On this episode of Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern welcomes AskMambo co-founders Anthony Cospito and Arlu Gomez to share the personal story behind a fast-growing AI platform designed specifically for dog parents. Anthony, a longtime tech executive, was inspired to create AskMambo after his own dog, Mambo, became ill and he discovered just how difficult it was to find trustworthy, dog-specific answers online. Generic searches—and even general AI tools—fell short, offering advice that didn’t reflect his dog’s unique situation. Together with Arlu Gomez, Anthony built AskMambo to help translate everyday dog behaviors, explain symptoms, decode confusing vet-speak, and strengthen the human-pup bond in a way that feels personal, supportive, and human—like chatting with a knowledgeable dog-loving friend. Michelle and her guests explore how AskMambo works, why it resonates with today’s pet parents, and how smarter, kinder technology can help people better understand and care for their best friends.

EPISODE NOTES: AskMambo: AI That Actually Understands Your Dog

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On this episode of Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern dives into a topic every pet parent must understand: the real cost of caring for our furry family members. From rising veterinary expenses to often-overlooked “startup costs,” Senior Vice President and General Manager of Pet at CareCredit, Jonathan Wainberg, returns to unpack why pet care costs continue to climb — and what smart, practical steps pet parents can take to budget for both routine and emergency expenses. Jonathan explains how tools like CareCredit and pet insurance can work together, shares insights on the biggest financial surprises new pet owners face, and offers lifesaving advice for planning ahead. If you’ve ever wondered how to prepare for the true financial side of pet ownership, this episode is a must-listen.

EPISODE NOTES: The Real Cost of Pet Love: Budgeting for Your Best Friend

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Get ready for tail wags, belly laughs, and a whole lot of canine chaos! In this episode, we dive into A Dog Lover’s Activity Book: Pawsome Puzzles, Games & Fun for Canine Fans — the hilarious and heartfelt new activity book by writer and longtime rescue-dog advocate Debra Simon. Packed with coloring pages, quizzes, mazes, word games, and scenes every dog owner will recognize (yes, including muddy pawprints and suspiciously quiet moments), this book celebrates everything we adore — and occasionally tolerate — about life with our four-legged best friends. Debra joins us to share what inspired the book, her decades of working with rescue pups, and why she believes dog lovers have their own special personality type. Whether your pup is a zoomie machine or a professional slipper destroyer, this episode is guaranteed to make you smile, laugh, and appreciate the wonderful chaos that comes with loving a dog.

EPISODE NOTES: Paws, Play & Pure Dog Joy: Inside A Dog Lover’s Activity Book

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year on Best Bets for Pets! Host Michelle Fern welcomes Pet Life Radio’s Executive Producer, Mark Winter, for their annual Holiday Pet Gift Guide Show — packed with pawsome products for furry family members. From interactive toys and snack trays to stress-free grooming tools, superfood treats, recovery essentials, air-purifying tech, goat’s milk shampoo bars, and even big-dog specialty gear, this episode unwraps the hottest holiday must-haves for pets and pet parents. Whether you're shopping for playful puppies, senior sweethearts, or extra-large fur-babies, Michelle and Mark help you find gifts that promote joy, comfort, enrichment, health, and a clean home — all while making life easier for pet parents. If you love spoiling your pets during

EPISODE NOTES: BEST Holiday Gifts for Pets 2025 — Toys, Treats, Grooming & More!

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In this awesome episode of Best Bets for Pets, host Michelle Fern sits down with Emmy-nominated TV host, entrepreneur, and animal advocate Rocky Kanaka, whose viral rescue stories have touched millions worldwide. Rocky shares the inspiration behind his powerful new book, Sitting with Dogs: Stories of Rescue Dogs Going from Lost to Loved — a collection of nine unforgettable tales of hope, healing, and second chances. From the boxer who saved his life to the many shelter dogs who changed his heart forever, Rocky opens up about turning passion into purpose through storytelling, rescue work, and his mission to help every dog find a forever home.

EPISODE NOTES: From Lost to Loved: Rocky Kanaka’s Sitting with Dogs and the Power of Rescue

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, host Michelle Fern chats with Cynthia Murray, founder of 4Legz All-Natural Dog Treats — the company that truly puts the “natural” in all-natural! What began with one dog’s special needs has grown into a mission-driven brand that makes 100% non-GMO, human-grade dog treats using only ingredients you can pronounce. Inspired by Cynthia’s hearing service dog, Odie, 4Legz was born from love, compassion, and a promise to make treats safe for every pup — even those with allergies. Beyond crafting wholesome snacks, 4Legz empowers the disabled community through inclusive employment opportunities and supports animal-friendly causes across the country. Tune in for this heartwarming story of purpose, pets, and perseverance — proof that one good dog can change the world.

