Are you tired of cookie-cutter dog training podcasts that don't actually help your struggling dog, and leave you feeling even more frustrated?
If you feel like you've tried everything and your dog is STILL reactive, anxious, or overwhelmed, this podcast is for you.
Named Sniffspot's #1 Dog Training Podcast and ranked in the top 3% of podcasts globally.
I'm Em. Former vet tech, dog trainer, and canine nutritionist. I went looking for a dog community that actually understood what this felt like, and kept finding gatekeeping, judgment, and people who'd decided their way was the only way. So I built the space I couldn't find.
Listen and you'll learn how to:
- Understand your dog's behavior without shame or guesswork
- Build a calmer, more connected relationship through training, nutrition, and enrichment
- Feel less alone in the burnout, grief, and quiet exhaustion of loving a dog who needs more
Solo episodes, guest conversations, and real stories, three times a week, covering the dog side (behavior, reactivity, nutrition, enrichment, body language) and the human side (grief, burnout, and what it costs and gives you to love a dog like this).
New here? Start with "What Your Reactive Dog Actually Needs Isn't What You've Been Told" (released Jan 12, 2026).
🎥 Full video episodes available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@thedogwhoaskedformore
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Every Dog Training Method You've Tried Skipped the Same Thing
Episode 201
Friday, June 5, 2026 • Duration 06:56
Have you ever felt like your dog understands something one day… and completely falls apart the next?
You practice.You repeat things.You try to stay patient and consistent.
And still your dog seems overwhelmed, reactive, distracted, or unable to settle once real life gets involved.
In this episode of The Dog Who Asked for More, Em shares the turning point she experienced with Fitz after realizing that more pressure, more corrections, and more training intensity weren’t helping him feel safer in the world — they were pushing him further into survival mode.
Because sometimes the issue isn’t that your dog “won’t listen.”
Sometimes their nervous system is too overwhelmed to learn.
This conversation explores why regulation matters so deeply in dog behavior, why reactive and anxious dogs often struggle to retain training, and what changes when we stop asking dogs to perform before they feel emotionally safe enough to process what’s happening around them.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
Why your dog may stop responding during training — especially in overwhelming or emotionally charged situations.
How stress and survival states affect learning, memory, and dog behavior in ways many people never realize.
Why nervous system regulation creates the foundation for successful dog training — particularly for sensitive, reactive, or easily overwhelmed dogs.
Because training can only land when the nervous system is actually available to receive it.
Hit play for a compassionate conversation about dog training, overwhelm, and the hidden reason some dogs struggle even when their people are trying so hard to help them.
Free Resources & Support
🐾 Help Us Hit the Road
We're raising money to take this podcast on the road — an RV, a microphone, and 20 years of experience coming to you. 👉https://tinyurl.com/fuelthepodcast
Shop What Em Uses with Fitz & Toby
Enrichment tools, nutrition support, and daily essentials — all in one place.
This podcast explores life with dogs, dog behavior, dog behavior problems, dog obedience, dog anxiety, reactive dogs, dog reactivity, and dog training. It's for the dog community navigating overwhelm, guilt, burnout, and self-doubt while struggling to keep up with a dog who asks for more. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog food, dog enrichment, dog body language, dog communication, emotional healing, self-trust, personal growth, and finding real relief in the connection you have with your dog. Whether you're raising a reactive dog, feeling discouraged, or simply trying to better understand your dog and yourself, this podcast helps you create a calmer life together and strengthen the bond that changes both of you. We're now building to take this conversation on the road, bringing honest support directly to dog parents around the world.
Some links may be affiliate links. If you choose to purchase, it helps support the podcast and the RV tour.
Why Losing This Kind of Dog Breaks You in a Way Losing Any Other Dog Never Did | Pet Loss Grief
Episode 200
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 • Duration 34:12
Losing your dog is hard.
But losing the dog who changed you feels like losing part of yourself.
In this episode of The Dog Who Asked for More, we’re talking about the kind of grief people don’t always understand — the grief that comes after a dog who shaped your routines, your identity, your healing, and the version of yourself you became because they were here.
