The Dog Who Asked for More: Turning Dog Training Frustration Into a Deeper Relationship With Your Dog

Have you ever felt like no amount of dog training, routine changes, or behavior work was actually helping your dog feel better? A lot of dog parents are taught to see behavior problems as purely behavioral — reactivity, pacing, barking, hyperactivity, shutdowns, restlessness, or difficulty settling. But sometimes those behaviors are actually signs that a dog’s body is struggling underneath the sur...

Have you ever felt like no matter how much exercise, training, or activity you give your dog… they still seem restless, reactive, or impossible to fully settle? A lot of dog parents are told that high-energy dogs simply need more walks, more exercise, or stricter dog training. But for many dogs — especially working breeds and purpose-bred dogs — the real issue isn’t energy alone. It’s unmet instin...

Have you ever felt like no matter how much training, structure, or enrichment you tried, your dog still seemed overwhelmed, reactive, or impossible to fully settle? A lot of dog parents quietly believe that if they trained harder, stayed more consistent, or finally found the right method, their dog's behavior would improve. But sometimes the constant pressure to get it right pulls us further away...

Have you ever dreaded walking your dog in the winter… because every outing suddenly feels stressful, overstimulating, or impossible to manage? Winter can completely change how reactive or anxious dogs experience the world. Snow, ice, bundled-up strangers, shifting routines, loud boots, static shocks, reduced visibility, and unpredictable environments all add extra nervous system stress that many d...

Have you ever felt like reactive dog training was taking over your entire life… while everyone around you acted like your dog just needed “better behavior”? Living with a reactive dog can feel exhausting, isolating, and emotionally overwhelming — especially when you’re trying to navigate crowded neighborhoods, unpredictable environments, constant triggers, and advice that rarely reflects real life...

Have you ever switched your dog’s food over and over again… only to feel like their digestion, energy, skin, or behavior still wasn’t improving? Dog food has become incredibly confusing for pet parents. Between raw feeding fear, kibble marketing, ingredient labels, prescription diets, and constant online opinions, many people are left wondering whether they’re actually helping their dog — or accid...

Have you ever felt like your dog’s behavior changes out of nowhere… one second calm, the next completely overwhelmed? A lot of dog parents describe their dogs as “unpredictable” when they’re struggling with reactivity, anxiety, shutdowns, or emotional overload. But most dogs are communicating long before the barking, lunging, pacing, freezing, or withdrawal ever begins. The problem is that many of...

Dog hair in the laundry. On the couch. In your car. On clothes you just washed. Sometimes it feels like no matter how much you brush, sweep, or vacuum… it’s still everywhere. And it’s not just the mess. It’s the feeling that it’s never actually done. That you’re always one step behind it. In this episode of The Dog Who Asked for More, Em sits down with Scott Grillo to talk about one of those every...

You’re walking more. Doing more. Trying harder to help your dog settle. And somehow… your dog still feels wired. Restless. On edge. Harder to live with than it feels like they should be. It’s confusing when you’re doing everything you’ve been told — and it’s not making things calmer. It starts to feel like maybe you’re missing something. In this episode of The Dog Who Asked for More, Em shares wha...

Your dog starts doing things that feel… different. Pacing at night. Getting stuck in corners. Forgetting routines they’ve known for years. Or just not quite seeming like themselves. And you can’t tell if it’s normal aging… or something else. These changes are easy to second-guess. Easy to explain away. Easy to carry quietly while you wonder if you’re overthinking — or missing something important....

The house gets quieter. The visitors leave. And your routine with your dog shifts again. But now your dog’s behavior feels different. More restless. More sensitive. Harder to settle in ways that don’t quite make sense. It’s easy to wonder if something went wrong. If your dog is slipping backward. If your training isn’t working the way it should. But this shift doesn’t come out of nowhere. Busy sea...

For a long time, it felt like if you just followed the right rules, everything would settle. More structure. More consistency. More “doing it right.” But the harder you try to control everything, the heavier it starts to feel — for both you and your dog. In this episode of The Dog Who Asked for More, Em shares a personal story about the shift that changed things at home. Not a new method. Not a be...

