This podcast was originally released in May 2022 as a shortened version. This is the full version of the original podcast.

Your host: Kristina Spaulding, PhD, CAAB with Science Matters Academy of Animal Behavior, LLC

Today’s guest, Dr. Erica Feuerbacher, is an Associate Professor in Animal & Poultry Sciences at Virginia Tech and director of the Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare Lab, where she works with dogs and horses. She also coordinates the online Masters's program in Applied Animal Behavior & Welfare at Virginia Tech. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology at the University of Florida in the UF Canine Cognition and Behavior Lab and her Master’s in Behavior Analysis at the University of North Texas in the Organization for Reinforcement Contingencies with Animals. She is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer. Her research and publications focus on understanding domestic animal behavior and learning from a behavior analytic perspective, using applied behavior analysis to solve behavioral issues in dogs and horses, and identifying interventions that improve shelter dog welfare. She is passionate about humane, effective animal training, and working with owners, trainers, and shelter staff to improve our interactions with animals.

In this episode, we discuss types of reinforcers and their effectiveness as well as addressing stress and welfare in shelter dogs.

For more information, please check out my website and social media links below!

• Website: https://sciencemattersllc.com/
• Unlocking Resilience: https://sciencemattersllc.com/unlocking-resilience
• Research Bites: https://sciencemattersllc.com/research-bites
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In this episode of the Research Bites Podcast, Dr. Kristina Spaulding dives deep into two foundational—but often under-discussed—forms of non-associative learning: sensitization and habituation. Drawing on research and classic learning theory, she explains what these processes are, how they differ, why they matter, and how they show up every day in companion animals.

Dr. Spaulding connects the research to practical strategies you can use right away. From monitoring behavior and adjusting stimulus intensity to incorporating conditioning and systematic desensitization, this episode offers clear guidance for helping animals move toward calmer, more adaptive responses. This episode will help you learn how to apply these principles thoughtfully in real-world training and behavior work.

Whether you're a trainer, behavior consultant, or simply passionate about science-informed practice, this episode will deepen your understanding of how animals learn—and how you can support them more effectively.

For more information, please check out my website and social media links below!

• Website: https://sciencemattersllc.com/
• Unlocking Resilience: https://sciencemattersllc.com/unlocking-resilience
• Research Bites: https://sciencemattersllc.com/research-bites
• Join the Science Matters newsletter
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One of the most common questions Dr. Kristina Spaulding hears is whether stress “stays in the system” for three days. In this episode, she digs into what that really means, what the research shows, and why the truth is more complex than a simple yes or no.

She begins with the biology of the stress response—how the HPA axis and sympathetic nervous system work together, the roles of cortisol and corticosterone, and why not all stress is bad. Then she takes on the central question: how long does stress actually last? You’ll learn how long it typically takes for stress hormones to peak and return to baseline, and the many factors that influence recovery, making exact estimates of the duration of the stress response extremely difficult.

Dr. Spaulding also explores sensitization and cross-sensitization—how prior stress can make animals more reactive to future challenges, even entirely different ones. This has big implications for understanding anxiety, PTSD, and the impacts of stress on behavior. Finally, she discusses chronic and developmental stress and why a blunted stress response doesn’t necessarily mean an animal is “fine.”

The idea that stress lingers for three days is a myth. Hormones often normalize within hours, but the effects of stress—especially repeated or early-life stress—can last for days, weeks, or even a lifetime.

Resources:

Garcia, Arantxa, Octavi Marti, Astrid Valles, Silvina Dal-Zotto, and Antonio Armario. “Recovery of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Response to Stress: Effect of Stress Intensity, Stress Duration and Prevention Stress Exposure.” Neuroendocrinology 72, no. 2 (August 2000): 114–25.

Belda, X., Rotllant, D., Fuentes, S., Delgado, R., Nadal, R., & Armario, A. (2008). Exposure to severe stressors causes long‐lasting dysregulation of resting and stress‐induced activation of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1148(1), 165-173.

For more information, please check out my website and social media links below!

• Website: https://sciencemattersllc.com/
• Unlocking Resilience: https://sciencemattersllc.com/unlocking-resilience
• Research Bites: https://sciencemattersllc.com/research-bites
• Join the Science Matters newsletter
• Facebook
• ...