Paws & Reward Podcast

By Marissa Martino, CDBC, CTC

What's Paws & Reward Podcast about?

Join Marissa Martino, certified dog behavior consultant (CDBC, CTC), of Paws and Reward on her podcast where she stops and reflects on behavior change, dog training, the human-canine bond, and the relationships with our loved ones!

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Paws & Reward Podcast episodes:

04.16.2024
Ep 77: The Antidote to Empathetic Distress with Jessica Dolce
In episode 77, Marissa Martino interviews Jessica Dolce about a very important topic in our profession, compassion fatigue, or what we're now calling it - empathetic distress. We explore what empathetic distress is, why it is common to experience as...
04.01.2024
Ep 76: The Art and Neuroscience of Puppy Socialization with Dr. Kathy Murphy
In episode 76, Marissa Martino interviews Dr. Kathy Murphy on the art and neuroscience of puppy socialization. Dr. Murphy explores some common myths about puppy socialization, explains what is happening from a neuroscience perspective, why that matters to us (and...
03.17.2024
Ep 75: Embracing your Dog as your Mirror with Annika McDade
In episode 75, Marissa Martino interviews Annika McDade to discuss the healing power of our canine relationships. Both Annika and Marissa have a passion for encouraging pet parents to see their relationship with their dogs as an opportunity for personal...
02.26.2024
Ep 74: Supporting Frustrated Shelter Dogs with Tom Candy
In episode 74, Marissa Martino interviews Tom Candy about shelter dogs that experience frustration. They discuss the 3 R's - Risk assessment, Reduce (management strategies), and Resolve (behavior modification and teaching skills). Tom provides examples of interventions that he and his...
02.12.2024
Ep 73: Stranger-directed Aggression with Lisa Mullinax
In episode 73, Marissa Martino interviews Lisa Mullinax to discuss stranger-directed aggression. Lisa defines the difference between reactivity and aggression. She talks about the reasons why these cases are high stakes and how to support both the dog and the...
01.29.2024
Ep 72: Building Successful Training Plans with Allie Bender
In episode 72, Marissa Martino interviews Allie Bender of Pet Harmony to discuss the nuanced skill of building successful training plans for our clients and their beloved dogs. During this episode, they discuss why sustainable training plans are so important, the...
01.15.2024
Ep 71: The Nuts and Bolts of Cooperative Care with Dr. Sophie Liu
In episode 71, Marissa Martino interviews Dr. Sophie Liu about cooperative care, a process offering choice and agency to our animals when it comes to training for husbandry procedures. Marissa and Dr. Liu met through a mutual client who needed...
01.04.2024
Ep 70: The Highly Sensitive Pet Parent with Brooke Nielsen
In episode 70, Marissa Martino connects with Brooke Nielson, a licensed therapist, writer, speaker, and teacher on the topic of Highly Sensitive People, and in this case, Highly Sensitive Pet Parents. Brooke explains what the Highly Sensitive Person is, the...
12.18.2023
Ep 69: The Balance Between Welfare and Training with Sarah Stremming
In episode 69, Marissa Martino interviews her dear friend, Sarah Stremming of the Cognitive Canine on the topic of balancing welfare and training for our dogs. Spoiler alert, Sarah feels strongly that both meeting your dog's needs and teaching them...
12.04.2023
Ep 68: Joyful Recalls with Jenni Pfafman
In episode 68, Marissa Martino interviews Jenni Pfafman, a certified behavior consultant, on how she teaches her clients to have a joyful, rock-solid recall. Jenni lives in Crested Butte, Colorado, where almost every pet parent is active on trails and...
07.13.2023
Ep 67: Mood Matters with Karin Pienaar
In episode 67, Marissa Martino interviews Karin Pienaar, of the The Centre of Applied Pet Ethology (COAPE). During the episode, Marissa asks Karin about her new book, Mood Matters: MHERA: An Innovative Assessment Approach to Animal Emotionality in the Treatment...
06.27.2023
Ep 66: Canine Sociability in Animal Shelters with Sue Sternberg
Join Marissa Martino's interview with Sue Sternberg about behaviorally challenged dogs in the sheltering industry. They go back several decades to discuss the history of behavior cases in animal shelters, how things have changed dramatically over the years, and why...
05.29.2023
Ep 65: Listen, then Train with Kathy Sdao
In episode 65, Marissa Martino and Kathy Sdao talk about a necessary topic for pet parents and pet professionals: listening. Some questions that are addressed during the episode include: What are the three levels of listening?...
05.15.2023
Ep 64: Resolving Conflicts Between Dogs and Cats
In episode 64, Marissa Martino speaks with Naomi Rotenberg about resolving conflicts between your dog and cat. Some questions that are addressed during the episode include What expectations do we have for our pets that may or may...
05.08.2023
Ep 63: Assessing Canine Risk with Lisa Mullinax
In episode 63, Marissa and Lisa Mullinax discuss their risk assessment methods both for animal shelters and their private practices. Determining whether a dog will be at risk of doing harm to another can be a difficult process and one...
04.10.2023
Ep 62: Exploring Grief with Belinda Breen
