Furfluencers

On the TV series "Kitchen Nightmares," Gordon Ramsay infamously (and frequently) describes the restaurant meals he's presented with as resembling a "dog's dinner." Apparently Gordon hasn't seen the lavish meals that dogs today are fed. Julia and Anya go back in time to look at the history of dog food, what we feed our dogs today, and who determines what goes into a nutritious dog's dinner. 

If your new year's resolution is to devote yourself to your feline companion, we have just the story for you: Cat Cults. Yep, you read that right. Today, we're talking about a cult of human beings who worship cats and one cult leader, in particular, who wreaked havoc on her followers. MeWOW, indeed!

The Grinch is one of the most famous characters in Christmas history, but often forgotten is his beloved sidekick Max. In this episode Julia and Anya discover the origins of Max, ponder if the Grinch ever deserved Max's love, and pitch a new spinoff where Max is the star. 

What happens when a dog bites another dog? Or when a dog attacks a human? To find out, Julia and Anya look at some recent news stories about dog attacks. What do they learn? That dog attacks can be more complicated to prevent and remedy than they thought.

We're thrilled to share our conversation with Benjamin Clark, curator at the Charles M. Schulz Museum. While all of the Peanuts characters are amazing, we naturally focused the discussion on the King of Cool, Snoopy. Join us on a journey through Snoopy's origins, his sometimes tempestuous relationship with Charlie Brown, his insatiable appetite, and how he became a global icon. Happy Thanksgiving!

We assumed that connecting with spirits would be scary, be they human or animal. Turns out, it's not scary at all! Today's guest is Sue Pike, The Animal Talker. Sue is an Animal Communicator, Reiki Master, Spirit Channeler and Spiritual Teacher. Sue is uniquely capable of communicating with living and transitioned animals, not to mention the variety of spirits and deities that surround them. She shared with us her experiences receiving and sending messages with different critters, as well as advice that anyone can follow to better communicate with their pets.

We're revisiting the animated and live action 101 Dalmatians movies to see how they hold up today. (As Anya points out, Julia's favorite animal movie should have included a PSA about doggy family planning.)

The recent nation-wide impact of the Canadian wildfires on the U.S. has been nothing short of scary. Cities filled with orange smoke and air quality levels at terrifying highs have forced the conversation about why wildfires start and how to manage them in areas where people never expected to have to deal with them. Part of those discussions in the news media and on social has been about the effect of wildfires on animals, from household pets to wildlife across the U.S. Julia and Anya discuss what happens to animals during wildfires and what can be done to help them. 

Last month, King Charles's coronation took over the internet, and while we aren't exactly "royal watchers," we couldn't help but follow along. King Charles is said to be many things but is he an animal lover? We dive into a short history on the British royal family and their relationship to animals -- corgis, eel pie, and all. In the end, we have to agree that the Balmoral Bats have it better than most of us.  As the musician Lorde once put it, "we'll never be royal" -- even compared with the castle critters. 

Giddyup, Julia and Anya are taking on the Kentucky Derby. They go back in time to find out where the Derby came from, why it's so short, and why there's so much pastel in attendance. Later, they explore the lifecycle of racehorses and call attention to racing's seemingly unstoppable villain horse trainer, all while asking the question, "Is this still ethical?" (Pastel hats being the first crime against humanity.)

Riding on their high from a Sunday matinee of the horror comedy movie Cocaine Bear, Anya and Julia discuss the film and its bizarre (and limited) real-life backstory. Enjoy!

In celebration of true love, Julia and Anya take to the mics to discuss the latest hot topic of the heart: do animals fall in love? Well, duh! They talk about the science behind love in animals and come to the conclusion, through their own scientific research, that the answer is a resounding yes. Then, they roll through some of their favorite animal couples, and later their romantic Valentine's Day plans with Smudge and Ruthie

Forget the Super Bowl, we're getting ready for THE PUPPY BOWL! That's right, Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl is coming back for its 19th year of canine competition. Our favorite sports event will feature rescue puppies playing their version of football on Super Bowl Sunday. 122 puppies from 67 different shelters and rescues will be divided between Team Ruff and Team Fluff. And among those rescue puppies, 11 are special needs dogs who are ready to show off their athletic prowess too. Join us as we sit down with Dan Schachner, the official referee of the Puppy Bowl – yes, that is the greatest job of all-time. And catch the three-hour Puppy Bowl 2023 show on February 12 on Animal Planet and discovery+.

