Kristi Benson

11/13/2025

A great conversation!

Do you have questions about reactive, fearful, and anxious dogs? When we asked that earlier this year, you came through with some AMAZING questions. Kristi Benson and I loved hosting this Ask Me Anything, and now I'm thrilled to bring you the recording. You can watch on Youtube, listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch, listen, and read a transcript on my blog (link in bio and below).

We arranged this event to celebrate the paperback launch of my book Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog, which is full of tips to help you with your dog (or your clients with their dogs!). If you don't yet have your copy, links are below.

Would you like us to run some more events like this? And if so, what topics would you pick? Let us know!

Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/iGohXYdawqA
Listen: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2183505/episodes/18168422
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/reactive-and-fearful-dogs-your-questions-answered/id1685998335?i=1000736263347
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/68iGDTqDPZuL0vRtlVclTY
Listen, watch, and read a transcript on my blog: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2025/11/reactive-and-fearful-dogs-your.html

Get Bark! https://amzn.to/480h29f
Get Wag https://amzn.to/4r47L92

10/30/2025

We caught up with Jen J. Danna/Sara Driscoll - Author to find out how conservation dogs in Hawaii were the inspiration for her book, Deadly Trade. It's the latest in the FBI K9 series and K-9 handler Meg Jennings is on her Hawaiian Islands honeymoon, where she and her search-and-rescue black Lab encounter a double threat from wildlife poachers and Mother Nature. We chatted about the book, the dogs in the book, and writing about dogs! Watch on Youtube, listen wherever you get your podcasts, or do both of those and read a transcript on my blog (link in bio & below).

Youtube: https://youtu.be/ZThvJYhMcnY
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2183505/episodes/18085265
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/conservation-dogs-and-deadly-trade-by-sara-driscoll/id1685998335?i=1000733864101
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4eLr4upR18av24oJ4kW8qK
Blog with audio, video, and transcript: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2025/10/conservation-dogs-and-deadly-trade-by.html

10/28/2025

"We can get dogs barking because they're afraid of something. And in that case, we need to do something either to stop the dog from having to face the thing that they're afraid of, or to stop them from being afraid of it altogether, or ideally, combine both of those together.

And also we get dogs who watch dog bark, so they're dogs that are just saying, hey, there's someone coming to the door, for example. And that is, again, that's something quite different from fear barking."

Listen to The Pawsitive Post in Conversation wherever you get your podcasts or watch on Youtube.

10/28/2025

"Say if your dog wants to be patted or if your dog, surprise of all surprises, wants to eat more, they'll try different things. They might try pawing, they might try nosing you, they might try sitting cutely if you're lucky. You know, all of these things. And sometimes dogs try barking when they want something.

The typical scenarios I think that dog trainers hear about a lot are dogs want food, dogs want patting, dogs want door opening services."

Listen to The Pawsitive Post in Conversation wherever you get your podcasts or watch on Youtube.

10/28/2025

A fun and fantastic episode of our podcast that has resonated with quite a few people.

Sometimes, when dogs want something, they bark to try to get it. It can be cute, or it can be annoying, depending on your perspective. So what should you do about it? Kristi Benson and I chatted all about it in the latest episode of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts, watch on my Youtube channel, or read a transcript on my blog. Link in bio and below!

Youtube: https://youtu.be/NzBpTlNLeWk
Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2183505/episodes/17992672
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/demand-barking-in-dogs-and-what-to-do-about-it/id1685998335?i=1000731793456
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3j2eNhlV4JHfp53O9gM63J
Blog post with video, audio, and transcript: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2025/10/demand-barking-in-dogs-and-what-to-do.html

09/19/2025

A wonderful conversation on a charged topic.

Bark! Fest revisited! If you've ever lost a pet, you'll find solace in this conversation from Bark! Fest where we talked about our incredible bond with animals and how we cope with the pain of loss and mourn our beloved creatures. We were joined by authors Sarah Bowen (Sacred Sendoffs), E.B. Bartels (Good Grief), and Karen Fine DVM (The Other Family Doctor). There wasn't a dry in the house, but in a good way. Watch the recording on Youtube, listen wherever you get your podcasts, or do both and read a transcript on my blog (link in bio or below).