Because when you’ve loved a dog who needed more from you, those relationships often become woven into everything:
your schedule, your decisions, your sense of safety, your daily life, and sometimes even your reason for continuing through hard seasons of your life.
And when they’re gone, it’s not just about missing your dog.
It’s about figuring out who you are without them here.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
Why losing certain dogs feels different — especially when they changed the course of your life in ways other people may never fully understand.
Why grief after losing a dog can feel so disorienting and identity-shifting — even long after the loss itself.
Why “moving on” often feels impossible after losing a soul-level relationship with a dog — and what it means to carry that love forward instead.
Because some dogs don’t just become part of your life. They become part of who you are.
Hit play to feel less alone in the kind of grief that happens when losing your dog feels like losing part of yourself too.
Why Some Dogs Never Fully Heal and What Happens When You Start Looking Deeper | Canine Nutrition
Episode 191
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 • Duration 29:34
You’ve changed the food. Worked on the behavior. Tried the supplements, the training, the routines… and somehow the same problems still keep coming back.
In this episode of The Dog Who Asked For More, Em sits down for a layered conversation about chronic gut issues, sensitivities, reactivity, nutrition, stress, and what happens when dog parents realize they may only be looking at one piece of a much bigger picture.
Because sometimes the hardest part isn’t that nothing is helping. It’s that every solution seems to help one thing while something else still feels unresolved.
This conversation explores the connection between dog behavior, nervous system stress, gut health, chronic inflammation, energy, and the emotional weight carried by dog parents trying to figure it all out. From food sensitivities and SIBO to Chinese medicine, bioenergetic testing, Reiki, and emotional regulation, Em and her guest talk about what changes when you stop looking for one isolated fix and start seeing the dog in front of you as a whole being.
You’ll learn:
Why some dogs continue struggling even when you’re “doing everything right”
How gut health, stress, behavior, and nervous system regulation can overlap in ways people often miss
Why understanding your individual dog matters more than forcing one universal solution
If you’ve ever felt exhausted trying to fix your dog while quietly wondering what you’re still missing, this episode will help you feel less alone — and may help you start seeing the bigger picture differently.
Free Resources & Support
Dog Food Label Decoder Quiz
There's a Whole Conversation Happening With Your Dog That You're Missing | Dog Training
Episode 102
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 • Duration 51:02
Here's the description, built around the general concept rather than centering the guest's specific story:
Dogs communicate constantly. Most of it just gets missed.
In this episode, Em talks with Melissa about her experience teaching her dog to communicate using talking buttons, what actually surprised her about what her dog chose to say, and what it reveals about how much dogs already understand and are trying to express, whether or not they ever touch a button.
You'll hear:
What it actually takes to teach a dog to use buttons meaningfully, and why it's more repetition than magic
The moments where a dog's word choice revealed something Em and Melissa hadn't understood before
Why this isn't about every dog needing buttons, but about how much communication is already happening that most people miss
Press play if you've ever wondered what your dog would say if they actually could.
Use code Tilda at FluentPet.com to save on button kits.
Free Enrichment Guide
Simple, low-pressure enrichment ideas to help your dog feel calmer and more fulfilled.
We're raising money to take this podcast on the road — an RV, a microphone, and 20 years of experience coming to you.
👉
Dogs Get Called 'Too Much' All the Time. Almost Never for the Real Reason | Dog Behavior
Episode 101
Monday, September 8, 2025 • Duration 06:15
There's a label people reach for constantly: too much, a lot, reactive, difficult. It feels accurate in the moment. It's usually incomplete.
Em shares the exact moment she realized Fitz wasn't being difficult, he was in distress, and she'd been missing it for months. She walks through what changed once she stopped asking "how do I get him to stop this" and started asking "what is he trying to say," and what it actually looks like to support a dog's nervous system instead of just managing their behavior.
