Every Pawprint! Every Story!
A weekly conversation space where people honor pets they’ve lost, celebrate the joy pets bring, and support one another through pet grief. Each episode centers on a guest’s memories, the rituals that keep those pets present in daily life, and the lessons of love and loss that pets teach us!
How a Lifetime of Loving Pets Inspired a Mission to Help Pet Caregivers Thrive
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A rescue event, a blurry profile photo, and one look across a room was enough for Liana to know Ellery was hers. Ellery is now 16, and his story opens up something bigger than a cute meet-cute: what it really takes to love and care for an aging rescue dog when anxiety, behavior quirks, and health changes are part of the package.
We talk about the language we use for love, including Liana’s “heart pets” versus “soul pets” distinction, and why it can be validating when grief doesn’t feel the same for eve...
What 62 Foster Animals Taught Me About Raising Children, Building Resilience, and Letting Go
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A dog who barks at everyone becomes “the best behaved dog” at assisted living, and it happens because one guest shows up with a simple plan and a pocket full of kibble. We sit down with Cindy, a longtime foster who has seen how small choices, steady routines, and realistic expectations can completely change a pet’s world, especially when you’re living with a reactive dog. Shiloh’s path from foster to adoption to returning home years later also opens up an honest conversation about responsible rehoming and why contacting the original rescue can...
What If Community Starts With A Dog Hello
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Seven pets. Two brand-new Golden Retriever puppies. A black kitten who barely makes an appearance because she’s still settling in. And one legendary Chihuahua mix who apparently has a social calendar downtown. We sit down with Melissa and Durski in Ackworth, Georgia and quickly realize their “furkid” story is equal parts hilarious and deeply human.
We talk through how Leo and Commander Riker come home from the same litter, why naming a dog can feel like fate, and what it’s like to manage the real-life chaos of puppies, cats, and the e...
The Dog I Got for Safety Changed My Life
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A solo trail run, a stranger moment that would rattle anyone, and a big dog built for endurance all collide into a story that is equal parts funny, practical, and unexpectedly moving. We’re talking with McKenzie from Rome, Georgia about her two dogs Hazel, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, and Emma, a Coonhound mix, and what it really takes to live with high-drive personalities while still keeping life fun, safe, and grounded.
We get into the details Ridgeback owners love to debate: what the “ridge” is, why some purebred ridgebacks are ridgeless, and why...
The Dog Who Made Me More Honest (About Everything)
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A sensitive dog can change your whole world, then teach you how to rebuild it with intention. We sit down with Haley, who’s been living full-time van life for nearly three and a half years with Scout, her Australian cattle dog mix rescue, and the story is equal parts adventure and hard-won calm. From a Wisconsin shelter to a home that fits on four wheels, Scout’s journey shows how safety is often less about where you are and more about what stays consistent.
Haley gets candid about what “reactivity” really l...
How A Tuxedo Cat Named Hiccup And An Aussie Named Max Changed One Life
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A kitten gets attacked, surrendered at an emergency vet, and ends up becoming a 13-year-old tuxedo cat who still runs the house. That’s how Alex’s story begins, and it quickly turns into something bigger: what it really means to care for animals when life gets messy, expensive, emotional, and unpredictable. Alex joins me from Seattle to talk about Hiccup’s rescue, the strange little “raptor noises” that come with a big personality, and why one split-second decision at a veterinary hospital can change a life forever.
We also spend time on the...
The Quiet Heroes Who Care for Our Furkids
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Your pet can look “fine” one minute and be in real danger the next. That whiplash is exactly what we get into with Dr. Jessica Corley, an ER veterinarian and medical director with VEG ER, as we talk about the moments that shape families, the animals who become our heart companions, and the split second decisions that can change an outcome.
We start with Dr. Corley’s own furkids and the unexpected ways they trained her as much as she trained them, from Nino the dog like cat to Pixel the “ray of su...
Maple, Squirrels, and the Life We Fall in Love With
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A squirrel can steal a dog’s attention in a second, but it’s nothing compared to the moment a family realizes love also comes with responsibility at the end of a pet’s life. Jenny joins me from Manchester to share stories about Maple, their cavapoo, from her changing coat color and “lead of shame” walks to the very real work of building better choices for pet parents when quality of life starts to slip.
We talk candidly about at-home euthanasia for dogs and cats and why a familiar home environment...
The Dog Who Hugs You Back
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Your dog suddenly looks dizzy, can’t keep their balance, and the whole thing feels like it comes out of nowhere. That’s where our conversation with Lauren begins, with a real-life look at vestibular disease in dogs and why it can appear terrifying while still being something many dogs recover from with rest, careful management, and the right veterinary follow-up. We also talk about what it means to care for a sensitive dog when stress and excitement can make symptoms worse, and how to keep your home and routines supportive while you wait...
