Enrichment for the Real World
Pet Harmony Animal Behavior and Training 187 episodes Nov 4, 2026
You've dedicated your life to helping animals, and so have hosts Emily Strong and Allie Bender. The two are the authors of Canine Enrichment for the Real World, and in this podcast they cover every aspect of animal care. Episodes range from meeting animals' needs and assessing behavior and training goals to filling our own cups as caregivers and guardians. It's a show made for people who have always wanted to make animals' lives better.
Episodes
#191 - Colleen Pelar: Your Magic Feels Easy Because It’s Yours
The thing you’re best at probably feels too easy to count. “Anyone can do that,” right? Not so much.In this episode, Emily talks with Colleen Pelar, a coach for pet professionals, about the things you already know about yourself, but can’t quite see. Your strengths feel too easy. Your brain hunts for what’s missing. And somewhere along the way, you learned to second-guess what your body’s telling
#190 - When to Be Concerned About Certainty
“Guaranteed results”, “done in 30 days”, promises to “fix” your dog. Sounding sure is persuasive, and boy, oh, boy. Some people have gotten very good at it.In this episode, Emily and Ellen talk guarantees in behavior work, promises of outcomes, and the type of certainty that is a big ol’ red flag, not a signal of competence. But don’t worry! It’s not all doom and gloom. Emily and Ellen also share
#189 - Why Behaviors Cluster Together
In this episode, Emily and Veronica talk about why multiple dog behavior problems often cluster together (stranger danger & vet challenges, sound sensitivity & separation anxiety, resource guard & handling issues…) and how Pet Harmony focuses not on playing whack-a-mole with the symptoms, but on getting to the root cause or the unmet need, that will improve things across the board. You
#188 - Behavior Advice You Couldn't Bring Yourself to Follow
After years of having clients come to us, scared and worried we’re going to parrot advice that leaves their stomach in knots, we’re finally laying it all out there. And yes, it gets a little spicy.In this episode, Emily and Tiffany talk about bad dog training advice our clients have gotten that is just… not it. Whether it’s advice that hurts the relationship (like nothing in life is free, or alpha
#187 - Dogtor Andy: Compassionate Veterinary Care
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Andrzej (Andy) Ogrodny, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), also known online as Dogtor Andy. Dr. Andy is a board-certified small animal internal medicine specialist, with a knack for making complex medical topics approachable, digestible (pun intended), and accessible. Dr. Andy and Emily dig into how "normal" lab work can still mean something's wrong for
#186 - Your "Good Enough" Enrichment Plan
If you’ve ever lay away at night running through the list of everything you didn’t do for your pet today… welcome to the club. In this episode, Emily and Tiffany discuss why “enough” feels impossible, what “basic” care actually means, and how to build a plan that works on any day, even your hardest. If you’re ready to build a sustainable life with your pet, and even teach your pet to meet their ow
#185 - Troubleshooting: Perfectionism's Worst Nightmare
Last episode, Emily and Ellen talked about how perfectionism can keep you stuck waiting for the “right” time, circling the perfect plan. And when Plan A is the only plan you have, then every stumble feels like a catastrophe.In this episode, Allie and Emily talk about why troubleshooting is perfectionism’s worst nightmare. They explore why adjusting your plan isn’t failure, why finding what’s not w
#184 - Perfectionism is Your Enemy
Perfectionism is a fickle little creature. It doesn’t always show up as striving for exact perfection. Sometimes, it’s the little bouts of waiting for the next “right” thing. Waiting for winter when the streets are calm to work on leash skills. Waiting until spring, when the weather is nicer because it’s too cold. Waiting to find the “right” treat for the training session.The next “right” thing is
#183 - Beccy Hughes: There's No Wrong Way in Animal Care
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Pet Harmony’s newest consulting team member Beccy Hughes! With decades of animal care and training experience, Emily and Beccy talk about the wonderful, windy story behind Beccy’s skills. From college, to a career in marine mammal training, to finding herself struggling with pet conflict in her own home, to realizing she can help pet parents too, Beccy’s jou
