The Dog Who Asked for More: Dog Behavior, Enrichment, Nutrition & Life with Dogs

Emily Breslin | Dog Training, Behavior, Nutrition Coach and Retired Vet Tech
  • 4.9 (38)
  • PETS & ANIMALS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Dog behavior still confusing? Training not sticking? Does daily life with your dog feel more complicated than it should? The Dog Who Asked for More® is a podcast hosted by Em — dog trainer, retired vet tech, and Certified Professional Canine Nutritionist — offering honest, judgment-free conversations about behavior, enrichment, nutrition, and nervous system clarity. This is a space for nuance, lived experience, and making sense of what your dog may actually need — without shame, pressure, or one-size-fits-all answers. Start listening. No fixing required.

  1. 7H AGO

    Why Your Dog’s Behavior Feels Worse in Spring

    You were proud of your dog’s progress. And then suddenly… it feels like you’re back at square one. The barking is louder. Walks feel harder. Everything feels closer to the surface again. And that quiet voice shows up: Did I mess something up? Spring can do this to a lot of sensitive dogs. The world gets louder. Busier. More unpredictable. More smells, more sounds, more movement, more input. And when their nervous system is already full, even small things start spilling over. In this episode, Em talks about why reactivity often spikes this time of year, what’s really happening underneath those “setbacks,” and what changes when you stop pushing for progress and start protecting capacity instead. If spring has you feeling discouraged or burned out, this conversation will feel like a deep breath and a reminder that you’re not doing anything wrong. Free Resources & Support Dog Body Language Quiz Not sure what your dog’s behavior is communicating?Take the free quiz and get a resource matched to your results. 👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/dogbodylanguagequiz⁠ Free 15-Minute Clarity Call Feeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? Book a short call, and we’ll talk through what’s going on. 👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow⁠ PetMatRx Supplements We Trust Support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save. 👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm⁠ Email ⁠⁠thedogwhoaskedformore@gmail.com⁠⁠ to get in touch with Em New episodes of The Dog Who Asked for More release every Monday and Wednesday. This podcast explores life with dogs and life with pets through dog behavior, reactive dogs, dog anxiety, and real-life dog training challenges. It supports overwhelmed pet parents who want to better understand dog body language, communication, daily routines, and canine enrichment so dog life feels clearer and more manageable. Episodes focus on dog behavior while offering practical help and support, exploring common behavior patterns, and addressing real-life challenges many pet parents face — including experiences like dog barking, habits, obedience, and socialization — while also speaking to the emotional side of living with sensitive dogs and navigating lifestyle with dogs. Hosted by a canine nutritionist, dog nutrition coach, dog trainer, and retired vet tech, the show covers canine nutrition, dog nutrition, dog food and behavior, dog gut health, training challenges, training burnout, rescue dogs, dog grief, dog enrichment ideas, dog health, and dog myths — while exploring what it looks like to build a calmer, healthier life with your dog and strengthen the dog–human bond.

    7 min

  2. 3D AGO

    Why Your House Feels Tense With Your Dog (and How to Create Calm)

    Does your home ever feel tense… even when nothing is technically “wrong”? Like the air feels loud. Everyone’s on edge. Your dog is pacing, barking, or constantly watching the windows. And somehow you feel responsible for calming everything — all the time. A lot of overwhelmed dog parents live in this quiet, constant state of hypervigilance. Trying harder.Training more.Doing everything “right.” And still feeling like the house never fully settles. In this episode, Em talks honestly about what’s really happening inside homes like this — why more effort doesn’t always create calm, and how safety, predictability, and nervous system recovery often matter more than any new training plan. Because sometimes what everyone needs isn’t more structure. It’s less pressure. If life with your dog has started to feel emotionally exhausting, this conversation will feel like a deep exhale. Free Resources & Support Dog Body Language Quiz Not sure what your dog’s behavior is communicating?Take the free quiz and get a resource matched to your results. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/dogbodylanguagequiz Free 15-Minute Clarity Call Feeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? Book a short call, and we’ll talk through what’s going on. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow PetMatRx Supplements We Trust Support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm Email ⁠thedogwhoaskedformore@gmail.com⁠ to get in touch with Em New episodes of The Dog Who Asked for More release every Monday and Wednesday. This podcast explores life with dogs and life with pets through dog behavior, reactive dogs, dog anxiety, and real-life dog training challenges. It supports overwhelmed pet parents who want to better understand dog body language, communication, daily routines, and canine enrichment so dog life feels clearer and more manageable. Episodes focus on dog behavior while offering practical help and support, exploring common behavior patterns, and addressing real-life challenges many pet parents face — including experiences like dog barking, habits, obedience, and socialization — while also speaking to the emotional side of living with sensitive dogs and navigating lifestyle with dogs. Hosted by a canine nutritionist, dog nutrition coach, dog trainer, and retired vet tech, the show covers canine nutrition, dog nutrition, dog food and behavior, dog gut health, training challenges, training burnout, rescue dogs, dog grief, dog enrichment ideas, dog health, and dog myths — while exploring what it looks like to build a calmer, healthier life with your dog and strengthen the dog–human bond.