EPISODE NOTES: The Sweet Story Behind 4Legz: All-Natural Treats with Heart

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern sinks her teeth into feline oral care with Pet Honesty’s new Fresh Dental Bites for Cats.. Building on the hit Dog Dental Powder, these dual-texture chews (loved by 9 out of 10 cats) offer an easy, vet-approved way to fight plaque, tartar, and bad breath—no toothbrush required. Michelle chats with Dr. Greg Reinhart, Ph.D., about the science behind the formulation, including postbiotics, kelp, SHMP, fish oil, barley, and Pet Honesty’s fresh-breath blend, and why over 70% of cats over age 2 show signs of dental issues. If you’ve struggled with brushing or want a simpler daily routine, tune in for practical tips, ingredient insights, and how these bites fit into a preventative dental plan.

EPISODE NOTES: Bite-Sized Dentistry: Pet Honesty’s Fresh Dental Bites

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern sits down with Ayaz Ahmadov, CEO & founder of Dosty—the all-in-one app helping pet parents navigate both everyday care and true emergencies. Built on proprietary AI that weighs 40+ data points (breed, diet, health history, and more), Dosty delivers tailored insights for each pet’s unique profile—plus a global toolkit of symptom checkers, daily routine planners, health trackers, and smart reminders. Michelle and Ayaz dig into why pet care is primed for a “super app,” the surprising user trends he’s seeing, and how trustworthy, personalized tools can counter risky social-media advice amid rising vet costs and inconsistent pet-insurance support. If you’ve ever wished for a vetted, always-on co-pilot for pet health, this conversation is your roadmap.

EPISODE NOTES: A Vet in Your Pocket:: Inside Dosty’s AI Pet-Care Super App

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern chats with Elliott Schackne, integrative nutritionist and founder of Jaffee’s Bone Broth. Inspired by his work rehabilitating sick foster dogs, Elliott created a brand-new line of homemade bone broths — each batch crafted in his own kitchen with the help of his family. Using only the highest quality ingredients sourced from independent farms that raise 100% grass-fed, free-range, and wild-grazed animals, Jaffee’s Bone Broth is unlike anything else on the market. With no fat, salt, or added flavorings, and featuring the only bone broth for dogs that includes fully edible bones in every pouch, Jaffee’s is on a mission to help your dog live its healthiest and happiest life.

EPISODE NOTES: Yummy Jaffee’s Bone Broth: The First Dog Bone Broth with Edible Bones

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern sits down with Nick Mikhail, founder of Penthouse Paws, to talk about the future of smart pet care! From automated feeders and wireless water fountains to innovative grooming wipes and the upcoming Litter IQ with built-in UV light and 4K camera, Nick shares how Penthouse Paws is making life easier (and cleaner!) for pets and their parents. Discover how his four cats—including three high-maintenance Sphynx—helped inspire products designed with quality, safety, and convenience in mind. Plus, Michelle shares her own experiences testing the products with her cats, including Dennis and his ear care routine. Tune in for a mix of innovation, heart, and practical tips every pet parent will love.

EPISODE NOTES: Yummy The Future of Pet Care: Penthouse Paws Innovation

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, host Michelle Fern sits down with Good Owners CEO Darin O. Saw-Bellisario, Ph.D. to explore a groundbreaking new innovation in the pet world: dogGPT. Fresh off winning the 2025 Orange Dot Award for Smart Pet Living Innovation, Good Owners is revolutionizing dog ownership with the world’s first AI-powered platform built to answer every dog parent’s questions about health, behavior, and lifestyle. Darin shares how dogGPT is set to transform the lives of millions of owners struggling to find reliable guidance online. From addressing common training and health challenges to empowering a new “dog knowledge economy,” this episode takes you behind the scenes of how AI and pet care are colliding to create smarter, happier, and healthier lives for dogs everywhere. Don’t miss this deep dive into the future of being a great dog parent!

Best Bets for Pets listeners! Use promo code BESTPETS to get 30 days of free access to the Guide, including a version of dogGPT! Just go to: goodowners.guide.

EPISODE NOTES: Yummy dogGPT Unleashed: How AI is Transforming Dog Parenting

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On this episode of Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern sinks her teeth into an exciting conversation with Joe Roetheli, the founder of PetsBestLife.com and creator of the revolutionary dog dental treat, Yummy Combs. These honeycomb-shaped chews aren’t your average dental snacks — they’re a complete oral health and nutrition solution! Designed with deep pockets to clean dogs’ teeth to the gum line, Yummy Combs help remove plaque and tartar with 360-degree cleaning action while delivering over 50 health benefits.

EPISODE NOTES: Yummy Combs: The Dental Treat with a Bite of Wellness

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern sits down with the one and only Brooke Shields! The iconic actress, model, and lifelong animal advocate shares her deeply personal journey into pet wellness and her new partnership with Prospect Pet—a brand dedicated to clean, transparent, and conscious pet care. After her beloved dog Pepper fell ill, Brooke was inspired to take action, asking why it was so hard to find high-quality, healthy products for pets. That question led her to Prospect Pet, where she’s now on a mission to raise the bar for pet health everywhere. Joining the conversation is Julie Spencer, Senior Director of Marketing at Prospect Pet, who gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the brand’s commitment to integrity and wellness. Don’t miss this heartfelt, empowering, and informative episode that proves even Hollywood royalty gets dog mom guilt—and turns it into purpose.