#182 - What If You Used the Enrichment Framework on Yourself? 4 Real Stories
Enrichment is just for pets. It’s for the humans too. It’s for pet parents trying to keep their cool while their dog parkours around the house or their cats who keep making biscuits on their chest at 3 in the morning. It’s for the pet professional who is building the multi-layer plan for a family going through one of the worst weeks of their lives, or welcoming home a new puppy who will send their
#181 - Sneak Peek! What's New in the Pet Harmony Enrichment Framework
It’s been seven years since Canine Enrichment for the Real World came out, and you know what, you learn a lot in 7 years. After teaching hundreds, if not thousands, of people how to use the Pet Harmony Enrichment Framework, Allie and Emily kept seeing the same breakdowns happen in the same places, and decided it was time to update the framework. Because when you know better, you do better. Behind
#180 - 5 Things That Burn Out Pet Professionals
You didn’t get into animal care work because you wanted an easy career. You got in because you care about animals and the people who love them, well past the point of convenience and ease. In this episode, Emily and Ellen name five patterns we see (and have personally lived) that wear pet professionals down: no client boundaries, no safe space for hard conversations, no clear direction, skipping r
#179 - My Dog Is Burning Me Out
“I did not sign up for this.” It’s the one little sentence that flashes in your brain as you clean up another accident, watch your dog blow up over the sounds of a car door three blocks away, or spend yet another Friday night at home alone. It’s one little sentence that sends you, and pet parents all over the world, into the pit of guilt, despair, and shame. This week, Emily is joined by Valerie B
#178 - Amelia Nagoski: Burnout
You’re tired. You’re deep in your soul, day in and day out, exhausted. In a world where everything is hard, the stress keeps on coming, and pushing is applauded while resting is punished, may we introduce you to Dr. Amelia Nagoski, D.M.A., co-author, with her sister Emily, of the New York Times bestselling Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle and the Burnout workbook.In this episode,
#177 - When You Can't Give Your Dog What They Want
We’ve all been there. The standoff where your dog is dancing and staring, waiting for you to do the thing, and you’re trying to negotiate a different plan. Maybe it’s 105 outside, and the heat has reached dangerous levels. Maybe wildfires have made the air unbreathable. Maybe it’s hurricane season, and you’re watching rocks fly through the sky. Or maybe it’s Monday, and you’re doing your Sunday ro
#176 - My Dog's Barking Is Destroying Me
Does your dog barking make you jump out of your skin? Or send you down a shame spiral? Or have your dog’s triggers become your triggers? You are very much not alone. In this episode, we flip the script, and instead of asking, “How do I help my reactive dog?” we ask, “How can I help me, the reactive human?” Join Emily and Ellen for a chat about when your dog’s (or bird’s, or donkey’s, or cat’s) noi
#175 - Get Your Dog to Relax
If you’ve been struggling to help your dog rest or relax, despite following protocols and trying your dangest, it’s time to zoom out and look at the environment. This week, Emily and Veronica dig into the three common ways the environment gets in the way, and why the classroom we’re teaching in matters just as much as what we’re teaching. TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 1️⃣ Environ
#174 - How to Calm Down a Hyper Dog
Y’all, we gotta give a little warning with this one, it may get a little spicy. To prep for this episode, we turned to the internet to see what advice pet parents are likely to find, and boy, oh, boy… We don’t even know how to end this sentence. In this episode, Emily and Tiffany are getting into why the things that come up when you search “How to calm down a hyper dog” aren’t bad, just… You know,
#173 - 5 Ways You’re F*cking Up Your Leash Reactivity Plan
Dealing with leash reactivity can really be a drag (only moderate pun intended 😂). Jokes aside, if you have a dog that does the whole barky, bitey, lungey thing on leash, to dogs, to people, or to the leaf that blew across the neighbor's roof, and you’ve been feeling like a failure, or are just really freaking tired of still working on this, grab a chair and join Ellen and Emily for today’s e
#172 - If Treats Fixed Reactivity, You'd Be Done By Now