Watch: https://youtu.be/z4YFOAG4JC0
Listen: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2183505/episodes/17229926
Watch/listen/read: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2025/05/loving-and-losing-pets-with-eb-bartels.html

The books are available from all good bookstores, including my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub

09/19/2025

A fantastic convo as always with my fave host Zazie!

Many dogs benefit from having another dog in the home. Kristi Benson and I chatted about the things you need to know to make it work (and what to do when things go wrong) in the latest episode of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation. And Kristi shared her tips on how to break up a dog fight if the worst happens. Watch on Youtube, listen wherever you get your podcasts, or do both and read a transcript of the highlights on my blog (link in bio):

Watch: https://youtu.be/V0uN5aADlKw
Listen: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2183505/episodes/17835523
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/harmonious-multidog-households-how-to-prevent-and/id1685998335?i=1000727050690
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7gxcxEKqEtYwSf3P1Cg36O
Watch/listen/read: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2025/09/how-to-have-harmonious-multi-dog.html

09/04/2025

What are the best ways to help reactive and fearful dogs? In the latest episode of the podcast, Kristi Benson and I share the most important tips that you should know, including 3 tips from my book Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, watch on Youtube, or listen/watch and read a transcript on my blog.

Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2183505/episodes/17695165
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/how-to-help-your-reactive-or-fearful-dog/id1685998335?i=1000722651589
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1mpy2QgJgBGyMg3flyTAAF
Youtube: https://youtu.be/Ju-Id_vg5lA
Website to listen, watch, and read a transcript: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2025/08/how-to-help-your-reactive-or-fearful-dog.html

Bark! is available from all good bookstores, including your local indie and my Amazon store https://amzn.to/4lCp5h6

08/21/2025

A very interesting chat with Zazie!

What are the best ways to help reactive and fearful dogs? In the latest episode of the podcast, Kristi Benson and I share the most important tips that you should know, including 3 tips from my book Bark! The Science of Helping Your Anxious, Fearful, or Reactive Dog. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, watch on Youtube, or listen/watch and read a transcript on my blog.

Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2183505/episodes/17695165
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/how-to-help-your-reactive-or-fearful-dog/id1685998335?i=1000722651589
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1mpy2QgJgBGyMg3flyTAAF
Youtube: https://youtu.be/Ju-Id_vg5lA
Website to listen, watch, and read a transcript: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2025/08/how-to-help-your-reactive-or-fearful-dog.html

Bark! is available from all good bookstores, including your local indie and my Amazon store https://amzn.to/4lCp5h6

08/21/2025

Amazing!

To celebrate our 25th anniversary, The Academy has created a new, affordable course especially curated for people in sheltering and rescue. One enrollment gives your staff and volunteers access in perpetuity. Check it out at: https://academyfordogtrainers.com/shelter-rescue-course/

08/08/2025

If a lizard and sea lions can be trained with positive reinforcement, then can't we do the same for dogs? In the latest episode of The Pawsitive Post in Conversation, we chatted with Dr. Adrian Walton of Dewdney Animal Hospital Ltd. to get his perspective on dog training methods. We also found out how veterinarians can help pets who are terrified of going to the vet, and how he ended up with that lizard that we mentioned.

Listen to The Pawsitive Post in Conversation wherever you get your podcasts, watch the video on the Companion Animal Psychology Youtube channel, or listen/watch and read a transcript on the CAP website (links below). This is a brilliant episode--you don't want to miss it!

Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2183505/episodes/17602116
Youtube: https://youtu.be/LD75UntRMwI
Website with video, audio, and transcript: https://www.companionanimalpsychology.com/2025/08/training-dogs-lizards-and-sea-lions.html

07/24/2025

Zazie's latest blog and our latest podcast are a round-up of writers answering the question..."what gives you hope for the human-animal bond?"

Popular authors of books about animals share what gives them hope for our relationship with dogs, cats, and other animals. Bonus episode.