    6 min

  3. 5D AGO

    What Your Dog’s Behavior Is Trying to Tell You

    Have you ever felt like your dog is trying to tell you something… but you’re not sure what you’re missing? Like the barking, the restlessness, the shutdowns, the “too much” days aren’t random — but you can’t quite connect the dots? A lot of overwhelmed dog parents end up chasing solutions. More toys.More enrichment.More doing. And somehow it still doesn’t feel better. In this conversation, Em sits down with enrichment educator Tori Mistick to talk about what changes when we stop trying to fix behavior and start listening to it instead. Because behavior is often communication. And sometimes the smallest shifts — how we feed, how we move through the day, how much space we allow for rest — can support our dogs more than any new activity ever could. If you’ve been feeling stuck, confused, or like you’re missing something important, this episode will feel like slowing down beside someone who understands. Free Resources & Support Dog Body Language Quiz Not sure what your dog’s behavior is communicating?Take the free quiz and get a resource matched to your results. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/dogbodylanguagequiz Free 15-Minute Clarity Call Feeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? Book a short call and we’ll talk through what’s going on. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow PetMatRx Supplements We Trust Support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm Email em@thedogwhoaskedformore.com to get in touch with Em This podcast explores life with dogs and life with pets through dog behavior, reactive dogs, dog anxiety, and real-life dog training challenges. It supports overwhelmed pet parents who want to better understand dog body language, communication, daily routines, and canine enrichment so dog life feels clearer and more manageable. Episodes focus on dog behavior while offering practical help and support, exploring common behavior patterns, and addressing real-life challenges many pet parents face — including experiences like dog barking, habits, obedience, and socialization — while also speaking to the emotional side of living with sensitive dogs and navigating lifestyle with dogs. Hosted by a canine nutritionist, dog nutrition coach, dog trainer, and retired vet tech, the show covers canine nutrition, dog nutrition, dog food and behavior, dog gut health, training challenges, training burnout, rescue dogs, dog grief, dog enrichment ideas, dog health, and dog myths — while exploring what it looks like to build a calmer, healthier life with your dog and strengthen the dog–human bond.

    38 min

  4. MAR 2

    Why Your Dog’s Behavior Isn’t Improving (Even When You’re Trying)

    Have you ever felt like you’re trying everything… new routines, new enrichment, new ideas… and somehow you still end up in the same hard moments with your dog? The same tension. The same shutdowns. The same reactions. Like you’re working so hard — and nothing is actually changing. A lot of overwhelmed dog parents quietly blame themselves here. But most of the time it’s not a lack of effort. It’s that our dogs are communicating something we haven’t learned how to see yet — and they tend to say it the same way, over and over. In this episode, Em talks about the patterns that show up through repetition, what those “stuck” moments are often asking for underneath, and what changes when you slow down and start observing instead of trying another new method. If you’ve been feeling frustrated, tired, or like you’re missing something important, this conversation will feel like sitting beside someone who understands. Free Resources & Support Dog Body Language Quiz Not sure what your dog’s behavior is communicating? Take the free quiz and get a resource matched to your results. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/dogbodylanguagequiz Free 15-Minute Clarity Call Feeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? Book a short call and we’ll talk through what’s going on. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow PetMatRx Supplements We Trust Support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm Email ⁠thedogwhoaskedformore@gmail.com⁠ to get in touch with Em New episodes of The Dog Who Asked for More release every Monday and Wednesday. This podcast explores life with dogs and life with pets through dog behavior, reactive dogs, dog anxiety, and real-life dog training challenges. It supports overwhelmed pet parents who want to better understand dog body language, communication, daily routines, and canine enrichment so dog life feels clearer and more manageable. Episodes focus on dog behavior while offering practical help and support, exploring common behavior patterns, and addressing real-life challenges many pet parents face — including experiences like dog barking, habits, obedience, and socialization — while also speaking to the emotional side of living with sensitive dogs and navigating lifestyle with dogs. Hosted by a canine nutritionist, dog nutrition coach, dog trainer, and retired vet tech, the show covers canine nutrition, dog nutrition, dog food and behavior, dog gut health, training challenges, training burnout, rescue dogs, dog grief, dog enrichment ideas, dog health, and dog myths — while exploring what it looks like to build a calmer, healthier life with your dog and strengthen the dog–human bond.

