Shy Dog Diaries is a podcast about living with, training, and loving dogs who experience the world with a little extra sensitivity. Created for guardians of shy, anxious, fearful, or reactive dogs, the show blends personal stories, expert insights, and practical guidance rooted in compassion and positive reinforcement.
Inspired by my dog Nessie, each episode explores what it’s really like to support a dog with anxiety — from separation challenges and difficult walks to building confidence, emotional safety, and trust over time. Along the way, I share conversations with trainers, behaviorists, and other dog guardians, plus honest reflections on the slower, gentler path this journey often requires.
Whether your dog hides behind the couch, struggles with big feelings, or surprises you with brave leaps forward, Shy Dog Diaries is here to remind you that you’re not alone — and that every dog’s journey is worth honoring.
Shy Dog Diaries is hosted by Samara Iodice, a guardian learning — imperfectly and patiently — alongside her anxious dog.
Follow the journey on Instagram: @shydogdiaries
For inquiries or guest suggestions: pod@shydogdiaries.com
More Than a Label: Lessons from Family Dog Mediation (A Shy Dog Diary Entry)
Boop our inbox! 🐾 🎥 This episode is also available in video format on Spotify. The longer I live with Nessie, the more I realize how tempting it is to search for one explanation for who she is. She’s a rescue. She’s anxious. She’s fearful. She may not have been well socialized. She’s a Pointer-Lab mix. Some of those things may be relevant. But none of them, on their own, explain the whole dog. In this Shy Dog Diary Entry, I’m reflecting on what completing my Family Dog Mediator (FDM) ce...
24 Aug 2026
Behavioral Euthanasia: Charlie’s Story of Love, Safety, and Letting Go with Sarah Endres
Boop our inbox! 🐾 🎥 This episode is also available in video format on Spotify. In this deeply personal episode of Shy Dog Diaries, I sit down with dog trainer Sarah Endres of Journey Dog Training New Zealand to talk about Charlie—the deeply sensitive dog who changed the way Sarah understands behavior, safety, and what it means to advocate for a dog with complex needs. Charlie came into Sarah’s life as a young rescue and, from the beginning, experienced the world differently. Over time...
12 Aug 2026
Grief, Guilt & the Emotional Side of Loving Dogs with Jill Gray, LMFT
Boop our inbox! 🐾 🎥 This episode is also available in video format on Spotify. What happens when loving dogs also comes with guilt, grief, worry, and the constant feeling that you should be doing more? In this episode of Shy Dog Diaries, I sit down with Jill Gray, a licensed marriage and family therapist, certified thanatologist, and grief counselor—and someone who has been an important part of my own journey. Jill supported me through the loss of my dogs Dublin and Wicklow, who died ju...
19 Jul 2026
Helping Red Feel Safe: A Journey of Sacrifice and Joy with Melissa Bell
Boop our inbox! 🐾 🎥 This episode is also available in video format on Spotify. What happens when the puppy you carefully prepared for enters the world already afraid? In this episode, I’m joined by Melissa, guardian of Red, a Goldendoodle who showed intense sensitivity and fear almost immediately after coming home. Melissa had done everything she thought she was supposed to do: researched breeders, arranged professional training and prepared for thoughtful socialization. Still, Red stru...
6 Jul 2026
Improving the Lives of Shelter Dogs with Laurie Lawless
Boop our inbox! 🐾 🎥 This episode is also available in video format on Spotify. When people meet a fearful dog, it's easy to focus on what they can't do. But what if we're asking the wrong questions? In this episode of Shy Dog Diaries, I sit down with certified dog behavior consultant Laurie Lawless, founder of Shelter Behavior Integrations, to talk about what really happens inside shelters and why understanding behavior is the key to helping more dogs find lasting homes. Laurie shares t...
7 Jun 2026
Using Nose Work to Build Confidence with Nancy Reyes
🎥 This episode is also available in video format on Spotify. When I first introduced nose work to my anxious dog, Nessie, I thought it would simply be a fun enrichment activity. What I didn't realize was that it would become one of the most powerful confidence-building tools in our journey together. In this episode of Shy Dog Diaries, I sit down with Nancy Reyes, founder of For Your K9 and certified nose work instructor, to explore how scent work can help fearful, anxious, reactive, and...
5 Apr 2026
Love the Dog in Front of You (A Shy Dog Diary Entry)
🎥 This episode is also available in video format on Spotify if you want to see some of Nessie’s recent progress. What if the biggest breakthrough with your sensitive dog isn’t fixing them—but finally understanding them? In this episode of Shy Dog Diaries, I’m sharing a deeply personal reflection on what changed when I stopped trying to turn Nessie into the dog I imagined… and started loving the dog right in front of me. I walk through some recent wins—from a surprisingly smooth vet visit to a...
18 Feb 2026
Helping Fearful Dogs Build Confidence with Dr. Kelly Lee
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Kelly Lee, founder of Dogkind Training, to talk about what it truly means to support fearful, anxious, and traumatized dogs. Dr. Lee holds degrees in Zoology, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and she’s an honors graduate of the Academy for Dog Trainers (CTC). But what makes this conversation so powerful isn’t just her credentials — it’s her lived experience with her own deeply fearful dog, Pancake. We talk about: What to d...
6 Jan 2026
Training with Dog Genie: From Fearful to Flourishing
In this episode, I’m joined by certified dog trainer and behavior consultant Genie Tuttle of Dog Genie to talk about helping shy and anxious dogs build confidence. Together, we revisit Nessie’s early training days and explore how choice and agency play a powerful role in behavior work. We also talk about how nose work and scent-based enrichment can transform fear into curiosity, giving sensitive dogs a way to engage with the world on their own terms. This is a warm, hopeful conversation for a...
6 Jan 2026
Understanding Anxiety in Dogs with Veterinary Behaviorist Dr. Karen Sueda
What if your dog isn’t “difficult” or “stubborn” — but anxious, overwhelmed, and trying their best? In this episode of Shy Dog Diaries, I sit down with board-certified veterinary behaviorist Dr. Karen Sueda to talk about what’s really going on behind fear-based behaviors in dogs — and how we can truly help them thrive. Dr. Sueda explains what a veterinary behaviorist does, how anxiety can show up as fear, reactivity, or shutdown, and techniques for helping fearful dogs improve. Together, we e...
5 Jan 2026
Intro to Shy Dog Diaries
In this very first episode, I introduce you to Shy Dog Diaries — a podcast about living with, training, and celebrating dogs who see the world a little differently. You’ll hear the story of my rescue dog Nessie, how she inspired this project, and what you can expect from future episodes: Real stories about anxious and sensitive dogsExpert interviews and lived experiencesTraining insights and positive reinforcement tipsFunny hacks and heartwarming momentsThis podcast is for anyone who has ever...
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
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