REPLAY: Can Dogs Be Neurodiverse? How Sharon Vincuilla Helps Dogs Who Experience the World Differently
REPLAY:
Have you ever been around a dog who doesn’t “dog” like other dogs? Maybe you’ve experienced a dog who is reactive or has separation anxiety or a noise-phobia?
Sharon Vincuilla and I explore how dogs (and people!) can experience the world differently and how neurodiversity shows up in a dog’s behavior. And Sharon has experienced this first-hand with her dog, Muggins!
Sharon found that life with Muggins was even triggering her own trauma. Seemingly ordinary life events like walking the dog or having a friend stop by her house would turn into stressful ordeals with Muggins.
Leaning on her work as both a dog trainer and an Occupational Therapist, Sharon shares with us the strategies she developed that allow both her and Muggins to thrive. And she teaches us strategies we can incorporate into our lives with our dogs who might “dog” a little differently.
Find Links & Show Notes at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode80
Teef: The easiest way to improve your dog’s dental health is with a spoonful of Teef powder in their water. Save 20% on your Teef orders when you use the code: ADM
Support this podcast, subscribe on your favorite app and leave a rating or review.
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1:04:30
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1:04:30
Dog Love Stories: Celebrating the Canines Who Change Us with Patricia Eagle
Have you ever thought about your time with your dog as a chapter of your life?
For teacher, speaker, and lifelong journaler Patricia Eagle, her story is told in ten chapters – with each devoted to a dog who changed her life.
In her new book, Dog Love Stories: The Canines Who Changed Me, Patricia reflects on the love, lessons, and legacies each dog left behind. While some chapters are long and others short, all are deeply meaningful.
In this episode, Patricia & I explore the many ways our dogs support us – especially through life’s hardest times. She shares how creating rituals around loss has helped her honor and heal from the passing of her dogs, and how these moments can also become celebrations of joy and connection.
We also talk about the silly songs we make up for our dogs (yes, Patricia sings one!) and what it means to be a respectful Pet Parent – especially around those in our lives who may not be dog lovers.
Trigger Warning: This episode includes themes of pet loss and grief, as well as mentions of the deaths of a spouse and child, and childhood sexual abuse.
Find links and show notes at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode123
Get your free checklist: Join Erin the Dog Mom's email list to receive the 12 Changes in Your Dog to Never Ignore checklist.
Teef: The easiest way to improve your dog’s dental health is with a spoonful of Teef powder in their water. Save 20% on your Teef orders when you use the code: ADM.
Support this podcast, subscribe on your favorite app and leave a rating or review.
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1:07:41
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1:07:41
Real-Life Shelter Challenges & the Leaders Who Keep Saving Lives: WWLTDO Shelter Roundtable Part 2
What does leadership in animal welfare really look like when the going gets tough?
Like losing most of your staff in a single day—or raising twins, running a shelter, and opening a spay/neuter clinic all at once?
We’re back with author, advocate, and nonprofit founder Cara Achterberg (Episode 75, Who Will Let the Dogs Out), along with shelter directors Courtney Cross (Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter) and Ruby Fooks (Butler County Animal Shelter), for Part 2 of our Shelter Roundtable discussion.
In this episode, you'll hear more about Ruby’s and Courtney’s personal journeys into animal sheltering—and how their unique skill sets have helped them face the challenges of the job.
Courtney opens up about navigating the sudden loss of 12 staff members, while Ruby shares honestly about work/life balance, imposter syndrome, and even has to step away briefly during the recording to handle an urgent situation at her shelter—giving us all a real-time glimpse into the realities of this work.
Have you ever imagined what a dream animal shelter would look like for your community? Courtney and Ruby are already bringing their visions to life—and they share what they hope to do next.
Find links and show notes at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode122
Support this podcast,subscribe on your favorite app and leave a rating or review.
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47:45
How Community-Focused Shelter Leaders Get Scrappy to Save Lives: WWLTDO Shelter Roundtable Part 1
What does it really take to save lives in a shelter where the need never stops?
For leaders like Courtney Cross (Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Shelter) and Ruby Fooks (Butler County Animal Shelter), it means getting scrappy — not just in strategy, but in spirit. Across the country, life-saving work is happening in shelters not powered by excess resources, but by relentless grit, creativity, and the strength of community.
In this episode, we’re joined by Cara Achterberg — author, advocate, and founder of the nonprofit Who Will Let the Dogs Out (Episode 75) — along with two remarkable shelter directors who are redefining what animal sheltering can look like when it’s rooted in community and driven by purpose.
Cara’s newest book, Who Will Let the Dogs Out, shines a light on shelters making extraordinary impact, often with limited means. She shares three core pillars of life-saving work: strong leadership, community engagement, and spay/neuter programs — all of which Ruby and Courtney embody.
You’ll hear how Ruby scrapped plans for a new shelter building to open a spay/neuter clinic instead — because that’s what her community truly needed. And how Courtney created space for community at a new shelter property while reducing a 50% euthanasia rate to just 3%.
Leaders like Courtney and Ruby aren’t just running shelters — they’re building trust, rewriting systems, and saving lives.
Find links and show notes at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode121
Support this podcast, subscribe on your favorite app and leave a rating or review.
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Training That Feels Like Play: The Power of Pattern Games with Angie Haines Madden
Whether you’re looking for something fun to do with your dog or if you need help with a behavior issue, Control Unleashed might be exactly the training class you’re looking for.
Today, I’m joined by Angie Haines Madden of DogSpeak Training — the trainer my dogs & I have been working with through online Control Unleashed classes over the past several months.
A former zookeeper, Angie shares what drew her to the Control Unleashed methodology (developed by Leslie McDevitt) and how it shapes her approach to dog training.
I'll be honest — I was skeptical about taking an online training class at first. But it didn’t take long to see why Angie’s style of teaching works so well. Together, we talk about the power of learning from others, why recording your training sessions is so important (hint: it’s all about body language!), and how transformative these skills can be.
While my original goal was simply to find something fun to do with Nessie, I quickly discovered that Control Unleashed offers so much more than just games. Angie and I discuss how adaptable the Pattern Games are for a variety of real-world situations, and I share some of the ways we’ve incorporated them into our daily lives.
You'll also get to hear an impromptu coaching session, as Angie helps me work through a challenge Nessie and I are still facing — and why teaching your dog to relax is more important than you may realize.
Find Links & Show Notes at:
https://believeindogpodcast.com/episodes-1/episode120
Get your free checklist: Join Erin the Dog Mom's email list to receive the 12 Changes in Your Dog to Never Ignore checklist.
Teef: The easiest way to improve your dog’s dental health is with a spoonful of Teef powder in their water. Save 20% on your Teef orders when you use the code: ADM.
Support this podcast, subscribe on your favorite app and leave a rating or review.
Are you looking for deep dive conversations into topics like dog training & behavior issues, the best health & nutrition options for your dog or an honest look at rescues, shelters & the animal welfare world?
Join Erin for candid discussions sharing wisdom that will help you navigate the challenges of pet parenthood, celebrate the amazing times and discover everything that Dog Moms & Dog Dads should know.
Erin believes that dogs can be healers, teachers and inspirations in our lives. Say hi to your dog for me!
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