Episode
Marilyn Mele - Stop Desensitizing Your Sensitive Dog: A Fresh Perspective
- Podcast
- Soul Touched by Dogs
- Published
- Jul 21, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 2600
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Summary
If you’ve ever shared life with a sensitive, traumatized, or reactive dog, you know how heart-wrenching it is to see them struggle. You want to help, but so much of the advice out there feels like a quick fix and often makes things worse. In this episode, I sit down with Marilyn Mele, founder of Dog Wisdom Workshop and creator of the Emotionally Intelligent Dog Academy, to talk about what truly helps these dogs thrive. With over 40 years of experience teaching people and dogs, Marilyn has a gift for blending science, compassion, and practical tools that work. We dive into what’s really going on beneath the behavior, and why the usual “desensitization” approach can backfire. This is an eye-opening conversation that will change the way you look at your sensitive dog. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why “fixing” the behavior misses the point - and what to focus on instead. The role of predictability and safety in helping your dog feel secure. Why freedom of movement matters (and why the leash can make things worse). The truth about desensitization - why it often fails and what to do instead. One surprising skill you already have that can transform life with your dog. My Favorite Quote from Marilyn: "Feeling safe is something that happens inside the dog—you can’t train it, you can’t talk them out of fear. You have to create an environment where they believe they are safe." 00:00 Welcome and Introductions 00:11 Marilyn's Background and Journey 01:18 Evolution in Dog Training 02:56 Impact of COVID-19 on Dog Training 04:52 Understanding Dog Sensitivity 11:16 Importance of Predictability for Dogs 15:38 Creating a Safe Environment for Dogs 22:42 Challenges with Traditional Dog Training Methods 23:23 Creating a Safe Environment for Sensitive Dogs 24:20 Common Mistakes in Hand…