The Pet Parent Hotline

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 nails, aging, and certain health conditions can make grooming difficult or even unsafe to tackle yourself.

In this episode of The Pet Parent Hotline, Amy Castro talks with Amanda Henry, Certified Feline Master Groomer and owner of Chatty Cats, a cat-only grooming salon in Indiana, about when professional cat grooming makes sense, what happens at a cat-only grooming salon, and how to find someone qualified to care for your cat.

You'll learn:

• How to recognize grooming problems that need extra attention
• What you can safely manage at home and when to get professional help
• Why cutting out mats with scissors can be dangerous
• What makes a cat-only grooming salon different
• What to ask before trusting someone to groom your cat
• How groomers sometimes spot health concerns that owners haven't noticed

Plus, Amanda shares some surprising discoveries from her grooming career and an unusual way some of the cat hair she collects is put to use.

Resources Mentioned

• Amanda Henry, CFMG: Chatty Cats, Merrillville, Indiana
• National Cat Groomers Institute: https://nationalcatgroomers.com/
• Find a Certified Cat Groomer: https://nationalcatgroomers.com/pages/find-cat-groomer
• Cat Naps Cattery: https://www.catnapscattery.com/
Cat-only grooming and boarding in Hamilton, New Jersey, with Certified Feline Master Groomer Lynn Paolillo.

Not every cat might need professional grooming, but knowing when to ask for help and how to choose the right professional can make a real difference in your cat's comfort and care.

For more practical pet care advice, visit petparenthotline.com.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 made the right choice?

Pet parent anxiety can disguise itself as being responsible. You want to do what's best for your pet, but when does caring turn into excessive worrying, endless research, and second-guessing every decision?

In this episode of The Pet Parent Hotline, Amy talks with psychologist Dr. Alicia del Prado about why pet parents get caught in anxiety spirals, how our own stress can affect our pets, and practical ways to make decisions with more confidence, even when there's no perfect answer.

You'll learn:

• How to recognize when normal concern about your pet is becoming unhealthy anxiety.
• Why Googling symptoms and seeking endless opinions can make you feel worse, not better.
• How your anxiety may influence your pet's behavior and your ability to interpret what they're telling you.
• Simple techniques to interrupt a worry spiral before it takes over.
• How to stop second-guessing pet care decisions by setting reasonable timelines for reassessment.
• Why a bad outcome doesn't necessarily mean you made a bad decision, and how to practice self-compassion while still learning from mistakes.

From everyday decisions about food and veterinary care to heartbreaking end-of-life choices, this conversation offers a more balanced way to care deeply about your pets without letting worry take over your life.

About our guest

Dr. Alicia del Prado is a psychologist with 25 years of clinical experience and the founder of del Prado Counseling & Consulting in California. She specializes in anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges, helping people navigate difficult decisions and develop healthier ways of coping with stress.

Learn more about Dr. del Prado and her practice at https://www.drdelprado.com/.

Know a pet parent who worries about everything? Share this episode with them. It might be exactly what they need to hear.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 can become deadly traps, and even a collar that fits perfectly can have a buckle that fails when you least expect it.

In this episode of The Pet Parent Hotline, Amy shares frightening close calls with her own dogs and lessons learned from many years working in rescue. You'll discover common dog and cat collar safety hazards, along with practical ways to prevent injuries, escapes, and dangerous entanglements.

YOU'LL LEARN:

• How to choose the right type of collar for your pet based on whether it's used for identification, walking, or everyday wear.
• How to check collar fit properly, including the two-finger rule and why loose collars can be just as dangerous as tight ones.
• When a martingale collar might make sense, how they help prevent escapes, and why they shouldn't be left on unsupervised dogs.
• What to know about plastic buckles, ID tags, and collar hardware before something breaks or gets caught.
• Why cat breakaway collars aren't all created equal, especially when it comes to kittens and release mechanisms.
• When you should take collars off, including situations involving crates, rough play, and other entanglement hazards.

Don't wait until something goes wrong to discover a problem with your pet's collar. Listen now, then take a few minutes to check their collar for your peace of mind and their safety. It's a simple step that could prevent a serious accident.

Have you ever experienced a collar-related close call? Share your story at https://www.petparenthotline.com/, and send this episode to another pet parent who might benefit from hearing it.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 popular pet gadgets and accessories look terrific in advertisements but fall flat once you bring them home.