How Two Rescue Dogs Shaped A Young Adult Life
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A rescue dog found on the side of the road can change the whole direction of a life, and Nicole’s story makes that feel real in the most personal way. I sat down with Nicole to talk about Dega, her “NASCAR dog from Alabama,” and how a sassy, tennis-ball-obsessed rescue became her constant through high school, COVID isolation, college transitions, and the jump into adulthood. We get into the everyday details that make dog companionship so powerful: the routines, the walks, the social connections, and the quiet comfort of coming home to a best...
A Beloved Labrador Changes One Life Forever
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A dog can change your entire life and then break your heart on the way out. I sit down with John in Seattle to trace that full arc, from the goofy, everyday moments of raising a young English Labrador named James to the deeper story behind his full name: James Charles, a quiet tribute to Charlie, the Labrador John lost after 12 years together.
We talk about how James came into the family only after a year and a half of healing, and why “ready” looks different for everyone after pet loss. John...
Three Dogs Who Shaped A Family And A Writer
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A rescue dog who arrives broken, a cattle dog genius who never stops working, and a black lab who turns every day into a reason to play. That’s where our conversation with Angie begins, and it quickly becomes something bigger: a clear-eyed look at why the love we build with pets can reshape an entire life.
We talk about Indy, Angie’s black lab named after Indiana Jones, and how she became part of the family after being unable to compete as a show dog. Then we zoom into Nyah, an A...
When Pet Loss Hits Like A Landslide
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Pet loss can knock you flat, and what hurts most isn’t only the goodbye, it’s how quiet the world can get afterward. I sit down with Koryn in Toronto to talk about the love that rescue animals bring, the trauma they can carry, and the kind of grief that follows when they’re gone.
Koryn introduces her current “furkids” Lenny, an 85-pound German Shepherd Australian Kelpie mix with a sweet, chaotic spirit, and Zelda, a tiny Turkish Angora cat who runs her day like a sundial. Then we go deeper int...
Cat Rescue Stories And A Family’s Fresh Dog Grief
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Your pets don’t just live in your home. They live in your calendar, your nervous system, and the tiny rituals that shape a day. Dan sits down with Jill in Dover, Delaware to talk about a life filled with rescued cats, surprise “drive-bys” on camera, and the kind of pet bond that feels funny and ordinary right up until it becomes sacred.
We swap stories about Noodlebean the dilute calico content-creation sidekick, Mittens the carport kitten turned troublemaker, Ming the unmistakable Scottish fold, and Salem the “grandkitty” who proves how fast an ad...
From Obedience Trials To Film Sets With A Golden Retriever Pack
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Eight dogs at once sounds impossible until you hear how it happens. Tina Frausto joins me to tell the story of building a real “pack” over years of rescue, breeder dogs, and competitive training, and what that daily life teaches you about leadership, routines, and the weird little quirks that make each dog feel like a full person in fur. If you’ve ever wondered how obedience training actually works in the real world, Tina breaks it down in plain language, from positive reinforcement to the way a group of dogs naturally sets bounda...
The Chihuahua Who Went To The Amazon
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A tiny chihuahua with a big heart can change the shape of your days, especially when your life is packed with long shifts, stress, and responsibility. I sit down with Agustina, an Argentinian doctor living in Brazil, to talk about Gavin and the kind of companionship that doesn’t just make you smile, it steadies you. If you’ve ever felt that quiet emptiness after coming home, or wondered whether you’re “doing enough” for your dog, you’ll recognize yourself in this story.
We move from the practical to the unforgettabl...
How Hiking Dogs Daisy And Luka Changed One Shy Owner’s Life
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One day you’re chasing summit views with your dogs, and the next you’re learning how to measure a “good day” in snuggles, appetite, and the willingness to hop out of the car. We talk with Dane' about her two doodle dogs, Daisy and Luka, and how an adventure-filled life on Washington hiking trails turns into something quieter but even more meaningful when health scares arrive.
Dane' shares the origin story: adopting Daisy after the loss of a beloved cat, realizing how much a first dog can change your routines, your conf...
When Your Dog Needs A Passport More Than You Do
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We talk through what happened when a whole food dog diet replaced processed routines, how that shift changed Kalinda’s mobility, weight, and quality of life, and why Marissa now thinks “fine” is not the same as thriving for our pets. If you care about canine nutrition, dog wellness, and practical ways to extend the healthy years, this conversation gets specific without getting preachy.
