Pet Harmony

Episode #167 – Are You Designing Plans for Your Dog... or for Your Anxiety?

The Best Plan is the One That Gets Done

May 18, 2026

DOWNLOAD THE EPISODE

TLDL (Too Long, Didn’t Listen):

1️⃣ Anxiety-driven plans exhaust everyone — when a plan is built to cover every possible problem and prove your competence, it collapses under its own weight. Overwhelm leads to inaction, not progress.
 
2️⃣ Ask the one audit question — “If I removed this, would the animal be meaningfully worse off? Or would I just feel less covered?” Anything in the second category is worth cutting.
 
3️⃣ Start with a sapling, not old growth — the minimum effective plan is the one you, or your client, can actually do. One consistent thing done well creates more change than twelve things never done.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Spotify
Subscribe on Other Platforms

Episode Overview:

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 hours planning session, you have a color-coded, 14-item document that addresses every single thing your dog has ever done, might do, or could theoretically do on a Tuesday. 
 
No? Just us?
 
In this episode Emily and Ellen dig into a common trap we see people fall into, both pet parents and professionals alike: building plans driven by anxiety, fear of judgment, and the desperate need to feel covered… rather than what actually helps the animal in front of you.
Whether you’re a pet parent trying to do right by your dog or a professional trying to prove yourself to a client, this episode will help you recognize when your plan is actually about you and give you ways to break out of the spiral. 

Links & Resources from the Episode​

More from Pet Harmony

We've got a lot more to share -- join the conversation!

Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @petharmonytraining
Facebook: @petharmonytraining

For professionals dedicated to enriching the lives of pets and people alike:
Instagram: @petharmonypro
TikTok: @petharmonypro
Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://petharmonytraining.com/join/

Subscribe & Review
If this episode resonated with you, we’d love for you to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps us connect with others who are ready to create positive change in their pets’ lives and their own.

🐾 See some of our favorite training and enrichment items on our Amazon affiliate storefront.

Meet the Hosts

Allie pic with Oso

Allie Bender, CDBC, CPDT-KA, SBA

Allie Bender is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, Certified Professional Dog Trainer- Knowledge Assessed, and a Shelter Behavior Affiliate. She has been in the animal welfare industry since 2006 and professionally training since 2012. She is the founder and co-owner of Pet Harmony, co-author of Canine Enrichment for the Real World, and a national speaker.

While in the animal sheltering industry, Allie realized that her passion lied in helping pets with maladaptive behaviors. Today she spends most of her time teaching other trainers and behavior professionals the skills they need to have their most fulfilling, sustainable careers.

BCandmecropped

EMIly strong

Emily Strong has been in the animal welfare industry since 1990 and has been a behavior consultant since 2008. She is the co-owner of Pet Harmony, co-author of Canine Enrichment for the Real World, and a national speaker. 

Emily started working with animals at a young age and struggled with the notion that you have to hurt, scare, or intimidate animals to help them. Emily loves helping current and prospective behavior professionals and working with pet parents through our in-depth services. She enjoys working with all species.

Team Members in the Episode

A beautiful lady in sunglasses next to a black and brown dog with large ears.

Ellen Yoakum, KPA-CTP, CSAP-BC

Ellen joined Pet Harmony in 2020, and is the podcast producer and editor! She is also a Pet Harmony co-owner, trainer and behavior consultant. Ellen is a Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Behavior Consultant, and Certified Training Partner through the Karen Pryor Academy (KPA-CTP). She loves helping families build communication and cohabitate successfully by developing strategies and plans that will benefit everyone.

Ellen has been working within animal care and behavior in multiple capacities including: dog daycare and boarding, wildlife rehabilitation, zoological, captive animal welfare research, and private training.

Check out more from Ellen on the blog!

Copyright 2025 Pet Harmony, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy

Results are not guaranteed because behavior, human, canine, or otherwise, are not guaranteeable.

Beat the Heat Flash Sale

Use coupon code LearningIsCool! at checkout 

SHOP THE SALE

Save with our Dog Days of Summer Promo!

$35 off a
4-session bundle

$65 off an
8-session bundle

Use code DOGDAYS2025 at checkout

Shop the sale
WordPress Cookie Plugin by Real Cookie Banner