The Dog Who Asked for More: Solving Dog Anxiety & Reactivity with Em Breslin
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:
- Download Angela’s Resources, including her How to Find a True Holistic for Your Pet and Natural Alternatives for Pet Pain Relief, plus more at AngelaArdolino.com/podcast-downloads
- The Dog Who Asked For More Podcast
- Follow Emily Breslin on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram
- Have a question about your pet that you want answered on the podcast? Email us at Angela@AngelaArdolino.com
- Sign up for episode reminders and updates from Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino
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.
About Angela Ardolino
Angela Ardolino, a certified cannabis and fungi clinician, brings over 20 years of expertise to the field of holistic pet wellness. As a graduate of the inaugural Medical Cannabis for Therapeutic Use program at the University of Vermont School of Medicine, she is a passionate advocate for safe, natural, and ethically-grown whole plant and fungi medicine tailored for pets.
Committed to the highest standards, Angela continues to educate and inspire pet parents through her popular podcast, Your Natural Dog, where she hosts experts to discuss holistic pet care, natural remedies, nutrition, and training. Follow Angela Ardolino on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to stay updated on her mission to educate and empower pet parents everywhere.
About Emily Breslin
Emily Breslin is a virtual dog trainer, certified canine nutritionist, enrichment specialist, and retired veterinary technician whose work centers on helping dog parents feel seen, supported, and understood. Emily’s work sits at the intersection of dog behavior, canine nutrition, enrichment, and emotional wellness — centering the lived reality of dog parents navigating reactivity, confusion, and burnout rather than idealized training outcomes. As the host of The Dog Who Asked for More, she blends science, storytelling, and lived experience to guide guardians through reactivity, dog food decisions, enrichment, and the emotional realities of raising a big-feeling dog.