You bought the “good” treats, you know, the all-natural, human-grade, $14-a-bag ones. You've got the *perfect* dedicated pouch after hours of research. You’ve studied your protocol. Shoot, at this point, you could probably coach your friends through it. And you have followed it with the devotion of a formerly gifted child who has to do everything right the first time, or the world will come c
#171 - No, Not All Dogs Need Walks
You've been told your dog needs daily walks. We get it; everyone has. When you were a kid and wanted a dog, your guardians probably said something like, “Okay, but you have to make sure to feed, water, and walk them…” And that probably stuck with you until now. Maybe that routine has been great for all your past dogs, but your current dog, the one you love so deeply, is capital S Struggling,
#170 - Q&A: How to Multi-Pet Household
In this Q&A episode, Allie, Emily, and Ellen tackle the questions they hear most often from clients, mentees, and the internet: Should I get another pet? How do I treat my pets fairly when they all need different things? And how do I actually bring a new animal home in a way that sets everyone up for success?Of course, in true Q&A fashion, we may meander a bit (look, we are who we are 😂),
#169 - Kiki Yablon: Why Your Dog Won’t Settle When You’re Busy
This week we’re joined by Kiki Yablon, behavior analyst, dog trainer, KPA faculty member, and general bad a**. Kiki’s incredible skills of observation, communication, and implementation are honestly inspiring. If you’ve found yourself running around in circles trying to figure out how to apply the science to your training, felt your eyes glaze over at jargon, or broken down trying to work while yo
#168 - Stop Waiting to Know the Right Thing. Here's How to Decide
You know that feeling where you're staring at what feels like a total dumpster fire, and you’re just… frozen? It’s not because you don't care or because you don't know anything. It’s because you're waiting to feel certain before taking action. You’re waiting to know you’re doing the right thing. So, you gather one more resource, take one more course, do one more deep dive, and
#167 - Are You Designing Plans for Your Dog... or for Your Anxiety?
Hey, hi, hello. Do you also fall into the pet parent spiral? Worrying that you aren’t a good pet parent, that your dog is suffering, and that you aren’t doing enough. After a two-hour planning session, you have a color-coded, 14-item document that addresses every single thing your dog has ever done, might do, or could theoretically do on a Tuesday. No? Just us?In this episode, Emily and Ellen dig
#166 - Your Dog is Not Symptom Spreadsheet
Do you ever feel like you and your dog are on the Hot Mess Express together? The challenges just keep coming: leash reactivity, resource guarding, body-handling sensitivities, gut issues, sleep disruption all at once, and that’s just the dog’s list. 🤣 Your first instinct may be to make a nice, neat list and start checking off boxes. Leash reactivity = counterconditioning. Check. Resource guarding
#165 - Juliana DeWillems: Set Your Dog Up to Succeed (Without Guilt)
Management is one of the most underused and misunderstood tools in dog training. KPA CTP and author Juliana DeWillems (she/her) joins Emily to reframe management (aka antecedent arrangement) not as a shortcut or bandaid, but as behavior science done proactively. They explore why good management increases a dog's options rather than restricting them, how it ties directly into enrichment, and w
#164 - When Management Turns into Micromanagement
Is your dog’s management plan starting to feel more like a full-time job than a support system? In this episode, Emily and Tiffany break down the critical differences between strategic management and exhausting micromanagement. Whether you’re a pet parent feeling trapped in a plan that requires constant perfection, or a behavior professional wondering if your recommendations are actually building
#163 - Fears from Pets Past
Have you ever found yourself bracing for a repeat of everything that went wrong with a previous pet? In this episode, Emily and Veronica get real about how our experiences with past pets shape how we show up for the animals in our lives right now. From shame spirals to hypervigilance to carrying baggage from past cases, they break down why this happens, why it matters, and what you can actually do
#162 - Choice, Control, Agency, and Predictability
You've heard the buzzwords: agency, choice, control, predictability. But if you've ever tried to implement all of them at once and you know it can feel like trying to juggle 100 balls. Emily and Allie break down why agency isn't a pass/fail ethical litmus test, but rather a set of individual dials you can turn up or down depending on your learner, your context, and your real-life co
