“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 Bogie, Veterinary Social Worker, Pet Harmony team member, and overall empathetic badass. Valerie walks through what caregiver burden, burnout, and compassion fatigue actually are (versus normal stress), why "just push through it" makes things worse, and what to do instead.

If you’ve ever found yourself crying in the bathroom over your pet’s behavior, you’re not alone, and there is help out there. 

TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 

1️⃣ You’re not alone – New research found that among dog owners managing behavior challenges, 78% met criteria for elevated caregiver burden, 53% reported feeling alone, and 40% reported social isolation. 

2️⃣ Pushing through doesn’t build resilience, for you, or your pet – Life is a rollercoaster, and you need the release at the top, not just to keep climbing… forever.

3️⃣ "Name it to tame it" is a real thing – One small thing at a time will lead to large lasting changes.

For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

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Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
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If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. For 6 weeks starting August 26th, she's opening a very limited number of working spots in a live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots also available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before they

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, we talk about: why “just relax” is useless advice, why burnout hits caregiving professions so hard, and what it really means to “do self-care” on a deep, functional level. 

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Drs. Amelia and Emily Nagoski changed our lives, the way we work with people, the way we view behavior consulting, and how we care for our pets. Wrapping up their impact on us in a short podcast description feels disingenuous, so instead, we’ll just say we hope this helps you too.

TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 

1️⃣ The stressor and the stress are separate things – You need to deal with the stress in your body, not just get away from the stressor. 

2️⃣ Change comes from groups, not heroes – Taking turns, sharing the labor, is how we effect lasting change. 

3️⃣ You matter – That’s it. That’s the takeaway.

For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

Amazon Affiliate Storefront

Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront.

As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases.

More from Pet Harmony

Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining

Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro

📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. For 6 weeks starting August 26th, she's opening a very limited number of working spots in a live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots also available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before they

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 routine. 

While you know why it’s different, your dog is just staring, waiting for you to follow the rules, and has no interest in a different plan. This week, Emily and Allie talk about how to use enrichment, not reason, to help your dog meet their needs, even when their entire routine is knocked off kilter. 

TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 

1️⃣ Match the need, not the activity – A walk could meet many needs at once: physical and mental exercise, social time, sniffing, agency. Once you know what your dog gets out of it, you can introduce alternatives much more successfully. 

2️⃣ Frustration is valid – For both you and your dog. Instead of building it, redirect to something that works for both of you. It isn’t a bribe. It’s saying, “How about this instead?”

3️⃣ Make an enrichment menu – It makes it easier to remember what acceptable activity swaps are, like maybe walks can be interchanged with tug + snuffle mat.

For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

Amazon Affiliate Storefront

Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront.

As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases.

More from Pet Harmony

Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining

Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro

📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. For 6 weeks starting August 26th, she's opening a very limited number of working spots in a live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots also available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before they

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) noises don’t just annoy you, but send a startling jolt straight to your lizard brain. Because yes, vocalizations are normal, but finding harmony with your pet isn’t about suffering while they thrive.

 TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 

1️⃣ Stop the bleeding first – Start with your right-now plan. What’s one thing you can do to make barking less painful for you?

2️⃣ Barking doesn’t automatically mean “over threshold” – We have to look at the whole picture and learn to observe body language with all our senses. 

3️⃣ Find empathy for the reactivity – We can find tremendous empathy for reactive dogs. Let’s give ourselves the same grace.

For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

Amazon Affiliate Storefront

Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront.

As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases.

More from Pet Harmony

Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining

Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro

📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. Starting August 26th, she's opening a limited number of working spots for a 6-week live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before

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 Environment is the classroom – Predictability, safe space, and routine are what make relaxation possible in the first place. 

2️⃣ Your dog's body is part of their environment – Pain, allergies, and temperature sensitivity all affect their capacity to relax. 

3️⃣ One thing at a time – Don’t overhaul everything at once.
For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

Amazon Affiliate Storefront

Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront.

As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases.

More from Pet Harmony

Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining

Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro

📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. For 6 weeks starting August 26th, she's opening a very limited number of working spots in a live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots also available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before they

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, overly simplistic, prescriptive management techniques that aren’t actually addressing the issue. We’re breaking down the small kernels of truth we can take away from this advice, why it isn’t working for you, and what it actually means to teach a lifelong skill, not shift the blame onto pet parents for not being “chill” enough. 

Calm isn't a personality trait. It's not breed destiny. It's a skill that can be built through repetition, in the right conditions, with the right feedback. We promise, and if you don’t believe us, you can ask our clients. 

TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 

1️⃣ Down-regulation is a skill – Skills can be taught through repetition, in the right conditions, with the right feedback.

2️⃣ Rest and relaxation aren't the same thing – A dog can rest while totally wound up, and be completely relaxed while wide awake. Conflating the two sends us chasing the wrong metric. 

