Your Family Dog Podcast

241 Part 1: How To Make Your Herding Dog Feel More Like Family!

‪@YFDPodcast‬ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast
How To Make Your Herding Dog Feel More Like Family!- Part I
Herding dogs- they're gorgeous, energetic, loyal, and scary smart. We all love them, and many of us love the idea of having one of these beautiful, faithful dogs by our side. But are they really the right dog for every family?
Emily Priestley is the founder of Wild at Heart Dog Training, where she specializes in helping people successfully manage herding dogs in pet homes. She came on the show today to share her expertise. Join us as we chat about both the very real challenges and the very real joys of sharing a life with herding dogs.
Guest Biography
In 2021, Emily Priestley left a long shelter career to focus on helping dogs whose guardians are at the end of their rope—especially those facing fear, aggression, reactivity, and herding breed challenges like compulsive disorders. She specializes in working with herding breed dogs struggling in pet homes. If you’re dealing with a reactive border collie, Australian Cattle Dog, Aussie, or another herding dog, she can help.
Emily offers virtual group classes for reactivity, fear, aggression, and other issues that interfere with daily life. She also provides webinars designed for both trainers and pet guardians.
She holds the following certifications and credentials:
CTC from The Academy for Dog Trainers
Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant (CDBC) through the IAABC
Certified Cat Behaviour Consultant (CCBC) through the IAABC
Certified in Shelter Dog Behaviour (CSB-D) through the IAABC
Completed Julie Naismith’s Separation Anxiety Pro Trainer Program
Certified Death Doula, specializing in pet loss
Former member of the BC SPCA’s AnimalKind program (2021–2023)
During her career with the BC SPCA, Emily personally handled over 2,000 dogs. With experience across many breeds and behaviour issues, she has worked with dogs needing serious intervention. There’s nothing she hasn’t seen.
Emily lives on the west coast of British Columbia with her Australian Cattle Dog, Mozzie, and her three working line border collies—Griff, Mitch, and Stormi. She works with clients across North America, Mexico, the UK, and beyond. She is a regular webinar presenter, hosts the Wild at Heart Podcast, and co-hosts Conversations From Under the Bus with Jean Donaldson, Kristi Benson, and Lisa Skavienski, available on YouTube and through The Academy for Dog Trainers on Facebook.
 
Resources:
Wild at Heart Dog Training
Urban Sheepdog by Emily Priestley
YFD 171: Breed Matters
Time Stamps - 
0:00 Introduction
1:00 Introducing Emily
2:00 Emily's History
5:19 How these dogs often struggle
7:19 All roads lead to mouthing
11:48 Adolescence
17:48 Before you bring a herding breed into your family
30:39 Not all herding dogs should or can be on sheep
32:00 Dry herding for herding dogs - what it is and how to help
34:00 Treadmills - Do they really help?
35:30 Overwhelmed? Do this!
36:43 Is Fetch bad?
42:28 Fetch by another name
57:00 Sheep & Herding Instinct
1:00:30 How herding works
1:04:22 Sheep dog trials on YouTube™
 
Join us next time for Part 2
Stay in the Loop with the Your Family Dog Podcast
Mailing Address: Tina M. Spring, 115 Pointers Ridge Drive, Athens, GA 30606-1490
 
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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-family-dog-podcast/id1163178672
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The Your Family Dog Podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content provided on this podcast does not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or training advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian, a positive reinforcement-based professional dog trainer, or a qualified pet professional before making any decisions regarding your pet’s health, behavior, or training.
While we strive to share accurate and helpful information, every dog is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. The hosts and guests of The Your Family Dog Podcast disclaim all liability for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.
Listener discretion is advised when implementing any suggestions discussed. This podcast may feature guests with their own views, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the podcast hosts.
©2016-2025 Your Family Dog Podcast LLC

YFD 101: Summer Hazards

Introducing "Throwback Thursday!" Starting this week, we'll be filling the gaps between new episodes by re-releasing older episodes you might have forgotten or missed.
This week, we're revisiting Tina's first ever appearance on Your Family Dog, where she and Julie discussed how to keep your dog happy and healthy in the summer heat.  Enjoy!In their first podcast together, Tina Spring and Julie Fudge Smith, discuss some of the hazards, as well as joys, that warm weather can bring, including: wildlife, water, insects, and whether or not you should let your pup have the run of the house when you're not home!
 
