Paws & Reward Podcast

In episode 65, Marissa Martino and Kathy Sdao talk about a necessary topic for pet parents and pet professionals: listening. Some questions that are addressed during the episode include:

• What are the three levels of listening?
• Why is silence so important?
• How could our own best intentions be getting in the way of truly listening?
• When should we educate -vs- empathize? Can we do both?

Kathy Sdao, she/her, is the owner of Bright Spot Dog Training in Tacoma, WA. She is one of the original faculty members of the Karen Pryor Academy ClickerExpo. She has trained animal actors, written for The Clicker Journal and the Seattle Times, consulted with Guide Dogs for the Blind and with Susquehanna Service Dogs.

Kathy has taught more than 300 seminars, workshops, conference presentations & webinars, enjoying these opportunities to share her passion for the incredible power of positive-reinforcement training, confirmed over decades of working with dozens of species.

In episode 64, Marissa Martino speaks with Naomi Rotenberg about resolving conflicts between your dog and cat. Some questions that are addressed during the episode include

• What expectations do we have for our pets that may or may not be realistic? How can we adjust our expectations?
• Does the environment factor into behavior issues?
• Can we find solutions for a more harmonious household
• How can we address all of our pet’s needs without drastically changing our homes and lives? 

Naomi Rotenberg, she/her, is the owner of Praiseworthy Pets and focuses on the cat-dog interspecies relationship. She helps pet clients all over the world enjoy a household where cats and dogs coexist safely and peacefully. She also provides coaching for other pet professionals who want another pair of eyes on their cat-dog cases.

In episode 63, Marissa and Lisa Mullinax discuss their risk assessment methods both for animal shelters and their private practices. Determining whether a dog will be at risk of doing harm to another can be a difficult process and one that needs a compassionate, nuanced, and multi-tiered approach. Their risk assessment perspective gives them a comprehensive look at the dog’s environment and the many factors that can affect their behavior. Join them as they discuss the many factors they consider when assessing risk in dogs. 

On episode 62, Belinda Breen, a dog behavior professional currently earning her doctorate in clinical psychology, and Marissa Martino talk about an important topic: grief. It shows up in so many different ways in our relationships with our dogs and therefore it’s important that we shine a gentle light on it. 

Whether we are saying goodbye to a beloved pet, making a hard rehoming decision, or letting go of how we thought life would be with our dog, we discover there’s an abundance of grief when opening our heart to another living creature. 

They discuss the five stages of grief, why community is important during this process, and how to show up for others going through a difficult time.

In episode 61 of the Paws & Reward Podcast, Marissa is joined by her clients and colleagues, Kelly Ferber, Tiffany Chen, and Jenni Pfafman, all of whom recently took my Reflective Relationship Program. A 3-month program where we explore ourselves through the relationship with our dogs. This program cultivates the necessary human end of the leash skills for successful training sessions, sustainable behavior change, and connected relationships. to help you build a better relationship with your dog. Every other week, a new module is released with recorded webinars highlighting one of my 6 connection principles. There is homework to help take what you learn and bring it into action. The following week we all meet in a live community video call where we discuss the homework, learn from one another, and grow together in the community!

Listen to Marissa Martino chat with Tara Stillwell, a licensed family dog mediator about the challenging topic of rehoming a beloved pet. Tara was brave enough to come onto the podcast to discuss her recent rehoming experience with her dog, Eva. Marissa and Tara decided to discuss this topic on the podcast to shine some light and grace on the controversial topic of rehoming. The goal is to avoid the shame that we experience, or unfortunately, receive from others regarding the very painful and layered decision. Listen with an open heart. 

In Ep 59, Lisa Mullinax and Marissa discuss compassionate communication and how to have hard conversations in the most empathetic and effective ways. What leads to these difficult topics? How can we be better listeners? And what can we do when we come up against our own ethical boundaries? They share stories from the shelter world as well as personal experiences while recognizing they, too, are still learning and growing.

In episode 58, Marissa chats with Tabitha Kucera, a registered veterinary technician and certified positive reinforcement behavior consultant about the Fear Free Movement. They discuss why keeping data about your pet's emotional experience is so important for their well-being and how you can do it accurately using the FAS (Fear, Anxiety, Stress) scale.

