Pod to the Rescue

Latest Episodes:

Foster Dog Meets Resident Dog: How to Set Everyone Up for Success with Elisheba Fay Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

Bringing a new foster or adopted dog into your home is exciting—but when you already have a resident dog, the introduction process requires careful planning. In this episode, we chat with behavior consultant and friend of the pod Elisheba Fay, and dive into strategies for setting both dogs up for success, especially when working with foster or rescue dogs whose histories may be unknown.

We cover what to consider before bringing a new dog home, how to evaluate whether your current pet is ready for a new companion, and how to avoid common pitfalls during introductions.

Whether you're fostering, adopting, or just thinking about adding a second dog to your pack, this episode will help you approach multi-dog households with confidence and compassion.

🐶 In this episode, you’ll learn:

What skills your resident dog needs before bringing home a new dog
How to set up your home for a new foster dog
Why it’s important to go slow when introducing a new dog—even if your dog is friendly!
What’s normal and what’s not normal when integrating new dogs

🎙️ Connect With Us:

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for weekly behavior insights
Website: https://www.podtotherescue.com/
Elisheba Fay: https://www.artandscience.dog/
Emily Wolf, Brilliant Pup Behavior: https://www.brilliantpupbehavior.com/
Jenni Pfafman, Elevated Dog Training: https://www.elevateddogtraining.com/
Libby Felts, Bolder Dog and Bolder Dog Media: https://www.bolder.dog/

Puppy Biting Explained: Why It Happens and How to Help Your New Dog Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

Why is my puppy biting so much? This is a question we get a lot from fosters, adopters, and clients. We’re here to help! Puppy biting is normal, but you don’t have to become a chew toy for your new rescue puppy. In this episode, Emily, Jenni, and Libby discuss everything puppy biting: why puppies bite, how to prevent puppy biting, and how to train your puppy not to bite so much. (Hint: it’s all in the prevention!)

🐶 In this episode, you’ll learn:

Is it normal for puppies to bite a lot?

Our tips for dealing with puppy biting
Mouthy puppy management and prevention strategies
Our favorite toys for teething puppies
How to manage puppy biting with positive reinforcement
How long the puppy biting stage lasts, and when to call in help

🎙️ Connect With Us:

Website: https://www.podtotherescue.com/
Emily Wolf, Brilliant Pup Behavior: https://www.brilliantpupbehavior.com/
Jenni Pfafman, Elevated Dog Training: https://www.elevateddogtraining.com/
Libby Felts, Bolder Dog and Bolder Dog Media: https://www.bolder.dog/

Understanding Dog Reactivity with Renée Erdman May 20, 2025

Show notes

Dog reactivity is one of the most challenging behavior issues we face in dog rescue, but there is hope for reactive dogs! We’ve helped lots of reactive foster and rescue dogs over the years, and so has Renée Erdman of Bravo Dog Behavioral Health. In this episode, we sit down to talk about reactivity: what it is, what it isn’t, and how to help your dog.

🐶 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

What is reactivity in dogs?
How is it different from aggression in dogs?
Why we often label this as “leash reactivity”
How to help your dog’s underlying emotions that lead to reactive behavior
Which types of training don’t work

Why our dogs aren’t damaged — and that there is help for reactivity!

🐾 Links & Next Steps:

Follow Renée Erdman on Instagram and check out her website: https://www.bravodog.ca/

Enroll in Renée’s free body language and new dog adoption courses.

🎙️ Connect With Us:

Website: https://www.podtotherescue.com/
Emily Wolf, Brilliant Pup Behavior: https://www.brilliantpupbehavior.com/
Jenni Pfafman, Elevated Dog Training: https://www.elevateddogtraining.com/
Libby Felts, Bolder Dog and Bolder Dog Media: https://www.bolder.dog/

Raising a Rescue Puppy: Socialization, Training, and the Planet Dog Approach with Kathy Callahan May 06, 2025

Show notes

Raising a puppy can be one of the most fun and rewarding parts of dog rescue, fostering, and adoption, but it can also be one of the most challenging. We get it, and so does our guest, Kathy Callahan. Kathy has raised a lot of rescue puppies, and her latest book, Welcoming Your Puppy from Planet Dog, provides a life-changing framework for anyone bringing a puppy into their home — as well as practical tips for puppy training and socialization.

