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<strong>Celebrate the frontline workers of the canine world.</strong></p> Kate Fairweather comes face to face with a diverse cast of working dogs, perfectly equipped with the instincts, intelligence and training to handle everything their jobs throw at them.</p> Humans and dogs have worked together for centuries - and still do today in our communities.</p> Some work with handlers, drawing on their natural hunting, herding, or guarding instincts, or an exceptional sense of smell. Others perform caring roles, providing companionship and support to humans.</p> <em>Podcast of the Year at the Community Radio Awards 2022.</em></p> <em>Produced by volunteers at Petersfield's Shine Radio. Contact Kate at <a href="mailto:team@shineradio.uk">team@shineradio.uk</a> or call 01730 555 500.</em></p>
Meet Harley, trained in peanut allergen detection - a highly unusual discipline - yet one that makes perfect sense.
Harley is one of two golden retrievers in the busy family household of this episode's interviewee, Natalie Rice.
Natalie is the primary handler, but we’re focusing less on Harley's training in this episode; instead exploring the human element and the impact of her work.
Natalie is a great interviewee - highly knowledgable on allergens, and wonderfully articulate on the dangers around food and social ritual for those people who, like her daughter, have a life threatening allergy.
Harley is a literal life saver and also a much adored pet - spreading joy in a household, which has always had golden retrievers at its heart.
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.
I love to hear from you, and very much appreciate introductions to those who may not want to put themselves forward, but who are up for talking about the talents of our canine friends.
Get in touch with me, Kate, via team@shineradio.uk.
Find more dogs with interesting jobs.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Reporting from Crufts, the best known dog show in the world.
On International Women's Day, we hear from Police Constable Sue Cheek, who was the first woman instructor in the West Midlands Police's Dog Unit.
Police Dog Chase has already shown his superb recall and restraint in the ring earlier in the day. He'll be taking a starring role in the main arena later as part of the Dog Unit's traditional display...In a show that is half drama, half panto, the dogs thrill the packed audience with their abilities to quel disorder, apprehend burglars and bring down suspects.
Sue takes a few minutes out to chat with Dogs with Dogs presenter, Kate Fairweather about an illustrious career within the West Midlands Police. It's a last hurah for them all, since both Chase and her specialist explosives dog, Trev, retire alongside her in a few months time - a chance to do all the things together as pets, which you simply can't do as a police dog.
You may also enjoy these connected episodes:
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 team@shineradio.uk.
Find more dogs with interesting jobs.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Herbie, a jet black labrador retriever works as a golf ball detection dog at several golf courses around Petersfield.
Owner Roger Hetherington explains how Herbie came to be a golf ball detection dog, the astonishing personal contribution he has made to the cancer charity Macmillan through a golf ball recycling initiative, and the unexpectedly grave danger that lurks on the golf course in high summer.
Dogs with Jobs
Dogs with Jobs features the full range of working dogs, therapy dogs, military and service dogs, assistance dogs, bio detection dogs and other, random occupations such as truffle hunting, modelling and more. Browse more dogs with interesting jobs.
Do you work your dog or dogs?
Or perhaps they've taken it upon themselves to do a job, please do get in touch with Kate at team@shineradio.uk.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2024
Photo credit: Roger Heatherington
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Father of two, Nathan Foy, has worked with a guide dog since he was 18 years old.
Nathan explains the profound loss the accompanies the end of a partnership, as well as the gratitude he feels every time he steps outside his house with his guide dog partner.
It is also a fascinating insight into the human guide dog partnership and its evolution over time. Nathan explains the efficiencies that mark out a veteran dog and how non-verbal communication takes over from verbal commands over time.
Each of his (very different) dogs have accompanied him through various stages of life, according to their personalities and strengths:
Nathan works for Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (Guide Dogs)
Connected episodes on assistance dogs
Dogs with Jobs features the full range of working dogs, therapy dogs, military and service dogs, assistance dogs, bio detection dogs and other, random occupations such as truffle hunting, modelling and more. Browse more dogs with interesting jobs.
