Enrichment for the Real World

Pet Harmony Animal Behavior and Training
  • 5.0 (51)
  • Pets & Animals
  • Updated Weekly

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. 

  1. 2d ago

    #188 - Behavior Advice You Couldn't Bring Yourself to Follow

    After years of having clients come to us, scared and worried we’re going to parrot advice that leaves their stomach in knots, we’re finally laying it all out there. And yes, it gets a little spicy. In this episode, Emily and Tiffany talk about bad dog training advice our clients have gotten that is just… not it. Whether it’s advice that hurts the relationship (like nothing in life is free, or alpha rolling), pushes you in the opposite direction of your goal (don’t greet your dog, take food from their bowl), or forces you to meet others’ expectations, not your pet’s needs (no sleeping in the bed, you must go through the door first), just because someone said it doesn’t mean you need to do it.  Emily and Tiffany walk you through how to spot when this advice isn’t actually for you, what to do when something doesn’t sit right, and how to collaborate to update the plan to something that is for and with your pet, not to them.  🐾 Want a plan that's actually for you and your pet? Our consultants build it with you, not at you. Work with a Pet Harmony Behavior Consultant. TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways  1️⃣ Advice that hurts your relationship — Alpha rolling, squirt bottles, and "nothing in life is free" turn you and your pet into opponents. You got a pet for the companionship, so if the advice makes things combative instead of collaborative, walk away. 2️⃣ Advice that pushes you away from your goal — Ignoring your dog when you get home or taking food from their bowl doesn't make them more secure. Some things do look worse before they get better, but a good pro tells you that up front and tells you how to get through it. 3️⃣ Advice that serves everyone but your pet — Going through the door first, keeping your dog off the furniture, no sleeping in the bed. If it doesn't work for you and your pet, you can skip it. For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here. Amazon Affiliate Storefront Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases. More from Pet Harmony Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips 📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro 📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/ Subscribe & Review If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

    #188 - Behavior Advice You Couldn't Bring Yourself to Follow

  2. Oct 7

    #187 - Dogtor Andy: Compassionate Veterinary Care

    In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Andrzej (Andy) Ogrodny, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM), also known online as Dogtor Andy. Dr. Andy is a board-certified small animal internal medicine specialist, with a knack for making complex medical topics approachable, digestible (pun intended), and accessible.  Dr. Andy and Emily dig into how "normal" lab work can still mean something's wrong for that particular animal, why trends matter more than snapshots, and why owner observations (even the ones that feel silly or unscientific) are some of the most valuable data a vet (or a behavior consultant) can get. TLDL (too long, didn’t listen):  1️⃣ "Normal" isn't the same for every animal – Ranges may tell you what’s “normal” for the population, but we need to know what’s typical for this individual. We need to look at trends rather than snapshots.  2️⃣ Your observations are data, not paranoia – Bringing in your own notes isn't being extra; it's advocacy. The “small” details often provide big insight to practitioners.  3️⃣ A second opinion isn't a betrayal of your regular vet – It’s just adding someone else to the care team. For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here. Amazon Affiliate Storefront Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases. More from Pet Harmony Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips 📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro 📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/ Subscribe & Review If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

    #187 - Dogtor Andy: Compassionate Veterinary Care

  3. Sep 30

    #186 - Your "Good Enough" Enrichment Plan

    If you’ve ever lay away at night running through the list of everything you didn’t do for your pet today… welcome to the club.  In this episode, Emily and Tiffany discuss why “enough” feels impossible, what “basic” care actually means, and how to build a plan that works on any day, even your hardest. If you’re ready to build a sustainable life with your pet, and even teach your pet to meet their own needs, rather than needing to do it for them, give this one a listen.  TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways  1️⃣ Meeting basic needs is enrichment, full stop  – Basic needs aren't just food, water, and shelter. Across all 14 welfare categories, if your animal's needs are being met, that's enrichment.  2️⃣ You're probably measuring yourself against an imaginary standard – Your baseline isn't a failure just because it's not utopia.  3️⃣ Set up your environment so your pet can meet some of their own needs – A prepped enrichment menu and a thoughtfully arranged space (a backyard sensory garden, a bed by a sunny window…) mean you don't have to be the sole source of enrichment on your hardest days.  For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here. Amazon Affiliate Storefront Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases. More from Pet Harmony Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips 📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro 📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/ Subscribe & Review If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

