Susan Light, a Los Angeles-based Certified Professional Dog Trainer and Behavior Consultant, launched this podcast as Doggy Dojo in 2021 (name changed in 2025).
The show brings together a diverse range of experts, including:
Veterinarians
Veterinary Behaviorists
Dog Trainers
Pet Industry Professionals
The discussions aim to provide pet parents around the world with the latest best practices in dog and cat welfare, ensuring they have access to valuable insights and effective techniques to enhance their relationship with their furry family members.
It might sound like a cliché, but Marc Silpa has known he wanted to be a veterinarian since he was 12 years old. He spent his middle school years volunteering at local small-animal and wildlife clinics, and by high school, he was routinely waking up before dawn to patrol two-mile stretches of coastline to locate and protect nesting sea turtles. Marc graduated from the New College of Florida in 2008, where he developed a deep focus on marine mammal medicine, followed by a post-baccalaureate certificate in Zoo and Aquarium Science from Western Illinois University in 2009. He then earned his veterinary degree from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh in 2014. While in Scotland, Marc pulled double duty—working overnight ER shifts while spending his days responding to marine mammal strandings with British Divers Marine Life Rescue. After graduation, he completed a year-long internship at the Miami Seaquarium’s Manatee and Sea Turtle Hospital. A subsequent move to the desert—an environment famously lacking in marine life—prompted a natural evolution in his career: shifting his focus to pet exotics. Since 2022, Marc has practiced at the Exotic Animal Veterinary Center in Pasadena, California. In 2024, he achieved board certification through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) in Exotic Companion Mammal Practice, making him one of only two specialists with this distinction in the entire state of California.
Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute advice or professional services by either the host nor any of the guests.
Exotic Animal Veterinary Center (https://www.exoticanimalveterinarycenter.com/) Pasadena, California
Thank you for listening to the Enlightened Pet Behavior Podcast. I hope that you and your beloved pets have found valuable insights for a more harmonious life together. Please remember that this podcast provides educational information only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary or behavioral advice. If you need personalized support, please don't hesitate to contact me to explore how we can work together to achieve your pet behavior goals. You can reach me at www.enlightenedpetbehavior.com or via email at susan@enlightenedpetbehavior.com.
Special thanks to Mac Light for composing the podcast's music; you can find him at www.maclightsongwriter.com (http://www.maclightsongwriter.com)
If you find the show helpful and enjoyable, please consider showing your support! Subscribing, following, rating, reviewing, and sharing with friends takes just a moment but significantly boosts the show's visibility, helping more pet parents discover it. Thank you for your support!
15 Sept 2026
Dysregulation and Coping Skills with Lily Hargis
Lily Hargis is a full-time trainer at Animal Behavior Wellness Center - a Veterinary Behaviorist's practice owned and operated by Dr Amy Learn and Dr Amy Pike. She is a skilled and compassionate behavior consultant who helps dogs experiencing fear, reactivity, aggression, and separation anxiety. Lily believes that progress blossoms when both dogs and their humans feel genuinely supported, and Lily approaches every case with empathy, creativity, and teamwork at the core.
Lily holds a BFA from Boston University and has a strong background in communication and relationship-focused care, including teaching bedside manner and empathy skills to VCU medical students. She completed an apprenticeship with aggression specialist Gabrielle Johnson and has designed behavior education programs for pet professionals caring for complex dogs. Additionally, she has introduced Fear Free® techniques to grooming teams across Richmond and continues to deepen her expertise as a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP), a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT), a Research Bites member, and a FluentPet course instructor.
Particularly passionate about supporting families facing separation anxiety, Lily understands the emotional weight this challenge can bring. She loves helping guardians feel confident advocating for their dogs and celebrates every meaningful step forward—no matter how small.
Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute advice or professional services by either the host or any of the guests.
Website: http://abwellnesscenter.com/ (http://abwellnesscenter.com/)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abwellnesscenter/?hl=en (https://www.instagram.com/abwellnesscenter/?hl=en)
Thank you for listening to the Enlightened Pet Behavior Podcast. I hope that you and your beloved pets have found valuable insights for a more harmonious life together. Please remember that this podcast provides educational information only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary or behavioral advice. If you need personalized support, please don't hesitate to contact me to explore how we can work together to achieve your pet behavior goals. You can reach me at www.enlightenedpetbehavior.com or via email at susan@enlightenedpetbehavior.com.
Special thanks to Mac Light for composing the podcast's music; you can find him at www.maclightsongwriter.com (http://www.maclightsongwriter.com)
If you find the show helpful and enjoyable, please consider showing your support! Subscribing, following, rating, reviewing, and sharing with friends takes just a moment but significantly boosts the show's visibility, helping more pet parents discover it. Thank you for being so supportive!
1 Sept 2026
Choosing Pet Providers with Amy Cowan, Founder of DigUP NYC
Amy Cowan is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) and the founder of DigUp, the premier directory connecting NYC pet parents with trustworthy, high-quality care. After spending the first decade of her career in finance and tech, Amy's path shifted when she adopted her rescue dog, Theo, whose early struggles with fear and reactivity led her to discover the power of force-free, positive reinforcement training.
That experience inspired her to leave the tech world, learn more about dog behavior and the pet care industry, and earn her professional certification. Frustrated by how unregulated and confusing the pet care industry can be, Amy founded DigUp to bring transparency and accountability to the search for quality care. Today, Amy splits her time between working directly with clients and their dogs and building DigUp into NYC's most trusted resource for pet care.
Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute advice or professional services by either the host or any of the guests.
Website: digup.nyc
Instagram: @digupnyc
Thank you for listening to the Enlightened Pet Behavior Podcast. I hope that you and your beloved pets have found valuable insights for a more harmonious life together. Please remember that this podcast provides educational information only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary or behavioral advice. If you need personalized support, please don't hesitate to contact me to explore how we can work together to achieve your pet behavior goals. You can reach me at www.enlightenedpetbehavior.com or via email at susan@enlightenedpetbehavior.com.
Special thanks to Mac Light for composing the podcast's music; you can find him at www.maclightsongwriter.com (http://www.maclightsongwriter.com)
If you find the show helpful and enjoyable, please consider showing your support! Subscribing, following, rating, reviewing, and sharing with friends takes just a moment but significantly boosts the show's visibility, helping more pet parents discover it. Thank you for your support!
Who has been a guest on Doggy Dojo
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr Lauren Vaughan
Kris Hampton
Kiki Yablon
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
20 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
14 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 32 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
