DogCast Radio is a podcast all about dogs. We’ve been going since 2005, and have covered a lot of dog related subjects. We publish an episode every month, and have 280 episodes available online, all free to download. It all came about because of Julie and Jenny’s love of dogs, and habit of falling into conversation with countless other dog owners, coupled with Anthony’s technical knowledge and computer skills. And thanks also to a Black Labrador called Buddy who joined the family and opened the dog world up to us. We love dogs, and we love learning about them. Sharing that joy and knowledge is a passion, and feedback from listeners has been wonderful.
So what kind of things can you listen to on DogCast Radio? How long do you have? The following is just a taster of the smorgasbord of doggy delights. But if by any chance you don’t find the subject you’re looking for in one of our shows, let us know and we’ll get right onto it.
All dogs need training, and we talk to reputable trainers and behaviourists. Never despair, because even if you are having problems with your dog, there is help available. For example, we have an interview with the marvellous Pamela Dennison on How to Right Dog Gone Wrong.
Talking about training, we’re big fans of the reward based approach, and we feature many interviews with great training role models, and behaviourists who have excellent, reliable advice. But just in case you’re wondering if reward based, positive training really is necessary, do check out our interview with Sally Gutteridge, who has 10 great reasons not to copy Cesar Milan. If your training needs a helping hand, do consider clicker training, which can facilitate communication with your dog. To set yourself some achievable but challenging training goals, check out the Kennel Club’s Good Citizen Scheme.
Dogs growl, but do you know what they’re trying to communicate when they growl? Find out in The Gift of Growl. Have you ever wondered why dogs bark? Well, wonder no more, as David Ryan explains Why Dogs Bark.
We all know dogs need to be walked, but were you aware that your dog would appreciate more than just a walk around the block – or even some free running. A dog’s nose is incredibly sensitive, and letting him have a good sniff around can provide a lot of enrichment, turning the daily walk from just a physical work out, to a mental one too.
Many dogs end up in shelters, and some may benefit from being fostered in a home environment rather that the busy, crowded kennel. This is where foster care can be vital, and if you think you could foster dogs in need, listen to our episode about How To Foster Dogs.
These days it seems that every other dog you meet is a Poodle cross, commonly known as doodles. Yes, they’re cute, but did you know they can be energetic, intelligent and very demanding too? To get to the truth about poodle crosses, we have an interview with top behaviourist Carolyn Menteith, and Barbara Turnbull who runs the rescue Doodle Trust. This really is a must listen episode – Oodles of Doodles.
Often, we uncover the unexpected, like the Pugs who do agility and are in superb shape. And were you aware of how good having a dog is for your own health and well-being? Find out all the facts in Get Healthy Get a Dog. We take a look at the huge benefits that therapy dogs share in The Power of Wagging Tails.
Susan McKeon started out as a feline devotee, but fell in love with Greyhounds, became a canine convert and forged a whole new career – she shares her story with us.
Sealyhams are just one of the vulnerable British breeds who are in danger of dying out if we don’t conserve them.
Graeme Sims is a businessman, turned shepherd, turned vicar, who works up to nine dogs simultaneously, each one in a different language. He tells us his inspiring story.
Sadly, our dogs can suffer health problems, and we investigate how to help them be as healthy and happy as possible. Every dog owner needs to be able to recognise the signs of canine arthritis and how to make life easier for a dog with mobility issues. But dogs with disabilities can still live a full life, and we’ve talked to the woman who is helping blind dogs, via her invention Muffins Halo. Keller the double merle is deaf and vision impaired as a result of her breeding – dogs with a merle colouring should not be mated with another dog of Merle colouring. Poor Keller has her challenges, but her life is still fun, as we hear from her owner, who took her on and helped her beat her disadvantages. Blind dogs can enjoy dog sports such as agility with a little help, as we found out from blind Border Collie Teddy.
Being told your dog needs to have surgery can be incredibly stressful, so we sought advice from a veterinarian on how we can make the experience as easy as possible for our dogs. And if after treatment, or due to an injury, your dog requires crate rest, don’t panic, because we tell you how to keep them amused with our episode No Walks? No Worries!
On the subject of stress, many dogs find fireworks overwhelmingly distressing, but we have great advice to help – and you need to get started right now, today! Human troubles can spill over into dogs’ lives and cause them problems, not the least when there is a divorce, and couples fight over who gets to keep the dog. We examine the issues in Dogs in Divorce.
A diagnosis of cancer is a very scary time, but there is hope, and we have the advice you need to help your dog avoid and survive cancer. A dog’s life is always too short, and although loving a dog is wonderful, losing them is crushing and brutal. If you’re grieving for a dog, you’re not alone, and we have practical, effective tips from grief counsellors on how to cope with pet loss and the end of life. But what if your dog outlives you? In that case there are a lot of other issues to consider, which we address in If I Should Die Before My Dog.
We’ve even dared to ask questions about whether dogs make it to the afterlife.
While we’re talking about delving into controversial areas, we tackle coprophagia, the horrible habit some dogs have of eating poo, and how it can be stopped.
Many dog owners are intrigued by wolves, and we have featured these beautiful animals many times. Wolf expert Maxwell Muir shared his thoughts with us on wolves and what the future might hold for them. Toni Shelbourne, who was a Senior Handler and Education Officer at the UK Wolf Conservation Trust talks about her experiences in Among The Wolves. https://www.dogcastradio.com/episode/24682_episode-159--among-the-wolves...
Puppies are cute, lovely, snuggly bundles of fun, right? Well sometimes, but sometimes they bite, they pee and poo, chew up precious items, and generally behave as if they are a destructive force of nature. But you can get through it, and just as the child is father to the man, the puppy is parent to the dog, so it’s important you set your young dog up for success. And you can do it with our episode Understanding Puppies. And if that whets your appetite, delve further into the puppy psyche with There’s More Than Cute to a Puppy Pile.
If you’re looking for a dog sport to share with your dog, we have interviews covering treiball, agility, flyball, water training, CaniX, herding and more. But if, after all that activity, you want to sit down with a good book, we have interviews with many authors. A riveting and thought-provoking book is Merle’s Door, and we have a wonderful interview with author Ted Kerasote. The wide variety of dog breeds around can be confusing, but we help make sense of them with authoritative, honest breed profiles. Crufts, the most prestigious pedigree dog show in the world, features in several shows, and we also focus on fun dog shows, which any dog can enter.
Still wondering if we’re the podcast you’re looking for? Well where else can you hear about the kick boxing Black Russian Terrier? Who else covers the benefits of teaching your dog to enjoy, or at least allow, a hug? We tell you how canines can be creative, as we found out from Piper the Painting Bulldog.
You could pick up some magic from a Russian Dog Wizard.
Do you know about the joy that Surf Dog Ricochet spreads? And what about chiengora, or knitting with dog fur? Yes, knitting with dog fur! If your dog seems to know when your coming home ahead of time, he may well be able to sense that, a subject we explore with Rupert Sheldrake.
You’ll see by now that although we take dogs very seriously, we love having a laugh too, so we’ll finish with just three words…
Doggitude, Dognition and Dogopedia
Happy listening!