The Gift of Growl
The Golden Retriever is a very striking dog - in fact host Julie thinks they're so glamorous that they are the canine equivalent of actress Goldie Hawn! To find out what the breed is like to actually live with Julie talks to Merriol Haselden. Merriol has had Golden Retrievers in her life right from birth; Merriol's mother insisted on having a home birth to avoid leaving her devoted dog to go into hospital as the dog would pine for her. Now Merriol herself lives with five Goldens, and breeds the dogs she love so much so others can experience the joy of life with a Golden Retriever.
Merriol talks about the training, exercise and health of the breed as well as sharing many personal anecdotes. You can find out more about Merriol at the Overdene page on Champdogs, and if you're in the UK visit the Golden Retriever Club, and in the USA try the Golden Retriever Club of America.
Barknight
It's a first for DogCast Radio as Julie conducts an interview with a whole family simultaneously, and the McConnell family are delightful. In an attempt to keep their four children - Kelly, Brian, Kevin and Matthew - occupied in a busy restaurant, Dan and Meg McConnell started a game of wordplay. When the words bark and night were paired up within minutes the story of Barknight was born, and the family liked the story so much they decided to write it down and share their love of dogs and all animals with others. Barknight is a celebration of our pet dogs - and a reminder to appreciate the way they enhance and enrich our lives. To find out more visit the Barknight website, and you can contact the McConnells via Twitter using @Barknight.
News
In the DogCast Radio News you can hear how we choose dogs to reflect our personalities, about the perils of dog flipping, the slow move towards mandatory microchipping in the UK and the new TV channel for dogs in the USA. You can have a sneak peek at TV for dogs via the DOG TV Youtube channel. What does your dog make of TV made just for him?
new TV channel for dogs in the USA. You can have a sneak peek at TV for dogs via the DOG TV Youtube channel. What does your dog make of TV made just for him?
Big Dog's Breakfast
If you enjoy eating and you'd like to help raise money for the wonderful charity Dogs for the Disabled, who supply assistance dogs that perform an array of tasks to help their owners, then join in with Big Dog's Breakfast week. Simply have a meal or a snack with family, friends or colleagues and ask for donations to support the charity's vital work.
Puppy given as prize on TV show.
Host Julie shares her worries on the impact of a puppy being given away as a prize on a British television show, Keith Lemon's Lemonaid. If like Julie, you are horrified at what happened on the Keith Lemon show, there are a number of ways you can make your opinion count. You can complain to Ofcom.You can also complain direct to ITV and there is also a petition you can sign to amend the law to stop the giving of live animals as prizes. There is also a KeithLemonsPuppyPrizeProtest facebook page that will help unite opposition to the incident, and keep you informed.
Dognition
The Genius of Dogs by Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods celebrates canine intelligence.Click on photo for larger image.
Dr Brian Hare is investigating canine intelligence with citizen science project Dognition.Click on photo for larger image.
Just like people, dogs are individuals and they have different ways of solving problems.
- Dr Brian Hare
Dognition is a new project to investigate dog cognition - the way dogs think. In the past dogs who have tended to think for themselves rather than be obedient have been deemed less intelligent, but Dognition is all about valuing the type of intelligence your dog possesses. The Dognition team, led by Dr. Brian Hare have come up with several categories of canine intelligence, and you can find out more at the Dognition website. The other exciting thing about the project is that is citizen science in that every dog owner around the world is able to join in. For a fee of $60 you will have access to instruction videos on simple tests to perform on your dog - a sample is available to view at the website. When you feedback to the team on your dog's responses, the team will give you an analysis of your dog's intelligence and problem solving style.
In this interview with Dr. Brian Hare, you can hear how he hopes that all the data collected will provide invaluable insights into the ways dogs think. Brian and his wife, Vanessa Woods, have also written a book The Genius of Dogs, which celebrates canine intelligence - you can find more information and reviews of the book on Amazon. So listen to this interview and discover how your dog is a genius!
