Welcome to The Dog Who Asked for More formerly known as Straight Up Dog Talk
Helping Overwhelmed Dog Parents Make Sense of Life With Their Dog
Real conversations about dog behavior, food, and the messy parts of real life.
Welcome to The Dog Who Asked for More
Created by Em — a former vet tech, dog trainer, and canine nutritionist with over 20 years working hands-on with dogs and their people.
This is a podcast and resource hub offering conversation, education, and low-pressure support — so you can understand what’s happening with your dog and decide what makes sense next.
Dog parenting isn’t always joyful. Sometimes it’s exhausting, confusing, and lonely — especially when you’re doing everything you were told and it still doesn’t feel like enough.
This space exists for people who love their dogs deeply but don’t always understand what their dog’s behavior is communicating.
If you’re navigating reactivity, anxiety, barking, burnout, or food confusion — you’re in the right place.
Why This Podcast Exists
You’ve tried the tips.
Bought the toys.
Asked the vet.
Googled at 2 a.m.
And you’re still tired. Still unsure. Still wondering what you’re missing.
This show was created by someone who’s lived every side of this — the vet tech, the trainer, the educator… and the dog parent crying on the bathroom floor, wondering if she was failing her dog.
Not because she didn’t care.
But because she was never given clear language for what her dog was actually communicating.
What This Show Is Really About
This isn’t a podcast about fixing dogs.
It’s about learning how to understand dog behavior in real life — especially when things feel messy or overwhelming.
Every episode starts from the belief that behavior is communication, not failure.
Conversations explore dog behavior, reactivity, daily routines, enrichment, nutrition, and the emotional side of life with dogs — including burnout, grief, guilt, and the pressure to “do it right.”
Some episodes are practical.
Some are emotional.
Many are both.
All are grounded in real life with dogs — especially the ones who ask for more.
About Em
This isn’t a podcast about fixing dogs. It’s about learning how to understand dog behavior in real life — especially when things feel messy, confusing, or emotionally heavy.
Hi, I’m Em.
I’m a former vet tech, certified canine nutritionist, dog trainer, and the human behind The Dog Who Asked for More — but more importantly, I’m someone who has lived the reality of loving dogs who weren’t easy.
I’ve been the professional.
I’ve been the educator.
And I’ve been the dog parent on the floor, exhausted, wondering why nothing seemed to help the way I was told it would.
I didn’t start this podcast because I had all the answers. I started it because I was missing honest conversations — the kind that acknowledge how confusing and isolating life with dogs can be when behavior, health, or regulation don’t fit the “normal” mold.
Over the years, my work has focused on helping people understand what’s influencing their dog’s behavior — including stress, environment, nutrition, enrichment, and the human–dog relationship. My approach is grounded in real-life experience, professional training, and deep respect for both dogs and the people who love them.
This space exists to offer clarity without judgment, education without pressure, and support without shame.
You don’t need a perfect dog.
You don’t need to do everything “right.”
You need information and support that actually fit real life.
Welcome to The Dog Who Asked for More
Formerly know as Straight Up Dog Talk.
New Name. New Look. New Content!