In episode 57 of the Paws & Reward Podcast, I speak with Liza Radar about their canine exercise framework and their unique approach toward exercise and physical enrichment. During the episode, Liza introduces their exercise framework. The framework includes four elements: 1) Physical Exercise, 2) Mental Exercise, 3) Low Intensity, and 4) High Intensity. We discuss the details of each element and how you can create an individualized canine exercise program for your dog. 

In episode 56 of the Paws & Reward Podcast, join Marissa Martino and Sarah Stremming as they dive into the nuances behind the different scenarios for setting up training sessions for leash reactivity. Trainers and behavior consultants routinely use setups as part of their approach when treating reactivity, but the details and considerations are rarely discussed.

In episode 55 of the Paws and Reward Podcast, Marissa and Bobbie Bhambree-Wirkmaa, director of behavior services and a certified dog behavior consultant at Behavior Vets, discuss the Resilience Rainbow and cultivating resilience in our dogs. Resilience is the ability to adapt successfully to, or recover quickly from, stressful events, situations and conditions. What are the 7 domains of resilience conditioning and why are they important for our dogs to learn?

On episode 54 of the Paws and Reward Podcast, Marissa speaks with Grisha Stewart about attachment styles and the human-canine bond. Grisha is an author, international speaker, dog trainer, and online dog school facilitator based in Oregon. Grisha specializes in dog reactivity which led her to design and launch her book Behavior Adjustment Training, also known as B.A.T to help dog owners work on these issues in a more comprehensive and humane way. Recently, she's been working on B.A.T 3.0, focusing on attachment theory and how a secure or insecure attachment impacts our relationship with our dogs.

In episode 53, Marissa speaks with Emily Strong about a necessary and possibly under-utilized skill for all behavior consultants to exercise and teach their clients- critical thinking. Critical thinking is defined as the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment. Critical thinking is to be done objectively—meaning without influence from personal feelings, opinions, or biases—and focuses solely on factual information. How can we be sure we are thinking critically and what are some common pitfalls? Critical thinking skills are essential if we want to make informed decisions. It impacts all aspects of our lives.

Join Marissa Martino and Laura Monaco Torelli for a conversation about cooperative care. Laura has a ton of experience working with many different species, teaching and training them complex, difficult behaviors. I had the pleasure of working with her on cooperative care techniques with Sully as he aged. Her compassionate approach towards the dog and the caregiver is amazing. During this episode, we discuss what cooperative care looks like, how to support the dog, and how to support the caregiver. 

Join Marissa Martino and Claire Goyer for a conversation about building community. Claire works for Grisha Stewart's Amazing Online Academy, where she builds community and helps people shine. Working in the dog training profession can be isolating at times for a variety of reasons. It's critical to be able to develop a community to support yourself. If you're a trainer, hobbyist, or pet parent, this episode is a must to help you feel less alone in raising and caring for dogs and their people. 

Join Marissa Martino and Sarah Stremming to discuss Marissa's recent solo trip to Peru. They discuss what the street dogs of Peru taught Marissa about life, how both Sarah and Marissa are integrating these concepts, and their invitation to pet parents and trainers. Sneak peek: What is the gift and opportunity in allowing all behavior and emotions? 

In episode 49, Sarah Stremming and I will be talking about the necessary strategies used to strengthen and maintain a healthy relationship between the dogs in your home. Some of the topics we discuss involve proactive management strategies to prevent inter-household aggression, ways to increase your observation skills, and training skills to teach your dogs to achieve harmony. Sarah Stemming is the owner of The Cognitive Canine and podcast host of Cog-Dog Radio. 

Join me as I speak with Andrew Hale (Bsc, ISCP.Dip.Canine.Prac), the owner, principal trainer and behaviorist at Train Positive in the UK, about emotional awareness and how that applies to dog training. 

Both animals and humans have individual emotional care needs. They both need validation, positive reinforcement, and permission to make mistakes. Working with dogs can show us how to be more emotionally available to others. Listen to the episode to learn more about what we can learn from dogs and their emotional experience, switching from a task-oriented approach to a care-oriented approach, and Andrew's acronyms TEA and CAKE! 

In episode 47, Dr. Chris Pachel and I will be talking about The Humane Hierarchy for both our dogs and their people. The Humane Hierarchy is a framework that trainers, behavior consultants, and veterinary behaviorists use when working with their clients. It's an ethical approach, inviting professionals to develop a behavior modification plan rooted in least intrusive, minimally aversive options.   