It should come as no surprise that at Furfluencers HQ, loving dogs and comedy are essential qualities in the humans that we spend time with. Fortunately, we're not alone, and it turns out that there's an actual organization dedicated to bringing these wonderful things together. MUST LOVE DOGS AND COMEDY produces comedy shows that people can bring their dogs to while also raising money for animal rescues. Founded in 2022 by Jolie Dudley and Nicolas Polanco, the shows blend laughs, barks and everything in between with storytelling from underrepresented creatives. Join us as we chat with Julie and Nicolas in person at one of their favorite performance venues, Boris and Horton in NYC. 

Happy Holidays! Anya and Julia sit down together to talk all things reindeer and Rudolph. Anya makes a shocking discovery that calls into question who is really pulling Santa's sleigh.

While reindeer are the beloved hooved animal of Christmas in the U.S., Julia always associates this holiday, and its medieval carols, with unicorns. Inspired by December trips to see the famous unicorn tapestries at the Met Cloisters in NYC, she invited Scottish historian Donna Heddle to this week's show to discuss the history of unicorns. They talk about why unicorns have survived while other mythical beasts vanished in folklore, and how Scotland came to be the home of the unicorn. Later, Anya explains why unicorns were banned from her childhood to prevent her from practicing sorcery.

If you're ever walking with your dog down the streets of NYC, you might be lucky enough to have Elias Friedman stop and ask you “Excuse me … can I take a picture of your dog?” In today's episode, we chat with Elias and Isabel from The Dogist, and how a simple request to take a picture of a stranger's dog has turned into one of the most popular dog accounts on the internet.

Happy Thanksgiving! We have a special episode celebrating family – both two-legged and four – with Julia's cousin Kerri and her delightful pup Lucy. The pair met when Lucy was brought to the animal hospital where Kerri worked as a vet tech. In critical condition, with 2nd and 3rd degree burns, Lucy was not expected to survive. But she did and immediately captured the hearts of her caretakers, as well as Facebook groups and news organizations who were touched by Lucy's ability to survive such a terrible experience and still love the humans around her. Kerri and her sister brought Lucy home as a foster, beginning one of many what Kerri cheerfully calls her “foster fails.” Join us as we celebrate long laughs with family and reflect on what dogs can teach us about forgiveness and compassion. 

Happy Halloween! We're celebrating with a very unusual critter today. While most of our featured animals are highly visible, this one is rather elusive: Scotland's Loch Ness Monster, affectionately known as Nessie! Our guest, Gary Campbell is the keeper of the official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register, a catalog of all known Nessie sightings. In our chat, Gary opens the floodgates on Nessie's backstory, her (?) potential gender fluidity, and why Scotland is such a unique place for oral folklore and unusual creatures. This one certainly hit our October desire for spooky stories and we hope you love it too! *The wifi between NYC and Scotland was bumpy at times and thank you for bearing with us through some of the audio snags that we hit! 

Things are getting batty at Fur HQ today! As part of our Halloween-inspired series, we welcome Leslie Sturges, the president of the Bat Conversation and Rescue of Virginia. Leslie has devoted her life to wildlife, and over the past 20 years, she has cared for more than 1,000 bats. Her organization educates kids and adults alike on how to help wild bats that are injured or lost from their colonies, and she also raises awareness for why bats are amazing and how we can better protect them. We talk about what bats say to each other when they're cranky, Batman as an ambassador for the species, and why bats seem to straddle the line between the real and the mythical – and spooky! For more information on Virginia Bats and how to support them, check out https://www.virginiabats.org/about/ 

What happens when two arachnophobic podcast hosts interview one of the internet's most loved spider moms? Well it was better than we expected! Madison is the creator of @jumping.spooders, an Instagram/TikTok/YouTube account that celebrates jumping spiders. Jumping spiders are the largest family of spiders at 13% of all species, and Madison's posts show us what makes them unique – not just among spiders but all critters. We chat with her about how she became a spider mom, best practices for taking care of her “spoodies,” Halloween, and why spiders deserve the same love and respect that we give our pets. We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did, and be sure to check out Madison's YouTube page here!

