Gundogs and Guard dogs

Clair Brady, a former CIDBT student, joins Lez and Ross to discuss life. From her first German Shepherd and the horrors of stumbling upon a poor breeder, with little knowledge Clair went ahead and purchased a puppy, with devastating consequences. That moment started her journey into the world of dogs. Life changes for us all, often without notice. Clair moved into dog photography, alongside dog be...

Two very special guests have arrived… oh no, wait, it’s just the hosts. . This episode starts with the sperm and the egg, takes a detour through labels and mental health, and somehow finds its way back again. Let’s just all be thankful social media wasn’t around when these two were younger! . Recorded in the middle of another heatwave, the North/South divide gets a mention as Ross and Lez discuss...

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”, Maya Angelou The jury is in, but not everyone has heard the verdict. In this eye-opening episode, we’re joined once again by the brilliant veterinarian Dr Lise Hansen to explore the evolving science of neutering in dogs, both male and female. What do we really know in 2026? From mammary cancer and testicular cancer...

Flappy things, flying tangents, and a very warm welcome back! This episode kicks off with a not-so-gentle reminder to like, rate, and share, because apparently that’s what they’re supposed to say. They don’t share a threesome… not quite the terminology they were going for when describing guest episodes! It’s HOT in Scotland… 24 degrees. Their London representative scoffs at that while recording in...

David Cavill joins Lez and Ross to chat about a life in dogs that spans well over 50 years. The man has a CV in dogs beyond imagination. It all started with a Finnish Spitz puppy, courtesy of his wife Angela, and led to an incredible journey through the dog world. David and Angela’s Toveri Finnish Spitz are internationally renowned and admired, even by the Finns themselves. From Animal Care Colleg...

A wonderful conversation with Adem Fehmi, who very kindly does most of the talking (ranting!), allowing Lez and Ross to enjoy something of a day off. From a childhood love of animals to a successful career, it all started with Trigger, the West Highland White Terrier. Adem has now been working with dogs for over three decades, and like many of us, his journey began with a passion that grew, suppor...

There’s a big difference between theory and practice… and they’re right in the middle of it. It starts in the “pleasure zone,” or at least it should. One of them has been working, the other playing, and somehow they both end up exhausted. Between the yawns, they attempt a quick dive into Lez’s behaviour masterclass… until Ross derails things with a passionate rant about a tree. But that’s just the...

Let’s start with something that might make you uncomfortable. What if everything you’ve been told about vaccinating your dog isn’t entirely true? What if the idea of the “annual vaccination” isn’t just outdated, but flat-out wrong? Because here’s the reality—there is no such thing as an annual vaccination. So why are so many people still doing it? And while we’re at it, why are we so obsessed with...

A few days into Crufts, what started as a fabulous celebration of dogs quickly revealed something more complicated, an underlying tension within the dog training world that’s becoming harder to ignore. In this episode, we unpack the growing divide between so-called “balanced” training and “force-free” approaches. Where did these labels come from, and what do they actually mean? When does training...

Dropping on Day 2 of Crufts by the The Royal Kennel Club, this episode dives into the world of show dogs, dog shows, and what it really means to be “Royal.” Spoiler: we don’t have all the answers… and the future may be just as messy. We chat about: The ins and outs of showing dogs at Crufts with insights from people who’ve done it. Breed-specific temperament “improvements”—are we actually improvin...

An engaging and wide-ranging conversation with this episode’s guest, Colin Tennant MA — Chairman of the Canine & Feline Behaviour Association. Colin reflects on a remarkable career spanning more than 50 years, from his early days working in kennels to serving as a police dog handler, including time in Saudi Arabia, and later pioneering work in London’s West End. A move into dog behaviour saw h...

The usual nonsense returns, with hot, diluting juice dominating the intro, yet again, some things just don’t survive the M25 language barrier. Emrys’s first shoot is covered, explaining what a “shoot” really involves when working with Gundogs, it’s all about the dog, not the dead birds, and listeners can probably guess which of the hosts is the city dweller, some might find this chat unpalatable,...

Join Sue as she reflects on over 40 years in the veterinary world—a career shaped by curiosity, conscience, and a determination to look beyond convention. A wake-up call during her dermatology studies sent her exploring alternative modalities in canine health and wellbeing, opening the door to a journey through homeopathy, acupuncture, laser therapy, and more. From “the nibs, the nabs, the mibs, t...