Since I love listening to Dr. Pachel explain this framework, I knew he’d be the perfect guest for the show. As we discuss each step of the Humane Hierarchy, we provide examples of what it would look like in real life. This episode is for both pet professionals and pet parents.

I am so excited to announce the launch of season 3. The first episode starts with Ursa Acree! She is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and Fear Free Certified Trainer. She is the Training Manager at Behavior Vets in Colorado where she works collaboratively with vet behaviorists and veterinarians specializing in pain. Together they treat the animal holistically addressing the animal’s emotional, physical, and behavioral needs. This is why she was the perfect guest to bring on the podcast to discuss just how often pain is affecting our dogs and their behavior.

Join Marissa Martino in this bonus episode where she talks about her experience with grief as she says goodbye to her best friend of 13.5 years, Sully. This episode is a tribute to the lessons he taught her (even at the last moment) and their special relationship. Marissa hopes all pet parents will find solace and comfort through her words. Sharing our lives with dogs is such a beautiful gift and we can all agree that there isn't enough time.

In Episode 44, Marissa is joined by her friend and colleague Jenna Teti of Think Smart Dog Training to discuss what their roles as dog trainers and behavior consultants entail. What does the title of “dog trainer” encompass? What’s expected of them and how can they meet those expectations? For pet parents, knowing what to expect from a good trainer and consultant is key to finding the right fit for you.

In episode 43 of the podcast, Marissa invites Michael Shikashio on the podcast to talk about inter-household aggression. During this episode, Michael defines what inter-household aggression is, what his favorite management strategies are, and what every pet parent that is experiencing this concern should know. They also discuss how they as behavior consultants determine risk in each case and how to support the pet parent through this challenging situation. 

In episode 42, Marissia is joined by Amy Creaven to discuss the importance of muzzle training for your dog. Amy Creaven is a recovering ICU nurse and has been a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner since 2010. Prior to COVID-19, she worked with all types of canine behavioral cases privately. Currently, she is a work-from-home mother of two non-fur children and one amazing furry sidekick the Marvelous Ms. Moya as well as a multitude of chickens. Amy also teaches positive reinforcement rattlesnake avoidance workshops and a Fear Free Handling and Cooperative Care lab to the veterinary students at Colorado State University.

In Episode 41, Marissa is joined by Dr. Amy Cook as they discuss the best ways to play with our dogs. As many listeners might know, Amy is the creator of the Play Way, a wonderful framework used to help pet parents drop in, connect, and play with their dogs. One might think they don’t need help learning how to play with their dog, but trust me, you most likely do! 

In Episode 40, Marissa is joined by Dr. Jessica Higgins, host of the Empowered Relationship Podcast. They will be discussing resentment in our relationships- both human and canine. Dr. Jessica Higgins holds two graduate degrees in psychology, two coaching certifications, and over 20 years of experience helping clients achieve successful results. She helps people navigate the terrain of long-lasting intimacy more skillfully and mindfully. Through her coaching and online course, clients transform pain into love and connection. That type of connection can be found in all relationships. Many pet parents experience resentment from time to time. What can we do to be proactive in our relationships and heal from resentment?

In episode 39 of the podcast, Marissa and Lisa Mullinax will be talking about how to get through the teenage period with our dogs. Adolescence can be hard on both the dog and the pet parent. Behavior can change quickly from snuggly puppy to energetic teen who loves to push the boundaries. Marissa and Lisa give advice about how to handle this challenging stage without creating a bigger problem for the future.

On today’s episode, Marissa and Terrie Hayward talk about the training process for deaf dogs and dogs with hearing loss. Since Marissa is less experienced in this area, she thought Terrie would be the perfect person to speak to on this subject. Her book "A Deaf Dog Joins the Family" is an invauable resource and Marissa urges anyone with a deaf or hard of hearing dog to check it out!

Join Marissa Martino interview Kiki Yablon about barking! So many pet parents reach out to trainers and behavior consultants in hopes to reduce or even stop their dog’s barking behavior. And, let's face it, barking can be startling to our nervous systems, and according to us, it’s not a socially acceptable behavior, even though, well, they are dogs?! In this conversation, we tackle the reasons dogs bark and how to help them find other ways to communicate with us.