    #186 - Your "Good Enough" Enrichment Plan

  4. Sep 23

    #185 - Troubleshooting: Perfectionism's Worst Nightmare

    Last episode, Emily and Ellen talked about how perfectionism can keep you stuck waiting for the “right” time, circling the perfect plan. And when Plan A is the only plan you have, then every stumble feels like a catastrophe. In this episode, Allie and Emily talk about why troubleshooting is perfectionism’s worst nightmare. They explore why adjusting your plan isn’t failure, why finding what’s not working is exciting, and how embracing troubleshooting makes a big difference for pets and their people. TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways  1️⃣ Adjusting the plan is the plan – Behavior change requires iteration. Plan to troubleshoot. 2️⃣"Works for everyone" is a red flag – Everyone is a unique individual with unique needs, preferences, histories, and behavior.  3️⃣ One thing at a time – Change one thing at a time, document the outcomes, and adjust based on observations. For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here. Amazon Affiliate Storefront Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases. More from Pet Harmony Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips 📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro 📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/ Subscribe & Review If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

    #185 - Troubleshooting: Perfectionism's Worst Nightmare

  5. Sep 16

    #184 - Perfectionism is Your Enemy

    Perfectionism is a fickle little creature. It doesn’t always show up as striving for exact perfection. Sometimes, it’s the little bouts of waiting for the next “right” thing.  Waiting for winter when the streets are calm to work on leash skills.  Waiting until spring, when the weather is nicer because it’s too cold.  Waiting to find the “right” treat for the training session. The next “right” thing is usually just a short wait away, so why not wait for that “best” time?  In this episode, Emily and Ellen talk about how perfectionism has gotten in their way, how it shows up for their clients and mentees, and why we live by “good enough to get going.” If you’ve found yourself waiting for the “right” time, you may find this episode helpful. From two formerly “burned-out overachievers” to you. TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways  1️⃣ Perfectionism can be a hidden stalling tactic – Waiting for the perfect plan or moment doesn’t change anything. If you want change, you have to do. 2️⃣ “Perfect” doesn’t exist – You can spend a decade trying to make the “perfect” plan, and still, life is going to throw something at you that you never could have predicted.  3️⃣ Doing gets you information – The more information you have, the closer you can get to a robust, effective, “practically perfect” plan. You’ll still need to make adjustments, but it will be small tweaks instead of big changes. For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here. Amazon Affiliate Storefront Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases. More from Pet Harmony Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips 📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro 📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/ Subscribe & Review If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

    #184 - Perfectionism is Your Enemy

  6. Sep 9

    #183 - Beccy Hughes: There's No Wrong Way in Animal Care

    In this week’s episode, we’re joined by Pet Harmony’s newest consulting team member Beccy Hughes! With decades of animal care and training experience, Emily and Beccy talk about the wonderful, windy story behind Beccy’s skills. From college, to a career in marine mammal training, to finding herself struggling with pet conflict in her own home, to realizing she can help pet parents too, Beccy’s journey here highlights there’s no wrong way in animal care. Join Emily and Beccy for a discussion on learning when the path is anything but straight and narrow, how enrichment and a safe learning environment makes a world of difference for all living creatures, and why there’s no right way into animal care or to care for your animals. TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways  1️⃣ Learning is a cycle, not a checklist – Consuming without application and refinement means you aren’t learning new skills, you’re just downloading information.  2️⃣ Enrichment for… goats? – Enrichment is for everyone, including goats! Beccy talks about how providing an enriching environment it’s about stopping goats from being goats, rather giving them safe ways to goat.  3️⃣ A winding path helps more than you think – From sea lion shows to dog training, Beccy’s route wasn’t a straight line, and every stop along the way taught her something new. Her journey is exactly what makes her skillful now.  For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here. Amazon Affiliate Storefront Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases. More from Pet Harmony Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips 📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro 📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/ Subscribe & Review If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

