Backyard Pet Talk with Shannon Riley

Backyard Pet Talk with Shannon Riley

Who is Shannon Riley, BA, RVT, CPDT KA, KPA-CTP? I am an internationally sought after speaker and bestselling author of The Evolution of Dog Training, and have been a pet lover all of my life and a dog trainer for over 30 years. I started teaching puppy classes in 1999 at Frontier Pet Clinic in Napa, CA and was trained by Ian Dunbar though his Sirius Dog Training Course. In 2010, I opened Ventura Pet Wellness & Dog Training Center in Ventura, CA. I have spent my life observing, caring for and training animals of all kinds! I am also a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers , Pet Professional Guild and a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. I am a past President for the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians, a past Allied Industry Member of Arizona Veterinary Medical Association and sponsor of California Registered Veterinary Technician Association. Why Did I Create Truly Force Free Animal Training? I created Truly Force Free Animal Training in 2015 so that anyone, anywhere could have access to force free, positive reinforcement animal training. Truly Force Free Animal Training mission is to spread knowledge and education for humane, force free treatment of all animals with… EMPATHY & COMPASSION! The Evolution of Dog Training by Shannon Riley In 2018, I published “The Evolution of Dog Training” available in audio, print and eBook. In 2023, “The Evolution of Dog Training” was published in Spanish as an eBook! Education and Experience My education includes a Biology Degree, specializing in Zoology from Sonoma State. I am a Registered Veterinary Technician, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner, and have worked in the Bird Department at Marine World Africa USA, and worked as a handler and trainer for an African Serval Cat at Safari West, a private zoo in Santa Rosa, California. I have also participated in behavior studies including observations of bald eagles and addax antelope through the San Francisco Zoo and Safari West. I have spent many years as the head dog trainer for PAWS for Healing, a pet assisted therapy organization and performed temperament testing and assisted in the training of therapy dogs who visited hospitals, veteran groups, special educational facilities and convalescent homes. I believe strongly in the benefits of developing the human animal bond and can assist in coaching for pets and their human companions to develop that connection. In 2014, I completed multiple behavior courses with veterinarians and other animal behavior professionals such as Dr. Susan Friedman and in 2012 was a behavior technician intern for Dr. Rachel Malamed, DVM, Veterinary Behavior Specialist In 2012 and 2016, I completed a 5-day intensive behavior course through North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) taught by Dr. Karen Overall, Dr. Martin Godbout and Dr. Kersti Seksel. I regularly attend Western Vet Conferences and the Clinical Animal Behavior Conference (CABC), The Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians (SVBT), The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) Every year, I take approximately 30 hours of continuing education units International Speaker In 2017, I spoke at Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) 24th Annual Conference on topics such as, “What’s Your Dogs Currency?” and in 2018 at APDT 25th Annual Conference on topics such as, “Do You Have Compassion Fatigue?”. I have spoken at Pet Professional Guilds Geek Week Australia in 2021. In 2023, I spoke at RescueCon at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center on “Understanding Canine Body Language” and at the Ventura College Job and Career Fair on “Starting A Career as An Animal Professional” and Children’s Health and Wellness Expo on “Animal Wellness”. I also hosted Truly Force Free Animal Training first conference Breaking the Chain; A Force Free Dog Training Conference at Ventura Pet Wellness & Dog Training Center. Check out my Podcasts and TV Interviews! I created, The Backyard Pet Talk Podcast, for pet lovers! Whether you are a professional in the animal field or a pet parent this podcast is for you! I also created, The Positive Puppy podcast, which is all about setting your puppy up for success using positive reinforcement! In this podcast, host, Shannon Riley and guest discuss common puppy questions from before picking up puppy to the importance of creating a routine and more! Join us each month as Shannon Riley answers puppy questions! Check out my interview with Bloom TV with Gayle Guyardo and Daytime TV with Maggie Rodriguez My Dog Training Philosophy My dog training philosophy revolves around force free, positive reinforcement; however, my ultimate goal is for healthy happy relationships between pets and their people. Diet, exercise, environment and training all play a significant role in achieving this goal.

Episodes

July 2, 2025 30 mins

How one woman turned her passion into a life-changing mission for animals and people

