What The Bark - The RightPaw Podcast

We're super excited to have veterinarian, author, and RightPaw breeder Dr. Claire Stevens join What The Bark this week! Dr. Claire joined us to unpack some of the most common new puppy owner questions that she encounters at the vet clinic. We cover questions around feeding, biting, socialisation, and much more! To learn more about Dr. Claire, you can visit her website: https://drclairestevens....

An important podcast topic this week, after some recent welfare stories in the news around over-breeding dogs. Nathan and Genetic George discuss the news stories, the importance of breeding limits, and how responsible breeders cater for this in their breeding programs. A shout-out to podcast listener Wendy from Pitter Patter Cavoodles for her suggestion for this week's episode!

After the great feedback to our series on "coat colour", we're excited to share another special episode - all about dogs and coat type! Nathan and Genetic George dive into the genes that make up "coat type" in dogs - including the 'long-haired' gene, 'curly' gene, and 'improper coat' gene. You can learn more on this - and view some great diagrams - i...

Ever wondered what the dog parks of the future could look like? Well, Jared Zabel from OpenPark does! In this week's episode, Jared joins us to discuss his vision for OpenPark - a new US start-up, re-imagining how dog parks can provide holistic pet care. Think of it as a gym for dogs! You can read more about OpenPark on their website - https://www.openpark.us/

Tune in for the final instalment in our series on dog coat colour! In Part 3, we discuss two of the most rare colour variations - piebald (pied) and merle - and delve into the health conditions owners and breeders of merle dogs need to be aware of. You can read more here about the Langevin merle scale via the link here, and check out a great educational and visual resource for Dog Coat Colour here...

We're back with Part 2 in our special episode all about dog coat colour! In Part 2, we look at some of the more unusual colour variations, including sable, brindle, and black and tan - and what it means for dog owners of those breeds. Here is the link to the great educational resource discussed in the episode, explaining coat colour with great visuals:  http://www.doggenetics.co.uk/index.htm

Ever wondered how a black labrador can produce yellow puppies? In a special series of episodes, Genetic George guides us through how coat colour works in dogs! In Part 1, we dive into dog DNA; how all dog coats can be traced back to two base colours; and how different DNA variations produce all the colours we see today! Here is the link to the great educational resource discussed in the episode, e...

A whole podcast episode on the Golden Retriever? Sign us up!  This week on "What The Bark", we shone our 'Breed Spotlight' on one of the world's most popular breeds.  Joining us was Jane Hodges from Camuka Golden Retrievers, as we dive into the origins of the breed, their temperament and standard, important health concerns, and why they're so enduringly popular.  Jane has even writt...

This week, we’re tackling one of the most commonly asked questions from breeders in the last 6 months…what is ADAMTS3? This new genetic health test has raised a lot of questions and concerns, so we thought we would demystify the most frequent questions, and look at how this affects breeding programs. Please note, the information in this episode is for general advice only, and we always recommend c...

The "What The Bark" podcast is back for 2023! As we get a year older, it left us thinking about the age of our doggy friends - and the importance of caring for your dog based on how old they are. So we invited Dr. Andria Beal - founder of EpiPaws - to talk about how their tests help determine a dog's age, and the study of epigenetics. Psst - there are also Orivet and EpiPaws prize giveaways, so ma...

For our last podcast episode of 2022, 'What The Bark' thought we'd tackle arguably the biggest challenge for dog owners during the last few years - separation anxiety! We were joined by RightPaw breeder Tiana Karamihas of River City Puppies to unpack this common problem. Tiana is a "Cavoodle Coach", and has encountered this problem in her breed. We discuss what causes separation anxiety, how to id...

Have you ever dreamt of getting in the ring at a dog show? This week on "What The Bark", we put on our best dog show attire to discuss Junior Handlers, with RightPaw breeder Rachael Holloway from Zuleika Finnish Lapphunds! A topic close to Rachael's heart - starting as a junior handler herself - we discuss the importance of junior handlers, how other countries run their dog shows, and how we can e...

