Dogs with Jobs

Meet the Flyball Buccaneers, a Flyball team that we met at Dogs Day Out 2026 in May this year. Although you can see flyball at Crufts every year, this emerging, wildly exciting relay race over obstacles is not as well known as it deserves to be in the UK. It's a lovely introduction to the exciting team sport that is flyball. Enjoy!  Find the Farnham based Buccaneers Flyball Club on Facebook at @Buccaneersflyballclub.  Connected Episodes The Odyssey Flyball Club at Goodwoof 2024  Do you work your dog or dogs?  If you know a dog with an interesting job, Kate would love to hear from you!  Find me at [email protected] or [email protected].   © & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2026  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A short but sweet mid-month catch up with Jez and his owner/handler, Phil Gibbon.  Jez is a saluki whippet and the youngest of a team of sighthounds that together work under the stage name "Little Nippers", as a performing troupe of terriers and lurchers at country shows all over the UK. Their entertaining performance at country shows educates the public and demonstrates the lost sport of coursing, using an electric lure.  Coursing is the hunting of game such as hares with greyhounds, which use sight rather than scent, and has been banned in the UK since 2004. You may recall we met Phil Gibbon a few years back and talked about life as a travelling showman with his pack of dogs and birds of prey to Dogs with Jobs presenter Kate Fairweather. His beloved dogs travel in comfort, like the performers they are, but are also family pets, many names after members of the family.  Find other dogs with interesting jobs.  Do you work your dog or dogs? Please get in touch with Kate Fairweather if you would be interested in being on the podcast by emailing [email protected]. © & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Working Cocker Spaniel, Oreo, is in the vanguard of an evolving detection discipline within the West Midlands Police dog section. Oreo's handler, P.C.  David Croft and instructor, Tony Brown talk to Kate Fairweather about what Oreo does and why it is a crucial element in gathering evidence of criminal activity.  Recorded in the back of a police van at Crufts, the UK's largest dog show, in March 2025.  You may also enjoy these connected episodes: The UK's National Police Dog Trials 2025 P.D. Viper the firearms support dog P.D. Chase and the career arc of a general purpose police dog P.D. Meika, who searches for London criminals' cash, drugs and firearms  P.D. Ted, the explosives detection dog with the West Midlands Police P.D. Jax the victim recovery dog with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary Mika, the well being and trauma support dog in the Metropolitan Police Champ, the engagement dog working in child protection in the Victoria police Do you work your dog? Or perhaps you know someone else who might like to come on the show?  I love all and any working dogs and am always looking for dogs to interview.  Get in touch with me, Kate, via [email protected]. Find more dogs with interesting jobs.  © & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is canicross? Team GB athletes, Sarah Gillam and Jen Davies, explain the challenges and joys of this ultimate team sport for two athletes running together - one canine, one human. Canicross UK describes it as "...off-road running with your dog. Your dog wears a harness specifically designed to allow them to pull, you wear a belt/harness which allows hands-free running and you are attached to your dog with a bungee line." Canicross' origins lie in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, developed as a means of keeping "mushing" dogs fit during the summer - in peak condition for the winter season. Sarah Gillam and Jen Davies are leading canicross athletes who compete internationally, representing the UK. They give a great overview of canicross in this episode, and explain how they look after the well-being and safety of their dogs in this exciting sport.  The interview was recorded by presenter, Kate Fairweather at Goodwoof 2025, the dog-centric event on the Sussex estate, Goodwood. Do you work your dog or dogs?   Kate is always fascinated to hear about dogs with interesting jobs -including athletes!  Get in touch to recommend anyone or if you are interested in coming on the show -just email Kate Fairweather at [email protected].  Photo credit: Jen DaviesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hear the UK's top police dogs demonstrate the skills and qualities needed to operate at the very highest level. Courage, physical strength and agility, tracking ability, steadiness, precision and responsiveness are all tested during the UK trials. For the handlers, too, the pressure is on: competing against the best, being watched and judged by their peers.  Join Kate Fairweather at the National Police Dog Trials 2025, which took place in May at the Tally Ho training grounds, outside Birmingham.  Bringing together police dogs and their handlers - from Scotland to Cornwall, this is a remarkable display of what the UK’s police dogs can do in a competitive trial. Thanks to the West Midlands Police Dog Section for having Dogs with Jobs along. Also to P.C. Demo Smart, (you may recall his explosives detection dog, Ted from an earlier episode), Sergeant Hayley Phillips as well as veteran competitor and judge, Sergeant Nick Dalrymple and P.C. Rachel Bower. You may also enjoy these connected episodes: P.D. Viper the firearms support dog P.D. Chase and the career arc of a general purpose police dog P.D. Meika, who searches for London criminals' cash, drugs and firearms  P.D. Ted, the explosives detection dog with the West Midlands Police P.D. Jax the victim recovery dog with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary Mika, the well being and trauma support dog in the Metropolitan Police Champ, the engagement dog working in child protection in the Victoria police Keo the well being dog in the UK police; and Mabel the emotional support worker in the Fire Service Do you work your dog? Or perhaps you know someone else who might like to come on the show?  I love all and any working dogs and am always looking for dogs to interview.  Get in touch with me, Kate, via [email protected]. Find more dogs with interesting jobs.  © & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the time came to step up, much loved pet collie Tay abandoned the sofa for the sheep farm, where his herding talent has made him indispensable to lambing season on the farm.    Owner and professional trainer Martina Miradoli tried Tay on various sports, including agility, scent detection (he was good at this) and introduced him to sheep. Despite her efforts to stimulate him, his drive remained low.  Then, Martina and her partner had the chance to take on the tenancy of a busy farm which meant that Tay had to step up. Martina describes Tay's journey from the sofa to the sheep farm, where he has come into his own at last - just 15 lambs to go at the time of recording.    Find Martina and Tay on Instagram at @martina_bordercollie_geek Check out Martina's wonderful and aptly named podcast, The Border Collie Geek Podcast. Photo credit: Martina Maradoli For more photos, visit https://shineradio.uk/dogswithjobs Connected episodes: Diva at the English National Sheepdog Trials 2023 Edie, Max and Joe, the sheep farm workers Get in touch! Do you work your dog? Kate would love to hear from you!  Sporting dogs, caring dogs, service dogs - the more varied the better. Get in touch on [email protected]. © & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.