#161 - The Difference Between Safety and Security
Have you ever watched your dog happily bolt toward a car, completely unbothered, while another dog trembles in a loving, calm home? Both dogs are caught in the gap between being safe and feeling safe, and it turns out that gap matters enormously. In this episode, Emily and Ellen unpack the critical distinction between safety (objective protection from harm) and security (the felt sense of being pr
#160 - The Skill No Protocol Can Replace
Look. If memorizing protocols was the secret to being a great trainer, we'd all just hand out flashcards and call it a day. But that's not how this works, and deep down, you already know that.Emily (she/they) and Ellen (she/her) are getting into the skills that actually make a difference, but aren’t found in any course catalog. It's what kicks in when the plan stops working, the cli
#159 - When Your Training Isn’t Showing Results in Real Life
You nail a training session. Your dog is locked in, responding beautifully, and you feel that rare rush of “we’ve got this.” Then real life shows up and your dog looks at you like you’ve never met. Sound familiar? Here’s the thing: that moment is not a failure. It’s not evidence that you’re doing it wrong or that your dog is broken. It’s just really good information.In this episode, Allie and Emil
#158 - Why Dogs Need Skills, Not Just Feelings
There’s a quiet assumption that runs through a lot of behavior work: if we can just change how an animal feels about something, the problem will resolve. Counterconditioning is a powerful tool, and Emily and Allie aren’t here to take it away from you. But in this episode, we’re talking about limitations. What happens when the feelings improve, and the behavior doesn’t? What happens when the emotio
#157 - Haylee Heisel: Why Giving More Doesn’t Fix Resource Guarding
Resource guarding is one of those behaviors that gets treated like it’s one simple problem with one simple fix.Just add abundance.Just countercondition it.Just follow this protocol.Except… it’s not that simple.In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily is joined by Haylee Heisel to unpack why “guarding” is a label, and why treating it like a one-size-fits-all issue can make things wor
#156 - Q&A: All About Resource Guarding
In this Q&A episode, we’re answering your questions about resource guarding. If you’ve ever lied awake at 2am thinking: “Is this normal?” “Am I overreacting?”“Did I cause this?” “Should I try that 30-second training hack I just saw on the internet?”This one’s for you.We don’t want you spiraling.And we definitely don’t want you getting bitten.So we’re breaking down what resource guarding actual
#155 - Try It: Engaging Indoor Games for Pets
Do you ever feel like enrichment has turned into a second full-time job?Hours of prep. Fancy toys. Amazon carts. Storage bins. Guilt.In this episode, Emily walks you through three simple, adaptable foraging game categories that take under 10 minutes to set up and leverage things you already have (yes, including trash).Because enrichment doesn’t have to be aesthetic to be effective.TLDL (too long,
#154 - Dog Training Advice: Find What Works
You scroll.One trainer says never let your dog look at the trigger.Another says your dog has to look at the trigger.Both sound confident. Both sound science-y. Now you’re more confused than when you started.In this episode, Emily and Claire talk about why dog training advice feels like such a mess, and how “good” advice can still be the wrong advice when it’s ripped out of context and handed to ev
#153 - Why Dogs React Suddenly: Trigger Stacking
Ever have one of those days where your dog absolutely loses their mind over something they handled fine yesterday, and you're left standing there like, “Cool, cool, cool, love this for us, what just happened?”That wasn’t random. And no, your training didn’t “stop working.”In this episode, we’re talking about trigger stacking (aka death by a thousand paper cuts). The stuff everyone sort of men
#152 - Advocating for Your Anxious Dog as an Anxious Human
Advocating for your dog sounds simple, but it sure isn’t always easy. Your heart races, your brain goes blank, and a stranger (or family member 🙃) is giving you unsolicited advice while your dog is already at threshold.In this episode, Emily and MaryKaye dive into why advocating for your anxious dog can feel so overwhelming, especially when you’re an anxious human too. We unpack the very real nerv
#151 - Labels: Helpful or Harmful?