Did you know a Papillon is one of the world's most intelligent breeds? This week on "What The Bark", we held another of our "Breed Spotlights", this time on the adorable Papillon! We were joined by RightPaw breeder EmilyKate of Emmoge Papillons, and learned all about the the origins of the breed, how the breed got its name, the difference between a Papillon and a Phalene,  and how to determin...

Genetic George is back! And we have a cracking episode to welcome him back. This week, we sat down with RightPaw cavoodle breeder Sarah, from Waterhill Cavoodles, as we walk through a puppy's transformation in its first eight weeks of life. Sarah talks us through the preparation and training that goes into that eight weeks (and even beforehand!) to produce a perfect, well-socialised family pet. It...

What The Bark is back! After a little 'pawse', we're excited to be back on the air! This week we were without Genetic George (don't worry, he's back next episode!), so we brought back one of our favourite guests - Dr. Imogen Tomlin-Game - to talk all things puppy preparation. Imogen has developed RightPaw's Puppy Prep Program, and discusses the importance of puppy preparation, as well as key topic...

With more breeders being found online, social media is becoming an important way for breeders to share their breeding program with the world. We sat down with RightPaw breeder Teghan from Spencer's Dachshunds, to learn the tips and tricks of running social media as a breeder. We discuss the different social media platforms, what content works best, and strategies to boost your following. You can l...

Did you know a German Spitz, Pomeranian, and Keeshond are all in the same family? Well, this week, we held another of our "Breed Spotlights", this week on the feisty German Spitz! We were joined by RightPaw breeders Di and Niki of Fyreburst Spitz, and learned all about the German Spitz, the origins of the breed, the different personalities of the Spitz family, and how to determine if this is the r...

If you missed our recent Facebook Live "Ask Me Anything", with Genetic George, you can now listen to the official recording! This episode was all about the listeners, who messaged in with their genetic, health, and DNA questions live on the show - and we answered them in real time! Featuring our special guest moderator Andrew, from the RightPaw team. Thanks to all of our fantastic fans for sending...

Everyone wants to take great photos of their dogs! But how do you get them just right? This week, we sat down with dog show photographer Ffiona Erskine of Ffire Photography, to understand what makes a great pooch pic! Ffiona shares her tricks of the trade - including positioning, angles, lighting, and how to get their attention - as well as some amazing stories of where dog photography has taken h...

Join us on Tuesday May 17th at 6pm (AEST) for a special live podcast recording on Facebook! We'll be recording live on Facebook, with a special 'Ask Me Anything' episode with Genetic George. You'll be able to message in with all your genetic and health questions, and we'll answer them live on the air! Click here to RSVP to the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1926380704231676 Or...

Prepare to have your mind blown, as we delve into the amazing world of assistance dogs. We are joined by renowned service and assistance dog breeder Pauline Gill, who has spent decades breeding her labradors to be "dogs with jobs". We learn about what is required to become a service dog, the different accreditations, the 18-month training program involved, and some of the amazing feats that these...

We're coming to you live from the Canberra Royal Dog Show! George and Nathan travelled to Canberra to record our first ever live episode. Hear what it's like to be ring-side at a dog show, with live commentary on the show, and pop-ins by a few guests along the way, including Paul Grebert of Marsanchow Chows, and Don Mahoney, recently voted Australia's favourite dog show judge!

Did you know Norway has recently banned the breeding of the British Bulldog and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel? It caused a big stir, and had a lot of the dog world asking... 'What The Bark'?! We welcome back Dr. Imogen Tomlin-Game - Chief Vet at RightPaw - to unpack the ban, why it happened, whether it is reasonable, and what it means for breeders around the world.

Be warned - in this episode, we're talking s**t! It's the dirty side of the dog world, but dog poop is a real environmental and social problem. We sat down with J Retinger from Poo Prints, who use DNA to identify the owners leaving behind dog waste left in public spaces, and improve responsible pet ownership! You can read more about Poo Prints on their website here: https://www.pooprints.com/

Every breeder has one! This week on What The Bark, we learn about setting up your Whelping Area. We're joined by RightPaw breeder Jo Saba from Montys Moodles, to discuss what to consider when setting up your whelping area. From where to set up, what essentials to have on-hand, and how it changes as the pups grow, Jo guides us through how a breeder can give their pups the best start.