Hey friends it's been a minute! I'm so excited for this week's chat with Summer Willow Fitch! Summer is a transformational leader helping businesses implement strategies to curate a better experience for both employees and customers. She also, has a brand new puppy, Olivia. In this episode we talk about the journey of having a new puppy at home, fi…

This week I have a very special guest, Marianne Ahern from Glad Dogs Nation. Marianne has been working with rescue programs and fostering dogs for 17 years. Eventually, she started wondering what could be a more impactful way of helping and supporting dogs in need. That's when Glad Dogs Nation was born. In this episode, you'll hear how Marianne and…

Veterinarian Marisa Brunetti is back on the show this week to talk about pain in both dogs and cats. It's only recently that us humans have recognized that dogs can feel pain too. Just like us, dogs deserve to have their pain looked at, treated and managed to the best of our ability. But how do you know when your pet is experiencing pain? Today Mar…

It can be extremely overwhelming trying to do everything right by your dog. There are thousands of options and everyone has their own opinion on them. This week I'm challenging you to get back to basics with your training and reminding you what really matters when it comes to training your dog. Key Topics Meeting biological needs first Using play a…

A few weeks ago I promised I would dive into the Windows Theory. I believe this can be a more powerful framework than training and teaching tactical skills alone. The Window Theory is all about helping dogs understand what behavior & state of mind is appropriate throughout day to day situations by dividing your time into different "windows". Listen…

What's your plan for communicating with your dog? There are so many methods, tips and opinions on the best way to communicate what you want to your dog. This week I'm building off the last two episodes to empower you to learn to communicate with your dog in a way that makes sense for both of you. If you haven't yet, listen to Episodes 22 & 23 to ge…

Hey friends, This week I am continuing on last week's episode reflecting on the idea of starting with basic diagnostics and looking at things that impact behavior with our dogs. Last week I dove into looking at your dog's health and their biological fulfillment as a starting point for any training you may want to do. In this episode, I want to help…

To start off the year at Opportunity Barks we hosted Jay Jack from Next Level Dogs & what he had to say blew everyone's mind. Today, I wanted to share some of that with you. Dogs have biological needs but, what does that look like in your home? In this episode, I'm giving you practical and tangible activities for you to start allowing your dog to p…

Hello friends, This week I have on my incredible friend Marisa Brunetti. Marisa is a practicing veterinarian and one of the founders of IndeVets. IndeVets puts Vets first and strives to provide a better work-life balance for those they employ. To learn more about IndeVets and their mission visit https://indevets.com/ In this episode, we talk all ab…

Today I'm so excited to have on Bryna Donnelly founder of Rescue Rebuild. Rescue Rebuild is an organization that works to help people, pets, and the planet by mobilizing in response to need and amplifying the good. Specifically, they help shelters renovate, build & improve their structures to increase their success in animal welfare. In today's con…

Today, I'm talking with Opportunity Barks clients Ben & Laura. Ben & Laura came to me after they adopted their dog Moose. Shortly after they brought him home they noticed he was very reactive to humans. I wanted them to come on the show to share their journey of owning a reactive dog and how they have come to live a fulfilling life with proper mana…

Today I'm bringing you the incredible and brilliant Rae Dohar to talk about her experience with dogs + street dogs around the world Warning: This conversation gets deep! We talk about how culture influences attitude toward pets, genetics, and break the idea that all dogs want to be "saved" Key Topics: Risks when rescuing street dogs The most effect…

Today I want to talk about doing right by your dog. We all want to do the right thing, and the right thing is going to look different for everyone. I'm here today to bust some myths you may hear from the training industry and share my own story of when this all opened up for me. Key Topics: Being liked by your dog The internal dialogue as an owner …

Do you ever find yourself asking your dog to do something and they start acting like you're invisible? Maybe you need them to come back to you or stop jumping on your guests. We've all been there. Typically our first instinct when this happens is to immediately troubleshoot, "Why is my dog acting like this?" In this episode, I'm telling you that th…

Whether you're traveling or staying home this holiday season, many dog owners experience some difficulty around this time. Exposing your dog to new environments or having a dozen people in your home is bound to be a stressor to some dogs. Today, I want to quickly walk you through how to advocate for your dog in these situations. Key learning points…