Join Marissa Martino as she interviews her client and dear friend, Liz, aka Titan’s mom. Marissa has been wanting to highlight clients on the podcast and Liz was the perfect choice! Liz shares her experience of the behavior modification process from her lens. They discuss how important our mindset is during this process, specifically, how important it is to celebrate neutral responses from our dogs instead of getting hung up on only looking for positive responses.

Join Marissa Martino interview Dr. Chris Pachel as he shares the process and benefits of teaching relaxation to his canine clients. They start off the episode defining what relaxation is, discuss existing protocols, and why this is such a critical skill for the patients in his behavior practice. Dr. Pachel walks us through specific examples and how he integrates this exercise into the behavior modification plan for individual dogs. It’s a MUST listen!   

Join Marissa and Sarah Stremming of Cog-Dog Radio discuss why you should ditch your training resolutions. Wait - what?!?! Isn’t this a dog training podcast? Hear us out! We definitely want to encourage you to train with your dog(s). And, we also want to help you alleviate some of the pressure that a “new year, new you” attitude brings. In this episode, we talk about why resolutions quickly fail and what to do instead! 

On episode 32 of the podcast, Marissa is thrilled to speak with one of her heroes, Dr. Patricia McConnell. She is not one that needs a formal introduction since she’s a household name when it comes to behavior and training, has written so many books Marissa has lost count, and has made such an innovative impact on our profession! Today we will be discussing how to build resilience in our dogs and ourselves.

In Episode 31, Marissa is joined by her fellow colleagues and co-founders of LIMA Beings, Dr. Chris Pachel, Lynn Ungar, Barrie Finger, and Kathy Sdao. They discuss the drive behind their triggers and what hooks them. As we try to discover the things that make us reactive, we can learn to let things go. We react to situations in certain ways and because of those reactions we can become stuck. We can learn to accept that if/when we make mistakes, we can always stop, go back, and make edits.

Join Marissa as she speaks to Sarah Stremming about real behavior change. What are the steps toward achieving true change and how do you know you've been successful? When working with your dog on a challenging behavior, real change can feel impossible. With the right tools and support, the end goal becomes much more possible.

In episode 29, Christie Catan and Marissa Martino discuss how dogs help us embrace our humanity. They explore what it means to say “All of it Belongs” when life throws us curveballs, especially in training. When working with our dogs, feelings of frustration, impatience, or anger are normal. We tend to either push these feelings away or allow them to take over. How can we look at these feelings in a more productive way? Can we accept them and embrace the concept of belonging?

In episode 28, Sarah Stremming joins Marissa to discuss imposter syndrome and how it impacts all of us either as pet parents or dog training professionals. What can we do to combat this feeling of inadequacy and how can we help others overcome their doubts?

In the first episode of season two, Juliana DeWillems and Marissa Martino explore their relationship to control as pet parents. A lot of pet parents call trainers and behavior consultants looking for help and in need of control. And that makes total sense, however, they hope to offer a new perspective on the podcast today. 

In the last episode of Season One, Marissa interviews Amber Quann of Summit Dog Training in Fort Collins, CO and Charissa Carvell of Alpine Behavior and Training in Glenwood Springs, CO about preparing your dog for the great outdoors! This is one of Marissa's favorite topics since she fell in love with hiking and being outside through her dog Sully. They discuss why taking your dogs out in nature is important, what skills you should teach your dogs to be safe while on the trail, and how being in the moment can strengthen the human-canine bond.

Join Marissa Martino interview Michael Baugh as they discuss what a LIMA-based (least intrusive, minimally aversive) behavior consulting approach looks like for our human and canine learners. Marissa and Michael also discuss why they avoid using punishment-based behavior modification strategies since they can lead to fear, frustration, and/or aggression from the dog, remove necessary warning signs, and create a fractured relationship between the dog and the pet parent.  

Join Marissa Martino interview Matt Beisner of The Zen Dog in Los Angeles, CA, and the Nat Geo WILD and Disney Plus show Dog: Impossible. Together they explore the gifts the process and experience of training dogs and their people have to offer, from being a part of the dog's learning process while offering them agency, to co-creating solutions with our clients, to being brave enough to observe ourselves during this process and making the necessary changes to shape into the people and behavior consultants we long to be. 