You'll hear:
The specific moment Em realized Fitz's "big energy" was actually overwhelm, not defiance
Why more structure and more exercise made things worse instead of better
What changed once she shifted from control to communication
Press play if you've ever labeled your dog as "a lot" and wondered if there was something underneath it you were missing.
Free Enrichment Guide
Simple, low-pressure enrichment ideas to help your dog feel calmer and more fulfilled.
Why Most Dog Training Advice Is Old Mythology Wearing a New Face
Episode 100
Wednesday, September 3, 2025 • Duration 42:13
Good instinct — makes sense to avoid naming Chewy or specific brands directly. Here's the description, staying general and pulling from the transcript's real themes (Barbara Woodhouse, the "energy" myth, the shock collar phone calls) without naming brands or people who could take issue with how it's framed:
Why does the same bad dog training advice keep coming back with a new face every generation?
Decades ago, it was one famous name on TV telling people to dominate their dogs into submission. Today it's a different famous name saying the same thing with better lighting and a new vocabulary: energy, dominance, control. The names change. The myths don't.
In this episode, Em sits down with Annie Grossman, a dog trainer and author whose own research took her deep into where a lot of these ideas actually come from, including some unsettling phone calls to major retailers about shock collars, and just how little real science backs up what's still being taught as common sense.
You'll hear:
Why the same recycled training myths keep resurfacing under new names and new platforms
What the real science of dog behavior actually says, and how different it is from what most people have absorbed
Why you don't need to be a "dog whisperer" or have some special gift to have a great relationship with your dog
Press play if you've ever felt like you can't tell which dog training advice is actually worth trusting.
🐾 Help Us Hit the Road
We're raising money to take this podcast on the road — an RV, a microphone, and 20 years of experience coming to you.
At Some Point, 'Fixing' Your Dog Replaced Just Enjoying Them. | Dog Training Burnout
Episode 99
Monday, September 1, 2025 • Duration 07:02
Have you ever felt like you're doing everything right with your dog and somehow things still aren't getting better?
Many dog parents throw themselves into training, follow every recommendation, watch every video, and try every tool they can find. But when your dog is still struggling—and you're still feeling overwhelmed—it can start to feel like you're the problem.
In this honest solo episode, I share one of the hardest parts of life with a reactive dog: the moment when you're trying your absolute best and it still doesn't feel like enough. We talk about dog training burnout, reactive dogs, overwhelm, self criticism, and the pressure so many pet parents carry when progress doesn't look the way they expected.
In This Episode, You'll Hear:
Why following every dog training protocol doesn't always create the results you're hoping for—and why that doesn't mean you're failing.
How dog training burnout, guilt, and second guessing can quietly damage your confidence and your relationship with your dog.
Why trust, emotional regulation, and connection often matter more than perfect obedience when you're living with a reactive dog.
If you've ever sat in your car after a difficult walk, questioned whether you're doing enough, or felt emotionally exhausted by your dog's behavior struggles, this episode is a reminder that you're not alone—and that there may be a different path forward.
Listen now for a compassionate conversation about reactive dogs, dog training struggles, emotional resilience, self compassion, trust building, dog behavior, overwhelm, and what happens when you stop chasing perfection and start focusing on what your dog actually needs. 🐾💜
Dog Nutrition Quiz
Not sure if what you’re feeding is actually supporting your dog? Take the free quiz and get access to the Mini Bowl Blueprint
For Some Shelter Dogs, Survival Depends on What State They're In | Rescue Dog
Episode 98
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 • Duration 39:34
Have you ever wondered what actually happens after a dog leaves an overcrowded shelter?
Every year, shelters across the United States struggle with overcrowding, limited resources, and difficult decisions. But behind many successful adoptions is an entire network of people working tirelessly to give animals a second chance.
In this episode, I sit down with Michael Schneider, founder of Pilots To The Rescue, a nonprofit organization that uses aviation to transport at-risk dogs and cats from overcrowded shelters to rescue partners and adoption centers across the country. Over the last decade, Michael and his team have helped save thousands of animals by connecting shelters in crisis with communities ready to welcome them.
