USA Dog Behavior Podcast

Leave a Message for Scott Dog owners usually mean well, but some common habits can confuse dogs, increase stress, and make behavior problems worse. In Part 1 of this two-part series, certified canine behavior consultant...

Leave a Message for Scott When your dog barks, destroys things, pants, drools, or has accidents only when you leave, it may be more than a nuisance behavior. In this episode, Scott Sheaffer explains how separation...

Why does a perfectly normal walk with your dog suddenly turn into barking, lunging, and chaos the moment another dog appears? In this episode, canine behavior consultant Scott Sheaffer explains why barking at other dogs...

This is one of the most memorable cases I’ve encountered in my career as a dog behaviorist. It’s a true story about a kind, intelligent man named Tim and his rescue dog Buddy. Despite loving his dog deeply, Tim found...

This episode explores one of the biggest realities in canine behavior work: the strongest predictors of success are often not about the dog at all. After working with thousands of dogs with aggression, fear, anxiety...

Aggression in dogs is one of the most misunderstood behavior problems owners face. In this episode, Scott Sheaffer explains why dogs growl, bark, lunge, snap, or bite, and why these behaviors are usually not about a...

Most dog behavior issues aren’t what they seem. What looks like disobedience is often the result of underlying behavioral patterns that haven’t been correctly identified. In this episode, Scott breaks down why...

Most dog owners are trying to do the right thing—but some of the most common advice out there is actually making behavior worse. In this episode, Scott breaks down three widely accepted dog training tips that sound...

In this episode, Scott Sheaffer explores the groundbreaking and often controversial topic of canine hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for neutered male dogs. For years, "fixing" our dogs was seen as the gold standard of...

Many owners of reactive, fearful, or aggressive dogs are unknowingly sending signals that reinforce their dog’s fear. Subtle changes in voice, body language, or leash handling can act as cues that something in the...

Dog aggression isn’t always what people think it is. Some forms appear suddenly, without warning, and can be terrifying for owners who don’t understand what’s happening. In this episode, Scott breaks down six rare and...

When a beloved dog dies, many of us ask the same question: Do dogs go to heaven? In this episode, Scott Sheaffer explores this deeply emotional topic from a pan-religious and personal perspective, drawing from...

When a dog dies in a household, many owners wonder if the surviving dogs truly understand what happened. In this episode, Scott Sheaffer explores how dogs perceive death, loss, and change through their senses and...

In this episode of the USA Dog Behavior Podcast, we challenge one of the most ingrained misconceptions in the world of dog ownership: the idea of the "mean dog." Scott Sheaffer reveals why aggression in dogs is rarely a...

For expecting parents with dogs, the question of safety can be a source of deep anxiety. This episode provides essential reassurance and a clear, practical roadmap. We begin by dismantling the common myth of dogs...