Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino

When a dog is struggling with reactivity, anxiety, or destructive habits, standard training commands aren't always enough to solve the root issue. In this episode, Angela Ardolino sits down with Em Breslin, retired vet tech, canine nutritionist, dog trainer, and host of The Dog Who Asked For More podcast, to explore the powerful connection between holistic health, nutrition, and behavior. Together, Angela and Em break down how overstimulation, gut health, and daily routines directly impact a dog's nervous system and capacity to learn. Em shares practical strategies for building parasympathetic balance, managing car anxiety, setting up dogs for success during stressful transitions, and helping misunderstood, high-feeling dogs truly thrive in their homes.

Episode Recap:
  • Host Angela Ardolino introduces guest Em Breslin, a retired vet tech, canine nutritionist, and trainer, to discuss how nutrition, environment, and physical health influence dog training. (00:00)
  • Em shares how targeted calming supplements, proper play, and structured wind-down activities have helped her bring anxious, stressed dogs into a parasympathetic state where they can effectively learn. (01:15)
  • Angela shares her experience operating a groom shop, where providing physical exercise and natural full spectrum hemp and lavender helped fearful dogs relax on the grooming table. (3:46)
  • They discuss setting your dog up for success, practicing for changes in routines, trying to make the experiences positive, and avoiding forced experiences can eliminate anxiety around car rides. (6:17)
  • Em shares why most pet parents come to her looking for help, and her passion for working with misunderstood "spicy" or reactive dogs, highlighting how identifying subtle early stress signals prevents full behavioral meltdowns.(11:29)
  • Em shares two success stories, how she resolved Marley's severe separation anxiety and Seven's holiday overstimulation through calm-down routines, enrichment toys, natural calming supplements, and safe environmental boundaries. (15:02)
  • Angela and Em discuss how underlying physical pain, gut dysbiosis, vaccinations, or age-related sensory shifts frequently drive sudden behavioral changes in multi-dog households. (20:51)
  • Em shares how she managed her own dogs' relationship after her senior dog bit her new puppy, detailing how she used crate routines, strict environmental boundaries, and realistic expectations to bring long-term peace to her home.. (24:50)

Episode Resources:

Follow Your Natural Dog on Facebook and Instagram and if you want to see what Angela is up to, follow her on Facebook or join our Plants, Mushrooms & Holistic Pet Wellness Facebook Group.

Creators and Guests

Host
Angela Ardolino
Angela Ardolino is a holistic pet expert who has been caring for animals for over 20 years. Angela owns and operates Fire Flake Farm, her animal rescue farm, as well as her two locations of a natural pet salon and shop, Beautify the Beast, and is founder of CBD Dog Health, which offers high quality, all-natural medical cannabis products designed specifically for pets and MycoDog, a line of mushroom extract and adaptogen tinctures for dogs. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Angela also founded the House of Alchemy, LLC, Miami Children’s Theater, and Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine. In 2013, Angela was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and knew that she needed to find alternatives to the toxic medications being offered to her. After hearing of the benefits of CBD oil and experiencing the life-changing results first hand, Angela set out to destigmatize medical cannabis and CBD oil so she could spread awareness around its holistic healing powers.
Editor
Podcircle
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What is Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino?

Join Angie Ardolino, certified pet care expert and founder of Your Natural Dog, in important conversations about how to care for your pet naturally. Every week, Angie connects with a top pet professional to give you actionable steps and advice on how to keep your furry friend happy and healthy. If you have a question about your pet you’d like answered on the podcast, email us at angela@angelaardolino.com Join the conversation on Instagram @yournaturaldogpodcast or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/YourNaturalDog and don’t forget to like, share and subscribe to our regular podcast updates!