    6 min

  5. FEB 27

    Why Walks Might Be Making Your Dog’s Behavior Worse (Not Better)

    What if your dog isn’t struggling on walks because they’re “reactive” — but because the walk itself feels overwhelming? A lot of us are told the same thing. More exposure. More practice. More reps. Just keep going and they’ll get used to it. But sometimes the opposite happens. The more we push, the more our dogs scan. Pull. Bark. Or shut down completely. And suddenly every walk feels heavier than the last. In this episode, Em talks about the walk structure she used with Fitz that quietly made everything worse — and what changed when she stopped trying to push through and started honoring his need for space and safety instead. Because sometimes what looks like “training” is actually stress stacking. And sometimes less really is more. If walks have started to feel tense or exhausting for both of you, this conversation will help you slow down and rethink what support actually looks like outside your front door. Free Resources & Support Free Enrichment Guide: Paws, Brains, and Fun Start here. This free guide introduces simple, low-pressure enrichment ideas to help your dog feel calmer, more fulfilled, and more connected in everyday life. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/enrichment-guide 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. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow PetMatRx Supplements We Trust Supplements that support gut health and daily wellness.Use code FITZ20 to save. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm Email ⁠thedogwhoaskedformore@gmail.com⁠ to get in touch with Em New episodes of The Dog Who Asked for More release every Monday and Wednesday. This podcast explores life with dogs and life with pets through dog behavior, reactive dogs, dog anxiety, and real-life dog training challenges. It supports overwhelmed pet parents who want to better understand dog body language, communication, daily routines, and canine enrichment so dog life feels clearer and more manageable. Episodes focus on dog behavior while offering practical help and support, exploring common behavior patterns, and addressing real-life challenges many pet parents face — including experiences like dog barking, habits, obedience, and socialization — while also speaking to the emotional side of living with sensitive dogs and navigating lifestyle with dogs. Hosted by a canine nutritionist, dog nutrition coach, dog trainer, and retired vet tech, the show covers canine nutrition, dog nutrition, dog food and behavior, dog gut health, training challenges, training burnout, rescue dogs, dog grief, dog enrichment ideas, dog health, and dog myths — while exploring what it looks like to build a calmer, healthier life with your dog and strengthen the dog–human bond.

    8 min

  6. FEB 25

    Why Your Dog Isn’t “Too Much” — They’re Overwhelmed

    What if your dog isn’t “too much” at all? What if they’re just overwhelmed… scared… or carrying more than they know how to handle? A lot of us quietly wonder if we’re failing our dogs. If we’re not cut out for this. If maybe everyone else got the “easy dog” and we didn’t. This episode shares Riley’s story — a dog with trauma, reactivity, and big feelings — and the human who chose to stay when things got hard. Because sometimes what looks like aggression is fear. What looks like stubbornness is stress. And what looks like “too much” is just a dog asking for safety in the only way they know how. Em talks honestly about shame, nervous system overwhelm, decompression, and what changes when we stop trying to fix our dogs and start listening to what they’re actually telling us. If you’ve ever felt like your dog is “too much” or like you’re not enough for them, this conversation will feel like sitting beside someone who understands. Free Resources & Support Dog Body Language Quiz Not sure what your dog’s behavior is communicating? Take the free quiz and get a resource matched to your results. 👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/dogbodylanguagequiz⁠ Free 15-Minute Clarity Call Feeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? Book a short call, and we’ll talk through what’s going on. 👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow⁠ PetMatRx Supplements We Trust Support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save. 👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm⁠ Email ⁠⁠thedogwhoaskedformore@gmail.com⁠⁠ to get in touch with Em New episodes of The Dog Who Asked for More release every Monday and Wednesday. This podcast explores life with dogs and life with pets through dog behavior, reactive dogs, dog anxiety, and real-life dog training challenges. It supports overwhelmed pet parents who want to better understand dog body language, communication, daily routines, and canine enrichment so dog life feels clearer and more manageable. Episodes focus on dog behavior while offering practical help and support, exploring common behavior patterns, and addressing real-life challenges many pet parents face — including experiences like dog barking, habits, obedience, and socialization — while also speaking to the emotional side of living with sensitive dogs and navigating lifestyle with dogs. Hosted by a canine nutritionist, dog nutrition coach, dog trainer, and retired vet tech, the show covers canine nutrition, dog nutrition, dog food and behavior, dog gut health, training challenges, training burnout, rescue dogs, dog grief, dog enrichment ideas, dog health, and dog myths — while exploring what it looks like to build a calmer, healthier life with your dog and strengthen the dog–human bond.