    #183 - Beccy Hughes: There's No Wrong Way in Animal Care

  7. Sep 2

    #182 - What If You Used the Enrichment Framework on Yourself? 4 Real Stories

    Enrichment is just for pets. It’s for the humans too. It’s for pet parents trying to keep their cool while their dog parkours around the house or their cats who keep making biscuits on their chest at 3 in the morning. It’s for the pet professional who is building the multi-layer plan for a family going through one of the worst weeks of their lives, or welcoming home a new puppy who will send their routine into chaos.  In this episode, our PETPro mentors, Allie, Emily, Tiffany, and Ellen show that once you learn how to use the Pet Harmony Enrichment Framework for your pet, you can flip the script and use it for your own enrichment plan. From color-coded stress scales to caring for chronically ill bodies, you'll hear how the same framework we use for our pet’s welfare and wellbeing works just as well on burnout, chronic illness, and everyday overwhelm.  TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways  1️⃣ Humans have species-typical behavior too – From chewing, to walking, to sleeping, to social engagement, humans also have species-typical behaviors that we can work to bolster. 2️⃣ Competency takes practice, not innate talent – The four stages of learning unconscious incompetence → conscious incompetence → conscious competence → unconscious competence) apply to self-care too. 3️⃣ Small sustainable changes beat dramatic short-term overhauls – Start with one small thing at a time, and you may find bigger life changes at the end.  For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here. Amazon Affiliate Storefront Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases. More from Pet Harmony Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips 📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro 📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/ Subscribe & Review If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

    #182 - What If You Used the Enrichment Framework on Yourself? 4 Real Stories

  8. Aug 26

    #181 - Sneak Peek! What's New in the Pet Harmony Enrichment Framework

    It’s been seven years since Canine Enrichment for the Real World came out, and you know what, you learn a lot in 7 years. After teaching hundreds, if not thousands, of people how to use the Pet Harmony Enrichment Framework, Allie and Emily kept seeing the same breakdowns happen in the same places, and decided it was time to update the framework. Because when you know better, you do better.  Behind the scenes, with our PETPro members, we’ve been trialing and evaluating the update, and now, we’re releasing it into the wild.  In this episode, they walk through exactly what changed, why the framework isn't meant to be linear even though it has to be taught that way, and what it actually looks like to move through the updated steps.  TLDL (too long, didn’t listen): 3 Key Takeaways  1️⃣ A framework isn’t a checklist – Checklists are linear and tell you exactly what to do, they are “done, not done”. A framework is flexible and non-linear, allowing you to work through real life. 2️⃣ The Enrichment Framework isn’t just for “behavior problems” – It’s about creating an empowering environment for any living creature.  3️⃣ It works even when there isn’t a “problem” to solve – Allie walks through her plan for Oso, her aging senior dog, and how this framework crafts a plan that gives Oso dignity in his old age. For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here. Amazon Affiliate Storefront Find products we recommend at the Pet Harmony Amazon Storefront. As an Amazon Associate, Pet Harmony earns from qualifying purchases. More from Pet Harmony Pet Parents: enrichment ideas and practical behavior tips 📸 Instagram & Facebook: @petharmonytraining Pet Pros: relatable moments and support for your work with pets and their people 📸 Instagram & TikTok: @petharmonypro 📬 Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/ Subscribe & Review If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to subscribe and review. It helps more pet parents and pros find us. Thanks for being here! 💛

    #181 - Sneak Peek! What's New in the Pet Harmony Enrichment Framework
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About

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. 

Information

  • Creator
    Pet Harmony Animal Behavior and Training
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    189
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Enrichment for the Real World
  • Show Website
    Enrichment for the Real World

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