Join Marissa Martino interview Licensed Veterinary Technician, Debbie Martin on her journey of getting a new puppy. We discuss when the time is right, how to integrate the puppy into a household with other dogs, and how to plan ahead before the puppy arrives. Having a puppy is a lot of work and there is a lot to prioritize. Debbie shares what she is working on and why she has chosen this training plan for her border terrier, Chip! 

Join Kayla Fratt and Marissa Martino talk about puppy blues, what it is, why it happens to many pet parents, and how to take care of everyone involved during this very important time of your dog's life. It's very common for people to be so excited about getting a puppy and it's even more common for that excitement to quickly turn into overwhelm. You are not alone! Listen to this episode for efficient strategies during this time. 

Join Marissa Martino and Sarah Stremming interview Emily Nagoski, co-author of Burnout: the secret to unlocking the stress cycle. Burnout is the book for people who feel overwhelmed and not enough, despite all their efforts. Marissa and Sarah really resonated with this book on so many levels and wanted to talk to Emily about the parallels in the book and the work they do with their dogs and clients. 

Join Marissa Martino and her dear friend Lisa Mullinax discuss what to do when your dog bites someone. In episode #9: Living with your Difficult Dog, Lisa and Marissa briefly mention their individual experiences where their dogs escalated to biting. During this episode, they go into detail about their personal experiences, what they learned, and how they moved forward with their dogs. They also share many ideas for pet parents to consider after they experience their dog biting someone.    

As we start to see a small light at the end of the Covid tunnel, and as things slowly resume to our "new normal" and people leave the house more and more, Malena and I thought it would be helpful for our listeners to hear ways to prepare your dog (and yourself) for more alone time.

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview Rachel Laurie Harris of A Good Feeling Dog Training about reactivity. Marissa and Rachel talk about the many, necessary skills both the pet parent and dog need in order to be successful in navigating this behavior concern. Some of these skills include training mechanics, reading body language, staying connected during the walk, and teaching the dog to eat in the presence of scary stimuli. And some of these skills (we think the most important ones) include self-love and compassion for both you and your dog, especially during moments of regression. 

Having dogs in our lives can be such a gift, and at times, it can be hard. Whether you’re raising a puppy and living off very little sleep, or walking a dog that barks and pulls on leash, or living with a dog that suffers from anxiety. These situations can cause a lot of stress for everyone involved. In today’s episode, Allie Bender and Emily Strong of Pet Harmony Animal Behavior & Training, and I are going to explore what enrichment is and how you can mend a fractured relationship through these activities. 

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward catch up with Erin Jones of Merit Dog Training in Christchurch, New Zealand. Erin is a certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant. She is currently getting her PhD at the University of Canterbury. In today's episode, we discuss her current research focused on the human-dog relationship, humane training, and the concepts surrounding canine consent. Tune in to listen about how our expectations impact our training and relationships with our dogs.

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward catch up with Erin Jones of Merit Dog Training in Christchurch, New Zealand. Erin is a certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant. She is currently getting her PhD at the University of Canterbury. In today's episode, we discuss her current research focused on the human-dog relationship, humane training, and the concepts surrounding canine consent. Tune in to listen about how our expectations impact our training and relationships with our dogs.

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward catch up with Erin Jones of Merit Dog Training in Christchurch, New Zealand. Erin is a certified professional dog trainer and behavior consultant. She is currently getting her PhD at the University of Canterbury. In today's episode, we discuss her current research focused on the human-dog relationship, humane training, and the concepts surrounding canine consent. Tune in to listen about how our expectations impact our training and relationships with our dogs.

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward catch up with Sarah Stremming of the Cognitive Canine. During this episode, they each share three life lessons they have learned from training their own dogs, working with clients and their dogs, and making careers of being behavior nerds. They share their challenges and successes regarding training, relationships, and life.   

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview Grisha Stewart about modifying human behavior. It's critical to understand how to modify human behavior since our behavior affects our dog's behavior. During the episode, they identify specific human behaviors that are important for communication and training success for you and your dog. They also talk about strategies to help you achieve these behaviors. Marissa and Grisha even explore this concept as it relates to our behavior in relationships with ourselves and others! 