In This Episode, You'll Hear:
How Pilots To The Rescue transports dogs, cats, and other animals from overcrowded shelters to safety—and what it takes to coordinate these lifesaving missions.
Why animal transport plays such a critical role in reducing shelter overcrowding and helping adoptable dogs find homes.
How combining passion, purpose, and service can create meaningful impact for animals, shelters, and communities alike.
Whether you're passionate about animal rescue, dog adoption, shelter advocacy, or simply love hearing stories about people making a difference, this conversation offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the most unique rescue organizations in the country.
Listen now for an inspiring conversation about animal rescue, dog adoption, shelter overcrowding, purpose, compassion, community, transportation for rescue animals, and how one pilot turned a love of flying into a mission that has changed thousands of lives. 🐾✈️💜
Dog Nutrition Quiz
Not sure if what you’re feeding is actually supporting your dog?Take the free quiz and get access to the Mini Bowl Blueprint
Your Reactive Dog Isn't Getting Worse. They're Finally Telling You the Truth | Dog Training
Episode 97
Monday, August 25, 2025 • Duration 08:07
Have you ever felt like you're doing everything right with your reactive dog, but nothing seems to be working?
You follow the advice. You buy the equipment. You practice the training exercises. And somehow, your dog still struggles. It's frustrating, discouraging, and can leave you wondering if you're failing your dog.
In this solo episode, I'm sharing the three biggest lessons I wish I had learned sooner during my journey with Fitz. Because looking back, the problem wasn't that I wasn't trying hard enough. The problem was that I was focusing on the wrong things. We talk about reactive dogs, dog training, emotional regulation, trust building, and why progress often looks very different than we expect.
In This Episode, You'll Hear:
Why daily walks aren't always the best solution for reactive dogs, anxious dogs, or dogs who become easily overwhelmed.
How to recognize the difference between true setbacks and the messy middle that often comes with real progress.
Why emotional regulation and feelings of safety matter more than obedience when it comes to lasting behavior change.
If you've ever felt defeated, discouraged, or like your dog training isn't working, this episode is a reminder that reactivity isn't a reflection of your worth as a dog parent. Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs happen when you stop chasing perfect behavior and start building trust.
Listen now for an honest conversation about reactive dogs, dog training, dog behavior, dog anxiety, emotional regulation, trust building, life with a reactive dog, and what happens when you learn to see behavior as communication instead of a problem to fix. 🐾💜
Dog Nutrition Quiz
Not sure if what you’re feeding is actually supporting your dog?Take the free quiz and get access to the Mini Bowl Blueprint
GPS Fencing, AI Coaching, and Real Time Tracking: The Future of Dog Safety | Dog Training
Episode 96
Wednesday, August 20, 2025 • Duration 48:15
Have you ever worried about what would happen if your dog got loose?
Whether you have a reactive dog, an adventurous dog, a service dog, or simply a dog who loves to explore, the thought of losing them can be one of the biggest fears dog parents carry. As technology continues to evolve, new tools are changing the way we think about dog safety, dog training, and staying connected to our dogs.
In this episode, I'm joined by the team from SATELLAI for a conversation about GPS tracking, virtual fencing, activity monitoring, dog behavior, and the future of canine technology. We explore how these tools can help dog parents better understand their dogs, support training goals, and create more peace of mind without replacing the trust and relationship that matter most.
In This Episode, You'll Hear:
How GPS tracking and virtual fencing can help keep your dog safe at home and on adventures.
What activity monitoring and AI-powered insights can reveal about your dog's health, behavior, and daily routines.
How technology can support dog training, recall, and confidence while strengthening your partnership with your dog.
If you've ever felt anxious about your dog getting loose, struggled with recall training, or wanted more insight into your dog's behavior and wellbeing, this episode offers a fascinating look at what's possible.