After fostering more than 4,000 animals, Amy Castro has learned which pet products are worth the investment and which ones might leave you regretting your purchase.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why automatic pet toys and ball launchers aren't always the enrichment or exercise solution they promise to be
• The hidden costs and cleaning hassles of pet water fountains
• What to look for in a dog or cat bed so you're not throwing it away after the first major mess
• How decorative litter box furniture can create problems for your cat
• Why subscription toy boxes and complicated food puzzles may not be worth the money
• What actually works for controlling pet odors instead of just covering them up

Amy also shares simpler, budget-friendly alternatives and the questions she wishes she'd asked before spending money on products that eventually ended up in the garbage or gathering dust.

What's the biggest waste of money you've ever bought for your pet? Or is there a product on this list that you absolutely love? We'd love to hear about it!

For more rescue-tested recommendations, check out our episodes on pet care essentialsand pet technology that's actually worth buying.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 better decision before bringing home a new pet: picture an ordinary Tuesday six months from now, after the excitement has worn off.

What will that animal actually need from you? How much time, training, cleaning, exercise, enrichment, money, and daily attention will be involved? And what are the parts longtime owners find frustrating, expensive, or harder than they expected?

You'll also hear why it's worth talking to people who've lived with a particular breed or species for years, including people who decided they wouldn't have that type of pet again.

Because sometimes good research leads you to say, “I love that animal, but I don't want that life.” And making that decision before bringing an animal home isn't failure. It's responsible pet parenting.

In this episode:

• Why basic breed and species research isn't enough
• The “ordinary Tuesday” test for choosing a pet
• Why you should research the annoying parts too
• What longtime pet owners can tell you that social media won't
• Why your real lifestyle matters more than your idealized one
• How to know when loving an animal doesn't mean you should own one.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 actually a good fit for your life, your family, or your ability to meet that animal’s needs.

In this episode of The Pet Parent Hotline, Amy challenges six common beliefs that can lead to bad pet choices, including the idea that getting a puppy or kitten means you can “raise it right,” that small animals make good starter pets for kids, and that wanting a particular breed or species is reason enough to bring one home.

Drawing on a lifetime with animals, years in rescue, and experience fostering more than 4,000 pets, Amy also shares some of her own bad decisions, including getting an iguana before she truly understood what caring for one would require.

You’ll hear why:

• A baby animal isn’t a blank slate you can shape into exactly the pet you want
• “Starter pets” can require far more care than families expect
• Always wanting a certain animal doesn’t necessarily mean you should own one
• Legal and available for sale doesn’t automatically mean appropriate as a pet
• Falling in love with an animal can make it easier to overlook a bad match
• Love alone can’t fix every mismatch between a pet and your home

This episode isn’t about making people feel guilty for wanting a pet. It’s about slowing down long enough to ask a better question:

Not just “Do I want this pet?” but “Can I give this particular animal the life it actually needs?”

Sometimes the right pet is a different pet. And sometimes the right decision is walking away.

If you know someone who’s thinking about bringing an animal home, send them this episode before they decide.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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.

Maybe your cat suddenly stops hanging out with you. They're less tolerant of another cat. Their eating or litter-box habits change. They start biting when touched somewhere they never minded before. Or they're simply acting a little... off.

In this episode, Amy talks with Certified Cat Behavior Consultant Amanda Caron, founder of Frisky Feline Behavior Counseling, about how pain can show up through behavior and why knowing what's normal for your individual cat matters so much.

Amanda shares what changes to watch for, how to track patterns without turning pet parenting into a full-time data-collection project, ways to figure out what's happening in a multi-cat household, and when a behavior change warrants a call to your veterinarian.

They also discuss the Feline Grimace Scale, a science-based tool that helps cat parents recognize facial changes associated with acute pain and gives them useful information to discuss with their veterinarian.

In this episode:

• Why cats are so good at hiding pain
• Subtle behavior changes that may deserve a closer look
• Why your cat's individual “normal” matters more than a generic checklist
• Simple ways to track changes and patterns
• Monitoring eating, litter-box habits and behavior in multi-cat homes
• When to involve your veterinarian
• How pain can be mistaken for a behavior problem
• How the Feline Grimace Scale can help you recognize signs of acute pain

Resources:

Amanda Caron and Frisky Feline Behavior Counseling
Visit Frisky Feline Behavior Counseling

Feline Grimace Scale
Visit the Feline Grimace Scale website

Important: This episode is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for veterinary care. Behavior changes can have many causes. If you're concerned about a change in your cat's health or behavior, contact your veterinarian.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 would be an immediate deal breaker. Which sounds pretty reasonable... until you meet Nash, the Golden Retriever who recently greeted a burglar inside his house by bringing him toys.

