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I'm a Twitterer!

Just a quick post to let you know that you can now follow us on Twitter. Our ident is DogCastRadio, and I'll be keeping you updated about shows, blog posts and so on. If you're on Twitter, come and say hello and we can follow one another. See you there.

Take care,

Julie x

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A day at the beach

We had our day at the beach yesterday, and it was marvelous after the winter we've been having. The dogs had a great time; as soon as I opened the boot and let Buddy out, he was leaping about, quivering in excitement that he was going to get a run on the beach. Star takes it all a bit more in her stride, and her passion is digging. What was really enjoyable was that the beach was not crowded, so although we had the leads with us, we didn't have to attach them once. Bliss!

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The joys of (almost) spring

As I type this, Star is lying in a patch of sunlight in front of an open door. This is one of her favourite positions. She likes it best with the door open, so that should the need arise, she can potter out into the garden, but she will accept a door closed situation. Eventually. Today though, the door stands flung open, because on opening it a lovely spring day, complete with warm sunshine, was waiting for us. (It had been waiting an indecently long time in fact, as we tend to lie in on a Saturday morning.)

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Support Dogs will be at Crufts

Here's another Crufts story. Alan Checkley and his Support Dog, Fudge, will be at Crufts on Friday 6th March. Support Dogs is a founder member of Assistance Dogs UK and also a full voting member of Assistance Dogs International, an organisation that represents assistance dog training programmes around the world. Every year Support Dogs receives in excess of fifty applications for dogs from each of its programmes, which means that there is currently a two-year waiting list. Without secure and regular funding the wait may be even longer and demand for dogs continues to increase every year.

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Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs at Crufts

The press releases about Crufts are coming thick and fast now - I shall pass the more interesting ones on to you! I interviewed Claire Guest a while ago, when she was just getting started with the cancer detection training and charity. It's fascinating, and a great cause to support. She has trained dogs to do amazing jobs, and it's a pleasure to watch them work. She will be at Crufts again this year. You can hear interviews with her in Episode 48, Episode 63 and Episode 70 of DogCast Radio.

Cancer and Bio-detection Dogs receives support from Samsung Electronics

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Okay, now I'm offended

I mentioned in a recent show that Star, our Bichon Frise, has certain preferences. Call them preferences, or idiosyncrasies, or eccentricities. Whatever you call them, she has them. She has definite ideas on how her life should be; when she should go for a walk, when she should have access to the garden, when she should be on your lap, and so on. The basic rule seems to be that all these things should happen whenever she jolly well wants them to happen, thank you very much!

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The man who wants to ban all dogs

Usually on a Saturday I buy the Daily Mail. To be honest this has more to do with them having a good television listing magazine, and fun puzzles than it does with any political affiliation. If you want to know my political stance here it is : they're all roughly as bad as each other. Anyway, this weekend we fancied a change so we bought the Times. Shan't be doing it again.

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Episode 82 available now

Episode 82 of DogCast Radio is now available. This episode has an interview with one of those eccentrics you encounter occasionally in the dog world. Vlasidslav Roytapel is the Russian Dog Wizard. He now lives in the USA, although he has trained dogs all over the world, and currently he offers pet owners solutions to their problems.

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Puppy Love?

Okay check this story out. Sarah Harding from pop group Girls Aloud has a new puppy. Aah! He's all cute, and he's so little he hasn't even got a name yet. Sarah described the puppy as her "baby" as she took him along to a meeting with her on the day she got him.

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Everyone's a critic!

You know some people say that dogs and children don't mix? Well in my opinion dogs and violins don't mix. I have recently started to learn to play the violin. I can play piano a little, and quite a few woodwind instruments ( it's all the same basic concept - a tube with holes to make pitch variations), but stringed instruments have always eluded me. I was bought my first guitar when I was under ten years old. Now, quite a few years later, I still only know a few chords, and most of those I get wrong. I also take ages to change from one chord to the next.

So I decided to ask for a violin for Christmas. Not Christmas just gone, oh no, this was way

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Sharing

281 - dog AITA and am I being unreasonable

In this podcast, host Julie considers a variety of Reddit AITA questions, and Am I Being Unreasonable from Mumsnet. We have stories of a puppy biting a child at a family get together, the pet sitting friend who took the dog to doggy daycare, the rescue dog defender feeling the pressure to meet up for dog walks, the sister who caused trouble when she said her sister's baby name sounded like a dog's name, the devoted owner who ducked out of his brother's wedding to care for his injured dog, an off lead dog causing issues and two alleged service dogs joining at the children's playground. Do you agree with Julie's take on all these canine conundrums?

189 - The Dog Healers and War Dogs Remembered

In this episode you can hear Mark Winik talk about his debut novel, The Dog Healers, and listen to Julia Robertson explain why she founded the charity War Dogs remembered. Plus there's the DogCast Radio News, and what Mischief the German Spitz puppy has been up to.

188 - Service Dogs UK and Roxie the Doxie Finds Her Forever Home

In this episode you can hear about Service Dogs UK, a fantastic charity which trains assistance dogs to support veterans of any service - military personnel, police, firefighters, paramedics and the coastguard - who develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder due to their job. Also, listen to Dr Jody A Dean, a clinical psychologist talk about how her book, Roxie the Doxie finds her Forever Home, is helping children understand and talk about adoption and other family issues. Plus the DogCast Radio News and some thoughts on the alpha dog myth.

187 - Muffins Halo and Chorley Fun Dog Show

In this episode you can hear about Muffin's Halo for Blind Dogs, and what motivates people to enter their dog in a fun dog show. In the DogCast Radio News, listen to stories about the latest dog related research. Plus there's a new member of the DogCast Radio team!

186 - Maxwell Muir on wolves

In this episode you can hear trainer, behaviourist, writer, broadcaster and wolf expert Maxwell Muir talk about what wolves mean to him personally, their plight in a modern world, and his hopes for their future. Plus we have the DogCast Radio News.