Reiki
Rob Fellows with MontyClick on photo for larger image.
The concept behind Reiki is that you take this energy that's freely available around in the atmosphere and a Reiki practitioner will transfer that energy into in this case the dog.
- Rob Fellows
Many people find that Reiki therapy help them cope with life and various conditions, and it can also help dogs. Rob Fellows is a Reiki Master Teacher who offers Reiki to both humans and dogs - as well as cats horses, Guinea pigs rabbits, and he's even treated a python. In this interview you can hear Rob explain what Reiki is, how it works, and how he can help others to channel the energy around them. You can listen to various anecdotes from his therapeutic work with many dogs with a variety of issues too.
As you can hear from the occasional heavy breathing, Rob's lovely Spaniel Monty was present for the interview, and Rob talks about how Reiki has helped Monty over the years. To find out more about Rob you can visit his Reiki 4 Dogs website, or for more information about Rob and Reiki in general visit his Reiki Distant Healing site. Rob can send Reiki healing to your dog wherever you live around the world - and if you're interested in becoming a Reiki healer, he's developed a home study course which will guide you through the process.
News
In the DogCast Radio News hear how even mild sunny weather can prove fatal for dogs left in vehicles, how cold weather cost one poor pup his paws - and how he's adapted to life with four prosthetic limbs. Also concerns from UK animal charities that the way stray dogs are processed has become a postcode lottery, a vending machine for dogs and the latest study on bacteria on people who live with dogs that just might be too much information. Listen to all the dog news you could want with Kate and Nick.
<img border="0" src="http://www.dogcastradio.com/images/thumbs/VictoriaAndMarc.jpg" width="200" height="150" alt="Marc Abraham seen here at Crufts with Victoria
In this show you can hear the second part of our Crufts coverage - this show is in audio format only (the cameraman has to have some time off!) and we kick off with a great interview with Reiki Master Rob Fellows who was at Crufts on the Nowzad stand. Nowzad's mission statement is, "To relieve the suffering of animals, predominantly strays and abandoned dogs in need of care, attention and to maintain rescue facilities for the care and treatment of such animals, especially the animals of Afghanistan." They do fantastic work, and a quick look at their Facebook page will show you there are lots of animals desperate or your sponsorship to get them to their safe new loving home. You can find out more about Rob and his Reiki work at his website devoted to Reiki with dogs and about other facets of his Reiki work at his other website.
Rob Fellows with Monty, who has benefited from Reiki.Click on photo for larger image.
If you're hoping to get a bit fitter, why not raise funds for Hounds for Heroes at the same time and get involved with Fit in Kit. Police Sergeant Garry Botterill explains more about what's required, and the fun aspects of the initiative. As well as raising money to provide assistance dogs for injured and disabled men and women of both the UK Armed Forces and Civilian Emergency Services, your dog can get involved and benefit from getting fitter too.
Jenny Brown and her Beagle Tiga hit the headlines this year when Tiga sniffed out a dog who had been lost for several days in freezing temperatures. Where humans had searched in vain, clever Tiga followed her nose - she sniffed an object with the dog's scent on and then tracked the dog. Tiga has done this several times and is a beacon of hope to those whose dog is missing - you can contact Jenny via the Dog Lost website if you are desperate for help. Jenny and Tiga also enjoy and excel at Cani-X, cross country running with your dog - where do they get their energy from?
Jenny Brown and Tiga.Click on photo for larger image.
Julie wandered down into the Great Dane benching at Crufts, and found the area was very peaceful. Owner Sharon Rose has two lovely Great Danes, Bellamy and Baruch, who are not only successful show dogs, but who have many other talents and accomplishments too. Hear Sharon talk about the dogs she loves so much.
Gorgeous Great Danes Bellamy and Baruch.Click on photo for larger image.