Do you work your dog or dog?
Get in touch with Kate Fairweather if you work your dog/dogs and are interested in coming on the show on team@shineradio.uk.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2024
Photo credit: Designed by Wannapik
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dogs with jobs pays an early morning visit to the Hursley Hambledon pack of English Foxhounds in their lodges.
Amid the early morning excitement of the pack, Kennel huntsman Keiran gives an insight into pack life. He explains that there's no a particular "top dog" among the boys. The social hierarchy is more complex and changeable among the girls. Surprisingly, the individual canine most "in charge" is not a foxhound at all - but a pint-sized terrier called Poppy.
With at least one, occasionally two litters a year, scenting talent and knowhow is passed down the generations within the pack over time, as older hounds retire and the youngsters join. Kieran's affection for the hounds is evident. When pressed, he admits to having a favourite, who will live with him as a pet once she retires.
Connected episodes
Do you work your dog or dogs?
Kate is generally obsessed with working dogs and loves to hear about them – the more varied the better! Keep the introductions coming!
If you, or someone you know works their dog or dogs, and would consider being interviewed on Dogs with Jobs, please get in touch with Kate via team@shineradio.uk.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2025
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this Christmas AND 4th birthday show, creators Kate Fairweather and John Welsman discuss how Dogs with Jobs has evolved and play snippets from some of their favourite episodes. They celebrate four years of fun making working dog podcasts together and discovering more jobs being done by dogs than they had ever thought possible back in 2021.
What started as an amusing lockdown project created by two community radio volunteers during the pandemic quickly showed it had legs.
Dogs with Jobs took Podcast of the Year at the National Community Radio Awards 2022 and has been a top 10 pets and animals podcast regularly since then, while growing an international audience.
The first episode of Dogs with Jobs podcast aired in January 2021, and featured Acorn, a golden Retriever who worked as a reading assistant in a Petersfield primary school.
At the time, dog walking was one of the few ways to get out of the house under the UK's strict lockdown rules. So early episodes were recorded outdoors, which contributed to the podcast developing its distinctive "on location" sound, and relaxed interviewing style.
Episodes referred to in this episode:
Dogs with Jobs features the full range of working dogs, therapy dogs, military and service dogs, assistance dogs, bio detection dogs and other, random occupations such as truffle hunting, modelling and more. Browse more dogs with interesting jobs.
Do you work your dog or dog?
Get in touch with Kate Fairweather if you work your dog/dogs and are interested in coming on the show on team@shineradio.uk.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2024
Photo credit: Tina Knowles Photography
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A throwback to summer... this episode of Dogs with Jobs was recorded at the Hampshire Gun Dog Show in August, which featured around 30 gun dog breeds, from golden retrievers and springer spaniels to rare European gun dog breeds.
Joy Venturi Rose of the Hampshire Gun Dog Society describes the various events put on by the society, which include open shows, working tests, field trials and training classes.
Joy touches on working breed standards in this succinct, but excellent overview of gun dog breeds, and shares some ideas for keeping your working breed pet happy and stimulated.
She explains how working breeds need stimulation in their life that uses their brain, and ideally mirrors the sort of work they would have done many dog generations previously.
More about the Hampshire Gun Dog Society.
Other porting dog episodes:
Dogs with Jobs features the full range of working dogs, therapy dogs, military and service dogs, assistance dogs, bio detection dogs and other, random occupations such as truffle hunting, modelling and more. Browse more dogs with interesting jobs.
Do you work your dog or dog?
Get in touch with Kate Fairweather if you're interested in coming on the show on team@shineradio.uk. Kate is always at the Countryside Alliance country sports show and the Alresford Agricultural Show, both in September in Hampshire.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2024
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We first heard about the work of Reid the biosecurity dog five months back.
