adoption doesn't mean a pet is being rescued. Some puppy mills, kitten mills, irresponsible backyard breeders, and other pet sellers

Does Your Cat Need a Professional Groomer?

Does your cat really need a professional groomer, or can you handle everything at home? Most cats do a good job of keeping themselves clean, but matted fur, overgrown nai

Pet Parent Anxiety: Stop Googling, Worrying & Second-Guessing Yourself

Ever Googled a symptom your pet was having and ended up convinced something terrible was wrong? Or made a decision about their care, only to spend days wondering if you m

Is Your Pet's Collar a Safety Hazard? What Dog & Cat Parents Need to Know

Could your dog's or cat's collar actually put their life in danger? A collar that's too loose can slip right over your dog's head, dangling ID tags ca

8 Pet Products That Waste Your Money (And What to Buy Instead)

Ever spent good money on a pet product that promised to make your life easier, only to discover it created more work, more expense, or more aggravation? Some of the most

Love the Animal. But Do You Want The Life? | Pet Parent Power-Up

Before you get another pet, don't just research the animal. Research the life that comes with it. In this Pet Parent Power Up, Amy shares a simple way to make a bet

How to Avoid the Wrong Pet: 6 Beliefs That Lead to Bad Choices

Choosing the right pet isn’t just about finding an animal you love. Sometimes the mistaken beliefs you bring into the decision can steer you toward a pet that isn’t actua

Is Your Cat in Pain? Subtle Signs You Might Be Missing

Cats are incredibly good at hiding pain, and sometimes the first clue that something is wrong doesn't look like pain at all. It looks like a change in behavior. May

Should You Dump Someone If Your Pet Doesn’t Like Them?

Would you dump somebody because your pet didn’t like them? A new survey found that nearly one in four pet parents say a pet’s negative reaction to someone they’re dating

Dog Won’t Take a Pill? 10 Rescue-Proven Tricks That Work

Getting a dog to take a pill can turn into a ridiculous battle of wills, especially when they somehow eat everything except the medication. In this episode, Amy shares 1

8 DIY Pet Health Checks to Do Every Month

You see your pet every day, which means you’re in the best position to notice when something starts to change. The problem? Seeing them every day can also make gradual ch

Your Pet Is Acting ‘Off’: 3 Questions to Ask Before You Worry

This month’s Pet Parent Power Up is a little different: no intro music, minimal editing, and recorded on the fly to follow up on an important question from Sunday’s episo

Multiple Pets? Why Treating Them the Same Backfires

Treating your pets fairly doesn’t mean treating them all the same. In this episode, Amy looks at how age, health, mobility, personality, behavior, and even personal pref

A New Home With Pets: I Need Your Help!

What happens when the person who usually answers the Pet Parent Hotline needs help from the listeners? Amy is finally in her new house (new to her, but built in 1957), b

Stop Putting Off Your Pet Care To-Do List

Summer has a way of knocking routines loose and pushing pet care tasks to “later.” Before fall gets busy, this is a good time for dog, cat, and other pet parents to catch

How to Read a Pet Food Label: What Really Matters

Pet food labels are packed with reassuring words like real chicken, high protein, complete and balanced, and superfoods. But what do those words actually tell you about t

Do Special Pet Diets Do What They Claim? | Pet Parent Power-Up

Sensitive stomach. Weight management. Hairball control. Urinary care. Pet food labels make these diets sound highly specific, but not every claim on the package means the

Is Doggy Daycare Helping or Hurting Your Dog?

Doggy daycare can give dogs exercise, enrichment, social time, and a much-needed outlet for their energy. But a dog coming home exhausted does not automatically mean they

Buying a House With Pets: What I Never Thought to Check

I thought buying a house with pets meant finding enough space, a decent yard, and hopefully a fence. Then I started walking through houses with three dogs and three cats