#182 - What If You Used the Enrichment Framework on Yourself?

4 Real Stories from PETPro Mentors

September 2, 2026

TLDL (Too Long, Didn’t Listen):

✅ Humans have species-typical behavior too – From chewing, to walking, to sleeping, to social engagement, humans also have species-typical behaviors that we can work to bolster.

✅ Competency takes practice, not innate talent – The four stages of learning unconscious incompetence → conscious incompetence → conscious competence → unconscious competence) apply to self-care too.

✅ Small sustainable changes beat dramatic short term overhauls – Start with one small thing at a time and you may find bigger life changes at the end.

Episode Overview:

Enrichment is just for pets. It’s for the humans too. It’s for pet parents trying to keep their cool while their dog parkours around the house or their cats who keep making biscuits on their chest at 3 in the morning. It’s for the pet professional who is building the multi-layer plan for a family going through one of the worst weeks of their lives, or welcoming home a new puppy who will send their routine into chaos. 

In this episode, our PETPro mentors, Allie, Emily, Tiffany, and Ellen show that once you learn how to use the Pet Harmony Enrichment Framework for your pet, you can flip the script and use it for your own enrichment plan. From color-coded stress scales to caring for chronically ill bodies, you’ll hear how the same framework we use for our pet’s welfare and wellbeing works just as well on burnout, chronic illness, and everyday overwhelm.

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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.

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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!

A woman in a brightly colored knit hat in the woods with her dog. Tiffany Holmes, CPDT-KA.

Tiffany Holmes, CPDT-KA, FFCP

Tiffany is a trainer and behavior consultant with Pet Harmony. She is also a mentor in the PETPro mentorship program.

Tiffany is a “recovering technical writer” who gets to put her first career writing instructions to good use for her clients and mentees. She taught group classes for dogs (training) and people (yoga) before joining the original Pet Harmony Mentorship program and landing a job with us.

Check out more from Tiffany on the blog!

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