#150 - If You Aren’t Doing It, It's Not Doable

#150 - If You Aren’t Doing It, It's Not Doable

Author: Pet Harmony Animal Behavior and Training January 19, 2026 Duration: 57:30
Hi, do you keep telling yourself, “I know what to do, I just need to actually do it?” Welcome. In this episode, Emily and Tiffany unpack a hard (and oddly relieving) truth: when something isn’t happening, it’s usually a design problem, not a motivation problem. More effort, more discipline, or more information won’t fix a plan that doesn’t fit real life. From nail trims and walks to client plans, business routines, and professional growth, Emily and Tiffany talk about why you shouldn’t ...

Ever since she was seven years old, Emily Strong was figuring out how to train praying mantids, while her co-host Allie Bender was advocating for hungry birds at her neighbor's feeder by age two. If that kind of deep-seated drive to connect with animals sounds familiar, then you're exactly who they're talking to. Enrichment for the Real World is a conversation between these two lifelong animal people, brought to you by Pet Harmony Animal Behavior and Training. They built this podcast for anyone who has ever felt that innate pull to improve the lives of the creatures in their care, whether they're family pets, classroom companions, or rescue animals. In each episode, Emily and Allie, the authors behind "Canine Enrichment for the Real World," move beyond theory to discuss practical, actionable strategies. You'll hear them break down the real-world applications of enrichment and behavior science, making it accessible for families, pet owners, and animal enthusiasts of all ages. The discussions are grounded in experience and empathy, focusing on creating deeper understanding and healthier relationships between humans and animals. Tune in for thoughtful, often humorous, and always compassionate guidance that helps you apply these concepts in your daily life, making the well-being of animals a natural and integrated part of your world.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Enrichment for the Real World
Podcast Episodes
#170 - Q&A: How to Multi-Pet Household [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:34
In this Q&A episode, Allie, Emily, and Ellen tackle the questions they hear most often from clients, mentees, and the internet: Should I get another pet? How do I treat my pets fairly when they all need different things?…
#169 - Kiki Yablon: Why Your Dog Won’t Settle When You’re Busy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:50:11
This week we’re joined by Kiki Yablon, behavior analyst, dog trainer, KPA faculty member, and general bad a**. Kiki’s incredible skills of observation, communication, and implementation are honestly inspiring. If you’ve…
#168 - Stop Waiting to Know the Right Thing. Here's How to Decide [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:18
You know that feeling where you're staring at what feels like a total dumpster fire, and you’re just… frozen? It’s not because you don't care or because you don't know anything. It’s because you're waiting to feel certai…
#167 - Are You Designing Plans for Your Dog... or for Your Anxiety? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:41
Hey, hi, hello. Do you also fall into the pet parent spiral? Worrying that you aren’t a good pet parent, that your dog is suffering, and that you aren’t doing enough. After a two-hour planning session, you have a color-c…
#166 - Your Dog is Not Symptom Spreadsheet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:41
Do you ever feel like you and your dog are on the Hot Mess Express together? The challenges just keep coming: leash reactivity, resource guarding, body-handling sensitivities, gut issues, sleep disruption all at once, an…
#165 - Juliana DeWillems: Set Your Dog Up to Succeed (Without Guilt) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:29
Management is one of the most underused and misunderstood tools in dog training. KPA CTP and author Juliana DeWillems (she/her) joins Emily to reframe management (aka antecedent arrangement) not as a shortcut or bandaid,…
#164 - When Management Turns into Micromanagement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:34
Is your dog’s management plan starting to feel more like a full-time job than a support system? In this episode, Emily and Tiffany break down the critical differences between strategic management and exhausting micromana…
#163 - Fears from Pets Past [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:59
Have you ever found yourself bracing for a repeat of everything that went wrong with a previous pet? In this episode, Emily and Veronica get real about how our experiences with past pets shape how we show up for the anim…
#162 - Choice, Control, Agency, and Predictability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:11
You've heard the buzzwords: agency, choice, control, predictability. But if you've ever tried to implement all of them at once and you know it can feel like trying to juggle 100 balls. Emily and Allie break down why agen…
#161 - The Difference Between Safety and Security [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:27
Have you ever watched your dog happily bolt toward a car, completely unbothered, while another dog trembles in a loving, calm home? Both dogs are caught in the gap between being safe and feeling safe, and it turns out th…