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Recent episodes
#41 - Dr. Lars Schwabe - Stress, Memory, and Behavioral Flexibility
Mar 26, 2026
55m 36s
#40: Dr. Patricia McConnell - From Science to Storytelling in Her New Mystery Novel!
Feb 16, 2026
1h 01m 54s
#39: Wanting, Liking, and Motivation: A Conversation About Reinforcement
Jan 29, 2026
45m 47s
#38: Erica Feuerbacher - Effective reinforcement, stress and well-being in shelter dogs (full length version of original, shortened version)
Jan 12, 2026
58m 04s
#37: Sensitization vs. Habituation: What Every Trainer Needs to Know
Nov 17, 2025
36m 58s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/26/26 |  #41 - Dr. Lars Schwabe - Stress, Memory, and Behavioral Flexibility | In this episode of the Research Bites Podcast, Dr. Kristina Spaulding talks with Dr. Lars Schwabe about what happens to learning and memory when the brain is under stress—and why those changes matter for behavior, training, and mental health. They begin by unpacking how memory works in the first place, walking through the stages of encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. From there, they explore the still-debated idea of reconsolidation—the possibility that when memories are retrieved, they m... | 55m 36s | ||||||
| 2/16/26 | #40: Dr. Patricia McConnell - From Science to Storytelling in Her New Mystery Novel! | In this episode of the Research Bites Podcast, I’m joined by my first return guest, Patricia McConnell — Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, beloved author, and former professor at University of Wisconsin–Madison. Many of you know her from The Other End of the Leash and For the Love of a Dog, books that shaped an entire generation of trainers. But today, we’re talking about something new. Her debut mystery novel, Away to Me, follows Maddie McGowan — an dog behaviorist living on a small Wisc... | 1h 01m 54s | ||||||
| 1/29/26 | #39: Wanting, Liking, and Motivation: A Conversation About Reinforcement | Today’s episode is a little different from the usual format. What you’re hearing is an actual recording from a Research Bites Coffee Break—an informal, unscripted conversation where behavior professionals think out loud about research, ask questions, and explore ideas together. There’s no lecture and no tidy conclusions—just real discussion and curiosity in action. The topic for this Coffee Break was the distinction between wanting and liking, two concepts that are often treated as interchang... | 45m 47s | ||||||
| 1/12/26 | #38: Erica Feuerbacher - Effective reinforcement, stress and well-being in shelter dogs (full length version of original, shortened version) | This podcast was originally released in May 2022 as a shortened version. This is the full version of the original podcast. Your host: Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB with Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior, LLC Today’s guest, Dr. Erica Feuerbacher, is an Associate Professor in Animal & Poultry Sciences at Virginia Tech and director of the Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare Lab, where she works with dogs and horses. She also coordinates the online Masters's program in Applied Ani... | 58m 04s | ||||||
| 11/17/25 | #37: Sensitization vs. Habituation: What Every Trainer Needs to Know | In this episode of the Research Bites Podcast, Dr. Kristina Spaulding dives deep into two foundational—but often under-discussed—forms of non-associative learning: sensitization and habituation. Drawing on research and classic learning theory, she explains what these processes are, how they differ, why they matter, and how they show up every day in companion animals. Dr. Spaulding connects the research to practical strategies you can use right away. From monitoring behavior and ad... | 36m 58s | ||||||
| 10/17/25 | #36: Does Stress Really “Stay in the System” for Three Days? | One of the most common questions Dr. Kristina Spaulding hears is whether stress “stays in the system” for three days. In this episode, she digs into what that really means, what the research shows, and why the truth is more complex than a simple yes or no. She begins with the biology of the stress response—how the HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system work together, the roles of cortisol and corticosterone, and why not all stress is bad. Then she takes on the central question: how long does... | 34m 24s | ||||||
| 10/7/25 | #35: Dr. (Jessica) Perry Hekman – What Genetics Really Tells Us About Dog Behavior | In this episode of the Research Bites Podcast, Dr. Kristina Spaulding talks with Dr. (Jessica) Perry Hekman, DVM, PhD — behavioral geneticist and co-founder of the Functional Dog Collaborative — about what genetics can (and can’t) tell us about dog behavior. Dr. Hekman shares her journey from veterinary practice to genetics research and helps unpack key concepts like heritability, epigenetics, and behavioral phenotypes. Together, they explore what the science really says about breed and behav... | 1h 05m 45s | ||||||
| 9/21/25 | #34: Ádám Miklósi - Natural dog behavior, imitation, self-awareness, word learning (full length version of original, shortened version) | This podcast was originally released in April 2022 as a shortened version. This is the full version of the original podcast. Dr. Ádám Miklósi is a full professor and the leader of the Department of Ethology at the Eötvös University in Budapest (Hungary). He is also the co-founder and leader of the Family Dog Project ( http://familydogproject.elte.hu ) which studies human-dog interaction from an ethological perspective. In recent years he has also become interested in the automatization of mea... | 1h 01m 50s | ||||||
