Dr. Marsha Penner (PhD, KPA-CTP) on the Neuroscience of Impulse Control

Worry Less, Wag More: The Behavior Vets Podcast

In this episode, Dr. Marsha Penner delves into the neuroscience behind impulse control, why adolescent dogs notoriously struggle with it, and what we can do about it. We discuss:

• How reconnecting with her Native American heritage reaffirmed the way she works with animals
• Different types of impulse control
• How adolescent brains develop
• Finding more compassion and patience for the unruly adolescent dog
• How trust can improve impulse control

Dr. Penner's bio:
Dr. Marsha Penner is a behavioral neuroscientist, certified dog trainer (KPA-CTP), and owner of Learning to Dog Training & Enrichment. Marsha worked as a research scientist and award winning professor, focusing her attention on learning, memory, and effective teaching strategies. She turned her love of learning, behavior, and teaching into a full time career as a professional dog trainer after graduating from the the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior in 2015. She is a proud Anishinaabe Kwe from Treaty One, but currently lives in Durham, NC with her husband and two dogs.
Links:
https://learningtodog.com/
https://www.marshapenner.com/
A collection of studies analyzing impulse control - this is really cool for those who want to dive deeper!
https://saverezdogs.com/
Asher L, England GCW, Sommerville R, Harvey ND. 2020. Teenage dogs? Evidence for adolescent-phase conflict behaviour and an association between attachment to humans and pubertal timing in the domestic dog. Biology Letters. 16: 20200097.

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