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In this episode of Backyard Pet Talk, Shannon Riley chats with multi-talented author and paddleboarding enthusiast Scott Graham. Scott shares how he got into standup paddleboarding (SUP), why he started training his dogs to join him, and the unique steps he took to teach them safely and confidently. You'll hear about his inspiring background, his approach to dog training on the water, and his latest book all about SUP with dogs. Pl...
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In this episode of Backyard Pet Talk, host Shannon Riley sits down with Fernando Sandoval from State Farm to answer one of the most common questions pet owners have: Do I really need pet insurance? As veterinary costs continue to rise, more people are looking into how to protect their pets—and their wallets. Fernando breaks down how State Farm partners with Trupanion, what their pet insurance covers, and how easy it is to get st...
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This week on the podcast, we’re thrilled to share a conversation that’s as heartwarming as a kitten curled up in a sunbeam. We sat down with Kat, the visionary behind a brand-new cat café that’s more than just a cute concept—it’s a bold entrepreneurial leap powered by passion, purpose, and plenty of purrs. Starting a business is never easy, and as a woman navigating the world of small business ownership, Kat brings honesty, crea...
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In this podcast episode of Backyard Pet Talk, host Shannon Riley welcomes Deassa Benstock, the founder of the Ripple Effect Animal Project, a dog rescue in Napa, California. Shannon and Deassa have known each other for a long time, having worked together as vet techs. Deassa shares her journey into animal rescue, which started in college when she rescued a fearful dog with many issues. This experience led her to connect with Ba...
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In today's special episode, we talk with Zazie Todd, PHD, about some scientific studies; some dogs are harder to train than others, adolescent dogs have more issues than puppies, the puppy blues thing! If you would like to donate to Ripple Animal Effect Project, please use this link: https://www.clover.com/pay-widgets/45e53cea-3d70-4757-a404-fabcaf9b33ed Zazie Todd, PhD, is an animal behavior expert and the award-winning aut...
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In today's special episode, we talk with Zazie Todd, PHD, about some scientific studies; some dogs are harder to train than others, adolescent dogs have more issues than puppies, the puppy blues thing! If you would like to donate to Ripple Animal Effect Project, please use this link: https://www.clover.com/pay-widgets/45e53cea-3d70-4757-a404-fabcaf9b33ed Zazie Todd, PhD, is an animal behavior expert and the award-winning aut...
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In this podcast episode of Backyard Pet Talk, host Shannon Riley welcomes Deassa Benstock, the founder of the Ripple Effect Animal Project, a dog rescue in Napa, California. Shannon and Deassa have known each other for a long time, having worked together as vet techs. Deassa shares her journey into animal rescue, which started in college when she rescued a fearful dog with many issues. This experience led her to connect with Ba...
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In today's paw-some episode, we’re chatting with Affordable Pet Labs about their tail-wagging journey—how they got started, why they’re on a mission to make pet wellness easier, and what every pet parent really needs to know to keep those furry friends healthy and happy! About Affordable Pet Labs: Affordable Pet Labs was founded by two passionate veterinarians with a shared vision: to revolutionize access to pet diagnostics an...
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In today's episode, we talk with Misti Soo Hoo, RVT, instructor at Ojai School of Canine Massage about how she got started with canine massage, the benefits, fun tips on how pet owners can help their pets by doing massage at home! You can find Misti Soo Hoo here: https://ojaischoolofmassage.com/
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Dr. Rachel Malamed, DVM, DACVB, CABC, tells us about how she become a Veterinary Behaviorist, what types of behavior problems she commonly sees with cats, behavior modification + medication, and cat training tips! Check out book, Decoding Your Cat https://www.amazon.com/Decoding-Your-Cat-Ultimate-Behaviors/dp/0358566045 Get Cat Body Language Poster: https://trulyforcefree.com/product/understanding-body-language-poster-cat-...
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Kristina Spaulding, PHD, CAAB, tells us how stress impacts your dog's brain, behavior and welfare! When you understand and recognize stress in your dog, you will help be able to prevent and deal with problematic behavior! Check out her newly released book, "THE STRESS FACTOR IN DOGS UNLOCKING RESILIENCY AND ENHANCING WELL-BEING"
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Meghan Herron, DVM, DACVB tells us about how she became a veterinary behaviorist, how she got started working with GiGi's and how she has helped the shelter dogs cope! (https://gigis.org/) She also provides recommendations for shelters and those who are looking to adopt from shelters. Check out her newly released book, "Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Behavioral Medicine" recommended for beginning veterinar...
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March 22, 2024 30 secs
In todays episode, we talk with Clarissa Black, founder of Pets For Vets (https://www.petsforvets.com/), about her background and WHY + HOW she started Pets For Vets. She also tells us where you can FIND these trainers and HOW you can GET INVOLVED! At Pets For Vets they help develop the relationships between animals and veterans based on mutual trust and respect helping veterans find pets that fit their lifestyle so both ca...
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In todays episode, we talk with Dr. Lisa Radosta, DVM, DACVB, (https://drlisaradosta.com/) about how she became a behaviorist and why she loves her career! We also talk about the common behavior change trends since COVID-19 in 2020, seeing medication use increase for specific behaviors + why medication is important when working with a fearful dog.
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In todays episode, we talk with Judy Moore from Canine Behavior Counseling, LLC (https://caninebehaviorcounseling.com/) about arousal in dogs and how it can be genetic. She provides tips on what you can do when your dog is overly aroused, how resilience affects the ability to change or modify arousal, the differences between the different types of arousal and a dogs ability to process information as well as skills owners should tea...
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In todays episode, Shannon Riley talks with Erika Austin From Dogwise (https://www.dogwise.com/) about how this small family run business got started and how you can find the most trusted and up to date source of information for dog training. These books are easy to understand and to apply to your everyday life. If you really want to learn about dog training, visit dogwise here: https://www.dogwise.com
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In todays episode, we discuss what appropriate play looks like, what signs to look for when resource guarding and what really motives your puppy!
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December 1, 2023 41 mins
In todays episode, we talk with Sarah Owings about how she got started working with and training cows! We also discuss what she learned when training cows about herself and animals. About Sarah Owings: Sarah Owings is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner. She specializes in the practical application of behavioral principles to help transform the lives of fearful, shut down, and over-the-top dogs. As the owner of Bri...
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In todays episode, we talk with Amy Pike, DVM, Veterinary Behaviorist, Owner of Animal Behavior Wellness Center about how behaviorist, general veterinarians, vet techs and animal trainers can work together to help anxious pets! Amy explains what a veterinary behaviorist is and how she got started in the veterinary behaviorist field. Her team approach can help animals who suffer from the following; General anxiety ...
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