Show Notes
Get Flip Coffee and Help Dogs Here: https://www.flipcoffee.com Bobby Berk joins Rocky and Kelly for a conversation that is funny, deeply personal, and surprisingly emotional, starting with the story of a young kid in rural Missouri secretly redecorating his bedroom because he instinctively understood how space could affect the way a person feels. From there, Bobby opens up about growing up in a small town where he felt forced to hide who he was, the moment he realized he had to leave home at just 15 years old, and how survival mode eventually turned into ambition. He shares stories from telemarketing call centers, Applebee's shifts, sleeping in dorm rooms and cars, and the unexpected journey that eventually led him to New York City and the creation of his own furniture company. Bobby breaks down how he accidentally became a designer, why he never thought he was qualified for the industry, and how learning to "sell himself" became the key to building a business and eventually landing Queer Eye. He also reflects on the emotional impact of the show, the kindness of its fanbase, and what it felt like when strangers started sharing stories about how the show changed their lives. The conversation also dives into Bobby's relationship with his mini labradoodle Bimini, whose separation anxiety completely changed the rhythm of his home life and travel habits. Bobby shares why he refuses to design around fear of pets making messes, why dogs deserve to feel fully at home, and how your environment can dramatically affect your mental health. PLUS: Rocky and Bobby discover they both worked in Springfield, Missouri call centers and Applebee's restaurants at nearly the exact same time, Bobby shares behind-the-scenes details about Junkyard Jackpot, and the group debates collectibles, clutter, design mistakes, and the emotional weight we attach to our stuff.
TIMESTAMPS 06:00 - Five-year-old Bobby redesigns his bedroom with birthday money 08:15 - Bobby opens up about leaving home at 15 years old 09:15 - The telemarketing job that changed Bobby's life 11:10 - Rocky and Bobby realize they both worked at the same Applebee's 16:35 - Bobby explains how dogs fit into his home design philosophy 18:35 - The restaurant incident that worsened Bimini's anxiety 21:25 - Moving to New York and building a furniture empire from scratch 26:30 - The audition that changed Bobby Berk's life forever 29:00 - Inside Bobby's new HGTV show Junkyard Jackpot 32:40 - The emotional reason one family finally sold their massive collection Bobby's Coffee Order: Iced coffee with oat milk and simple syrup Dog: Bimini Follow Bobby: @bobby | website: https://bobbyberk.com/ Book: Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good for the Mind: https://bobbyberk.com/book/ Thank you for sharing to help get our adoptable dog of the week a loving home! Dog: Bobby the Basset Hound Age: 1 yo Breed: Basset Hound Location: Chula Vista Animal Services Go here: https://rockykanaka.com/adoption/bobby-for-adoption/
And check out ALL of our adoptable dogs at: https://rockykanaka.com/adoption-list/ Get New York Times Best Selling Book Sitting with Dogs https://amzn.to/4hE9qxx Follow Rocky: @rockykanaka / https://www.instagram.com/rockykanaka/# Follow Kelly: @kelly.kanaka / https://www.instagram.com/kelly.kanaka/# Dogs and Coffee Podcast by Rocky Kanaka and Kelly Kanaka where they talk all things dogs and coffee. This podcast covers comedy to heartfelt moments talking about the state of dog rescue, how to handle difficult dogs, some of our favorite coffee drinks and more all while Rocky tries to be a barista. We serve Flip Coffee at local cafes and will hopefully do this around the country.
More from Dogs and Coffee with Kelly and Rocky Kanaka
Retired Fire Chief Rick Robinson joins us on the rescue farm to share the untold history of Dalmatians and firefighters. After 45 years of service, Chief Rick reveals the silent mental health toll first responders carry, and how shelter dogs and therapy dogs might be the ultimate lifeline to support our local heroes. Plus, Rick shares the emotional story of his rescue dog, Ranger, and we surprise him with something very special. Get Sundays for Dogs 30% off code ROCKY30 https://www.rockykanaka.com/sundays 🗳️ Support Rick's Campaign: Rick is a huge supporter of dog rescue and agritourism. If you want to skip a cup of coffee this week and donate $5 to his re-election, it makes a huge difference: https://www.osided2.com/ (Just a heads up: I don't normally do politics, but Rick has been such a massive advocate for our farm and rescue dogs that Kelly and I are personally backing him.) 🐶 Adopt Bolt: https://rockykanaka.com/adoption/bolt-for-adoption/ Chapters: 00:00 Could Rescue Dogs Help Firefighters? 01:40 The Real History of Dalmatians & Fire Houses 16:40 The Mental Toll of Being a First 34:00 Rick's Rescue Dog Ranger 38:05 A Special Memorial for Ranger 📱 FOLLOW US: YouTube: @DogsandCoffee | @rockykanaka Instagram: @DogsandCoffee | @rockykanaka | @kelly.kanaka 🌐 Official Website: https://rockykanaka.com ☕ Drink Coffee, Save Dogs: https://www.flipcoffee.com Groom a shelter dog here!: https://rockykanaka.com/groom