Conservationist and handler Rachel Cripps talks to presenter Kate Fairweather about Reid's work, visiting Scotland's islands during the course of the year, in all weathers, searching for evidence of rat incursions.
Rachel explains the plans for winter, when weather stops all island visits, and how she keeps Reid ticking over and his skills developing.
What is biosecurity?
Biosecurity is the practice of protecting places from the threats to wildlife posed by the introduction of new diseases or types of plants or animals that do not naturally occur there.
The work of Biosecurity for Scotland focuses on protecting 38 seabird islands around Scotland from invasive non-native mammalian predators, such as rats, mice, mink and stoat. These Scottish islands are remote, home to many globally important colonies of seabirds. Native seabirds, which have not evolved alongside predators and are vulnerable to invasive predators, which eat the eggs, chicks and sometimes adult birds.
Thanks to Sophie at RSPB for introducing Reid and Rachel to the show.
NTS and NatureScot.Biosecurity for Scotland is a partnership of RSPB Scotland, National Trust for Scotland and NatureScot. This project is supported by the Scottish Government’s Nature Restoration Fund, managed by NatureScot.
Other dogs working in conservation
Do you work your dog or dogs?
Get in touch with Kate at team@shineradio.uk with suggestions or introductions to working dogs to feature on the show - she's always interested to hear about dogs with interesting jobs.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2024
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With long waiting lists for autism assistance dogs and medical alert dogs, and little prospect of getting one, teenager Ella Walker decided to train her own.
Meet Ralph, a multi-tasking medical alert and assistance dog, who’s just perfect for Ella.
They've been together since golden retriever Ralph was less than a year old. Since then, Ella has focused on training him for a range of specialist tasks and functions, with the help and support form her family and others.
Ella explains why she always has her eye on the next milestone for Ralph.
Connected Episodes:
More detail and photos at shineradio.uk/dogswithjobs.
Other support dogs and assistance dogs:
Find more dogs with interesting jobs.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2024
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dogs pretty much outnumbered people at the Country Sports Day at Bereleigh, East Meon, both inside and outside the arena.
A particular delight was the arena demonstration from seasoned gun dog trainer, Graham Watkins, whose five spaniels, including a talented two year old and a 12 year grande dame, showed the range of jobs these dogs do on shoots during the season.
Dogs with Jobs presenter Kate Fairweather, caught up with veteran trainer Graham Watkins, who has five decades of experience training gun dogs. Semi retired now, he trains just a couple of dogs at a time - this is the voice of experience. Drawing on the spaniels in the arena on this particular day, he talks talent, training, breeding and career progression for his spaniels.
Recorded at the Hampshire Country Sports Day, 2024.
Sporting dog episodes:
Dogs with Jobs features the full range of working dogs, therapy dogs, military and service dogs, assistance dogs, bio detection dogs and other, random occupations such as truffle hunting, modelling and more. Browse more dogs with interesting jobs.
Do you work your dog or dog?
Get in touch with Kate Fairweather if you're interested in coming on the show on team@shineradio.uk. Kate is always at the Countryside Alliance country sports show and the Alresford Agricultural Show, both in September in Hampshire.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2024
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Amanda is a wife. A mother. A blogger. A Christian.
A charming, beautiful, bubbly, young woman who lives life to the fullest.
But Amanda is dying, with a secret she doesn’t want anyone to know.
She starts a blog detailing her cancer journey, and becomes an inspiration, touching and
captivating her local community as well as followers all over the world.
Until one day investigative producer Nancy gets an anonymous tip telling her to look at Amanda’s
blog, setting Nancy on an unimaginable road to uncover Amanda’s secret.
Award winning journalist Charlie Webster explores this unbelievable and bizarre, but
all-too-real tale, of a woman from San Jose, California whose secret ripped a family apart and
left a community in shock.
Scamanda is the true story of a woman whose own words held the key to her secret.
New episodes every Monday.
Follow Scamanda on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Amanda’s blog posts are read by actor Kendall Horn.