    27 min

  7. FEB 23

    Why the “Good Dog” Standard Makes Training Harder

    You love your dog. And still… some days it feels like they’re failing at being “the good one.” Like everyone else’s dog is easier. Calmer. Better behaved. And you’re left wondering what you’re doing wrong. A lot of dog parents carry this quiet pressure to have a “good dog” — the kind that listens, behaves, and fits neatly into other people’s expectations. But chasing that version can slowly chip away at the relationship you actually have. Because it stops being about connection. And starts being about comparison. In this episode, Em talks honestly about the guilt, grief, and pressure that come with trying to meet the “good dog” standard — and what changes when you let that go and start meeting the dog in front of you instead. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “Why can’t my dog just be normal?” this conversation will feel like a deep exhale. Free Resources & Support 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. 👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/feedingquiz⁠ 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. 👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow⁠ PetMatRx Supplements We Trust Supplements that support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save. 👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm⁠ Email ⁠⁠em@thedogwhoaskedformore.com⁠⁠ to get in touch with Em This podcast explores life with dogs and life with pets through dog behavior, reactive dogs, dog anxiety, and real-life dog training challenges. It supports overwhelmed pet parents who want to better understand dog body language, communication, daily routines, and canine enrichment so dog life feels clearer and more manageable. Episodes focus on dog behavior while offering practical help and support, exploring common behavior patterns, and addressing real-life challenges many pet parents face — including experiences like dog barking, habits, obedience, and socialization — while also speaking to the emotional side of living with sensitive dogs and navigating lifestyle with dogs. Hosted by a canine nutritionist, dog nutrition coach, dog trainer, and retired vet tech, the show covers canine nutrition, dog nutrition, dog food and behavior, dog gut health, training challenges, training burnout, rescue dogs, dog grief, dog enrichment ideas, dog health, and dog myths — while exploring what it looks like to build a calmer, healthier life with your dog and strengthen the dog–human bond.

    6 min

  8. FEB 20

    Why Too Much Enrichment Can Overstimulate Your Dog

    You bought the snuffle mats. The frozen Kongs. The puzzle toys. You’re rotating activities, trying new ideas, doing everything you’ve been told will “tire them out.” And somehow… your dog still feels wired. Or cranky. Or like they can’t settle. And now you feel guilty, like you’re still not doing enough. Enrichment is supposed to help. So why does it sometimes feel like pressure instead? In this episode, Em talks about what happens when enrichment quietly turns into output and performance — for both dogs and humans — and how “doing more” can accidentally add stress instead of relief. Because sometimes what our dogs need isn’t another activity. It’s less. Less stimulation.More safety.More rest. If enrichment has started to feel overwhelming or like one more thing you’re failing at, this conversation will help you slow down and rethink what support actually looks like for the dog in front of you. Free Resources & Support Free Enrichment Guide: Paws, Brains, and FunStart here. This free guide introduces simple, low-pressure enrichment ideas to help your dog feel calmer, more fulfilled, and more connected in everyday life. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmenrichmentebook 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. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow PetMatRx Supplements We Trust Supplements that support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save. 👉 https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm Email ⁠em@thedogwhoaskedformore.com to get in touch with Em This podcast explores life with dogs and life with pets through dog behavior, reactive dogs, dog anxiety, and real-life dog training challenges. It supports overwhelmed pet parents who want to better understand dog body language, communication, daily routines, and canine enrichment so dog life feels clearer and more manageable. Episodes focus on dog behavior while offering practical help and support, exploring common behavior patterns, and addressing real-life challenges many pet parents face — including experiences like dog barking, habits, obedience, and socialization — while also speaking to the emotional side of living with sensitive dogs and navigating lifestyle with dogs. Hosted by a canine nutritionist, dog nutrition coach, dog trainer, and retired vet tech, the show covers canine nutrition, dog nutrition, dog food and behavior, dog gut health, training challenges, training burnout, rescue dogs, dog grief, dog enrichment ideas, dog health, and dog myths — while exploring what it looks like to build a calmer, healthier life with your dog and strengthen the dog–human bond.

    5 min
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4.9
out of 5
38 Ratings

About

Dog behavior still confusing? Training not sticking? Does daily life with your dog feel more complicated than it should? The Dog Who Asked for More® is a podcast hosted by Em — dog trainer, retired vet tech, and Certified Professional Canine Nutritionist — offering honest, judgment-free conversations about behavior, enrichment, nutrition, and nervous system clarity. This is a space for nuance, lived experience, and making sense of what your dog may actually need — without shame, pressure, or one-size-fits-all answers. Start listening. No fixing required.

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