On episode 62, Belinda Breen, a dog behavior professional currently earning her doctorate in clinical psychology, and Marissa Martino talk about an important topic: grief. It shows up in so many different ways in our relationships with our dogs and...
04.03.2023
Ep 61: Building the Relationship You Want with Your Dog
In episode 61 of the Paws & Reward Podcast, Marissa is joined by her clients and colleagues, Kelly Ferber, Tiffany Chen, and Jenni Pfafman, all of whom recently took my Reflective Relationship Program. A 3-month program where we explore ourselves through...
03.31.2023
Ep 60: Navigating Difficult Decisions: A Story about Rehoming with Tara Stillwell
Listen to Marissa Martino chat with Tara Stillwell, a licensed family dog mediator about the challenging topic of rehoming a beloved pet. Tara was brave enough to come onto the podcast to discuss her recent rehoming experience with her dog,...
03.27.2023
Ep 59: Compassionate Communication for Behavior Consultants with Lisa Mullinax
In Ep 59, Lisa Mullinax and Marissa discuss compassionate communication and how to have hard conversations in the most empathetic and effective ways. What leads to these difficult topics? How can we be better listeners? And what can we do...
03.20.2023
Ep 58: The Fear Free Movement and Why it Matters for Your Dog with Tabitha Kucera
In episode 58, Marissa chats with Tabitha Kucera, a registered veterinary technician and certified positive reinforcement behavior consultant about the Fear Free Movement. They discuss why keeping data about your pet's emotional experience is so important for their well-being and...
12.05.2022
Ep 57: Exploring Canine Exercise with Liza Radar
In episode 57 of the Paws & Reward Podcast, I speak with Liza Radar about their canine exercise framework and their unique approach toward exercise and physical enrichment. During the episode, Liza introduces their exercise framework. The framework includes four...
11.21.2022
Ep 56: Reactivity Set-Up Considerations
In episode 56 of the Paws & Reward Podcast, join Marissa Martino and Sarah Stremming as they dive into the nuances behind the different scenarios for setting up training sessions for leash reactivity. Trainers and behavior consultants routinely use setups...
11.07.2022
Ep 55: The Resilience Rainbow with Bobbie Bhambree-Wirkmaa
In episode 55 of the Paws and Reward Podcast, Marissa and Bobbie Bhambree-Wirkmaa, director of behavior services and a certified dog behavior consultant at Behavior Vets, discuss the Resilience Rainbow and cultivating resilience in our dogs. Resilience is the ability...
10.24.2022
Ep 54: Attachment Styles and the Human-canine Bond with Grisha Stewart
On episode 54 of the Paws and Reward Podcast, Marissa speaks with Grisha Stewart about attachment styles and the human-canine bond. Grisha is an author, international speaker, dog trainer, and online dog school facilitator based in Oregon. Grisha specializes in...
10.10.2022
Ep 53: Critical Thinking with Emily Strong
In episode 53, Marissa speaks with Emily Strong about a necessary and possibly under-utilized skill for all behavior consultants to exercise and teach their clients- critical thinking. Critical thinking is defined as the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue...
09.26.2022
Ep 52: Cooperative Care with Laura Monaco Torelli
Join Marissa Martino and Laura Monaco Torelli for a conversation about cooperative care. Laura has a ton of experience working with many different species, teaching and training them complex, difficult behaviors. I had the pleasure of working with her on...
09.14.2022
Ep 51: Building Community with Claire Goyer
Join Marissa Martino and Claire Goyer for a conversation about building community. Claire works for Grisha Stewart's Amazing Online Academy, where she builds community and helps people shine. Working in the dog training profession can be isolating at times for...
09.05.2022
Ep 50: Eat, Pray, Dogs with Sarah Stremming
Join Marissa Martino and Sarah Stremming to discuss Marissa's recent solo trip to Peru. They discuss what the street dogs of Peru taught Marissa about life, how both Sarah and Marissa are integrating these concepts, and their invitation to pet parents...
08.22.2022
Ep 49: Building a Strong Relationship Between Your Dogs with Sarah Stremming
In episode 49, Sarah Stremming and I will be talking about the necessary strategies used to strengthen and maintain a healthy relationship between the dogs in your home. Some of the topics we discuss involve proactive management strategies to prevent...
08.08.2022
Ep 48: Let's have TEA and CAKE with Andrew Hale
Join me as I speak with Andrew Hale (Bsc, ISCP.Dip.Canine.Prac), the owner, principal trainer and behaviorist at Train Positive in the UK, about emotional awareness and how that applies to dog training. Both animals and humans have individual emotional care...
08.01.2022
Ep 47: The Humane Hierarchy with Dr. Chris Pachel
In episode 47, Dr. Chris Pachel and I will be talking about The Humane Hierarchy for both our dogs and their people. The Humane Hierarchy is a framework that trainers, behavior consultants, and veterinary behaviorists use when working with their...
07.25.2022
Ep 46: Pain and Behavior with Ursa Acree
I am so excited to announce the launch of season 3. The first episode starts with Ursa Acree! She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and Fear Free Certified Trainer. She is the Training Manager at...
05.13.2022
Ep 45: A Tribute to Sully and a Lesson in Grief