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview Juliana Willems of JW Dog Training & Behavior Consulting talk about what it means to be your dog's advocate. We explore our experiences being advocates for our dogs and talk about what makes this job necessary and challenging at times. We offer a list of considerations for our listeners so they can develop their own advocacy plan when engaging with strangers, practitioners, and family members. Find your voice and build trust with your dog today! 

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview Nancy Tucker talk about her brainchild, The Good Enough Dog. Join us as we explore why we place so much pressure on ourselves and our dogs, and how reframing our thoughts from "the good" dog to the "good enough" dog is one of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves and our canine companions.  

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview Kayla Fratt of Journey Dog Training discuss how to provide your dog with the necessary daily enrichment while also taking into consideration what you need from the relationship as a pet parent. They share 6 different ways you can meet your dog's needs. They also share a list of questions to consider, inviting you to personalize this content to support you and your dog!

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview Lori Stevens. Lori is a professional dog trainer, canine fitness trainer, and animal massage practitioner. Lori specializes in supporting the aging dog; however, this podcast is for dogs of all ages! During the episode, we discuss how to proactively take care of your dog's physical body from the start. Lori shares several ways to support our aging dogs gracefully while also preparing us emotionally. 

Living with a dog that requires a lot of training and management can be really hard on the pet parent. Most people did not bring a dog into their home to take on a training challenge. Join Marissa Martino interview Lisa Mullinax, a behavior consultant in Seattle, discuss what life is like living with challenging dogs and what to do in order to support yourself during the training process. A must-listen for all pet parents! 

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview one of her favorite clients. Noelle walks us through her journey raising Finn, her goofy Vizsla puppy. Noelle talks about her favorite parts of raising a puppy, how she got through the challenges, and what she learned about herself throughout the process. 

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview Emily Tronetti of Coexistence Consulting in Bellevue, WA. They discuss two of their favorite topics: the human-canine bond and how to care for ourselves so we can support our best friends. 

Emily is an anthrozoologist as well as a certified dog trainer. Emily shares the most recent research on the human-canine bond and how these amazing creatures are so in tune with us. Because of that, it's so important to take care of ourselves in order to support the relationship!  

Join Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview Sarah Stremming of Cognitive Canine in Washington. In today's episode, they discuss how to work with your dog's emotional threshold during training. In order to make progress in our training sessions, we have to push at our dog's emotional edge in a safe way. But how far is too far and how do you know when we have passed the dog's threshold? 

Sarah is a dog trainer, dog agility and obedience competitor, and dog behavior consultant. She travels the globe helping dogs and handlers understand each other better. She also has a well-known podcast Cog-Dog Radio that you should check out. 

Today’s episode includes Marissa Martino of Paws & Reward interview Jackie Johnston, from Believe in Your Dog on separation-related behaviors, such as isolation distress and separation anxiety. Join them as they discuss what separation-related problems are, the best way to treat them, and what the process entails. 

Join Marissa Martino interview one of her favorite mentors in the animal training industry, author of Plenty in Life is Free, Kathy Sdao. During the episode, they discuss what Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is and how we can use these principles when communicating with our canines and our loved ones.

This approach resonates so much with Marissa and Kathy as it parallels and complements their shared philosophy when it comes to communicating and training with our dogs.

Join Marissa Martino interview Kirsten Kinsella, a therapy dog trainer that works with children in NYC. Kirsten shares the tips and tricks that she uses to facilitate successful interactions between kids and dogs and the 5 things you can do today to build better bonds.

**Please note: If you are a parent navigating the relationship between your kids and a dog that is displayed fear-related behaviors or even threat displays such as growling or snapping toward your children, this episode is not for you. Please visit the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (iaabc.org) website to search for a certified trainer near you in order to address this behavior concern safely.

Join Marissa Martino interview Mara Velez of the Shelter Playgroup Alliance discuss what healthy and safe inter-canine interactions look like. This is a crucial topic for all pet parents to be aware of and pay mind to throughout their dog’s entire life. Mara shares how to facilitate safe interactions, what behaviors to be aware of, and when to intervene to keep play safe and positive. 

The training process, no matter how simple it can seem at times, can be a daunting task for pet parents. Join Marissa Martino interview Dr. Chris Pachel, veterinary behaviorist, share a few strategies to help support our pet parents through the behavior modification process.