DogCast Radio episode guide

Through all the ups and downs of the pandemic, our dogs and other pets have been at our sides as we've worked and studied at home. Mars Petcare has been researching the effect of having pets involved in the learning process. When a dog got into difficulty in a lake, an unlikely friendship was born, and now Jane and Shelagh are hoping that a calendar celebrating dogs will raise money for a Swansea charity. Julie and Jenny discuss new research that indicates cats see us in more of a parental role than dogs do.

Police dogs allow us to live our lives smoothly and safely - but for many of them, there is no financial support in retirement, so Gemma and Dave Wardell and Kieran Stanbridge founded The Thin Blue Paw Foundation to provide the support they need. It's often said that rescue dogs rescue their owner right back, and writer and journalist Sharon Ward Keeble has witnessed the power of that love firsthand, as well as in writing her book, My Rescue Pet Rescued Me.

When two boys befriended a dog who was on her own in a Surrey park, they realised she needed help. Her microchip revealed the dog had been stolen from her home in Scotland. Happily she is back where she belongs. Fiona Gibson wrote her novel, The Dog Share, with her own dog by her side - she talks about her creative process. Julie reveals she is working on podcasting about a project she and Buddy worked on - Crufts or Bust.

When Scott Watkins had a heart attack, his dogs inspired to get healthy and stay healthy. Scott has his own dogs and offers holiday care for others' dogs. This interview is a great illustration of how our dogs become intertwined with every aspect of our lives.

When Charlie the Shih Tzu got into trouble in the water, brave teenager Connor waded out into the water to rescue him. But Connor couldn't swim. Charlie's distraught owner watched on in horror, her disabilities preventing her form entering the water herself. As Connor got hold of Charlie and fought to get back to land, dog and teenager bobbed up and down in the water.

Julie and Jenny discuss some important issues in the dog world, and classify them as canine (good) or K-nope (bad). The French Bulldog is fast taking over as the most popular dog in the UK and US - but is it right to breed and popularize a breed with so many health issues? Plus find out the top ten dog breeds to be stolen in the the last five years, and how Gloucester police are starting a dog DNA database to combat dog theft. All this and more! And don't forget to send us your most embarrassing dog related story - Julie and Jenny share theirs.

Trainer and behaviourist Karen London discusses her book, Treat Everyone Like a Dog: How a Dog Trainer's World View Can Improve Your Life. We know that positive training methods get the best results from our dogs - could positivity work with our friends and family? Karen says it does.

K9 Nation is an app which allows you to connect and share information with other dog owners. Whether you're looking for a good dog walk, or struggling with your puppy, you can find practical help.

Photobiomodulation - or red light therapy - can be used to aid healing or keep dogs in tiptop condition. Ruth Milner gives a in-depth insight into red light therapy, Anna Webb discusses how it has played a role in keeping all her companion animals healthy, and Yaz Porritt talks about how it is an important tool in her repertoire of treatments.

Kate Leaver celebrates the good dogs, talking about her own adorable dog, Shih Tzu Bert, and her book Good Dog. Lili Chin gives an insight into dog body language, and the journey her dog Boogie, a Boston Terrier, took her on to write and draw Doggie Language. Plus Julie and Jenny discuss dog news stories in the DogCast Radio News.