| 8/15/25 | #33: Building Resilience: Dr. Mike Mendl on Positive Welfare, Emotion, and Decision-Making in Animals | In this thought-provoking episode of the Research Bites Podcast, Dr. Kristina Spaulding is joined by Dr. Mike Mendl, professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare at the University of Bristol’s Veterinary School, for a deep dive into what it truly means to support positive animal welfare. From competence and resilience to cognitive bias and decision-making, Dr. Mendl explores how animals perceive and interact with the world—and why individual differences matter so much. You’ll hear how animal-base... | 1h 13m 17s | ||||||
| 8/12/25 | #32: Why Behavior Doesn’t Fit in Boxes: Rethinking How We Classify Behavior | In this episode, Dr. Kristina Spaulding dives into the complex world of labels—how we define, categorize, and talk about behavior in both humans and animals. Drawing on her psychology background, she explores the benefits and pitfalls of labels, the messiness behind mental health classifications, and how new models in psychology might help us think differently about animal behavior. At the heart of the discussion: lasting change comes from addressing underlying processes—like stress, emotiona... | 41m 41s | ||||||
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| 7/2/25 | #31: Dr. Michael Blackwell on increasing access to services in the animal field | In this episode of the Research Bites podcast, Dr. Spaulding interviews Dr. Michael Blackwell, Director of Pet Health Equity at the University of Tennessee. The discussion centers around the intersection of veterinary care and public health, emphasizing how financial and systemic barriers affect access to veterinary services, particularly for low-income and BIPOC families. Dr. Blackwell introduces Align Care, a program designed to subsidize veterinary care through community-supported fund acc... | 1h 03m 05s | ||||||
| 6/18/25 | #30 - Dr. Amy Learn and Dr. Amy Pike on medical issues and behavior | In this episode, we’re joined by not one, but two Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorists—Dr. Amy Learn and Dr. Amy Pike—for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation on the intersection of medicine and behavior. We dive into Dr. Spaulding’s new favorite concept: mindbody unity, and explore how physical health and behavior are deeply intertwined. Dr. Pike has been caring for patients for well over 20 years. She is a Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist, and Certified Dog Behavior Consultan... | 1h 14m 56s | ||||||
| 3/6/25 | #29: Dr. Lisa Gunter on sleepovers and field trips for shelter dogs | In this episode of the Research Bites podcast, Dr. Spaulding interviews Dr. Lisa Gunter about her work on reducing stress and improving welfare in shelter dogs. If you work or volunteer in a shelter – or work closely with shelter or rescue dogs - this is the podcast for you! Lisa Gunter is an Assistant Professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare at Virginia Tech in the School of Animal Sciences, and she directs the Center for Applied Animal Behavior and Education. Before beginning he... | 1h 04m 56s | ||||||
| 1/25/25 | #28 Science Myths Busted: Understanding Behavior and the Role of Science | In this episode, we explore two common myths about science and how they relate to the world of dog training and behavior: Myth #1: Science is elitist and doesn’t apply to the real world. The Truth: Science is for everyone! You don’t need a fancy degree to understand and apply science in meaningful ways.Science is deeply connected to real-world applications, including the everyday work of dog training and behavior.Dr. Spaulding shares examples of research that directly informs and improves how... | 36m 10s | ||||||
| 11/16/24 | #27: Dr. Sara Hintze on animal well-being and intrinsic reward | 00:00 Introduction to Research Bites Podcast 00:30 Join the Research Bites Membership 01:08 Introducing Dr. Sara Hintze 02:01 Dr. Hintze's Journey into Animal Welfare 04:43 The Evolution of Animal Welfare Science 06:22 Understanding Positive Welfare in Animals 09:33 Challenges in Measuring Animal Emotions 14:58 Individual Differences in Animal Welfare 19:28 Cognitive Bias and Optimism in Animals 22:28 Assessing Well-Being in Individual Ani... | 55m 09s | ||||||
| 10/21/24 | #26: Dr. Daniel Mills on understanding animal emotions and behavior | In this episode of the Research Bites podcast, host Dr. Kristina Spaulding interviews Professor Daniel Mills, a renowned expert in veterinary behavioral medicine from the University of Lincoln. They explore the complexities of animal behavior, the evolution of different behavioral models, and the role of emotions in influencing behavior. Professor Mills shares insights from his extensive research, including the development of the psychobiological model for assessing animal behavior and his wo... | 1h 10m 11s | ||||||
