Stop Desensitizing Your Sensitive Dog
This Week's Pawsome Human: Marilyn Mele - Stop Desensitizing Your Sensitive Dog: A Fresh Perspective
When I think back to my life with Cai (my sweet boy who crossed the bridge last year), my heart swells with love - and, if I’m honest, a tinge of guilt. He was such a sensitive soul, and I didn’t fully understand what that meant back then.
I tried so hard to help him. But in the narrow cobbled streets of Granada, with a million sights, smells, and sounds bombarding his senses, Cai was often on the edge of panic. And me? I was often on the edge of tears.
The hardest part wasn’t even Cai’s struggles … it was the constant chorus of unsolicited advice that felt so wrong to me:
"You have to show him who’s boss."
"Don’t use a harness - it encourages pulling."
"Just let him off the leash. It’s cruel to keep him on one. If he runs off, he’ll find his way home."
I refused to use harsh methods, even when people rolled their eyes at me, but I didn’t know what else to do. All I wanted was for Cai to feel safe and for us to enjoy life together.
Years later, I can put into words what I sensed in my heart all along:
“Cai never needed his behavior to be fixed. He was simply a sensitive soul longing to be understood,” is what I wrote in my chapter for My Fur Baby Wrote This Book.
That’s why Marilyn Mele’s work resonates so deeply with me. Marilyn knows what it means to truly see these dogs - to address their emotional needs instead of just trying to manage their behavior. If I’d had her in my corner back then, life for Cai (and for me) would have been so much easier…
It’s too late for Cai but it isn’t too late for you:
This Week's Pawsome Humans: Marilyn Mele - Stop Desensitizing Your Sensitive Dog: A Fresh Perspective
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."
Grab a cuppa and enjoy!
About Marilyn
Marilyn Mele is the founder of Dog Wisdom Workshop and the creator of the Emotionally Intelligent Dog Academy. With more than 40 years of experience working with dogs and their humans, Marilyn specializes in helping sensitive, traumatized, and reactive dogs by teaching dog parents how to build confidence, resilience, and self-regulation.
As a Healing Touch for Animals Practitioner, Marilyn also supports dogs energetically, emotionally, and behaviorally through remote energy sessions.
Connect with Marilyn:
Website: https://www.marilynmele.com
A FREE gift for you 14 True Things About Dogs (Infographic): https://www.marilynmele.com/14-true-things-about-dogs-infographic
Facebook Group: Dog Wisdom Workshop https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogwisdomworkshop/
YouTube: Marilyn’s Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyE6Otu_z1FueviGxl5mfHQ
👉 Check out Marilyn’s mini-course: Stop Desensitizing Your Sensitive Dog: https://dogwisdomworkshop.thrivecart.com/stop-desensitizing-your-sensitive-dog/ .. or
email her at marilyn@marilynmele.com
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If there were a feeding method that could prevent and even reverse disease in your dog, would you want to find out about it?
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Nora Lenz was introduced to me via a friend and colleague whose dog had struggled with digestive and skin issues until she worked with Nora.
When Nora joined me on the podcast, her insights blew my mind, even though I’d already kicked kibble in the butt when Leo was still a puppy - with poor appetite, skin issues and … (I’ll spare you the poop details 🤪).
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