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:

#46 - Dr. Micaela Young: When Medical Problems Become Behavioral Problems May 22, 2023

Show notes

In this week's episode, we are joined by Dr. Micaela Young. Dr. Young is both a veterinarian and Certified Professional Dog Trainer - Knowledge Assessed based in the Seattle area. Dr. Young does an incredible job of navigating the needs of all family members in the home and supporting the whole team.

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

Do you know how to identify chronic pain, or only acute pain?
Micaela’s list of how to identify less-obvious signs of pain
The gut-brain-skin axis
The new 4-letter F word

You can find the full show notes here.

#45 - Building Connection Through Touch May 15, 2023

Show notes

Last week we heard from Katie Sulzmann and one of the topics we discussed was animal massage. This week we’re going to dive further into building connection through touch and talk about implementation with the animals in your life.

In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about:

Touch consent tests
Oso’s itchy face
Copper’s owie knee

You can find the full show notes here.

#44 - Katie Sulzmann: The Benefits of Massage for Your Pet May 08, 2023

Show notes

In this week's episode, we are joined by Katie Sulzmann. Katie is a Nationally Certified Canine Massage Therapist, a Certified Veterinary Massage and Rehab Therapist, and is Fear Free Certified. You have probably heard Allie gush about Oso’s massage therapist before. Both Oso and Allie absolutely adore her and she’s helped him so much to maintain his mobility as he enters into his twilight years. So of course, we jumped at the chance to get her on our podcast! Allie always learns so much from her when she’s working on Oso and we're really excited for her to be able to share her knowledge and expertise with you as well!

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

Consent & agency in massage
The role of massage for overall wellness and enrichment
Massage for a bearded dragon

You can find the full show notes here.

#43 - Why Your Dog Training Isn't Working May 01, 2023

Show notes

Last week we heard from Dr. Kristina Spaulding and one of the topics we discussed was The Stress Factor in Dogs. This week we’re going to dive further into a common reason why folks say training isn’t working, which is providing a challenge that is well-matched to the animal’s skill set, and talk about implementation with the animals in your life.

In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about:

What grade schools and dog training have in common
How to provide the right kind of challenge for your pet
A dog who had to be taught how to eat off the floor

You can find the full show notes here.

#42 - Dr. Kristina Spaulding: The Stress Factor in Dogs Apr 24, 2023

Show notes

In this week's episode of Enrichment for the Real World, we are joined by Dr. Kristina Spaulding, author of The Stress Factor in Dogs: Unlocking Resiliency and Enhancing Well-Being. Stress and its effect on behavior is one of those topics that benefit everyone to know about. It’s such an integral part of understanding behavior and addressing needs of every individual! And Kristina talks about it in a way that is so down to Earth.

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

The difference between eustress, tolerable stress, and toxic stress
The 3 components of successful behavior therapies
Why agency is critical for dealing with stress
Working through frustration for resiliency

You can find the full show notes here.

#41 - How to Train Any Species Apr 17, 2023

Show notes

Last week we heard from Michelle Martiya and one of the topics we discussed was working with multiple species. This week we’re going to dive further into training a species other than dogs and talk about implementation with the animals in your life.

In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about:

A happy tarantula swinging its little legs
A coatimundi dropping from the trees
How rabbits just go away if they don’t want to work with you

You can find the full show notes here.

#40 - Michelle Martiya: The Benefits of Working with Multiple Species Apr 10, 2023

Show notes

To kick off Season 4 of Enrichment for the Real World, we are joined by Michelle Martiya, a certified exotic animal trainer from Boca Raton, FL. Michelle coaches people virtually in training their equids and exotic pets and specializes in working with fearful and feral equids, from those who have never been in contact with humans to those who have suffered trauma and abuse.

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

Zebras, servals, leopards, oh my
Horse enrichment
"Crate training" Kinkajous
It doesn’t always have to be a fight

You can find the full episode show notes here.

#39 - Q&A - Enrichment for Herding Dogs Jan 30, 2023

Show notes

As we wrap up Season 3, we are excited to bring you our first Q&A Episode! In this Q&A episode, you’re going to hear Emily, Ellen, and I answer your questions, including:

The biggest misunderstanding folks have about enrichment
Our go-to activities
The enrichment category we wish got more love
And, of course, the question we named this episode after, enrichment for herding breeds in urban and suburban environments

You can find the full show notes here.

#38 - Unlocking the Behavior Matrix: Part 2 Jan 22, 2023

Show notes

Last week Emily and Allie skimmed the surface of how learning and behavior work. This week we’re coming back for Part 2, focusing specifically on positive reinforcement and what that means for the pets in your life.

In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about:

What positive reinforcement is and isn’t, and why taking a prescriptive approach might be messing up your training
Toxic positivity
Trends, not moments

You can find the full show notes here.

#37 - Unlocking the Behavior Matrix: Part 1 Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

Last week we heard from Dr. Susan Friedman and one of the topics we discussed was observation. This week we’re going to dive further into some learning foundations and talk about implementation with the animals in your life.
And, because there’s like… a lot… of learning foundations, this is part 1 of part 2.
In this implementation episode, Emily and Allie talk about:

Why we’re better together
Why sometimes your dog barks at people and sometimes they don’t
How to better predict your pet’s behavior

You can find the full show notes here.

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