So how much should we really trust our pets’ reactions to people?

In this episode, Amy looks at what your pet’s behavior can tell you, what it probably can’t, and why the more revealing clue may be how the other person reacts to your pet.

Because whether you’re dating, moving in together, getting a roommate, or combining households, loving animals isn’t necessarily enough. Differences over sleeping arrangements, house rules, vet bills, daily pet care, future pets, and even what happens if the relationship ends can turn into much bigger issues than people expect.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why a pet’s reaction to someone is information, not necessarily a verdict
• What Nash the Golden Retriever can teach us about dogs as “judges of character”
• Why respecting your pet’s boundaries may tell you more about a person than whether your pet likes them
• When fear, growling, snapping, or escalating behavior warrants help from a qualified behavior professional
• What a recent survey reveals about pets and dating relationships
• Why “I like dogs” or “I like cats” doesn’t necessarily mean two people are pet-compatible
• The house rules couples should discuss before moving in together
• How different attitudes toward veterinary spending can create major conflict
• Why “I’ll help with the dog” needs a clearer definition
• What couples should discuss before adopting a pet together
• Why pet ownership can get complicated when a relationship ends

What do you think? Would you end a relationship because your pet didn’t like someone? Have you ever had a pet react badly to somebody and later thought they were onto something? Or is your dog more like Nash and likely to welcome a burglar with a tennis ball?

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 10 tricks she’s learned from years of owning, fostering, rescuing, and medicating dogs of all shapes, sizes, and ages. The key isn’t finding one magical food that works for every dog. It’s figuring out how your dog approaches food and choosing a strategy that fits.

You’ll learn why a tiny, soft pill package may work better than a big chunk of something delicious, how to use decoy treats and momentum, why your dog may be reacting to your medication-prep routine before the pill even appears, and what to do when a trick that worked for months suddenly stops working.

Amy also covers when it may be time to stop hiding the pill altogether and ask your veterinarian about a "pill popper", liquid or compounded medication, or another appropriate way to give it.

And cat people, you’re not forgotten. Some of these tricks translate, but cats can present a whole different pill-giving challenge, so Amy also talks about when liquid, compounded, transdermal, or direct-pilling options may be worth discussing with your veterinarian.

In this episode you'll learn:

• How your dog’s eating style affects which pill tricks may work
• Why small, soft, easy-to-swallow bites can beat bigger treats
• The decoy-treat trick for slipping medication into the sequence
• How dogs learn our medication routines
• Using timing, momentum, and safe competition in multi-dog homes
• What to do when your dog figures out your favorite trick
• Pill poppers and other direct-pilling options
• When to ask your vet about another medication formulation
• Why pilling cats sometimes requires a completely different approach

Important: Always follow your veterinarian’s instructions for your pet’s specific medication. Don’t crush, split, open, dissolve, or otherwise alter medication unless your veterinarian has confirmed that it’s safe to do so.

Got a pill trick that works on your dog or cat? Amy wants to hear it. Share your weirdest, sneakiest, or most successful strategy, and you might see it featured in a future Pet Parent Hotline episode or post.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 changes surprisingly easy to miss.

In this episode of The Pet Parent Hotline, Amy walks through eight simple at-home pet health checks you can do about once a month to get more familiar with what’s normal for your pet and spot changes that may be worth mentioning to your veterinarian.

This isn’t about diagnosing your pet at home or replacing regular veterinary care. Think of it as a 10-to-15-minute monthly check-in where you slow down, actually look at your pet, put your hands on them where it’s safe to do so, and pay attention.

You’ll learn to check:

• Body condition, weight, and muscle changes
• Lumps, bumps, swelling, and sensitive areas
• Skin, fur, hair, or feathers
• Eyes, ears, teeth, gums, and mouth
• Feet, nails, claws, and paw pads
• Movement, stiffness, and mobility
• Eating and drinking habits
• Bathroom habits, energy, and behavior

Amy also shares how accidentally discovering a badly broken tooth in one of her own dogs made her realize just how much pet parents can miss when we’re not deliberately looking.