Your dog is trying to tell you something. And you’re guessing. The pacing. The staring. The small behaviors that feel like questions… you don’t quite know how to answer. Sometimes it feels like you’re trying to understand a language no one ever taught you. And you’re doing your best anyway. In this episode of The Dog Who Asked for More, Em sits down with Alexis Devine — the human behind Bunny — to...

You love your dog. And some days… you still wonder why this feels so hard. Why everyone else seems to have the easy dog. Why walks feel heavier. Why you’re trying so hard and still feel behind. This is a quiet pressure a lot of dog parents carry. That if you just train better, try harder, follow the right advice… your dog will finally become the “good one.” And when that doesn’t happen, it’s easy...

Maybe they seem slower lately. Less enthusiastic. More hesitant in places they used to handle easily. Or maybe it’s quieter than that. Just a feeling that something isn’t quite right. Living and working alongside a service dog carries a kind of pressure most people don’t see. The timelines. The expectations. The need to keep moving forward. And sometimes, without realizing it… both of you end up c...

Does your family expect your dog to greet everyone, accept every hug, and enjoy every holiday gathering? For many dogs, the holidays are filled with loud voices, unfamiliar routines, crowded rooms, and constant activity. While people may see a celebration, your dog may experience stress, uncertainty, or fear. In this episode, I share personal stories about Fitz and Toby, the lessons they taught me...

Do you worry about muddy paws, sharp nails, and dog hair ruining your car every time you head out on an adventure? Many dog parents buy travel gear to keep their vehicle clean, only to discover that not all dog car seat covers are built to protect against the wear and tear that comes with real life. In this episode, I sit down with Jim Umloff, founder of 4Knines, to talk about how one frustrating...

What if the hardest part of dog ownership isn't training or behavior, but the costs no one prepares you for? When we bring a dog home, most of us budget for food, toys, and routine veterinary visits. What we don't expect are the long term expenses that can come with behavior challenges, medical conditions, specialist care, supplements, or emergencies. In this episode, I share my own experience tra...

Have you ever stood in the pet food aisle wondering if you can actually trust what's printed on the bag? For decades, dog food labels have made it difficult for pet parents to understand what they're really feeding their dogs. In this episode, I sit down with pet nutrition expert Daniel Schulof to discuss the biggest change to dog food labeling in more than 40 years and what the new Pet Nutrition...

Does your dog seem stressed before your holiday guests even arrive? Many dog parents focus on the doorbell, the visitors, or the noise, but for sensitive dogs, the stress often begins long before any of that happens. Changes in routine, extra cleaning, new smells, and shifts in your energy can all become signals that something big is coming. In this episode, you'll learn how these subtle changes,...

Have you ever wished your dog could simply tell you what they needed? Whether it's asking to go outside, letting you know they need help, or alerting someone during an emergency, communication is at the heart of every strong relationship with our dogs. In this episode, I sit down with Mark Condon, creator of the I Puppy smart communication button, to talk about the personal story behind the invent...

Have you ever looked at your dog's food bag and wondered if the ingredients are really as healthy as the marketing claims? When our dogs struggle with digestive issues or recurring health concerns, many of us assume buying a more expensive dog food is the answer. In this episode, I share Toby's journey with recurring pancreatitis and the lessons I learned after taking a closer look at dog nutritio...

Does your dog chew furniture, destroy toys in minutes, or never seem to settle no matter how much you exercise them? A lot of dog parents assume that's a training problem. What if it's not? In this episode, Em sits down with Adam and Chris, founders of SodaPup, to talk about the science behind durable enrichment products, why thoughtful design actually matters, and how the right outlets for chewin...

Do you feel guilty leaving your dog out of holiday celebrations? Many dog parents believe bringing their dog to every family gathering is part of being a good pet parent. But for many dogs, busy homes, unfamiliar guests, loud conversations, and disrupted routines create stress—not joy. In this episode, we explore why protecting your dog's peace can be one of the greatest gifts you give them during...

What if your rescue dog isn't being difficult—but trying to tell you something you haven't learned to hear yet? In this special Gotcha Day episode celebrating Toby's 12th year home, I sit down with rescue advocate and foster Tracy Foster Lane to talk about what second chances really look like. We explore fear, trust, dog body language, rescue misconceptions, and why healing isn't measured in days...