In this episode, we discuss Kathy’s background in dog and puppy rescue, how she became a dog trainer, and how she guides clients through the process of puppy training with empathy and understanding first.

🐶 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

What is Planet Dog, and why is it important to understand?
The role choice and control play in raising puppies
What is puppy socialization?
How the experiences of Planet Rescue Dog can shape our puppies
Why understanding your puppy’s body language matters
How to teach kids to interact appropriately with puppies
Some tips for the toughest puppy behaviors, like jumping, mouthing, and biting

🐾 Links & Next Steps:

Follow Kathy Callahan on ⁠Instagram⁠ and check out her website to learn more about her books and podcast: ⁠https://www.puppypicks.com/
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for weekly behavior insights

🎙️ Connect With Us:

Website: https://www.podtotherescue.com/
Emily Wolf, Brilliant Pup Behavior: https://www.brilliantpupbehavior.com/
Jenni Pfafman, Elevated Dog Training: https://www.elevateddogtraining.com/
Libby Felts, Bolder Dog and Bolder Dog Media: https://www.bolder.dog/

Resilient Rescue Dogs: Why Behavior Support Matters Most Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

What makes rescue dogs unique — and why do they sometimes struggle with behavior issues? In this episode of Pod to the Rescue, we explore the behavior of rescue dogs through a trauma-informed, science-based lens. In this season opener, hosts Emily, Jenni, and Libby discuss why we still have a lot to say about rescue dog behavior!

We break down why understanding dog behavior is essential for adopters, foster caregivers, and shelter and rescue professionals — and how rescue dog behavior is often influenced by genetics, early separation, trauma, and inconsistent environments.

If you're wondering “why is my rescue dog afraid?” or “how can I help my adopted dog settle in?”—this episode is for you. Learn the common challenges rescue dogs face and how to support your rescue dog’s behavior with empathy, knowledge, and practical tools.

🐶 In This Episode, You'll Learn:

What do we mean by "rescue dog" — and why that matters
Why dog behavior is the missing piece in many rescue organizations
How early trauma and stress affect a dog’s behavior long-term
How to support a newly adopted dog through behavior challenges
Why building resilience is key to helping a new rescue dog adjust — and how to do it!
Real-life examples from our rescue, our personal dogs, and tips from the field
Jenni’s “Resilience Unleashed” course, which uses Control Unleashed to help dogs build resilience

🐾 Links & Next Steps:

Check out Jenni’s “Resilience Unleashed” course and use PTTR2025 for 20% off: https://elevated-dog-training.newzenler.com/courses/resilience-unleashed
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for weekly behavior insights

🎙️ Connect With Us:

Website: https://www.podtotherescue.com/
Emily Wolf, Brilliant Pup Behavior: https://www.brilliantpupbehavior.com/
Jenni Pfafman, Elevated Dog Training: https://www.elevateddogtraining.com/
Libby Felts, Bolder Dog and Bolder Dog Media: https://www.bolder.dog/

Pod to the Rescue Season 5 Trailer Apr 17, 2025

Show notes

We’re back with Season 5 of Pod to the Rescue, the podcast for dog lovers, fosters, rescuers and adopters who want to understand and support their dogs better. This season, we’re diving into some of the most-requested dog behavior topics: how to help a reactive rescue dog, managing aggression between two dogs at home, and safely introducing a newly adopted dog to your cat.

As always, we approach these tough behavior issues with a rescue-focused lens and science-based dog training advice. Whether you’re a seasoned rescuer or a first-time foster, you’ll get expert insights and real-life stories to help you help your dog.