The spooky season is upon us! And to kick it off, we're welcoming Jennifer Stott, the founder of the Massachusetts Black Cat Rescue, to the show! Jennifer was inspired to start the rescue based on her personal love for black cats as well as the unique challenges that black cats face when it comes to adoption. To date, her rescue has helped over 500 black cats find homes that celebrate them for who they are, proving that there's nothing unlucky about these dark furred felines. This also happens to be Julia's first solo interview – and don't worry, Anya is back for the others! – and join her and Jennifer as they chat about the myths behind black cats, what it means to start a rescue, and why Halloween is so important for their work. To learn more about the Black Cat rescue and how to support them, check out http://blackcatrescue.com/ 

We know that Fall has arrived when the NYC squirrels are a little more nuts than usual, which brings us to our first guest in our series of Autumn Animals – Peanut the Squirrel! Peanut was a baby when his mom was hit by a car and he was picked up by animal lover Mark Longo. Mark cared for Peanut at his home in CT and then tried to release him back into the wild. But after getting attacked on his first day by himself, Peanut decided that he was done with the wilderness and was moving back in with Mark. Today, they're an inseparable pair who spend their days making breakfast, taking naps, and delighting the internet with their adventures. Join us as we sit down with Mark to hear about Peanut's story, the rollercoaster ride of living with a squirrel, and the tremendous impact that Peanut has had on Mark's journey with mental health.

Smokey the Bear, watch out! Because Penny the Fire Pig is taking over as the new face of fire safety! Penny is a mini pig who spends most days hanging out with her dad and other firefighters at Engine Co. 239 in Brooklyn, NY. When she's not delighting her neighbors with her cuteness, she's painting pictures at the firehouse with her snout. This pig's talents have not been overlooked and Penny has recently embarked on a slew of creative projects including a children's book and some soon-to-be-announced Hollywood appearances. Join us as we oink it up with Darren and Penny. FYI her appearance rider includes Cheerios and her own seat on the plane. 

Pavlov is a spunky Pembroke Welsh Corgi who lives his best life in Los Angeles with his parents Anthony and Tram, and his fur brother Maslow. It's fitting for Pavlov that his homebase is also the home of Hollywood, because Pavlov was one of the original Instagram dogs whose photos first captured people's hearts in the early teen aughts. And while he gets some credit for his rise to fame on Instagram and Twitter, credit is also due to Anthony and Tram who worked tirelessly at creating quality, funny, and authentic content for Pavlov's fans. On this show, we talk with Anthony about why it's harder now than ever to grow a dog's social account, the impact that Pavlov's content had on Anthony and Tram's relationship, and who has the best wigglebutt, Corgis or Aussies! 

It's Fashion Week in NYC, and what better way to celebrate than with a dog stylist who herself strutted the catwalk on Queer Eye! That's right, we're sitting down with doggy entrepreneur and groomer Rahanna Gray, whose life forever changed when the Fab Five visited her at her home in Philly to give her and her mobile dog grooming business -- Stylish Pooch -- a makeover. Join us as we talk about her infamous grooming van, doggy cuts gone wrong, and what it was like to be on one of the most loved TV shows. (And catch her episode on Queer Eye S5 Ep.2) 

Meet journalist and social media strategist Sophie Vershbow! Sophie and her rescue pup Upper West Simon have delighted New Yorkers and beyond with their daily adventures and Simon's adorable – and somewhat unusual – presence. In addition to running social strategy for some major companies, Sophie is a writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Esquire, Vogue, Newsweek and more. And while for years she wrote about mental health and other topics top of mind for Millennials, Sophie has turned her attention to something else near and dear to her: dog life. Just recently, Sophie teamed up with DAME Magazine to launch The Companion Chronicles newsletter, which features interviews with writers, actors, activists, politicians, and beloved internet personalities about their canine companions. Join us as we talk all things New York dog mom and more with Sophie!

What a joy it was to sit down with Hollywood producer Michael Levitt to hear about how his life and career went to the dogs – literally! – after he adopted his first rescue pup. One rescue pittie later, Michael took his talent for producing live TV shows and created Cause For Paws: An All Star Dog Spectacular, a prime-time event that promoted awareness for dog-related issues and shelter rescue. He then produced the American Dog Rescue Show, a two-hour special in which rescued dogs from all across the country competed in categories including Best In Underbite, Best In Snoring, Best In Belly Rubs and more. Join us as Michael takes us on his journey through Hollywood and his insights into what it means to rescue a dog and some amazing tips for doing so. 

