The Dog Who Asked for More: Life With Dogs and Behavior Support

Why Retiring Your Service Dog Isn’t Failure—It’s an Act of Love

Is your service dog starting to pull away from their vest… and you’re not sure if it’s burnout or just a phase?That question can feel terrifying.Because when your dog has been your partner, your support system, your safety… the idea of retirement can feel like failure. Like you’re giving up. Like you’re doing something wrong.But sometimes what looks like “quitting” is actually communication.In this honest and deeply personal conversation, Em sits down with Kaitlyn of @thesaltysheps to talk about the moment she realized her dog Sebastian wasn’t asking for more training or more pressure.He was asking for rest.For relief.For space to just be a dog again.Together, they talk about the quiet signs of burnout, the grief that can come with letting go, and how choosing retirement can actually be one of the most loving decisions you make for your partner.If you’ve been carrying guilt or second-guessing what your dog needs, this episode will feel like permission to slow down, listen, and trust what they’re telling you.Free Resources & SupportDog Nutrition QuizNot 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/feedingquiz⁠Free 15-Minute Clarity CallFeeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? We’ll talk through what’s going on and find the next step together.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow⁠PetMatRx Supplements We TrustSupplements that support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm⁠Email ⁠⁠em@thedogwhoaskedformore.com⁠⁠ to get in touch with EmThis 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.

Why Your “High-Energy” Dog Might Actually Be Anxious

You’ve tried walking them more.Playing longer.Adding more enrichment.And somehow your dog still feels… wired.Restless.On edge.Like they can’t settle.It’s easy to assume they’re just “high-energy.”That they need more exercise.More doing.More output.But what if it isn’t energy at all?In this episode, Em shares the moment she realized Fitz wasn’t high-energy — he was anxious. And all the extra movement wasn’t helping. It was making things worse.Because sometimes what looks like energy is actually overwhelm.And sometimes what our dogs need most isn’t more stimulation.It’s safety.Space.And real rest.If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” and your dog still can’t relax, this conversation will help you slow down and see what might really be going on underneath.Free Resources & SupportDog Nutrition QuizNot 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/feedingquiz⁠Free 15-Minute Clarity CallFeeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? We’ll talk through what’s going on and find the next step together.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow⁠PetMatRx Supplements We TrustSupplements that support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm⁠Email ⁠⁠em@thedogwhoaskedformore.com⁠⁠ to get in touch with EmThis 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.

Why It Feels Like Your Dog Isn’t Listening (Even When They Are)

What if your dog isn’t ignoring you at all?What if they’re listening… but something in that moment makes responding harder than it looks?There’s a specific kind of frustration that comes from saying your dog’s name, giving the cue, knowing they heard you — and still feeling invisible.It can feel personal.Defeating.Like you’re doing something wrong.Especially when you’re already tired and just trying to get through the day.In this episode, Em shares real-life moments with Fitz and Toby and talks honestly about what “not listening” often really means. Because a lot of the time, it isn’t stubbornness or disobedience.It’s overwhelm.It’s environment.It’s capacity.And when you start seeing it that way, the whole interaction changes.If you’ve ever felt ignored, frustrated, or disconnected with your dog, this conversation will help you slow down and hear what they might actually be trying to say.Free Resources & SupportDog Nutrition QuizNot 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/feedingquiz⁠Free 15-Minute Clarity CallFeeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? We’ll talk through what’s going on and find the next step together.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow⁠PetMatRx Supplements We TrustSupplements that support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm⁠Email ⁠⁠em@thedogwhoaskedformore.com⁠⁠ to get in touch with EmThis 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.

Why Life With an Anxious Dog Feels So Exhausting (and So Lonely)

When your life quietly starts revolving around your dog’s anxiety, it can happen so slowly you barely notice.Until one day you realize you’re always “on.”Watching.Anticipating.Adjusting.Managing.Even when nothing is technically wrong.Living with an anxious dog can feel exhausting in a way that’s hard to explain to anyone else. Your routines change. Your relationships shift. Rest feels complicated. And sometimes it feels like there isn’t space for you anymore.In this episode, Em and Jess talk honestly about what life with an anxious dog really looks like inside the home — the guilt, the hyper-awareness, the loneliness, and the quiet ways it impacts both ends of the leash.Because this kind of exhaustion isn’t a personal failure.It’s what happens when you care deeply and carry a lot for someone who can’t tell you what they need.If you’ve been feeling stretched thin or alone in this season with your dog, this conversation will feel like sitting down with someone who finally gets it.Learn More about Handlers & Humans at: www.handlersandhumans.comFree Resources & SupportDog Nutrition QuizNot 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/feedingquiz⁠Free 15-Minute Clarity CallFeeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? We’ll talk through what’s going on and find the next step together.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow⁠PetMatRx Supplements We TrustSupplements that support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm⁠Email ⁠⁠em@thedogwhoaskedformore.com⁠⁠ to get in touch with EmNew 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.

Nobody Talks About How Hard the First Weeks With a Puppy Really Are

Bringing a puppy home is supposed to feel exciting.But a lot of the time… it just feels exhausting.Messy.Overwhelming.Like you’re already falling behind.If you’ve ever looked at your new puppy and thought, “Why is this so much harder than I expected?” — you’re not alone.In this episode, Em talks about what’s really happening underneath those first few weeks: the pressure to do everything “right,” the constant noise of advice, and the guilt that shows up when you’re just trying to keep up.Because most of the struggle isn’t about training.It’s about expectations.And when you shift those expectations, everything feels lighter.If puppyhood has felt harder than you thought it would, this conversation will help you slow down, breathe, and meet your dog where they actually are.Free Resources & SupportDog Nutrition QuizNot 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/feedingquiz⁠Free 15-Minute Clarity CallFeeling stuck or unsure what your dog needs? We’ll talk through what’s going on and find the next step together.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/tdwafmbooknow⁠PetMatRx Supplements We TrustSupplements that support gut health and daily wellness. Use code FITZ20 to save.👉⁠ https://tinyurl.com/PETMATRXtdwafm⁠Email ⁠⁠em@thedogwhoaskedformore.com⁠⁠ to get in touch with EmThis 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.