Labels are everywhere: reactive dog, bad pet parent, confident trainer, resilient learner. They’re meant to simplify things, and while they can be helpful, sometimes they do the opposite.In this episode, Emily and Ellen unpack how labels shape our expectations, our compassion, and our sense of what’s possible. They explore when labels can be useful shorthand, and when they turn into invisible cage
#150 - If You Aren’t Doing It, It's Not Doable
Hi, do you keep telling yourself, “I know what to do, I just need to actually do it?” Welcome. In this episode, Emily and Tiffany unpack a hard (and oddly relieving) truth: when something isn’t happening, it’s usually a design problem, not a motivation problem. More effort, more discipline, or more information won’t fix a plan that doesn’t fit real life.From nail trims and walks to client plans, b
#149 - The Dangers of “Enrichment”
When we say The Dangers of “Enrichment”, the air quotes are doing a lot of work.In this episode, Emily and Ellen unpack how things labeled as enrichment can actually aggressively miss the mark. From the “more is better” mindset to breed-specific expectations and enrichment-as-micromanagement, we talk about how well-intended plans can quietly strip learners of agency, communication skills, and stre
#148 - You’re Getting Enrichment Wrong
You’re getting enrichment wrong.Yeah, we said it. (Lovingly.)In this episode, Emily and Allie unpack why enrichment so often feels overwhelming, guilt-inducing, or impossible to “do right.” Spoiler alert: it’s not because you’re failing. We talk about what enrichment actually is (and what it definitely isn’t), why novelty and fancy setups are optional, and how separating “training,” “management,”
#147 - Old Skill, New Scenario: Using What You Already Know
If your first response to a new behavior challenge is “I need to learn something new,” this episode is for you. Ellen and Emily talk about why “new” isn’t always the answer, and how to make the most of the skills already in your toolbox. From spooky sedation stories to “my perfect puppy isn’t perfect anymore” meltdowns, they’ll help you see that the solutions you need might already be sitting righ
#146 - Try It: Create Your Enrichment Menu
Ever find yourself staring at your pet thinking, “What do we even do for enrichment again?” Same. Today we’re walking through how to build your pet’s Enrichment Menu: a simple, sanity-saving list of activities you already know help you and your pet.We’ll chat through how to brain-dump everything you’ve ever tried, how to remember what actually worked, and how to sort it all out so Future You (the
#145 - Q&A: Dog Sociability
This week’s episode is built entirely from your questions! And honestly, we love that. Listener Q&As are some of our favorite conversations because they give us a window into what real pet parents and pros are navigating right now. And this batch? Chef’s kiss.We’re diving into the big topics you sent in about dog sociability: the difference between sociability and affiliation, what’s actually
#144 - Learning Over Threshold?
