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Kids & Family

Enrichment for the Real World

You’ve dedicated your life to helping animals- just like us.

Emily Strong was training praying mantids at 7.

Allie Bender was telling her neighbor to refill their bird feeder because the birds were hungry at 2.

You’re an animal person; you get it.

We’ve always been animal people. We’ve been wanting to better animals’ lives since forever, so we made a podcast for people like us.

Join Emily and Allie, the authors of Canine Enrichment for the Real World, for everything animal care- from meeting animals’ needs to assessing goals to filling our own cups as caregivers and guardians.

Latest Episodes:

#86 - Q&A: Indoor Enrichment Activities Ideas Jul 22, 2024

Show notes

Can you believe that we're wrapping up Season 7? In this Q&A Episode, we're diving in and answering your excellent questions. In this episode, you'll hear Allie, Emily, and Ellen talk about:

Go to Enrichment Ideas for bad weather days
Cheap, apartment-friendly foraging activities
All things chewing

You can find the episode show notes here.

#85 - Building Safe Spaces for Humans Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

Last week we heard from Kassidi Jones and one of the topics we discussed was Antiracism in Animal Welfare. This week we dive further into Building Safe Spaces for Humans and the implementation with the animals in your life.

In this implementation episode, Emily and I talk about:

How humans are animals too
Safety vs. comfort
Implicit biases are a thing

You can find the full episode show notes here.

#84 - Kassidi Jones: Antiracism in Animal Welfare Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

In this week's interview episode, we're joined by Kassidi Jones. Kassidi is a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in African American Studies and English at Yale and the content creator behind the Instagram account @gingers_naps, which explores the relationship and history between Black Americans and animals.

In this episode, you’re going to hear Emily and Kassidi talk about:

Education is empowering
What on earth are ecopoetics?
Abolition in the 21st century
How we can do a better job of integrating multiple cultural views of animal care
How to find mentorship in antiracist work

You can find the full episode show notes here.

#83 - Enrichment for Shelters Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

Last week, we heard from Mara Velez, and one of the topics we discussed was how BEAR can help shelters. This week, we're going to dive further into enrichment for shelters and talk about implementation with the animals in your life.

In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about:

Emily's love language, which I don't love sometimes
Accepting a linear time frame and accepting that Kristina Spaulding can't go back 20 years to write her book and have made past me and Emily better shelter workers
The sad trombone that sometimes comes with rest as a primary strategy
A turtle tirade
Cross ties for lickimats

You can find the full episode show notes here.

#82 - Mara Velez: How BEAR Can Help Shelters Jun 24, 2024

Show notes

In this week's interview episode, we're so excited to have Mara Velez return to talk about the Shelter Playgroup Alliance's programs, and the newest addition, BEAR, Behavior & Enrichment Academy and Resources.

In this episode, you’re going to hear Emily and Mara talk about:

SPA’s programs, and how they all fit together
Cultivating company culture to promote success
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle
The difference between safety and comfort
The importance of mindfulness in teaching and learning

You can find the full episode show notes here.

#81 - How to do a Sound Preference Test Jun 17, 2024

Show notes

Last week we heard from Eileen Anderson, and one of the topics we discussed was understanding sound sensitivities and phobias. This week, we're going to dive further into how to do a sound preference test, and talk about implementation with the animals in your life.

In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about:

How dog snoring is the cutest, most heart meltiest sound
How Emily and I have accidentally taught relaxation through sound
Why the sleepy music stopped working

You can find the full episode show notes here.

#80 - Eileen Anderson: Understanding Sound Sensitivities & Phobias Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

In this week's interview episode, we're joined by Eileen Anderson. Eileen does an outstanding job of striving for accuracy while making space for personal experience and anecdotal evidence. Eileen brings expertise in music, sound and acoustics to the dog training world.

In this week's episode you'll hear Emily and Eileen talk about:

When it comes to sound sensitivity, volume isn’t everything
Ad hoc counterconditioning can be effective
Why Morgan Freeman is good for dogs
Stay ahead of the pain, stay ahead of the panic

You can find the full episode show notes here.

#79 - If It Can Have an Effect, It Can Have a Side Effect Jun 03, 2024

Show notes

Last week, we heard from Kim Rose and one of the topics we discussed was what behavior consulting can learn from nutrition. This week, we're going to dive further into if it can have an effect, it can have a side effect, and talk about implementation with the animals in your life.

In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about:

Relay racing and choosing violence
When you do too good of a job
How Allie's dog is a weirdo who creeps people out
A floofy fence fighter named Timothée
And an extinction burst for the ages

You can find the full episode show notes here.

#78 - Kim Rose: What Behavior Consulting Can Learn From Nutrition May 27, 2024

Show notes

In this week's interview episode, we're reaching beyond the animal care industry and speaking with Kim Rose, a dually certified diabetes care & education specialist and nutrition support clinician who blends evidenced-based practice with lived experience and cultural inclusivity. There is so much we can learn from other fields when it comes to care of our pets, ourselves, and our clients.

In this episode, you’re going to hear Emily and Kim talk about:

Fiber is magical
How to strike the balance between sustainability and efficacy
There are many paths up the data collection mountain
Nutrition, like behavior, is a study of one
Boundary setting for ourselves and our clients

You can find the full episode show notes here.

#77 - How to Evaluate Your Environment for Behavioral Impact May 20, 2024

Show notes

In this week's implementation episode, Allie and Emily dive further into evaluating your environment for behavioral impact and talk about implementation with the animals in your life.

In this episode, you'll hear Allie and Emily talk about:

How our pet's senses aren't necessarily better or worse, just different
Bunny bathroom habits
Big Boy Oso fitting under Allie's desk.

You can find the full episode show notes here.

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