The Healing Highway: Understanding Your Dog’s Vagus Nerve

The Healing Highway: Understanding Your Dog’s Vagus Nerve

In this episode, Nikki explores the vital role of the vagus nerve in your dog’s nervous system and how it directly influences behavior, stress, and emotional regulation. Often called the “nerve of safety,” the vagus nerve helps shift dogs out of survival mode and into connection, rest, and healing.

You’ll learn what the vagus nerve is, how it functions within the autonomic nervous system, what dysregulation looks like in dogs, and practical ways to support vagal tone through safety, co-regulation, touch, and environment. If your dog struggles with chronic stress, reactivity, anxiety, or shutdown behaviors, understanding the vagus nerve may change how you see their behavior—and how you support their healing.

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Episoder(269)

Dog Food Decoded, Part 1

Dog Food Decoded, Part 1

Dog food is one of the most overwhelming topics for dog owners—and it’s not because you’re doing something wrong. Labels are confusing, marketing is loud, and advice often feels contradictory and fear...

27 Jan 54min

Decreasing Behavior Concerns through Enrichment

Decreasing Behavior Concerns through Enrichment

In this episode, Nikki explores how many common behavior concerns are actually natural canine behaviors—not signs that a dog is being “bad.” By understanding your dog’s genetics, instincts, desires, a...

20 Jan 40min

Stuck on High Alert: Stress in the Dog Brain and the Human Brain

Stuck on High Alert: Stress in the Dog Brain and the Human Brain

When stress becomes chronic, both dogs and humans can get stuck in a constant state of vigilance. In this episode, we explore how stress impacts the brain across species—changing behavior, learning, e...

13 Jan 42min

When Good Dogs Go Rogue: Navigating Canine Adolescence

When Good Dogs Go Rogue: Navigating Canine Adolescence

Britteny joins the episode to share what it’s really like living with a large Rottweiler puppy deep in the throes of adolescence. From big emotions in an even bigger body to impulse control struggles ...

5 Jan 44min

Meeting Your Dog Where They Are: The Path of Least Resistance

Meeting Your Dog Where They Are: The Path of Least Resistance

This is a REPLAY of Nikki's interview for the KIENO Conference. Training doesn’t have to feel like a constant battle. When we stop pushing against our dog’s nervous system and start listening to what ...

16 Des 202532min

Cosmic Companions: Discovering My Dog Through Astrology

Cosmic Companions: Discovering My Dog Through Astrology

What if the stars could tell you more about your dog—who they are, what they need, and why you click (or clash) in certain moments? In this playful yet surprisingly insightful episode, we explore the ...

9 Des 20251h 1min

Pawsport to Chaos

Pawsport to Chaos

Traveling with my teen dog taught me more than I expected—not just about logistics and snacks, but about patience, communication, and being a better partner on the road. In this episode, I share the l...

2 Des 202547min

Nature & Nurture: The Two Sides of Your Dog’s Story

Nature & Nurture: The Two Sides of Your Dog’s Story

This episode explores how a dog’s genetics (“nature”) and environment (“nurture”) work together to shape personality, behavior, and emotional health. Understanding both sides helps us meet our dogs wh...

25 Nov 202542min

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