Ever try to teach your dog something new only to realize both of you are way too stressed to even remember your own names? Same. In this episode, Emily and our newest Pet Harmony team member, Veronica Garcia, dive into the “thinking and learning zone”. Learn what it looks like, why it matters, and why your dog suddenly forgets literally everything the minute stress walks into the room.We talk abou
#143 - Enriching Your Pet When You Feel Like You’re Drowning
Sometimes life hands you broken bones, cranky tendons, surprise vet trips, or a whole new set of limitations you definitely didn’t order. And meanwhile, your pet still needs… well, everything. In this episode, Emily and Allie talk about what happens when your needs and your pet’s needs feel impossibly misaligned. They dig into emotional detachment (yep, it happens), guilt vs. grief, the fallacies
#142 - Enrichment Guilt: When Enough Doesn't Feel Like It
Do you ever feel like you’re not doing enough for your pet? Yeah… us too. But you know what? You’re probably doing way more than you give yourself credit for. In this episode, Allie and Ellen get real about “enrichment guilt,” that nagging voice that makes you feel like you’re failing, and why it’s mostly coming from… well, outside pressures (and capitalism, because of course).We talk about why en
#141 - Gratitude, But Not The Toxic Kind
Let’s be real: sometimes, being told to “just be grateful” when things are hard feels… gross. We get it. Gratitude can be helpful, but not when it’s used to slap a smiley face sticker over real pain.In this episode, Allie and Ellen talk about what taking a descriptive approach to gratitude looks like. It’s the kind that helps you carry the hard stuff, not erase it. Allie shares what she’s learned
#140 - Try it - Strategies for Frantic Feeders
Does your dog lose their mind the second food appears? In this episode, Emily walks through a simple, science-based strategy to help “frantic feeders” relax around food. Learn how to use food to make food less exciting (yes, really), what common mistakes sabotage your progress, and how to tell when your dog’s excitement has shifted from over-the-top to just-right joy. TLDL (too long, didn’t listen
#139 - Plentiful Enrichment: Creating a Full Life
What does it really mean to give our pets an abundant life? Emily and Claire unpack common myths around enrichment and abundance, where well-intentioned positive reinforcement can slip into coercion, and where saying no can actually be part of a healthy, ethical relationship. From toy-bin epiphanies to dogs “earning their keep,” this episode dives into meeting needs, setting boundaries, and lettin
#138 - What Horror Films Teach Us About Behavior
What do horror movies and your pet’s sense of safety have in common? More than you’d think.This week, Ellen and Emily get delightfully spooky as they unpack how elements that make horror films terrifying, like the lighting, sound, movement, and unpredictability, can actually teach us how to create safer, more predictable, and more empathetic environments for the animals (and humans!) in our care.F
#137 - All Work And No Play Makes Everyone a Dull Critter
So many of us (pet parents and pros) get tangled up in “shoulds”. My dog should behave better. I should know how to fix this.People shouldn’t think my dog is “bad.”But what if some of the hardest parts of living with our pets aren’t really about their behavior… but about the pressure we put on ourselves?In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily and Tiffany unpack how our beliefs abo
#136 - Try It: New Cue, Same Trick (and Why It Matters)
What if you could teach your pet not just one way to understand a cue, but multiple ways — or even help them notice their own body as a signal? That’s the magic of cue transfers, and in this episode, Emily breaks down how to do it step by step.From teaching a reliable sit with both verbal and hand cues, to empowering your pet to recognize when they need a safe space, cue transfers can make life ea
#135 - Trick or Treat? When Enrichment Isn't Enriching
Sometimes enrichment doesn’t go the way we planned. Maybe the activity is too easy, too hard, too arousing, or just plain unsustainable. In this episode, Allie and Emily pull back the curtain on the common pitfalls that turn “enrichment” into air quotes enrichment (aka, not enrichment at all).You’ll hear everything from professional confessions (yes, even experts have tantrums when their pets need
#134 - Try It: Identify Your Home's Grumble & Growl Zones
Ever notice your pet getting tense in certain spots around your house? Spaces like the hallway, under the table, or right next to you on the couch? Those tricky spaces might actually be grumble or growl zones.In this episode, Pet Harmony behavior consultant MaryKaye walks you through what these zones are, how to spot them, and simple steps you can take to prevent conflict before it happens. Whethe
#133 - How to Incorporate Kids Into Your Pet's Enrichment Plan
Parenting is already a full-time job, and when you add pets into the mix, things can feel overwhelming. But what if your kids could actually help make pet care easier and more fun? In this episode, Emily is joined by fellow Pet Harmony consultant (and mom of two) Corinne to talk about the why and how of including kids in your pet’s enrichment plan.You’ll hear real-life stories, practical strategie
#132 - Are You Self-Sabotaging?