It's Shark Week over here at Furfluencers HQ, and we're excited to welcome Great White conservationist and storyteller Monique Fallows to the show! Monique is the co-founder of Apex Predator Tours in South Africa, a children's book author, and has been a longtime contributor to the Discovery Channel's Shark Week series. In this episode, Monique takes us through her very personal encounters with Great White Sharks (especially with her three favorite Great Whites), why people are not on a shark's menu, and the impact that storytelling can have for sharks and marine life around the world. We also hear about her upcoming book – Sandi and the Salty Dogs – inspired by her pets' real life experiences with dolphins, sharks, seals, and more.   

The 2018 documentary Catwalk: Tales From the Cat Show Circuit follows a competitive season in the lives of two top cat fanciers, Shirley and Kim, and their prize-winning felines: Oh La La - the regal Red Persian, and Bobby, the rambunctious white Turkish Angora. In this episode, we sit down with one of the directors, Aaron Hancox, to get the scoop on the origins of the film, what happened behind the camera, and their sequel film Catwalk 2: The Comeback Cats (releasing Aug. 12th in the U.S.)! 

Here's a real life story about a tortoise and a hare – well, almost! Meet Caitlin, a fast-charging Californian with a very unusual pet: her 170 pound tortoise, TipToe. TipToe was a local celebrity in Caitlin's neighborhood – known for his long, long walks around Caitlin's block – but he became an internet hit after Caitlin posted a video on social of TipToe's go-to pandemic lunch. A few salad bowls later, TipToe is now one of the best known tortoises on the internet and an ambassador for positivity and joy. Slow and steady really does win the race! @caitlinandtiptoe

This one will really make you laugh and it will also make you cry. In 2011, Mike Bridavsky met the runt of a litter of stray kittens who would go on to become one of the most famous internet cats. Lil Bub, as he named the tiny stray, was facing serious health issues but with a lot of love and persistence, Mike helped Lil Bub get healthy. Shortly after, she became an internet sensation and a poster animal for accepting all people and creatures as they are, regardless of their differences. When Lil Bub passed away in Dec. 2019, people around the world mourned her and media outlets such as CNN shared the news of her passing. Today Mike is keeping Lil Bub's legacy alive with the non-profits that she inspired, and a new addition to his cat family, Mister Marbles. Join us as we chat about the Golden Age of Internet Cats, Twin Peaks, and how the “Stephen Hawking of kitties” changed Mike's life and those of many others. ** Pet Passing Disclaimer: We do talk about the day that Lil Bub passed away. It was a very hard moment for Mike but he gave us the OK to include it in the final episode. If you've had a pet pass away, this moment ¾ through might be tough. https://www.goodjobbub.org/https://lilbub.com/ 

When Shelby picked up her new puppy Russell from his previous family, she knew there was something special about him but had no idea where their journey together would lead. Shortly after arriving in his new home, it was clear that Russell was terribly sick. A vet diagnosed him with parvo, which most puppies don't survive, but Shelby and her husband didn't give up on him, and several days of care, hydration, and music kept Russell alive. As Russell got bigger, he became known to audiences on Instagram and TikTok as BoopleSnoot. Together and in their signature hilarious way, Shelby and Russell have pulled back the curtain on what it means to be a Millennial Dog Mom. Hint: your dog becomes your therapist!  @booplethesnoot

We're no strangers to animal guests appearing in the Furfluencers digital studio but this is our first episode where we had the animals on camera for the whole conversation. Meet Sweet Pea, Brody, and Thyme – the lively feathered companions of The Parrot Lady aka Wendy. Wendy's dedication to her birds has made her – and them! – one of the most loved bird accounts on social media. Her content highlights her flock's BIG personalities as well as tips and resources for caring for birds. When Sweet Pea got sick in June 2022, Wendy was on social sharing everything she learned about how to bring Sweet Pea back to health. Join us as Wendy takes us through the challenges and joy of raising birds, spreading positivity, and Brody's liberal use of the F word. 