Whacky hippy shit… ✌️Anything slightly cheery? How was it five minutes ago that it was the millennium?! Lez with a baby in a buggy 👶. Ross dancing in Soho (he still does that!🙈) Twenty-six years later, this duo look awful and feel even worse as they enter the New Year. An overview of Christmas…Lez got to play charades 🎭 ...Ross managed to swerve it. Turkey is done to the extreme, obviously. A w...

Another Reloaded episode to help keep our listeners sane over Christmas, and one you need to make time for. Originally released as “Joint Rot,” we’re bringing it back because its message is too important to miss. Canine arthritis wasn’t on Ross’s radar in London, while Lez in Scotland had a bit more familiarity, but their conversation with Hannah changed everything. Her veterinary career led her t...

Another Reloaded episode to help keep our listeners sane over Christmas… or, let’s be honest, possibly the opposite. WTF is a Gonk? A question nobody asked, yet here we are. This episode was originally released on a Bank Holiday just after Boxing Day 2020, continuing our journey through that wonderfully weird moment in history. The team at GaGD hope you’re having a fantastic Christmas break, and w...

Another Reloaded episode to help keep our listeners sane (or not) over Christmas. First released during Christmas 2020, this one is a real snapshot in time—one of the strangest Christmases in living memory. And although it genuinely sounds like Ross is recording from the bathroom, we knew it deserved a reload, not just for the sheer weirdness of those days but because it was our very first episode...

In this deeply affecting Reloaded Episode, Lez and Ross revisit their conversation with Julie Shelton from Appledown Dog Rescue. Originally recorded in August 2024 and titled “Take a Breath,” it’s an episode that truly asks you to pause before listening. The reality of dog rescue in the UK, both then and now, is nothing short of devastating, and the emotional toll is clear throughout the conversat...

Ho Ho Ho! The Gundogs & Guard Dogs team wishes you all a very Merry Christmas! In this festive episode, our chaotic duo takes a nostalgic wander back to the first Covid lockdown, all in preparation for the Reloaded episodes dropping over the Christmas break. From the initial terror to “Eat Out to Help Out” to “Get back inside immediately!”, they relive the madness… including the era of masked...

Thank goodness, Gundogs are off the menu, Guard Dogs are in. Charles Wall from A1K9 joins the team today. From a dog-mad little kid, the “dog boy” many of us once were, to carving out a career with personal protection dogs, his story echoes the journeys of so many dog lovers. From a hobby to a business, from Exchange and Mart to Koehler dog training books to wrapping newspaper around your arm, thi...

Today’s special guest is…oh...not here! Just the two of them then…probably one of the most boring conversations you can ever overhear! Splinters in your bum…or just telling the truth?! Diwali, Halloween, Guy Fawkes…the Fireworks never stop! It’s not just dogs…it's horses and all animals who suffer! Cobwebs and severed heads! The cheer continues with swerving trick and treat and now the Scottis...

Whether you’re using Librella, considering it, or just want to do what’s best for your dogs, this episode is essential listening. 👀💥The fabulous Andrew Armitage from Greenside Regenerative Therapies joins us for an eye-opening deep dive into the truth about Librella 💉🐾Strap yourself in folks... ---- oOo ----Lez and Ross have both been in the industry professionally for well over 20 years and e...

In this gloriously moany episode, we dive headfirst into the murky waters of what it really means to be qualified in the dog world. Are you genuinely trained and educated—or just good at looking the part online? We kick off with a wildly unscientific theory from the Scottish side about why time speeds up as you age (spoiler: the Londoner calls BS). From there, it’s a nostalgic detour into school d...

In this episode, we sit down with Jacquie Law from Dogs4Wildlife — a woman whose journey into conservation and canine training is nothing short of inspiring. We start with a bit of background on Jacquie and her work alongside partner Darren at Extremus Dog Training, before diving into the incredible world of anti-poaching dogs in Africa — all of which began with just one Belgian Malinois puppy.🐾...

This episode is all about the Guard Dogs – with a nod to the Gundogs – and a brief detour into the life of a proud pheasant plucker! After the obligatory weather chat and a vague mention of upcoming podcasts (as usual, confusion reigns), we try to figure out whether the Beagles were in New Zealand or Hong Kong. From Borzoi to Landseers doing competitive obedience - we question whether watching Bor...