Do you ever catch yourself thinking, “Either I have to do X, or Y terrible thing will happen”? Welcome to dichotomous thinking, one of the sneakiest forms of self-sabotage we fall into. In this episode, Allie and Emily unpack how binary thinking shows up in our industry (and in life), why it’s such a trap, and how to start climbing out of it.Along the way, you’ll hear stories about superheroes and
#131 - Why Training Mechanics Aren't Enough
You can have the fanciest training plan in the world—but if you skip the “soft” skills, you’re building on shaky ground. This week, Allie and Emily dive into the four soft skills that make everything else work: observation, curiosity, flexibility, and empathy. Along the way, you’ll hear about Oso’s epic garden-bed heists, why boob pillows aren’t just for people, and the heartbreaking moment Miley
#130 - Mike Agruss: A Nuanced Approach to Dog Bite Advocacy
Content Warning: This episode does include discussion of dog bites. When a dog bite happens, emotions run high—fear, guilt, anger, confusion. In today’s episode, host Emily Strong is joined by Mark Agruss, a personal injury attorney out of Illinois. For over two decades, attorney Mike Agruss has stood beside clients navigating those stressful moments, advocating not just for their rights, but for
#129 - Q&A: All About Anxiety in Dogs
Wondering if your dog will “grow out of” anxiety? Or if a sit-stay will solve their fear of strangers? This Q&A episode clears up the most common misunderstandings about anxiety in dogs and gives you the tools to actually help.Allie, Emily, and Ellen break down the difference between anxiety, fear, and reactivity; why breed stereotypes don’t dictate destiny; and how to tell if your dog’s “happ
#128 - Try it: How to Find Indoor Activities for Dogs on Hot Days
When the temperatures soar, it can feel like your only option is to survive summer with the AC cranked up and a bored dog staring at you, but we’ve got your back. In this "Try It" episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily shares practical, low-effort indoor activities that meet your dog’s enrichment needs when going outside just isn’t safe.You’ll learn how to turn your dog’s favori
#127 - Summer Enrichment Activities
Summer heat getting in the way of your enrichment goals? You’re not alone. In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Allie and Emily break down their favorite summer enrichment activities into three easy categories: indoor alternatives, water-based outdoor options, and frozen fun. Whether you have a wrestling bulldozer or a scentwork-loving rule follower, there’s something here to help you
#126 - Sarah van Herpt: Healing Bears, Changing Minds
What does it take to rehabilitate hundreds of bears and build an enrichment-forward sanctuary from scratch? In this episode, we dive into the world of moon bears, sun bears, shrimp paste, and cultural change with Sarah van Herpt, Director of Veterinary and Behavioral Husbandry Services for Animals Asia in Vietnam.Sarah shares her incredible journey from zookeeper to director, the behavioral scienc
#125 - Does Comforting My Pet Reinforce the Fear?
You’ve heard it before: “Don’t comfort a scared dog, you’ll just reinforce the fear.” But… is that true? In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Allie and Emily break down the science behind fear, behavior, and reinforcement and why that common advice just doesn’t hold up.They’ll explore how fear functions differently than you may think, why your emotional state also matters, and how to
#124 - Try It: How to Use Sound Enrichment Without Regretting It Immediately
Sound enrichment is often touted as a magic solution for everything from masking triggers to helping pets chill out—but what happens when the “soothing” soundscape turns into sensory overload for you? In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Ellen Yoakum, Pet Harmony co-owner, behavior consultant, and proud sound-sensitive human, gets candid about the not-so-talked-about side of enrichmen
#123 - Pet Firework Safety & Security Tips
The Fourth of July might be a favorite for humans, but for many pets, it’s more like a horror movie. From hiding in bathtubs to bolting through doors, the fallout from fireworks can be intense and dangerous. And hey, we know what you’re thinking: “Isn’t it a little late for firework advice?” Maybe. But let’s be honest. Most of us aren’t exactly winning awards for being proactive. So consider this
#122 - Lili Chin: About Dog Breeds
How much can a dog’s breed really tell you? In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, illustrator and author Lili Chin (she/her) returns to talk about her newest book, Dogs of the World: A Gallery of Pups from Purebreds to Mutts. You probably know Lili from her beloved body language infographics and viral artwork, and now she’s helping us better understand the complex, fluid, and very huma