Then we zoom out to the travel problem almost every pet parent dreads. International pet travel is a logistical minefield: airline pet policies, country-by-country regulations, breed restrictions, layover...
A family dog can be a playmate, a steady routine, and sometimes the calmest kind of therapy
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A family dog can be a playmate, a steady routine, and sometimes the calmest kind of therapy, all before we ever realize what’s happening. I sit down with, Dibya Tripathi from North Carolina, to talk about the pets that shaped her life and the love that stays after pet loss. From the start, we keep it real about why pet grief matters and why mourning a dog deserves the same respect we give any family loss.
Dibya takes us from Nepal, where she grew up with a massive Tibetan Mastiff, to...
What if Grief starts before Goodbye: with author Jayne Law
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Grief can start while your pet is still breathing and that’s the part nobody prepares you for. I sit down with Jane, founder of saudade paws and author of A Field Guide for Pet Caregivers, to talk about anticipatory grief, caregiver fatigue, and the strange mix of love and panic that can take over when a dog’s health turns fast.
Jane shares the story of Bella, her “queen” of a rescue, and what it felt like to watch symptoms escalate while traveling in France. We talk abou...
We Learned To Let Grief Happen And Keep Love Close
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A tiny Yorkie named Jazzy was so small she could “fit in a teacup,” and the people who handed her over warned she might not make it past a year. She made it to nine, and she did it with the kind of energy that makes you rethink what “a full life” really means. Terry joins me to tell Jazzy’s story, from the everyday sweetness of walks, treats, and sleeping curled under an arm to the sudden night everything changed and an emergency vet visit revealed there was no easy fix.
We tal...
Oliver’s Big Heart, Lasting Lessons
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A big-hearted rescue sprinted out a front door and into Angela’s arms, and from that moment Oliver seemed to collect memories the way dogs collect sand: everywhere, all at once. We trade muddy dog-park chaos, driftwood trophies, and keys lost to the Atlantic for something deeper—how rituals stitch love into the everyday, and how those same rituals become lifelines when we face the unthinkable.
To Purchase the book, click on the link -> Furry Mortals: The Oliver Project
We walk through two very diff...
Chaos, Comfort, and the Candle That Kept Burning: Scott’s Story
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This episode is a reunion two decades in the making. Scott and I reconnected after 20 years, only to discover that our shared love for pets had shaped our lives in parallel ways.
Scott grew up in a home where dogs weren’t just welcomed — they were drawn in. His parents bred Nordic dogs, strays wandered in like they belonged, and the yard was always alive with movement, personality, and unforgettable names like Thunder, Thor, and Pepsi.
He also shares the tender story of losing Axle, the small dog who surpri...
“Fifteen Years to the Finish Line: Piper’s Last Run With Derek”
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In this episode, I sit down with Derek from Southern California as he opens his heart about Piper — his running partner, his first “child,” and the soul who shaped his family long before his two kids arrived. Piper passed away on Christmas Eve 2025, leaving behind a depth of grief Derek never expected.
He shares stories of their long runs together, the joyful sprint to the finish they always raced, and the beach days where Piper would tease him with her favorite game: catch me if you can. And in one of the mo...
Thirty Years of Dogs, Chaos, and Heart: Mic’s Story
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What happens when you interview someone who’s had dogs for 30+ years? You get belly laughs, tender moments, and at least one story that makes you say, “Only a dog could cause that.” Mic from Chicago brings all of it — the love, the loss, and the comedy — proving that our pets never really leave us. Their stories just get better with time.
Purchase the book that inspired this podcast -> https://pawpads.pet/pawprints
Send me a comment, I would love to interview you and your family in telling your storie...
Every Pawprint. Every Story: Why Pet Grief Deserves a Voice
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In this heartfelt first episode, host Dan Popovic introduces Every Pawprint. Every Story. — a podcast dedicated to honoring the deep bonds we share with our pets and the grief that follows when they’re gone.
Dan shares his personal journey through pet loss and how writing his book became a healing process. He offers a glimpse into the five insights from 2025 that are shaping how we approach pet grief in 2026, beginning with the powerful recognition of pet loss as a legitimate mental health issue.
Link to download book -> https...
When Compassion Shows Up: Jean’s Story of Love, Loss, and Being Seen
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In this touching episode, Dan welcomes Jean from Jefferson, Georgia, who opens her heart to share the story of the pets who shaped her life and the grief that followed their loss. Jean reflects on the joy, the routines, and the quiet moments that became cherished memories — and how losing her beloved companion changed her in ways she didn’t expect.
What makes Jean’s story especially powerful is the way her former employer recognized her grief and responded with empathy. She describes the moment someone at work truly saw he...
