The Wag Pod

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Alan Wieder in Part Two of this series, exploring the evolution of Crappily Drawn Pets and how a simple idea turned into a growing, highly personal art business. Building on the shift explored in Part One, Alan shares how offering to poorly draw pets on Instagram quickly revealed real demand. What started as a lighthearted concept turned into something much...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Alan Wieder about a career that spans cable news, reality television, and an unexpected turn toward art. After studying comparative literature with plans of entering academia, Alan moved into mass media, working in a fast-paced cable news newsroom during major late-’90s events. He later relocated to Los Angeles and built a long career producing nonfiction an...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Sam Khera, founder of Royal Dog Chains, about building a brand that blends durability, personality, and true “royalty” for dogs of every size. Sam shares how the idea was inspired by his beloved soul dog, Rajah, whose presence and demeanor felt larger than life. Rajah, meaning “King,” carried himself with a kind of elegance that left a lasting mark, and that...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Cole Parsons, co-founder of Tucker’s Tap Yard, about how life with pets and RV travel helped shape Winston-Salem’s first off-leash indoor and outdoor dog yard and bar. After losing their orange tabby cat, Lego, Cole and his wife Kim found themselves adjusting to life without a pet for the first time. With weekends increasingly spent traveling by RV, hiking,...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Candie Kemp and Catherine Napoli-Bruce of Corgi Town USA, a corgi-focused podcast and community-centered brand built around education, connection, and better outcomes for dogs and the people who love them. Corgi Town USA exists to support pet parents with practical, experience-backed information on health, training, grooming, traveling with dogs, rescue, fos...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Alejandra Avila and Aaron Irmas, the co-founders of PartyAnimal, a California-based company created to make celebrating dogs simpler and more personal. It began with Alejandra wanting to do something special for her dog Maya’s birthday and realizing there was no easy way to bring everything together in one place. PartyAnimal grew out of that moment. Alejandr...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Jennifer Estelle, founder of the B & Let Liv Project and creator of Endless Mountains Vineyards, about advocacy, adoption, and the connection between human and animal wellness. Jennifer shares how adopting Buster, an American Staffordshire terrier, became the turning point that shaped her life’s work. Living with a breed so often misunderstood exposed he...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Carter Easler, Director of Research and Education at CBD Dog Health and MycoDog, about the background, science, and education behind CBD Dog Health. Carter shares the story of the company’s founder, Angela Ardolino, and how her work in rescue, senior dog care, and long-term animal wellness helped shape the foundation of the brand. The episode explores key di...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Emily Slayton, creator of Dooker and mom of Guilty Reese, the internet-famous chocolate lab known for her signature mischievous grin. The conversation opens with how Reese’s expressions took off on TikTok and Instagram during the early days of social media, turning everyday mischief into viral moments that built a loyal following. From there, Emily shares th...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Michelle Smith, Vice President of Fundraising and lifelong animal advocate whose work blends nonprofit strategy, creativity, and heart to drive real impact in animal welfare. Michelle shares her journey from growing up deeply connected to animals to earning advanced degrees in business and nonprofit fundraising, and ultimately building a life dedicated to he...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works returns with Part Two of the conversation with Erin Murphy, aviator, author, and rescue dog advocate. If you missed Part One in Episode 37, that conversation covered Erin’s aviation journey, how she discovered rescue flying, and the story behind her first book. It sets the foundation for who she is and what inspires her work. In this second half, the focus shifts to wr...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works introduces the first part of a two part series with Erin Mariah Murphy, a United Airlines pilot, dog advocate, and the award winning author behind Halfway Home. This opening chapter follows the early rise of her journey, beginning with childhood days in Scranton where air shows, F16 flyovers, and a love of animals shaped her goals. Those early sparks carried her to Dan...