A stray dog interrupted our podcast, so we put an animal communicator to the live test!🐶 Get 30% off Sundays for Dogs with code ROCKY30 at rockykanaka.com/Sundays thanks to our Sponsor. Former litigation lawyer Nikki Vasconez joins us on the farm to show us how anyone can learn to talk to animals. But we never expected a lost dog to crash the set! Watch as we put Nikki's 7,600-person waitlist skills to the test to help this stray find its way home. Plus, what she reveals about our late rescue puppy, Katie, changes everything we knew about her final moments. Adopt Bolt: rockykanaka.com/adoption/bolt-for-adoption/ Learn to talk to animals with Nikki: nikkivasconez.com
Get Flip Coffee and Help Dogs Here: https://www.flipcoffee.com Is Kelly pregnant? We are addressing the rumors and sharing the wild stories that come up on our latest podcast episode. We sat down to chat about everything from Iliza Shlesinger's amazing dog rescue story to some of our weirdest cravings. It turns out that when you talk about diet coke and pickle juice, people start making assumptions. We are clearing the air on the latest gossip while also diving into our deep love for dogs and the heart behind what we do. Iliza Shlesinger Coffee Order: Iced Coffee with half and half and cinnamon Dog: Tibetan Spaniel and Chinese Village Dog mix, named Tian Fudog Connect with Iliza On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilizas/ Iliza Shlesinger's Coffee Map & Show Tickets https://ilizas.komi.io/ Follow Rocky: / rockykanaka Follow Kelly: / kelly.kanaka Dogs and Coffee Podcast by Rocky Kanaka and Kelly Kanaka talks all things dogs and coffee. This podcast covers comedy to heartfelt moments talking about the state of dog rescue, how to handle difficult dogs, some of our favorite coffee drinks and more all while Rocky tries to be a barista. We serve Flip Coffee at local cafes and will hopefully do this around the country. This episode of our Dogs and Coffee podcast is all about the mix of comedy and real talk that defines our show. Whether we are discussing the state of dog rescue or just laughing about the things Iliza Shlesinger had to ask us, we love having you along for the journey. Make sure to subscribe for weekly conversations about rescue dogs and join the community to see what we are drinking next. 0:00 A Surprising New Flavor Combination 0:53 The Obsession with Diet Coke 3:14 The Origin of the Pickle Juice Hack 6:22 The Moment of Truth 9:04 Pickle Preferences and Fruit Debates
DNA Results are in and we are sharing them 😳 Are they Brother and Sister, are they full Schnauzer or a mix breed and will this point us to who abandoned these cute rescue dogs?! Help dogs with us https://www.FlipCoffee.com Also Buzz had to go urgent care so we are giving a full report on what's going on with his health. Plus, Phil stops by with Anton, a giant goofball of a dog who is looking for his forever home. ❤️ ADOPTABLE DOGS OF THE WEEK ❤️ Thank you for sharing to help get these adoptable dogs loving homes! Name: Anton Age: 2-year-old Breed: Dogo Argentino Rescue: Animal Friends of the Valleys Location: CA Learn more about Anton here: https://rockykanaka.com/adoption/returned-twice-through-no-fault-of-his-own-this-gentle-giant-just-needs-the-right-home-anton-is-ready-to-love-you-for-life/
We are fighting to save this dog and honestly it's not going to be easy but we have an idea! AND JUST WAIT until you hear Zach's story of recovery, how dogs helped save his life, and why the exact things a struggling dog needs are often the things a struggling human needs, too. Together, they break down the 6 rules Zach says can change a life: rules, boundaries, discipline, exercise, purpose, and affection. Zach explains how caring for dogs gave him the structure he couldn't give himself and ultimately helped rebuild his life. And then Zach explains the Positive Change Program, which brings shelter dogs into prisons where incarcerated people train and rehabilitate them. The dogs get the skills they need to become adoptable, while the people caring for them get responsibility, purpose, connection, and a chance to build a different future. Some participants have gone on to become professional dog trainers after leaving prison. If you believe every dog deserves a second chance - and that sometimes saving a dog means saving a person, too, subscribe and join us every week. 🚨 HELP SAVE SLINK Slink is a Doberman/Great Dane who went through the Positive Change Program and was recently hospitalized after swallowing a towel. His surgery was brought down from $17,500 to $4,500, with the final cost expected to be approximately $6,000 - $8,000. 👉 Please use the YouTube Donate button directly on this video. 100% of donations made through the button go directly to Marley's Mutts to help save Slink. CHAPTERS: 05:07 - Zach Is Back at Marley's Mutts 08:07 - We Lost Scarlet Last Night. Now We're Fighting to Save Slink. 14:00 - Why We Keep Fighting Even After Losing a Dog 17:48 - The 6 Rules Zach Says Rebuilt His Life 26:05 - The Prison Program Giving Dogs & People a Second Chance 42:50 - Two Rescue Puppies And Our Fight to Save Slink ❤️ ADOPTABLE DOGS OF THE WEEK: JACKIE BROWN & PEPPER Thank you for sharing to help get these adoptable dogs loving homes! Name: Jackie Brown & Pepper Age: Approximately 5 months old Breed: California Shelter Mutts Rescue: Marley's Mutts Location: CA Go here to learn more about Jackie Brown & Pepper: https://marleysmutts.org