Darcy Lou the Doxie might be small but she has a big presence on Instagram with her statement necklaces, tiny overalls, and delightfully expressive eyes. But those things alone didn't propel Darcy to internet dog fame: her mom, Kara, put in the time to thoughtfully grow Darcy's following and find a creative voice in what's becoming a crowded part of social media. In this episode, we chat with Kara about how she decided on a Dachshund, what it took to build Darcy's following, and where she finds those overalls. Join us! @darcy.the.doxie 

What happens when you draw eyebrows onto a photo of a very cute cat and publish that photo on Instagram? Well in the case of Faith the Perm Cat, she went viral! Faith's signature eyebrow look has taken Instagram and TikTok by storm, and she's cultivated a dedicated community of meme lovers who play a big role in Faith's content. We sit down with Faith's human companion, Autumn, and dig into internet jokes, fisheye photography, and what makes Internet cats so funny. @faiththepermcat

THEY CAN TALK is a comic series by Jimmy Craig that brings to life the inner thoughts of the animals around us. The series has delighted Jimmy's 500k+ followers on Instagram and was recently published as a book. We chat with Jimmy about why comics are perfect for getting into the minds of animals, bringing people together through animal stories, and how his grandmother and her love for Garfield inspired his journey.  https://theycantalk.com/ 

We Don't Deserve Dogs is a documentary film that travels the world to discover the unique bonds between dogs and humans. From shepherds deep in the mountains of Romania, to a day of dog worship in Nepal, the film explores the many diverse ways that the humans and dogs come together, all while making the dogs featured key characters in the story. In this episode, we chat with the filmmakers Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker about how they made this film and the impact it's having on audiences. 

Smoke the Mini Aussie took Instagram (and Woodstock, NY) by storm with his perfectly coordinated high fives, floofy wiggle butt, and infectiously happy personality. Join us as we chat with Smoke's mom, Alex, about creating great Instagram content, going viral with puppy pics, and good grass. @smoketheminiaussie

One of the challenges of owning a dog in NYC is that our furry friends can't join us for indoor dining, whether at a fun bar or a quick stop at a coffee shop. Until now! Boris & Horton is New York's first Department of Health approved dog-friendly café where customers are welcome to bring their own dogs inside. In addition to serving great coffee, beer, wine and snacks, Boris & Horton also hosts adoption events and fundraisers with the hope that many dogs find their forever homes here. In this episode, we sit down with Logan Mikhly to hear about how she created Boris & Horton and the impact that the cafe has had on the NYC dog community. https://borisandhorton.com/ 

Pigcasso was rescued just before slaughter in 2016 by Joanne Lefson and taken to Farm Sanctuary SA in Franschhoek, South Africa. When Joanne noticed that Pigcasso ate or destroyed everything except some old paint brushes that were laying in her stall, she decided to nurture the pig's potential talent. It didn't take long before Pigcasso began to paint – and over time, the painting process developed into an extraordinary collaboration between human and pig. https://pigcasso.org/

Samantha Brooke is a lifestyle photographer whose photos of her golden retrievers transport her audience to beautiful, authentic moments between dogs and their human companions. In this episode we talk about her Grumpy Goldens, winning the Orvis Dog Catalog competition, and her unique approach to dog photography. Samanathabrookephoto.com

Bella is an LA-based fashionista who runs bunnydayoff, one of the most popular bunny accounts on Instagram and TikTok. The bunnies got their start by wearing little outfits that Bella designed for them, and now they're having lunch with celebrities and appearing in some soon-to-be announced Hollywood projects. Join us as Bella introduces us to the world of bunny conventions, breeds, and club hopping with her rabbits.

In his adoption post, Prancer's foster mom Tyfanee described him as a “man hating, animal hating, children hating” dog that looks like a gremlin. The post went viral and Prancer's adoption agency received thousands of applications to adopt him. Today we chat with Ariel, the woman who stood out from all the others to give a forever home to a “traumatized Victorian child” of a Chihuahua. @prancerthechihuahua

Julia and Anya sit down with Alice and her Australian Shepherd, Finn, to talk about the rollercoaster ride of owning an Aussie, navigating enthusiastic fans, and why twerking videos always get the likes. @finnaussieboy

Julia and Anya kick off the podcast with some background on why they decided to create Furfluencers and what to expect over the next several episodes.