Ep. 8: Enriching Our Pet's Lives with Emily Strong
Today’s episode is going to fundamentally change the way you think about enrichment — and what it truly means to help our dogs live more enriched lives.
Ashley sits down with Emily Strong, one of the world's leading experts on pet enrichment. Her groundbreaking work as a behavior consultant, mentor, author, and animal rescuer helps shape how we care for animals with compassion, intention, and science-backed strategies.
In this episode, they explore:
What enrichment really means (beyond food puzzles and chew toys)
How Emily got started training animals — including training spiders and wasps
How culture influences dog behavior
Ethical rescue and breeding practices
Why our expectations of dogs often need a serious reality check
And how to better support the animals we share our lives with
Emily is also the co-author of the influential book Canine Enrichment for the Real World and co-owner of Pet Harmony Training, where she mentors the next generation of behavior professionals. Whether you're a pet parent, trainer, or just an animal behavior nerd — this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.
Learn more about Emily and work with her team at www.petharmonytraining.com/
Resources talked about in the show:
Canine Enrichment for the Real World
Work with Ashley:
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