For show notes and more information please see: Your Family Dog

240: The Surprising Emotional Intelligence of Dogs

Two of YFD's favorite guests are back! Animal behavior experts Zazie Todd and Marc Bekoff join Tina today to discuss all the things we humans misunderstand about our dogs, their behavior, the best way to work with them. Pull up a chair and tune in for a conversation you won't want to miss!
 For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog

239: Helping Toddlers & Dogs Be Successful Together Part 2

‪@YFDPodcast‬ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast
Incorporating Toddlers & Dogs - Building the Sweetest Bonds 
Guest Biography
Aishlyn is a professional dog trainer and a newish mom…. When she is a guest we explore things Aishlyn is incorporating to help Delilah (15 mos) and Noir & Vega be more successful together.
 Time Stamps - 
0:00 Welcome to Part 2.
4:00 Tolerance vs Active Enjoyment and why it matters
4:30 Guided Touch - teaching our dogs and our kiddos about consent (chin rest in this case)
8:48 Ask your dogs’ permission - giving autonomy and how it help reduce conflicts
9:45 Kiss to Dismiss
10:38 Jumping up can be a functional behavior meaning it is communicating
12:27 Vocalizing signals - humans and dogs
14:25 Is a 15 month old kiddo old enough to signal “no, thank you” and how we can teach that to our dogs
15:00 The benefits of giving all non-verbal family members a voice can be a huge help in learning
18:14 My toddler is fixated on the dog, now what?
20:18 The gift of “easy” for kids & dogs, teaching them separately
23:49 Dogs under the table
26:00 Tugging - Dogs & Toddler style - Keeping fun safe
27:38 Fetch! Dogs & Toddler style - keeping fun safe
29:00 Developmental Stages and helping the family through those changes
31:40 Muffin Tin Game
35:00 Bubbles!
36:58 Going to the restroom with safety in mind
 
Stay in the Loop with the Your Family Dog Podcast
Mailing Address: Tina M. Spring, 115 Pointers Ridge Drive, Athens, GA 30606-1490
 
YFDPod Merch
TBA
  
The Your Family Dog Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YFDPodcast
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-family-dog-podcast/id1163178672
Spotify Podcasts:
 
Your Family Dog Podcast ON SOCIAL 
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/yourfamilydogpodcast/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/YourFamilyDogPodcast/
 
The Your Family Dog Podcast is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. The content provided on this podcast does not constitute professional veterinary, behavioral, or training advice. Always consult with a licensed veterinarian, a positive reinforcement-based professional dog trainer, or a qualified pet professional before making any decisions regarding your pet’s health, behavior, or training.
While we strive to share accurate and helpful information, every dog is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. The hosts and guests of The Your Family Dog Podcast disclaim all liability for any actions taken based on the content of this podcast.
Listener discretion is advised when implementing any suggestions discussed. This podcast may feature guests with their own views, which do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of the podcast hosts.
©2016-2025 Your Family Dog Podcast LLC

239: Helping Toddlers & Dogs be Successful Together Part 1

Back in February, dog trainer and new mom Aishlyn Skocyzlas came on the show to talk about her experience living with babies and dogs. Well, little baby Delilah is over a year old now, bringing a whole new set of challenges and delights. In what will hopefully be a recurring feature, Aishlyn came back on the show to update us on what's changed, what she's learned, and how she's navigating life with a toddler and dogs.
 
For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

238: A Boy and His Dog, With Timothy Renner

It's hard to think of a more beloved story than that of a boy and his dog, and that's exactly what we have today. Tina is joined by artist, author, and musician Timothy Renner whose friendship with his childhood dog could have come straight out of a classic Disney film. Tune in as Tim shares memories of his boyhood dog, Barney, reminding us all that sometimes the most important "people" in our lives come with four paws and a wagging tail.
 
For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

237: Stumbling Along

What's this? Julie's back? Well, not quite. Recorded earlier this year and subsequently lost in the shuffle, this previously overlooked, never-before-heard episode has been rescued from the YFD Vault for your listening pleasure. Tune in for a discussion of how dog training is like novel writing and, whether authors or dog trainers, we all have to stumble our way towards the beginning.
 For show notes and more, go to Your Family Dog

236: A Look Back at "Your Family Dog"

It's Julie's final episode! Tina is joined in giving her a sendoff by former YFD host Colleen Pelar and favorite YFD guest Zazie Todd. Tune in for a fond look back at "Your Family Dog," including its origin story, memorable episodes, and opossums behaving badly.
 
For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog.

YFD 235: The Origin of the Dog

Humans and dogs are a tale as old as time- literally! From almost the very beginning of human evolution, dogs have been with us as our faithful friends and companions. But where did this first of human-animal friendships begin, and how? Today we're diving into the origins of the dog. Come along as we travel back in time and explore the history of our favorite four-legged friends.
For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog. 

234: Gettin' the Wiggles Out

We've all been there- we're out and about with our normally well-behaved dog when suddenly we encounter something unfamiliar and Fido promptly loses his marbles. What happened to all that training? You're not alone- it happens to the best of us. Today, Julie and Tina talk about those times when your dog goes a little bit nuts- how to handle it, when to loosen up a little bit, and remembering to trust the process.For show notes and more, please go to Your Family Dog