The goal isn’t to catch everything. It’s to know your pet well enough that when something changes, you’re more likely to recognize that it’s new and give your veterinarian useful information about when it started.

In This Episode

• Why everyday petting isn’t the same as deliberately checking your pet
• How gradual weight and muscle changes can sneak up on you
• A simple way to keep track of your pet’s lumps and bumps
• Why teeth and gums deserve a closer look
• Small mobility changes that may be easy to dismiss as “just getting older”
• Eating, drinking, and bathroom changes worth paying attention to
• How to turn a monthly pet check into an easy habit
• What to ask your veterinarian so you can personalize the routine for your pet

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 episode.

What should you do when you notice your pet doing something differently? Maybe your dog suddenly hesitates before jumping into the car, your cat starts sleeping somewhere new, or a pet who used to love a certain activity seems less interested.

Before you panic or write it off as “just getting older,” Amy shares three questions that can help you decide whether you’re seeing a simple preference, a pattern worth watching, or a change that deserves a conversation with your veterinarian:

• Is this actually new for my pet?
• Is it happening consistently?
• Is it interfering with something my pet normally wants or needs to do?

You’ll also learn why knowing your individual pet’s normal matters, how videos and a few simple notes can help your veterinarian, and why aging, moving, stress, or other life changes shouldn’t automatically be used to explain away new behavior.

This episode builds on Sunday’s conversation about treating pets as individuals and paying attention to what each animal actually needs.

Veterinary Disclaimer: The Pet Parent Hotline is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your veterinarian or another qualified pet-care professional about questions or concerns related to your individual pet’s health, behavior, diet, mobility, or care.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 preferences can mean very different needs for pets living under the same roof. From secret extra meals for a skinny senior cat to different exercise, rules, accommodations, and attention, the goal isn’t perfect equality. It’s paying attention to the individual animal in front of you.

And this isn’t just for people with a houseful of animals. Whether you have one pet or six, it’s about recognizing what that pet needs instead of comparing them to other animals or even to who they used to be.

She also tackles a harder question: Are you giving your pet what they actually enjoy and need, or trying to turn them into the pet you imagined having?

Plus, try this week’s simple Pet Parent Hotline challenge to learn something new about your own pet.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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), but "moved in" might be a generous description. Most of the furniture and pet gear are still in storage, the floors and painting aren't done, she needs a new roof, and she's currently recording from an echoey bedroom furnished with a semi-deflated air mattress.

More importantly, the pets are adjusting too.

So this week, Amy is turning the tables and asking fellow pet parents for the practical, real-life solutions they've discovered through experience.

In this episode, Amy wants to hear from you about:

• Helping senior pets safely handle stairs
• Acclimating a blind pet to a new house, especially a multi-level one
• Helping pets settle in and recognize a new place as home
• Cheap, temporary pet-friendly fixes that work while you're waiting on permanent solutions
• Managing contractors, noise, renovations, and escape risks with pets in the house
• Bonus: finding the fun pet-friendly places and activities when you're new to an area

This isn't about replacing expert advice. It's about those little things another pet parent figured out because they were standing in the exact same situation.

Amy really does want your help. If you've dealt with even one of these challenges, share what worked, what didn't, or what you wish you'd known sooner.

Comment on the episode if your listening platform allows it, find The Pet Parent Hotline on Facebook or Instagram, or reach out at PetParentHotline.com.

If enough of you respond, Amy may share the best listener advice in a follow-up episode.

Because sometimes the answer you need is already sitting in another pet parent's house.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 up on the things that have quietly slipped down the list.

In this solo episode, Amy covers the pet care tasks worth handling now, from vet appointments and grooming to pet boarding, pet sitting, holiday travel, and changing routines. The goal isn’t to create another giant checklist. It’s to take care of a few things now that could save you time, money, and stress later.

In this episode:

• Pet health issues and appointments you’ve been meaning to handle
• Grooming, gear, and basic maintenance that may have gotten away from you
• Why now is the time to think about boarding, pet sitting, and holiday travel
• Helping pets adjust as fall routines change
• Planning pet care around your real life before something becomes urgent

Need help figuring out what your pet needs, what to prioritize, or how to make it all work with your life? Learn more about a Pet Parent Hotline consultation at petparenthotline.com/consult.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 the food inside the bag?

