Episode #139 - Plentiful Enrichment: Creating a Full Life

Letting go of control without letting chaos reign

November 3, 2025

TLDL (Too Long, Didn’t Listen):

1️⃣ Abundance isn’t indulgence – Meeting needs and providing agency doesn’t mean your pet gets everything they want all the time. It’s about long-term well-being, not short-term gratification.

2️⃣ Positive reinforcement alone isn’t the whole story – Even when using rewards, we can unintentionally slip into coercion. True enrichment prioritizes wellbeing, autonomy, and emotional health, not just behavior outcomes.

3️⃣ Boundaries build better relationships – Saying “no” (ethically and clearly) helps both humans and animals thrive. Agency grows when skills grow and when everyone’s needs are respected.

Episode Overview:

What does it really mean to give our pets an abundant life? Emily and Claire unpack common myths around enrichment and abundance, where well-intentioned positive reinforcement can slip into coercion, and where saying no can actually be part of a healthy, ethical relationship. From toy-bin epiphanies to dogs “earning their keep,” this episode dives into meeting needs, setting boundaries, and letting go of control without letting chaos reign.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re giving your pet too much (or not enough), this one’s for you.

Links & Resources from the Episode

🧾 For full episode transcripts: Arial l OpenDyslexic.
🎧 Episode #115 – Present Over Perfect: Enrichment That Matters
🎧 Episode #132 – Are You Self-Sabotaging?

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.

Meet the Hosts

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. Specifically, she wanted to help prevent animals with rehabilitatable problems from being euthanized. She loves working with dogs and cats displaying stranger danger, resource guarding, and leash reactivity. Her favorite thing about working with pets and their people is seeing relationships grow and seeing harmonious households develop.

EMIly strong

Emily Strong is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and Shelter Behavior Affiliate. She 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. When she discovered the behavior sciences and learned that it wasn’t necessary to do so– that we can care for emotional, mental, and physical health simultaneously– she plunged headfirst into animal behavior. Emily loves helping current and prospective behavior professionals and working with pet parents through our in-depth services. She enjoys working with all species.

Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy

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

Episode #139 - Plentiful Enrichment: Creating a Full Life

Letting go of control without letting chaos reign

November 3, 2025

TLDL (Too Long, Didn’t Listen):

Episode Overview: