Just a Dog Podcast

In this episode I speak with Hannah Greeno , founder of Canine Needs and the practice of Canine Facilitated Coaching. With over 15 years’ experience in behaviour and training, as well as volunteering with Blue Cross Pet Loss Support, Hannah brings a rare perspective on how our dogs mirror back the parts of ourselves we often ignore. We explore how guilt, grief, projection and loneliness show up in...

This week I am joined by Hasan Yiğit Aktaş, an animal behaviourist and breeder of primitive and spitz breeds such as Akitas, Shibas and Shikokus. Hasan’s path into breeding began by accident, yet over time he has combined academic study in animal behaviour with the lived experience of generations of family breeding and hands-on work with horses and dogs. We explore what it might mean to breed for...

When Hasan Yiğit Aktaş’s Akita started gaining weight, his vet assured him it was a phantom pregnancy. Seven puppies later, he was a breeder—accidentally. That moment shaped a path Hasan never planned, but which now defines his life with dogs. Speaking from rural Lithuania, Hasan shares his journey with primitive breeds: Akitas, Shibas and the rare Shikoku. These are dogs with deep history, bred f...

In this episode I sit down with Lisa, a long term foster carer for Galgos, Podencos, and mixed breeds to explore what fostering really means in the middle of today’s rescue crisis. Lisa shares the quiet routines that help traumatised dogs begin to trust again and the reality of letting them go so that another dog can take their place. But this is about more than one person’s foster story. It is ab...

This episode explores a completely different perspective on dog guardianship through my conversation with Judy Comer-Calder, The Devon Dog Lady, whose philosophy centres on one core belief: dogs are never naughty - they're always doing their best. Judy works primarily with humans rather than dogs directly, believing most behavioural problems stem from humans accidentally teaching unwanted behaviou...

Jack Tutty returns to defend the most controversial tools in dog training, arguing they're kinder than alternatives we accept without question. This conversation challenges how we think about training tools and animal welfare. Jack breaks down what "aversive" actually means and questions why we accept certain methods whilst condemning others that may be less harmful. He argues our emotional reacti...

Jack Tutty from J&P Canine Academy works with severe behavioural cases and trains competition dogs using methods many find controversial. In this two-part conversation, we explore the divide in dog training and what it reveals about how we approach difficult conversations. Jack specialises in reactivity and resource guarding cases. He trains his Rottweiler in IGP sport and uses tools like pron...

When the UK government announced the XL Bully ban in September 2023, Sophie Coulthard went from posting dog training videos on TikTok to founding a grassroots movement that would raise over £200,000 and challenge the government in court. In this episode, Sophie reveals what really happens when breed-specific legislation becomes law - the hidden consequences that go far beyond what most people imag...

In Episode 4, Nina May, founder of Wunderdog magazine, exposes the maddening contradictions in dog welfare. You can impulse-buy a puppy on Instagram and have it delivered like a takeaway. Yet rescue charities reject potential adopters for not having gardens in London. The system makes it easier to buy a poorly bred puppy from a dodgy dealer than to save a dog's life from a rescue. Nina herself - w...

⚠️ This episode contains discussion of distressing topics including animal cruelty and mistreatment in the racing and hunting industries. Can beautiful photography change hearts and minds about rescue dogs? Elena Marci, the award-winning photographer behind Pawtiqe, believes it can. With a unique monochrome approach, Elena creates elegant, minimalistic black and white portraits that celebrate the...

We've all been there scrolling through social media, witnessing questionable advice or practices, and feeling that familiar surge of helplessness and frustration. With so much suffering in the world right now, from global conflicts to environmental destruction, many of us are experiencing what some are calling "global mourning."When we're already carrying this collective sadness, how do we honour...

What happens when a dog's grief forces you to question everything you thought you knew about dogs? Host Nadine shares the moment that changed her assumptions about canine emotions and launched her down a rabbit hole of discovery that's taken her from Parliament to greyhound tracks to rescue centres across the UK.After witnessing a black cockapoo named Lola mourn the death of her father, Nadine rea...