Dr. Angie Boyer, founder of Grain & Grace Consulting and a trained multi-species nutritionist, returns to help us work through a pet food label from front to back to identify what's really in our pet food.

In this episode, we cover:

• What “complete and balanced” means and where AAFCO fits in
• How words like “with” and “may support” can change the meaning of a front-of-package claim on pet food
• How to use the guaranteed analysis when comparing foods
• What meat, meal, byproducts, and meat-and-bone meal actually tell you
• How to identify protein, fat, fiber, vitamin, and mineral sources
• Why pet food feeding guidelines are only a starting point
• How treats and other foods affect your pet’s total daily intake
• What to consider about where pet food is produced and ingredients you may want to investigate
• Why the “best” pet food also has to work for your individual pet, budget, and real life

The goal isn’t to find one perfect pet food. It’s to understand enough of the label to make a more informed choice for the pet in front of you.

Guest: Dr. Angie Boyer, founder of Grain & Grace Consulting

And if you missed our August Pet Parent Power Up on specialty diets like sensitive stomach, urinary care, and hairball control, listen to that episode for even more help interpreting what pet food packaging is promising.

As always, talk with your veterinarian about your individual pet’s medical and nutritional needs before making changes to their diet.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 same thing.

In this Pet Parent Power Up, Dr. Angie Boyer explains the difference between formulas built around certain ingredient choices and claims that require more testing and scientific support.

You’ll learn:

• What makes sensitive skin and stomach foods different
• How weight-management foods reduce calories
• Why hairball-control and urinary-care claims are treated differently on pet food labels
• What phrases like “may support” really promise on your pet food label
• How to check whether the ingredients support the claim on the front of the package

Note: Always talk with your veterinarian about your individual pet’s medical and nutritional needs before changing foods, especially when managing a diagnosed health condition.

Dr. Angie Boyer is the founder of Grain & Grace Consulting and a trained multi-species nutritionist whose work spans livestock, companion animals, and horses. Angie returns in the next full episode to help us read a pet food package from the claims on the front to the label on the back.

Learn more about Dr. Angie Boyer and Grain & Grace Consulting:

• Website: Grain & Grace Consulting
• Contact: Submit an inquiry
• LinkedIn: Grain & Grace Consulting

Get Your Free Pet Food Guides!

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 had a great day, and not every dog enjoys or benefits from a group daycare environment.

In this episode, Amy talks with pet care professional Rich Schlatter, CPACP, about how to tell whether your dog truly likes daycare, what a proper evaluation should look like, and how to choose a facility that is equipped to keep your dog safe.

They discuss the difference between healthy tiredness and signs that daycare may be overwhelming your dog, why group size and play style matter more than simply separating dogs by size, and what pet parents should notice during facility tours.

You’ll also learn:

• What your dog’s drop-off and pickup behavior may be telling you
• Which dogs may not be a good fit for traditional group daycare
• Questions to ask about staff training, supervision, emergencies, and dog-to-staff ratios
• How reputable facilities introduce dogs to a new group
• Why dogs need rest and recovery during and after daycare
• When day boarding or individual enrichment may be a better option
• How often your dog should attend daycare
• Practical tips for your dog’s first day

Doggy daycare should offer more than a place to leave your dog while you work. The right program should match your dog’s temperament, age, health, energy level, and social needs.

The goal is not simply to bring home a dog who is too exhausted to move. It is to give your dog an experience that leaves them happy, comfortable, and able to return to their normal life at home.

Connect With Rich Schlatter

Email: RichSchlatter@gmail.com
LinkedIn: Rich Schlatter, CPACP

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

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 in mind.

Now I’m looking at how close the road is, whether Gunny can manage the stairs as she gets older, whether my blind cat could fall through an open staircase, and how much it would cost to make a beautiful property truly safe and manageable for all of us.

In this episode, I’m sharing what has surprised me during the house-hunting process and why the house with the most land, the prettiest floors, or the lowest price may not be the house that works best when pets are part of the decision.

BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING, YOU’LL DISCOVER:

• Why acreage and a usable pet yard are not the same thing
• How roads, stairs, flooring, vents, and home layouts can create everyday risks
• The hidden cost of fencing, cooling, gates, rugs, and other pet-related changes
• Why basements, wildlife, weather, and access to veterinary care belong on the checklist

Have you ever chosen, changed, or ruled out a home because of your pets? Send me a message or leave a comment and share what surprised you or what you learned the hard way.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

What Really Happened Moving 2,200 Miles With Six Pets

Moving six pets from Texas to Massachusetts in an RV sounded manageable on paper. Then came the delayed departure, Houston rush-hour traffic, tire-pressure warnings, a check-engine light, a crying cat, an unexpected campground wedding and a bulldog who created two separate crime scenes.

In this follow-up to the lessons-from-the-road episode, Amy sits down with her friend Bev Brooks and daughter Kelsey Castro to share what actually happened during the trip, including the moments no amount of planning could have prevented.

You’ll hear:

• Why the trip went off schedule before they even left Texas
• How Pickles handled several days of travel
• What happened during Gunny’s infamous “spin-art” incident
• How Gigi reacted to rough roads and rumble strips
• Why testing travel medications before a long trip matters
• How Amy decided an RV was the best option for moving six pets
• What they learned about backup plans, flexible schedules and knowing when everyone has had enough

The goal was never a perfect road trip. It was getting three dogs, three cats and two humans safely from Texas to Massachusetts. Despite everything that went wrong, they made it.

Great Places and Resources Mentioned

• Woodland Creek RV Park (Tyler, Texas)
• Love's RV Hookup – Hazen, Arkansas
• Paducah / I-24 / Kentucky Lake KOA Journey
• Whispering Hills RV Park (Georgetown, Kentucky)
• Lola's Laundry (Georgetown, Kentucky)
• O'Reilly Auto Parts: Thanks and shout out to the store at: 240 W Broadway, West Memphis, AR 72301

Listen to the previous episode for the practical lessons, preparation tips and supplies that helped Amy move six pets more than 2,000 miles.

Always talk with your veterinarian before giving your pet medication for travel. Follow the prescribed dosage and ask about testing the medication before a long trip.

Thanks for listening to The Pet Parent Hotline. Share this episode with someone preparing to move or take a long road trip with pets.

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro

Moving cross-country with pets is not the same as taking your dog for a quick ride around town.

In this episode of The Pet Parent Hotline, Amy shares the practical lessons she learned from a 2,200-mile move with one other adult and six pets. This is not a perfect travel checklist or a generic pet travel episode. It is the real-life stuff that matters when you’re on the road for days, juggling multiple animals, an RV, a car, overnight stops, messes, medication timing, and pets who are completely out of their normal routine.

Amy talks about why stopping constantly may not be the best plan for every pet, how to think through travel medication before the trip begins, why cleaning supplies need to be reachable instead of packed away, and why every pet needs a secure space of their own.

She also shares why arrival order matters, especially when setting up an RV or temporary space, and why your travel equipment needs to be tested before the real trip.

If you are planning a move, evacuation, long road trip, or major life change with pets, this episode will help you think through the parts most people do not consider until something has already gone sideways.

In this episode:

• Why your stopping strategy should be decided before you leave
• Why pet travel will test your patience, and how to pivot when things go wrong
• What cleaning supplies to keep within reach
• Why each pet needs a secure space of their own
• How to think through your arrival setup order
• Why you should test harnesses, crates, bedding, seat covers, and backup plans before the trip

Need help planning a move or long road trip with pets? Get in touch with Amy for help thinking through the route, setup, supplies, stopping strategy, and backup plans before you’re already in the middle of it: https://www.petparenthotline.com/consult/

Stuck on a pet problem? Send it here.

Practical pet advice for busy pet parents.

Love the show? Follow The Pet Parent Hotline so you don’t miss an episode, and share this one with a pet parent who needs it.

Listen & Follow: 🌍Official Site |📱Facebook |📺YouTube | 🍏 Apple |🎵Spotify

The Pet Parent Hotline covers real-world dog and cat behavior, training, pet health and nutrition, veterinary decisions, pet-care costs, aging pets, and everyday life with animals.

No fluff. No guilt. Just useful advice to help you make smarter decisions and enjoy life with your pets.

Help us reach more pet parents like you: A 5-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts helps new listeners feel confident trying us out.

Contact: Amy@petparenthotline.com
©Ⓟ 2026 Amy Castro