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Michael and Melissa O’Donnell of All-Star Dog Training, the family behind two of North Carolina’s most beloved sports dogs, Ripken and Champ. This story began with Ripken the Bat Dog, whose remarkable career made him a national figure. Ripken first fetched bats for the Holly Springs Salamanders before expanding his role to the Durham Bulls. He also retrieved...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Willie Blue of The Dabba Company in this week’s episode. Willie founded The Dabba Company in 2018 after spending many years working within veterinary settings, where he recognized a real need for accessible canine fitness and injury-recovery support. After earning his CCFT certification through the University of Tennessee, he began offering mobile rehabilita...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Melissa Cohan, founder of The Healthy Mutt, a holistic pet health practice dedicated to helping dogs thrive through nutrition, enrichment, and overall wellness. Melissa’s love for animals began in childhood, but her path into pet health deepened through caring for her own dogs with complex medical needs—experiences that led her to explore natural nutrition,...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Sam Ewashko, founder of Adventure Hounds, currently based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Sam’s lifelong love for animals started early, volunteering at vet hospitals and running Sam’s Sitting Service as a kid, long before she became a professional trainer. Today, she leads Adventure Hounds and the Healing Hounds program, where her work goes beyond traditi...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Kyle and Megan Casey, co-founders of Paws & Pints in Des Moines — a groundbreaking destination where dogs and their humans can eat, drink, play, and unwind together. Paws & Pints blends a full restaurant, bar, and coffeehouse with expansive indoor and outdoor dog parks, grooming, lodging, and daycare — redefining what it means to be “dog-friendly.” I...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Dave Zimmerman, founder of Project Kena, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit dedicated to giving senior and special needs dogs a second chance. While many incredible rescues rely on foster networks, Project Kena takes a different approach — raising funds to cover transport and medical costs for dogs who are often just days or hours from being euthanized. Through te...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Marisa McGovern, a California native, fellow Tar Heel, and proud dog mom to Rigatoni the Fluffy Corgi. Marisa is currently earning her master’s in Nutrition, Healthspan, and Longevity at USC’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, building on her background in Nutrition, Health, and Society from UNC. What began as Marisa running out of storage on her camera r...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Jennifer Michalak of Jennuine Pet Services, a Certified Professional Canine Nutritionist (CPCN) through the Feed Real Institute, an organization recognized for advancing science-based nutrition education in the pet industry. With nearly a decade of hands-on experience in veterinary assistance, pet nutrition, grooming, and natural pet food retail, Jennifer no...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Michael Schneider, founder and executive director of Pilots To The Rescue, an organization that combines a love for aviation with a mission to save animals’ lives. Michael’s journey into aviation began at 35 with a spontaneous skydive that sparked a passion for flying. Just a few years later, he launched Pilots To The Rescue in 2015, blending his skills as a...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Joanne Wetzel, founder of Five Freedoms Photography, whose path to pet photography was anything but ordinary. A serial entrepreneur, Joanne first built a career freelancing in hair and makeup, photographing weddings, headshots, and events. In 2017, she began volunteering at her local animal shelter walking adoptable dogs — an experience that inspired her to...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Anouk Lodder and Ingmar Donker, the Dutch couple behind Dyce de Rottweiler, a social media sensation who has captured hearts across the world. In just one year, Dyce grew to over 370,000 TikTok followers and built thriving communities on Facebook and YouTube — all by simply being his goofy, sock-stealing, tail-wagging self. Anouk and Ingmar share what it’s l...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Shelby Grillo, owner of Posh Paws Pet Spa & Boutique in Wantagh, NY. During college, Shelby worked at the zoo — an experience that highlighted her lifelong love for animals and gave her valuable hands-on perspective. But it was her dog, Capone, who inspired her to dive deeper into the grooming world. What began as a way to care for him became a passion t...

Richmond Griner of Wag Works chats with Jessica Fisher, a Certified Holistic Pet Health Coach, Certified Professional Canine Nutritionist, and host of The Pet Parenting Reset. Jessica works with “2.0 pet parents” — those who want to go beyond the basics and invest in their pets’ long-term health and happiness. In this episode, Jessica shares how raw nutrition, food therapy, and holistic health pra...