Research Bites Podcast

#42 - Dr. Katie Homan - What Makes a Good Life for Dogs? Play, Meaning, and Relationship

What does it mean for a dog to live a “good life”? Can animals experience something like meaning or purpose? And what role do play, relationship, agency, and training hav

#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

#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

#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 conver

#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

#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: sensi

#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 mean

#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 Functi

#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

#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 Unive

#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 h

#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 discussio

#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

#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 w

#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 t

#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 Wel

#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

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 me

#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.

#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, th