3️⃣ It’s not wrong, just incomplete – There’s a kernel of truth in the common advice, but there’s also a lot missing. If it hasn’t worked, it doesn’t mean it won’t; it means we need to tweak.

For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

Amazon Affiliate Storefront

Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront.

As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases.

More from Pet Harmony

Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining

Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro

📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. For 6 weeks starting August 26th, she's opening a very limited number of working spots in a live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots also available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before they

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 episode. 

We’re talking about 5 ways we see leash reactivity plans get f*cked up, and no, it’s not because anyone is bad at this. It’s because we’re complex humans, with complex lives, complex pets, and complex environments. We help clients be human and help their pets every day, and today, we’re sharing what we’ve learned. 

TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 

1️⃣ You’re interrupting more than reinforcing – If you’re doing more interrupting of the eruption than reinforcing chill beforehand, you might be teaching your pet that exploding is part of the sequence. 

2️⃣ Sessions need to be short – Probably even shorter than you expect. Triggers stacking IS happening, so keep it short, and use your escape routes liberally. 

3️⃣ You don’t know how or when to get out – Before making things hard, get really skilled in easier environments, and that means practicing knowing how and when to get out of Dodge. 

For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

Amazon Affiliate Storefront

Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront.

As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases.

More from Pet Harmony

Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining

Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro

📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us—and makes our tails wag every time. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. Starting August 26th, she's opening a limited number of working spots for a 6-week live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before

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 crashing down. 

And your dog is still screaming at every dog, jogger, and suspicious mailbox on the block. 

In this episode, Allie and Emily see your perfectionism and your frustration, and meet you with empathy, compassion, a little sass, and at least 2 rambling, but important soapboxes. 

We’ll talk about why treats stall and walk you through some of the things we troubleshoot when things get stuck: threshold, treat value, timing, session length, and your own anxiety. Because addressing reactivity isn’t about a single moment; it’s about the whole picture.

TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 

1️⃣ Treats are only a part of the plan – If a pet is already too stressed, treats aren’t what they need; they need relief. 

2️⃣ Go back to basics before you panic – Threshold, treat value, timing, session length, and your own anxiety are places to reflect on.

3️⃣ Reactivity is a symptom – Not a character flaw, or even the primary issue. Look deeper.

For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

More from Pet Harmony

Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining

Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro

📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us—and makes our tails wag every time. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. For 6 weeks starting August 26th, she's opening a very limited number of working spots in a live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots also available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before they

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, and you spend almost every walk trying not to cry. 

In this episode, Emily and Ellen hope you feel a little relief, and even a little liberated when they make their case that, no, not all dogs need walks. Instead, they will help you think through your goals, your needs, and what is actually going to work for you and your beloved companion. Because there are a whole lot of ways to get your dog the movement they need that don’t require busy streets, a flood of stress, and a miserable time. 

TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 

1️⃣ Movement can be joyful – Don’t stick with movement that leads to meltdowns; instead, find something that sparks joy.

2️⃣ Small things often – One more trip to the kitchen, lap around the dining room table, or stretch on the stairs will add up. 

3️⃣ Screw “No Pain, No Gain” – Just because it is easy doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. Seriously. 

For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

Amazon Affiliate Storefront

Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront.

As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases.

More from Pet Harmony

Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining

Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro

📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us—and makes our tails wag every time. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. For 6 weeks starting August 26th, she's opening a very limited number of working spots in a live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots also available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before they

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 😂), but we packed this episode full of real-life examples, how we guide clients through the process, and reflection questions to help you answer these questions for yourself. 

Because while we are behavior consultants, we probably aren’t YOUR behavior consultant… at least not yet. 😉

TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways 

1️⃣ Caregiving isn’t additive; it’s exponential – Budget, bandwidth, physical space, and the needs of every current household member all compound in ways most people don't anticipate. 

2️⃣ Different needs ≠ unfair treatment  – Meeting each pet as an individual is equity. Use the enrichment framework to stay grounded. 

3️⃣ Make your deal-breaker list before you meet the pet – Decide your non-negotiables before you're emotionally attached to a specific animal. Treat the first phase like a foster. It protects the animal, protects your existing pets, and protects you from shame-driven decisions later. 

For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

Amazon Affiliate Storefront

Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront.

As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases.

More from Pet Harmony

Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining

Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people
📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro

📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us—and makes our tails wag every time. Thanks for being here! 💛

Does your dog guard socks, space, people, or leaves on the ground? Emily doesn't usually take clients... except for this. For 6 weeks starting August 26th, she's opening a very limited number of working spots in a live group course on resource guarding, specifically the kind that goes way beyond the food bowl. Personalized plans included. Auditor spots also available. Grab yours at PetHarmonyTraining.com/RG before they