Join Marissa Martino in this bonus episode where she talks about her experience with grief as she says goodbye to her best friend of 13.5 years, Sully. This episode is a tribute to the lessons he taught her (even at the...
05.02.2022
Ep 44: The Many Hats a Dog Trainer Wears with Jenna Teti
In Episode 44, Marissa is joined by her friend and colleague Jenna Teti of Think Smart Dog Training to discuss what their roles as dog trainers and behavior consultants entail. What does the title of “dog trainer” encompass? What’s expected...
04.18.2022
Ep 43: Inter-household Aggression with Michael Shikashio
In episode 43 of the podcast, Marissa invites Michael Shikashio on the podcast to talk about inter-household aggression. During this episode, Michael defines what inter-household aggression is, what his favorite management strategies are, and what every pet parent that is...
04.04.2022
Ep 42: Muzzle Up with Amy Creaven
In episode 42, Marissia is joined by Amy Creaven to discuss the importance of muzzle training for your dog. Amy Creaven is a recovering ICU nurse and has been a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner since 2010. Prior to...
03.21.2022
Ep 41: The Play Way and Thresholds with Dr. Amy Cook
In Episode 41, Marissa is joined by Dr. Amy Cook as they discuss the best ways to play with our dogs. As many listeners might know, Amy is the creator of the Play Way, a wonderful framework used to help...
03.07.2022
Ep 40: Exploring Resentment with Dr. Jessica Higgins
In Episode 40, Marissa is joined by Dr. Jessica Higgins, host of the Empowered Relationship Podcast. They will be discussing resentment in our relationships- both human and canine. Dr. Jessica Higgins holds two graduate degrees in psychology, two coaching certifications,...
02.21.2022
Ep 39: Getting Through the Teenage Period with Lisa Mullinax
In episode 39 of the podcast, Marissa and Lisa Mullinax will be talking about how to get through the teenage period with our dogs. Adolescence can be hard on both the dog and the pet parent. Behavior can change quickly...
02.07.2022
Ep 38: Rethinking "Obedience" with Ursa Acree
In episode 38, Marissa is joined by Ursa Acree, a certified dog behavior consultant, to explore the topic of rethinking obedience: what are we really training for? Obedience is defined as compliance with an order or submission to another's authority....
01.24.2022
Ep 37: Training Your Deaf Dog with Terrie Hayward
On today’s episode, Marissa and Terrie Hayward talk about the training process for deaf dogs and dogs with hearing loss. Since Marissa is less experienced in this area, she thought Terrie would be the perfect person to speak to on...
01.10.2022
Ep 36: Thank You for Barking with Kiki Yablon
Join Marissa Martino interview Kiki Yablon about barking! So many pet parents reach out to trainers and behavior consultants in hopes to reduce or even stop their dog’s barking behavior. And, let's face it, barking can be startling to our nervous...
12.27.2021
Ep 35: The Value of Neutral in Dog Training
Join Marissa Martino as she interviews her client and dear friend, Liz, aka Titan’s mom. Marissa has been wanting to highlight clients on the podcast and Liz was the perfect choice! Liz shares her experience of the behavior modification process...
12.13.2021
Ep 34: The Power of Relaxation with Dr. Chris Pachel
Join Marissa Martino interview Dr. Chris Pachel as he shares the process and benefits of teaching relaxation to his canine clients. They start off the episode defining what relaxation is, discuss existing protocols, and why this is such a critical...
12.06.2021
Ep 33: Ditching Training Resolutions with Sarah Stremming
Join Marissa and Sarah Stremming of Cog-Dog Radio discuss why you should ditch your training resolutions. Wait - what?!?! Isn’t this a dog training podcast? Hear us out! We definitely want to encourage you to train with your dog(s). And,...
11.29.2021
Ep 32: Building Canine Resilience with Dr. Patricia McConnell
On episode 32 of the podcast, Marissa is thrilled to speak with one of her heroes, Dr. Patricia McConnell. She is not one that needs a formal introduction since she’s a household name when it comes to behavior and training,...
11.15.2021
Ep 31: What is a LIMA Being?
In Episode 31, Marissa is joined by her fellow colleagues and co-founders of LIMA Beings, Dr. Chris Pachel, Lynn Ungar, Barrie Finger, and Kathy Sdao. They discuss the drive behind their triggers and what hooks them. As we try to...
11.01.2021
Ep 30: Real Behavior Change for Reactive Dogs with Sarah Stremming
Join Marissa as she speaks to Sarah Stremming about real behavior change. What are the steps toward achieving true change and how do you know you've been successful? When working with your dog on a challenging behavior, real change can...
10.18.2021
Ep 29: "All of It Belongs" and Embracing our Humanity with Christie Catan
In episode 29, Christie Catan and Marissa Martino discuss how dogs help us embrace our humanity. They explore what it means to say “All of it Belongs” when life throws us curveballs, especially in training. When working with our dogs,...
10.11.2021
Ep 28: Imposter Syndrome with Sarah Stremming
In episode 28, Sarah Stremming joins Marissa to discuss imposter syndrome and how it impacts all of us either as pet parents or dog training professionals. What can we do to combat this feeling of inadequacy and how can we...

