Pet Harmony

#184 - Perfectionism is Your Enemy

Stop Waiting, Start Doing

September 16, 2026

DOWNLOAD THE EPISODE 

TLDL (Too Long, Didn’t Listen):

✅ Perfectionism can be a hidden stalling tactic – Waiting for the perfect plan or moment doesn’t change anything. If you want change, you have to do.

✅ “Perfect” doesn’t exist – You can spend a decade trying to make the “perfect” plan, and still, life will throw something at you that you never could have predicted.

✅ Doing gets you information – The more information you have, the closer you can get to a robust, effective, “practically perfect” plan. You’ll still need to make adjustments, but it will be small tweaks instead of big changes.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe on Spotify
Subscribe on Other Platforms

Episode Overview:

Perfectionism is a fickle little creature. It doesn’t always show up as striving for exact perfection. Sometimes, it’s the little bouts of waiting for the next “right” thing. 

Waiting for winter when the streets are calm to work on leash skills. 

Waiting until spring, when the weather is nicer because it’s too cold. 

Waiting to find the “right” treat for the training session.

The next “right” thing is usually just a short wait away, so why not wait for that “best” time? 

In this episode, Emily and Ellen talk about how perfectionism has gotten in their way, how it shows up for their clients and mentees, and why we live by “good enough to get going.” If you’ve found yourself waiting for the “right” time, you may find this episode helpful. From two formerly “burned-out overachievers” to you.

Links & Resources from the Episode​

🧾 For full episode transcripts: Arial l OpenDyslexic 

🎧 #181 – Sneak Peek! What’s New in the Pet Harmony Enrichment Framework

🎧 #182 – What If You Used the Enrichment Framework on Yourself? 4 Real Stories

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 Yoakum 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 2026 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