April is National Pet Month - although as Donal Murphy from NOAH - the National Office of Animal Health - explains, it's actually a five week period. National Pet Month promotes responsible pet ownership across the UK, highlights the important work of pet care professionals and working companion animals and help raise money for the nation's pet care charities. If you get involved with a National Pet Month event, or if you organise one of your own, don't forget to register the event on their website, and feedback about how it went.
We've been running a Doggitude giveaway via our social media pages and the winner is a Facebook fan of the show, Jill Penny Crow - congratulations to her, and thanks to Carole Pivarnik for supplying a book for the giveaway. To find out more about Doggitude, which is a book of beautiful water colour portraits of a variety of dogs along with a brief biography of each canine, and a sassy haiku, you can listen to Carole Pivarnik in Episode 141 of DogCast Radio, or visit the Doggitude website or Facebook page.
Tony HeadClick on photo for larger image.
Nick JonesClick on photo for larger image.
Heelwork to music teamClick on photo for larger image.
Sara BinghamClick on photo for larger image.
Sarah FisherClick on photo for larger image.
Dr Claire GuestClick on photo for larger image.
In this episode you can hear our Crufts 2013 coverage - you can watch a video version of this show on the DogCast Radio You Tube channel. Crufts is the most prestigious pedigree dog show in the world, but it's also one of the biggest gathering of dog lovers, and it celebrates every aspect of man's best friend.
You can hear interviews with TTouch Instructor and behaviour counselor Sarah Fisher, and Sarah's partner and fellow dog lover, actor Tony Head, who was at the show promoting the Kennel Club's Bark and Read Foundation. You can find out more about Sarah and Tony at the Tilley Farm website, and there's more about the Bark and Read Foundation at the Kennel Club website.
Trainer Nick Jones - regular listeners will be familiar with him - was on the Dogs Monthly stand giving advice to dog owners who stopped by for a chat. Nick's always fun as well as informative, and you can find out more about him at his Alpha Dog Behaviour website.
Dr Claire Guest is the Chief Executive of Medical Detection Dogs, and has trained some life-changing dogs. Claire's dog in training detected her own breast cancer at an earlier stage than it would ever have been picked up any other way, very probably saving Claire's life. At Crufts 2013 Claire was launching a new initiative investigating the detection of breast cancer - find out more at the Medical Detection Dogs website.
Julie interviewed two of the Heelwork to Music Activity team members about their dogs and why they enjoy dancing with their dogs. Julia Moss delighted the crowds with her energetic performance with her Malamute, Memphis. Sandra Hallam talks about how her Spaniel Henry overcame deafness to carry on dancing.
The Blue Cross is a wonderful charity with a very interesting history, and Education Development Manager Tracy Genever told Julie about how the charity offers support to bereaved and worried owners. Visit the Blue Cross website to find out more.
And if you think that poodles come in black, white and maybe apricot only, think again! We spoke to Sara Bingham about her gorgeous parti poodle, who is both black and white. More information about mixed colour poodles can be found at the Parti Poodle Club website.
Pukka's Promise
I believe we can extend our dogs' lives. Will they ever live as long as we do? Probably not, but I know Labrador Retriever breeders in the US who have Labs who've lived to 18 years old.
- Ted Kerasote
The entire premise of the book is that we can extend our dogs' lives by addressing 7 factors - poor, thoughtless inbreeding; over-vaccination; poor nutrition; exposure to environmental pollutants; spaying and neutering; in our country how the North American shelter system works; and giving dogs more freedom.
- Ted Kerasote
Pukka's Promise CoverClick on photo for larger image.
Ted and PukkaClick on photo for larger image.
Ted and Pukka in the snowClick on photo for larger image.
This episode is a departure from the show's usual style as it is the second of our in-depth interviews with respected author Ted Kerasote about his latest book, Pukka's Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs. Ted has been a guest on the show before, talking about his wonderful book Merle's Door - hear that interview in Episode 64.
