Episode Details

She went to prison feeling broken.
She left with a purpose.

Before becoming a trainer and educator, Madison Skoog Simpson spent five years incarcerated — and it was dogs that helped her find her way back to herself.

In this episode, Em sits down with Madison to talk about what really happens inside prison dog training programs, and how working with dogs created structure, connection, and healing during one of the hardest seasons of her life.

They talk about second chances.
About rebuilding after shame and trauma.
About what it looks like to start over when nothing feels steady.

And why dogs often become the bridge back to something more grounded… when everything else feels uncertain.

Because sometimes it’s not just about training dogs.
It’s about what they help us become in the process.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, behind, or like you’ve messed up too much to begin again… press play.

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Free Resources & Support

Dog Nutrition Quiz

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Email ⁠⁠em@thedogwhoaskedformore.com⁠⁠ to get in touch with Em

This podcast explores real life with dogs — including dog behavior, reactivity, dog anxiety, stress in dogs, fearful dogs, and everyday training challenges. It’s for dog parents who are overwhelmed navigating life with dogs and want a clearer understanding of their dog, practical support, and a stronger bond while creating a calmer daily life with their dogs. Episodes cover canine nutrition, dog body language, dog communication, dog food and behavior, gut health, dog wellness, enrichment for dogs, dog enrichment activities, routines, dog lifestyle, and regulation — so life with your dog can feel calmer, more manageable, and more sustainable. Hosted by a dog trainer, canine nutrition coach, and retired vet tech, the show blends training, nutrition, and enrichment to support and bond with sensitive, anxious, pure-bred, and rescue dogs at home and in real life.

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