What's Paws & Reward Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Paws & Reward Podcast episodes:

Ep 77: The Antidote to Empathetic Distress with Jessica Dolce

Ep 76: The Art and Neuroscience of Puppy Socialization with Dr. Kathy Murphy

Ep 75: Embracing your Dog as your Mirror with Annika McDade

Ep 74: Supporting Frustrated Shelter Dogs with Tom Candy

Ep 73: Stranger-directed Aggression with Lisa Mullinax

Ep 72: Building Successful Training Plans with Allie Bender

Ep 71: The Nuts and Bolts of Cooperative Care with Dr. Sophie Liu

Ep 70: The Highly Sensitive Pet Parent with Brooke Nielsen

Ep 69: The Balance Between Welfare and Training with Sarah Stremming

Ep 68: Joyful Recalls with Jenni Pfafman

Ep 67: Mood Matters with Karin Pienaar

Ep 66: Canine Sociability in Animal Shelters with Sue Sternberg

Ep 65: Listen, then Train with Kathy Sdao

Ep 64: Resolving Conflicts Between Dogs and Cats

Ep 63: Assessing Canine Risk with Lisa Mullinax

Ep 62: Exploring Grief with Belinda Breen

Ep 61: Building the Relationship You Want with Your Dog

Ep 60: Navigating Difficult Decisions: A Story about Rehoming with Tara Stillwell

Ep 59: Compassionate Communication for Behavior Consultants with Lisa Mullinax

Ep 58: The Fear Free Movement and Why it Matters for Your Dog with Tabitha Kucera

Ep 57: Exploring Canine Exercise with Liza Radar

Ep 56: Reactivity Set-Up Considerations

Ep 55: The Resilience Rainbow with Bobbie Bhambree-Wirkmaa

Ep 54: Attachment Styles and the Human-canine Bond with Grisha Stewart

Ep 53: Critical Thinking with Emily Strong

Ep 52: Cooperative Care with Laura Monaco Torelli

Ep 51: Building Community with Claire Goyer

Ep 50: Eat, Pray, Dogs with Sarah Stremming

Ep 49: Building a Strong Relationship Between Your Dogs with Sarah Stremming

Ep 48: Let's have TEA and CAKE with Andrew Hale

Ep 47: The Humane Hierarchy with Dr. Chris Pachel

Ep 46: Pain and Behavior with Ursa Acree

Ep 45: A Tribute to Sully and a Lesson in Grief

Ep 44: The Many Hats a Dog Trainer Wears with Jenna Teti

Ep 43: Inter-household Aggression with Michael Shikashio

Ep 42: Muzzle Up with Amy Creaven

Ep 41: The Play Way and Thresholds with Dr. Amy Cook

Ep 40: Exploring Resentment with Dr. Jessica Higgins

Ep 39: Getting Through the Teenage Period with Lisa Mullinax

Ep 38: Rethinking "Obedience" with Ursa Acree

Ep 37: Training Your Deaf Dog with Terrie Hayward

Ep 36: Thank You for Barking with Kiki Yablon

Ep 35: The Value of Neutral in Dog Training

Ep 34: The Power of Relaxation with Dr. Chris Pachel

Ep 33: Ditching Training Resolutions with Sarah Stremming

Ep 32: Building Canine Resilience with Dr. Patricia McConnell

Ep 31: What is a LIMA Being?

Ep 30: Real Behavior Change for Reactive Dogs with Sarah Stremming

Ep 29: "All of It Belongs" and Embracing our Humanity with Christie Catan

Ep 28: Imposter Syndrome with Sarah Stremming