Merle was a young dog, living wild. Ted was a man who wanted a dog. They met and chose to stay together, and so began a heartwarming journey which saw man and dog share each other's world, teach each other, and love each other. The partnership was enduring and endearing, the book was a New York Times bestseller, (read a review of Merle's door here) and thousands of readers took Merle into their heart. However, Merle's death broke Ted's heart, and writing Merle's autobiography along with the ensuing book tour became part of the healing process.
When, after years without a dog, Ted began to think of getting another four-legged companion, he wanted to put off that painful final parting for as long as possible; he wanted to have a dog that lived for as long as possible. Thus began Ted's investigation of the factors that affect our dogs' lifespans - and his findings are both fascinating and worrying. Ted considers how dogs' longevity is affected by their breeding, the vaccinations they receive, their nutrition, the pollutants they encounter, whether they are spayed or neutered, and the freedom they are allowed. The result is a masterpiece that weaves together the latest peer reviewed studies, with expert opinion and the intimate story of a man and a dog.
In this, the second of two in-depth interviews, Ted Kerasote talks with humour and honesty about his experiences and research and has simple suggestions to help every dog owner extend their dog's life. Pukka himself is a delight - early on Ted wrote Pukka: The Pup After Merle a book full of charming photos which chronicled Pukka's first six months. In Pukka's Promise we have more detail of how Pukka adapted to life with Ted, how he fits into the neighbourhood "pack", and how he reacts to the abundant local wildlife.
You can find out more about Ted Kerasote at his website, and there is also a Facebook page for the book Pukka's Promise.
After years alone, Ted talks touchingly about his life being once more lit up by dog light; let's help all our dogs shine that light for as long as possible.
Pukka's Promise
We need to have more of an ongoing conversation with our dogs about the freedoms they most desire, after all that's what we do for our best friends, we give them some freedom space and liberty.
- Ted Kerasote
Pukka's Promise CoverClick on photo for larger image.
Ted and PukkaClick on photo for larger image.
Ted and Pukka in the snowClick on photo for larger image.
This episode is a departure from the show's usual style as it is an in-depth interview with respected author Ted Kerasote about his latest book, Pukka's Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs. Ted has been a guest on the show before, talking about his wonderful book Merle's Door - hear that interview in Episode 64.
Merle was a young dog, living wild. Ted was a man who wanted a dog. They met and chose to stay together, and so began a heartwarming journey which saw man and dog share each other's world, teach each other, and love each other. The partnership was enduring and endearing, the book was a New York Times bestseller, (read a review of Merle's door here) and thousands of readers took Merle into their heart. However, Merle's death broke Ted's heart, and writing Merle's autobiography along with the ensuing book tour became part of the healing process.
When, after years without a dog, Ted began to think of getting another four-legged companion, he wanted to put off that painful final parting for as long as possible; he wanted to have a dog that lived for as long as possible. Thus began Ted's investigation of the factors that affect our dogs' lifespans - and his findings are both fascinating and worrying. Ted considers how dogs' longevity is affected by their breeding, the vaccinations they receive, their nutrition, the pollutants they encounter, whether they are spayed or neutered, and the freedom they are allowed. The result is a masterpiece that weaves together the latest peer reviewed studies, with expert opinion and the intimate story of a man and a dog.
In this, the first of two in-depth interviews, Ted Kerasote talks with humour and honesty about his experiences and research and has simple suggestions to help every dog owner extend their dog's life. Pukka himself is a delight - early on Ted wrote Pukka: The Pup After Merle a book full of charming photos which chronicled Pukka's first six months. In Pukka's Promise we have more detail of how Pukka adapted to life with Ted, how he fits into the neighbourhood "pack", and how he reacts to the abundant local wildlife.
You can find out more about Ted Kerasote at his website, and there is also a Facebook page for the book Pukka's Promise.
After years along, Ted talks touchingly about his life being once more lit up by dog light; let's help all our dogs shine that light for as long as possible.