Join Emily, Libby, and new host Jenni for honest, practical conversations about canine behavior, rescue challenges, and what dogs need to thrive.

Season 4 Wrap and What's To Come May 30, 2024

Show notes

Season 4 Wrap and What’s to Come

Emily and Libby wrap this season with an exciting announcement, a rescue update from Summit Dog Rescue, a new co-host, and a glimpse of what’s to come in Season 5. Thank you so much for tuning in to this season of Pod To The Rescue, and we’ll see you soon!

For transcripts, visit www.podtotherescue.com

Credits: Libby Felts and Emily Wolf (Hosts and Creators). Original music by Mike Pesci. Production and editing by Alex Ammons of For the Love Media.

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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sdr7/support

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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sdr7/support

Canine Adolescence: Part 2 with Sarah Stremming Mar 21, 2024

Show notes

Canine Adolescence is the transition from puppyhood to adulthood. This fascinating conversation with Sarah Stremming, who is a dog behavior coach and the host of the Cog Dog Podcast, addresses this pivotal age of young dogs. Sarah, Emily, and Libby discuss adolescent canine behavior and how to most effectively observe and address behaviors to nurture confident, healthy dogs. This is the second part of their conversation, so make sure you listen to Part 1 before diving in here. The trio also discusses:

Breed-specific behaviors in adolescents and how they can express under stress
The top skills we need to teach adolescent dogs (or puppies moving into adolescence)
To speculate or not to speculate on your dog’s prior experience
What happens when you get to the other side of canine adolescence

Sarah is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant of nearly two decades, and has 25 years experience of competing in dog sports. You can find Sarah and her online courses at http://www.sarahstremming.com.

Your Dog's Friend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXYsg9X4m6E

Calm Canine Academy : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mcZ_HoxeSc

For transcripts, visit www.podtotherescue.com

Credits: Libby Felts and Emily Wolf (Hosts and Creators). Original music by Mike Pesci. Production and editing by Alex Ammons of For the Love Media.

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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sdr7/support

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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sdr7/support

Canine Adolescence: Part 1 with Sarah Stremming Mar 07, 2024

Show notes

How dogs’ responses to environments and caregivers can change during this transitional period
Some of the difficulties this transition period can create for adolescent dogs
How to best support the dog through these transitional changes
How we can work with dogs experiencing threat
Sarah’s approach to using food when a threat is present

Sarah is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant of nearly two decades, and has 25 years experience of competing in dog sports. You can find Sarah and her online courses at http://www.sarahstremming.com.

Your Dog's Friend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXYsg9X4m6E

Calm Canine Academy : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mcZ_HoxeSc

For transcripts, visit www.podtotherescue.com

Credits: Libby Felts and Emily Wolf (Hosts and Creators). Original music by Mike Pesci. Production and editing by Alex Ammons of For the Love Media.

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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sdr7/support

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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sdr7/support

REPLAY: Deconstructing Aggressive Behavior with Michael Shikashio Feb 22, 2024

Show notes

This is a replay of our 2021 interview with aggression expert Michael Shikashio.

We are thrilled to present today’s guest, Michael Shikashio. Michael is a world-renowned expert on dog aggression and has an incredible dearth of information he generously shares, which is helpful for owners, rescuers, and trainers alike.

In this conversation, Michael, Emily and Libby define aggression, discuss the ways aggression can present in different dogs (and the different levels of assessing their aggression), and so much more. Make sure to listen to the full episodes, as Michael drops important gems throughout the episode.

Michael is an internationally sought out speaker on the topic of aggression - has mentored and presented to thousands of animal professionals. He is the Founder of the Aggression in Dogs Master Course, teaches trainers and consultants in over 25 countries on how to work with aggression cases, and has been featured in countless media, including the New York Times, the New York Post, Web MD, and Women’s Health. Credits. Libby Felts and Emily Wolf (Hosts and Creators.) Original music by Mike Pesci. Graphic design, editing, and production by Alex Lee-Ammons and ⁠For The Love Media, LLC⁠.

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