On this week's episode I have on the amazing Georgie King (@walkwithwomen). Georgie helps women develop quality relationships with their body, food, emotions and other women. Today, we discuss the intersection of dog's and mental health and how a dog can have a significant impact on a person's well-being. Follow Georgie on Instagram! @walkwithwomen…

As a dog owner, one thing many of us struggle with is a dog resisting grooming. In many cases, it's a matter of interrupting the dog's resistant behavior before it becomes a habit. Preparing your dog for grooming -- and other weird events -- will lead to a better chance for success. Listen to this episode to learn the first steps I take when traini…

In this age of mass consumerism it is easy to think that your dog needs the whole nine yards. Now, don't get me wrong it's great to give your dog gifts however, when we boil it down to what your dog ACTUALLY needs we get back to the basics. In this episode, I'm talking about common misconceptions that often pop up when it comes to your dog's needs …

This week I am talking with the fabulous Katie Christian. Katie and I became close while we were both at a retreat in Bali and I knew I had to have her on the show. She is a women's hormone practitioner, empowerment & confidence coach. Disclaimer! This episode is a slightly different than our usual dog content. A glimpse into the episode: Katie's j…

Heyooo Welcome back to the Life Well Lived with Dogs Podcast! This week I'm rounding our "Starting Points" mini-series with Starting Points for Behavioral Training. Be sure to check out the last 2 episodes for Starting Points for a New Puppy and Starting Points for Adopted Dogs and Older Puppies. In this episode, I want to help you understand what …

So you adopted a new dog and now you're feeling overwhelmed? Don't worry, I got you. In this episode, I'm talking all about where to start with your new dog. With an older dog, there are a couple of starting points that are different than if you adopted a puppy. If you're experience puppy troubles be sure to check out last week's episode: Starting …

So you just got a new puppy and now you are overwhelmed af with EVERYTHING that comes with a new puppy. I'm here to tell you, you're not alone and you CAN do it. In this episode, I'm giving you tangible practices you can implement to solve the most common puppy problems including: Chewing Biting Potty Training My goal is to give you realistic expec…

Hey friends, This week is super exciting because I have on my first guest, Lindsay VanSomeren! Lindsay and I have know each other for a little while and when I learned she used to participate in dog sledding I knew I had to bring her on to share her story with you. Today, Lindsay is a freelance writer located in Washington where she writes on money…

Hello Hello! Leash walking is one of the skills we work on most at Opportunity Barks and I'm here to share some of the tips we use so that you can start implementing these at home! Some of the topics I cover this week are: Demystifying the "holy grail" of loose leash walking How to get your dog used to new equipment such as a leash or collar Strate…

Welcome back to Life Well-Lived With Dogs! This week I'm covering a super important topic in the dog world, separation anxiety. This is something that most dog owners will experience at some point in their journey. In this episode, I'm going to talk about How to know you have an extreme case of separation anxiety When to seek help Strategies you ca…

Welcome to The My Dog Got Kicked Out of Daycare Club the not so fun place that many pet owners find themselves in. When you're faced with this dilemma it's important to remember that pet professionals want to see the dog thrive and are fierce advocates for the dogs they look after. In this episode, I'm walking you through why your dog getting kicke…

Welcome back to another episode of A Life Well Lived With Dogs Podcast! In this episode, I'm diving into how dog training methodologies have evolved into what they are today. This is a honest conversation about how confusing finding the right method can be for you. There's so much out there and everyone has their own opinion about the "right" way t…

Hello friends! Now that we've gotten the disclaimers and confusion out of the way in the previous episode. I'm bring you simple and easy ways to enrich your dogs life daily. These practices are as easy as giving your dog a piece of cardboard to rip up and play with to simply doing nothing. Dog training CAN be easy and fun and it is all about findin…

Welcome to a Life Well Lived with Dogs Podcast I'm Leigh Siegfried, a dog training and behavior expert that's been working with dogs and people for nearly 20 years and I'm here on this podcast to share my experience and support people through the journey of dog ownership. On this inaugural episode, I'm talking about my roots in the dog world and ho…