Listen now for an honest conversation about dog safety, dog training, recall, dog behavior, service dogs, reactive dogs, trust building, companionship, and the tools helping dog parents feel more connected to their dogs than ever before. 🐾💜
Sponsored by SATELLAI
Use code DOGTALK to save $25 on your SATELLAI collar at satellai.com
(P.S. It’s sometimes stackable with other promos—so give it a shot!)
Free Resources & Support
Shop What I Use with Fitz & Toby
Everything I talk about — enrichment tools, nutrition support, and daily essentials — is in one place.
This podcast explores life with dogs, dog behavior, dog behavior problems, dog obedience, dog anxiety, reactive dogs, dog reactivity, and dog training. It's for the dog community navigating overwhelm, guilt, burnout, and self-doubt while struggling to keep up with a dog who asks for more. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog food, dog enrichment, dog body language, dog communication, emotional healing, self-trust, personal growth, and finding real relief in the connection you have with your dog. Whether you're raising a reactive dog, feeling discouraged, or simply trying to better understand your dog and yourself, this podcast helps you create a calmer life together and strengthen the bond that changes both of you. We're now building to take this conversation on the road, bringing honest support directly to dog parents around the world.
Some links may be affiliate links. If you choose to purchase, it helps support the podcast and the RV tour.
Understand what actually matters on pet food labels — and where to start.
This podcast explores life with dogs, dog behavior, dog behavior problems, dog obedience, dog anxiety, reactive dogs, dog reactivity, and dog training. It's for the dog community navigating overwhelm, guilt, burnout, and self-doubt while struggling to keep up with a dog who asks for more. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog food, dog enrichment, dog body language, dog communication, emotional healing, self-trust, personal growth, and finding real relief in the connection you have with your dog. Whether you're raising a reactive dog, feeling discouraged, or simply trying to better understand your dog and yourself, this podcast helps you create a calmer life together and strengthen the bond that changes both of you. We're now building to take this conversation on the road, bringing honest support directly to dog parents around the world.
Some links may be affiliate links. If you choose to purchase, it helps support the podcast and the RV tour.
This podcast explores life with dogs, dog behavior, dog behavior problems, dog obedience, dog anxiety, reactive dogs, dog reactivity, and dog training. It's for the dog community navigating overwhelm, guilt, burnout, and self-doubt while struggling to keep up with a dog who asks for more. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog food, dog enrichment, dog body language, dog communication, emotional healing, self-trust, personal growth, and finding real relief in the connection you have with your dog. Whether you're raising a reactive dog, feeling discouraged, or simply trying to better understand your dog and yourself, this podcast helps you create a calmer life together and strengthen the bond that changes both of you. We're now building to take this conversation on the road, bringing honest support directly to dog parents around the world.
Some links may be affiliate links. If you choose to purchase, it helps support the podcast and the RV tour.
Enrichment tools, nutrition support, and daily essentials — all in one place.
This podcast explores life with dogs, dog behavior, dog behavior problems, dog obedience, dog anxiety, reactive dogs, dog reactivity, and dog training. It's for the dog community navigating overwhelm, guilt, burnout, and self-doubt while struggling to keep up with a dog who asks for more. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog food, dog enrichment, dog body language, dog communication, emotional healing, self-trust, personal growth, and finding real relief in the connection you have with your dog. Whether you're raising a reactive dog, feeling discouraged, or simply trying to better understand your dog and yourself, this podcast helps you create a calmer life together and strengthen the bond that changes both of you. We're now building to take this conversation on the road, bringing honest support directly to dog parents around the world.
Some links may be affiliate links. If you choose to purchase, it helps support the podcast and the RV tour.
Shop What Em Uses with Fitz & Toby
Enrichment tools, nutrition support, and daily essentials — all in one place.
This podcast explores life with dogs — including dog behavior, dog anxiety, reactive dogs, dog reactivity, dog training, and the relationship with your dog. It's for dog parents navigating overwhelm, chronic stress, burnout recovery, and the challenges of life with a dog who asks for more. Episodes cover dog nutrition, canine nutrition, pet nutrition, dog food, dog enrichment, dog body language, dog communication, emotional healing, healing with dogs, self-trust, personal growth, and building a deeper connection with your dog. Whether you're raising a reactive dog, feeling discouraged, or simply trying to better understand your dog and yourself, this podcast helps you create a calmer life together and strengthen the bond that changes both of you. We're now taking this conversation on the road, bringing honest support directly to dog parents across the country.
Some links may be affiliate links. If you choose to purchase, it helps support the podcast and the RV tour.
Free 15-Minute Clarity Call
Feeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? We’ll talk through what’s going on and find the next step together.
This podcast explores real life with dogs — including dog behavior, reactivity, dog anxiety, stress in dogs, fearful dogs, and everyday training challenges. It’s for dog parents who are overwhelmed navigating life with dogs and want a clearer understanding of their dog, practical support, and a stronger bond while creating a calmer daily life with their dogs. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog body language, dog communication, dog food and behavior, gut health, dog wellness, enrichment for dogs, dog enrichment activities, routines, dog lifestyle, and regulation — so life with your dog can feel calmer, more manageable, and more sustainable. Hosted by a dog trainer, canine nutrition coach, and retired vet tech, the show blends training, nutrition, and enrichment to support and bond with sensitive, anxious, pure-bred, and rescue dogs at home and in real life.
Affiliate links support the podcast and help fuel the RV dream 💛
Free 15-Minute Clarity Call
Feeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? We’ll talk through what’s going on and find the next step together.
This podcast explores real life with dogs — including dog behavior, reactivity, dog anxiety, stress in dogs, fearful dogs, and everyday training challenges. It’s for dog parents who are overwhelmed navigating life with dogs and want a clearer understanding of their dog, practical support, and a stronger bond while creating a calmer daily life with their dogs. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog body language, dog communication, dog food and behavior, gut health, dog wellness, enrichment for dogs, dog enrichment activities, routines, dog lifestyle, and regulation — so life with your dog can feel calmer, more manageable, and more sustainable. Hosted by a dog trainer, canine nutrition coach, and retired vet tech, the show blends training, nutrition, and enrichment to support and bond with sensitive, anxious, pure-bred, and rescue dogs at home and in real life.
Affiliate links support the podcast and help fuel the RV dream 💛
Free 15-Minute Clarity Call
Feeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? We’ll talk through what’s going on and find the next step together.
This podcast explores real life with dogs — including dog behavior, reactivity, dog anxiety, stress in dogs, fearful dogs, and everyday training challenges. It’s for dog parents who are overwhelmed navigating life with dogs and want a clearer understanding of their dog, practical support, and a stronger bond while creating a calmer daily life with their dogs. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog body language, dog communication, dog food and behavior, gut health, dog wellness, enrichment for dogs, dog enrichment activities, routines, dog lifestyle, and regulation — so life with your dog can feel calmer, more manageable, and more sustainable. Hosted by a dog trainer, canine nutrition coach, and retired vet tech, the show blends training, nutrition, and enrichment to support and bond with sensitive, anxious, pure-bred, and rescue dogs at home and in real life.
Affiliate links support the podcast and help fuel the RV dream 💛
Dog Nutrition Quiz
Not sure if what you’re feeding is actually supporting your dog?Take the free quiz and get access to the Mini Bowl Blueprint
This podcast explores real life with dogs — including dog behavior, reactivity, dog anxiety, stress in dogs, fearful dogs, and everyday training challenges. It’s for dog parents who are overwhelmed navigating life with dogs and want a clearer understanding of their dog, practical support, and a stronger bond while creating a calmer daily life with their dogs. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog body language, dog communication, dog food and behavior, gut health, dog wellness, enrichment for dogs, dog enrichment activities, routines, dog lifestyle, and regulation — so life with your dog can feel calmer, more manageable, and more sustainable. Hosted by a dog trainer, canine nutrition coach, and retired vet tech, the show blends training, nutrition, and enrichment to support and bond with sensitive, anxious, pure-bred, and rescue dogs at home and in real life.
Affiliate links support the podcast and help fuel the RV dream 💛
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