EPISODE NOTES: From Red Carpet to Dog Park: Brooke Shields Gets Real About Pet Health!

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern chats with David Mann, founder of Haikubox — the innovative backyard bird listening device that’s revolutionizing birdwatching and conservation. From his childhood birding adventures in Cornell’s Sapsucker Woods to earning a PhD in bioacoustics from MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, David’s lifelong passion for birds has taken flight with Haikubox. Developed with longtime colleague Dr. Holger Klinck at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Haikubox uses cutting-edge passive acoustic monitoring to automatically identify birds by their songs. More than just a high-tech gadget, it’s an educational tool, a citizen science platform, and a conservation initiative all rolled into one. Whether you're a seasoned birder, a curious beginner, or a teacher looking to inspire young minds, tune in to learn how Haikubox is helping people reconnect with nature — one chirp at a time.

EPISODE NOTES: Haikubox: Listening to Nature, One Birdsong at a Time

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, host Michelle Fern welcomes Scott Grillo, National Sales Manager for FurZapper – the wildly popular, reusable pet hair remover that's winning over pet parents worldwide. With over 55,000 glowing reviews on Amazon, FurZapper is making waves for its simple yet effective solution to a hairy problem—removing pet hair from clothes, bedding, and laundry without hassle. Tune in as Scott shares why this little yellow gadget has become a grooming game-changer and laundry lifesaver during shedding season

EPISODE NOTES: Conquering Shedding Season with FurZapper

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, host Michelle Fern welcomes a very special guest—her producer and fellow pet expert, Mark Winter! In this sizzling Summer 2025 episode, Michelle and Mark share essential tips for keeping your dogs and cats safe, healthy, and happy during the hot months ahead. From heatwave hazards to hydration musts, they cover everything pet parents need to know to beat the heat and enjoy a safe, sun-filled season with their furry friends.

EPISODE NOTES: Hot Pets, Cool Tips: Summer Safety for Cats & Dogs

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern chats with Lindsey Campbell, co-founder of TEEF for Life, about their latest innovation in pet dental health: TEEF’s brand-new Lickable Treat Powder! Available in mouthwatering freeze-dried wild-caught salmon or beef liver, this guilt-free protein powder turns any meal, treat, or lick pad into a powerful tool for better oral hygiene. While pets think it’s just a delicious snack, pet parents will love knowing each sprinkle delivers TEEF’s patented Protektin42K prebiotic formula—clinically proven to combat bad breath and promote healthier mouths. Lindsey shares how this new product supports the oral microbiome using natural ingredients and why dental health is critical to a pet’s overall wellness. Tune in to learn how TEEF is making clean teeth a tasty treat!

EPISODE NOTES: TEEF for Life - Sprinkle, Lick, Smile: A New Way to Clean Your Pet’s Teeth

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern chats with Debra Mastic, devoted dog mom and inventor of the Fluff Trough—an innovative, ergonomic elevated pet feeder designed to make mealtime healthier and more comfortable for pets of all shapes and sizes. Debra shares the heartfelt story behind FluffTrough.com, born from her mission to help her own pug eat safely, and how her research revealed that how you feed your pet matters just as much as what you feed them. From flat-faced and elderly pets to large dogs and fast eaters, the Fluff Trough’s customizable features and vet-recommended design are revolutionizing pet dining. Tune in to hear how Debra turned a simple idea into a top pet industry innovation!

EPISODE NOTES: Raising the Bar on Pet Feeding with Fluff Trough

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, Michelle Fern welcomes Kevin Bauer, founder of Furvor Pet, a brand devoted to elevating pet wellness through premium, natural bone broth products. Inspired by a family passionate about the health and vitality of active dogs, Furvor’s bone broth topper is crafted to support mobility, skin and coat health, gut health, hydration, and energy — delivering optimal nutrition even when solid foods aren’t ideal. Tune in to learn how adding a simple, delicious boost like Furvor can help your dog thrive from the inside out!

EPISODE NOTES: Bone Broth Boost: How Furvor Pet Fuels Happy, Healthy Dogs

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This week on Best Bets for Pets, host Michelle Fern chats with Dr. Evan Zhao, Co-Founder of Pacagen, the revolutionary biotech brand helping cat lovers breathe easier—literally! After his wife’s severe cat allergies nearly derailed their adoption of British Shorthair Miaomiao, Dr. Zhao used science to solve the problem, creating Pacagen’s Cat Allergen Neutralizing Spray. Now, their new Cat Food Topper delivers 98% effectiveness in reducing allergens. Learn how innovation, love, and a little biotech magic are changing life for allergic cat parents everywhere!

EPISODE NOTES: Cat Allergies, Solved! Pacagen’s Purr-fect Solution

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