| 10/16/24 | Podcast Update! | Hello everyone! I am taking a break to develop a more effective and consistent system for podcast production so that I can release episodes on a regular timeline. That means I need to take a short break to get everything organized, but rest assured we will be back soon! For more information, please check out my website and social media links below! Website: https://sciencemattersllc.com/ Unlocking Resilience: https://sciencemattersllc.com/unlocking-resilienceResearch Bites: https://sc... | 2m 30s | ||||||
| 8/12/24 | #25 Monique Udell - Problem solving, communication, and attachment (full length version of original, shortened version) | Your host: Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB with Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior, LLC This podcast was originally released in March 2022 as a shortened version. This is the full version of the original podcast. My guest today is Dr. Monique Udell. Dr. Udell is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and an Associate Professor of Animal & Rangeland Sciences at Oregon State University, where she directs the Human-Animal Interactions Lab and teaches courses on Animal Behavior, Cogni... | 1h 04m 34s | ||||||
| 7/8/24 | #24: Mini episode 4 - Pair housing revisited, survey on guardian training methods and information sources | Summary In this conversation, Kristina discusses two research papers. The first paper explores the effects of pair housing versus single housing in shelter dogs (yes, this was discussed last episode, but this is a 2nd study on the same topic, from a different perspective). The study found that pair housing with another dog may decrease stress levels and reduce the length of stay in shelters. The second paper examines training methods used by dog owners in the United States. The study found... | 25m 50s | ||||||
| 6/28/24 | #23 - Dr. Patricia McConnell on intrinsic reinforcement, flow, and agency | Summary In this conversation, Dr. Patricia McConnell and Dr. Kristina Spaulding explore the concept of flow, which is a state of complete absorption and engagement in an activity that is intrinsically rewarding. They discuss how flow can vary among individuals and how it relates to different activities dogs might do. The conversation highlights the importance of providing opportunities for animals to engage in activities purely for their own enjoyment. They also discuss the importance of p... | 1h 03m 18s | ||||||
| 6/7/24 | #22: Mini-episode 3 - Puppy whines and maternal care, impacts of housing on shelter dog stress | Summary In this conversation, I discuss two research papers related to dog behavior. The first paper explores the influence of puppy whines on maternal behavior in dogs. The study found that puppy whines trigger maternal care - with stronger maternal care in response to the mother's own puppies. The second paper examines the impact of different enrichment interventions on the stress levels of dogs in a shelter. The study suggests that housing dogs with conspecifics may be beneficial in... | 23m 51s | ||||||
| 5/30/24 | #21 - Dr. Lucia Lazarowski - Odor and cognition, working dogs, resilience and arousal | Dr. Lucia Lazarowski, chief behavioral scientist at Auburn University's Canine Performance Sciences Program, discusses her research on olfaction and behavior in detection dogs. Dr. Lazarewski shares insights on the best methods for training dogs to detect odors, the capacity of dogs to learn multiple odors, and the maintenance of odor memory and search training. We also discuss the fascinating topic of inattentional blindness and how focus on one thing can prevent dogs from even noticing ot... | 1h 06m 31s | ||||||
| 5/13/24 | #20: Mini-episode #2 - Perspectives on puppy development, training and impulse control, barking in shelters | It's time for another mini-episode on recent research! In this episode, I discuss papers about 1) gaps in our understanding of puppy development, from a unique perspective, 2) the impact of dog sports discipline (e.g. obedience or nosework) on impulse control and persistence, and 3) a program for reducing barking in shelter dogs. Each paper is summarized briefly in easy to understand language so you don't have to work - or find the time! - to find, read, and interpret the research yourself. ... | 29m 02s | ||||||
| 3/21/24 | #19: Mini-episode #1 - Handling in horses, cat aggression at the vet clinic and at home, pandemic puppies | Here is a quick little episode for you with a summary of three recent papers. If you enjoyed this information and would like more opportunities to stay current with dog behavior research, check out Research Bites here. You can also get more information on my courses and upcoming events at www.sciencemattersllc.com. Papers discussed in this episode: Pereira-Figueiredo, I., Rosa, I., & Sancho Sanchez, C. (2024). Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses’ Re... | 22m 05s | ||||||
| 3/14/24 | #18 - Dr. Erin Hecht - Breed differences in dog brains | In this episode, I will be talking to Dr. Erin Hecht. She received her bachelor of science degree in cognitive science from the University of California, San Diego in 2006, and her PhD in neuroscience from Emory University in 2013. Before moving to Harvard, she was a research scientist at the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience at Georgia State University and an affiliated scientist at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center at Emory University. Dr. Hecht joined the Department of Human Evo... | 40m 31s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
18 placements across 17 markets.
Chart Positions
18 placements across 17 markets.