#121 - Try it: Learn Your Pet's Ladder of De-Escalation
We talk a lot about recognizing when our pets are becoming more stressed. But what about when they’re calming down? In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily Strong walks you through a practical and insightful skill: identifying your pet’s ladder of de-escalation. It’s the crucial flip side to recognizing escalation, and it is just as important for supporting your pet’s full stress r
#120 - Why Your Pet Needs a Safe Space (and How to Make One)
Whether your pet is overwhelmed by the doorbell, a new houseguest, or the invisible ghosts that apparently live in the laundry room, having a safe space can make a world of difference. In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily and Ellen break down why safe spaces aren’t just cozy corners—they’re essential tools for helping our pets (and us!) navigate stress in all its forms: tolerabl
#119 - Try it: Teach "Go To A Safe Space" From Behind a Barrier
In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily Strong shares two ways to teach your dog to go to a safe space from behind a barrier—a skill that supports emotional regulation and improves outcomes for both aggressive and behaviorally healthy animals.You'll learn when and why Pet Harmony uses this technique (spoiler alert: a lot!), how it supports protected contact and training distan
#118 - Amber Quann: Biofeedback, Beer, & Backpacks
What do biofeedback, brewery manners, and doggy backpacks have in common? Amber Quann, CEO and Head Trainer at Summit Dog Training, weaves them together beautifully in this episode of Enrichment for the Real World. Host Emily Strong and guest, Amber Quann dig into the nuances of dog relaxation, not just as a one-size-fits-all goal, but as a spectrum that requires thoughtful practice and an underst
#117 - Training an Aggressive Dog Safely: The Ins and Outs of Protected Contact
In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Allie Bender and Emily Strong chat about the use of protected contact including what it is (and no, it isn’t just putting up a gate or a fence), how to adjust your plan based on needs and progress, tips to avoid the temptation to rush, and advice to ensure that you’re not just relying on barriers to prevent a bite—but setting up everyone for succes
#116 - Try It: Budget-Friendly Enrichment from Everyday Items
When it comes to enrichment, we often think we need fancy tools, expensive toys, or complicated activities—but what if the best enrichment was sitting in your recycling bin? In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily Strong (she/they) shares how you can use everyday household items—yes, even your trash—to bring joy, engagement, and behavioral diversity into your pet’s life.You'll
#115 - Present Over Perfect: Enrichment That Matters
Episode Overview:Raise your hand if you've ever felt like you’re not doing enough for your pet. 🙋♀️🙋♂️ Whether you're a devoted pet parent or a seasoned pro, enrichment burnout is real—and it’s sneaky. In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily (she/they) and Pet Harmony Behavior Consultant Claire Horvat (she/her) explore how perfectionism, comparison traps, and even well-
#114 - Sami Griffin: Beyond Performative - Effective Gender Inclusivity for Pet Professionals
What does gender inclusivity have to do with pet behavior consulting? (Spoiler: everything.) In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily Strong (she/they) chats with Sami Griffin (they/them), a cat and dog behavior consultant with a passion for creating safer, more inclusive spaces—for pets and their people. Sami helps us move beyond surface-level performative action into real, effecti
#113 - Q&A: Enrichment Overload- When Is It Too Much?
Ever find yourself second-guessing if you’re “doing enrichment right”? You’re not alone—and this episode is here to clear things up. In this Q&A session, Allie Bender (she/her), Emily Strong (she/they), and Ellen Yoakum (she/her) tackle real questions from listeners who are curious (and maybe a little confused) about enrichment.They break down common concerns like: 👉 Are some behaviors “bad,”
#112 - Try It: Teach Your Dog "Find It" From Scratch
Looking for an easy way to enrich your dog’s life and support your behavior goals? “Find It” might be your new favorite go-to. In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily Strong (she/they) walks you through exactly how to teach “Find It” from scratch—even if your dog has never done scent work before.You’ll get a step-by-step guide that starts with clear floors and easy wins, then build
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