Five intriguing episodes from my podcast A Dog's Life
Here are five of my top intriguing podcasts from A DOG’S LIFE - streaming on all platforms.
1) Rupert Sheldrake on the sixth sense and telepathy between dogs and their owners:
Rupert Sheldrake is one of my heroes! He’s known for highlighting how telepathy exists between people, and between dogs and their owners. Having read Rupert’s book “ Dogs that know when they’re owners are coming home’ 10 years ago, I wanted to share his work, and how Rupert proved scientifically how dogs pick up on their owner’s intentions. For example when they’re returning home. Reading Rupert’s books vindicated me as I had experienced so many uncanny moments shared with my first Miniature Bull Terrier, Molly. Despite already sharing radio time with Rupert as a guest on BBC Radio London’s Barking Hour, which I’ve co-hosted for a decade, chatting to Rupert in his library was a bucket list moment!
To listen, click here !
2) Alternative Vet Lise Hansen on Homeopathy
I’m honoured that Lise Hansen is A DOG’S LIFE ‘house Vet’. I am a great believer in holistic healthcare and when I was referred to a holistic vet 12 years ago, I never turned back! But continued to embrace the huge toolbox that underpins the more natural ‘drug free’ approach. Lise highlights so clearly how homeopathy works and the science behind it, which lies in the laws of physics. As Lise says: “If you analyse the chemicals of a CD, it’s just plastic, you have no idea it’s Beethoven or The Beatles!”
To listen, click here!
3) Dr Claire Guest talking about dogs trained to sniff out COVID-19
Through Lockdown dogs have never been more in the news! Not least when the charity Medical Detection Dogs announced they were training six dogs to sniff out COVID19. I was honoured to be the first podcast to air this landmark news! I helped launch Medical Detection Dogs in 2008 when a scientific study published in The Lancet revealed that dogs could discriminate the odour of bladder cancer in human urine. This trial, which involved the charity’s first team of super sniffers, launched their work to prove diseases have an odour, which could help in the earlier detection of many cancers and more. How by harnessing a dog’s superior olfaction, dogs can be trained to work with people suffering from conditions like diabetes, and alert to life threatening episodes to save lives! With over 300 million scent receptors in their nose, which compares to our five million, the potential of these super sniffers might just save us from ourselves!
To listen, click here !
4) I chat to Police Dog Handler Dave Wardell about his dog known as Fabulous Finn
This episode highlights the extraordinary bond that exists between dogs and their owners – it epitomises the adage: ‘one man and his dog”! Dave speaks openly about the horror of being out on a routine ‘shift’ when the criminal they were pursuing stabbed K9 Finn leaving him a breath away from the death. We chat about guilt, which is an emotion that haunts many of us for different reasons. As the best-selling book - Fabulous Finn, highlights he survived, but it could easily have been different. This criminal was charged with only a 5-month sentence for his savage actions. Subsequently Dave Wardell campaigned for a law #FinnsLaw, which became legislation that protects all service animals. We also discuss his campaign for #FinnsLawPart2, which if passed will increase sentencing for all animal cruelty and neglect cases in line with the crime considering animals as sentient beings rather than simply as property.
To listen, click here !
5) Toby Rose founder of The Palm Dog
Focussing on cultural dog-centricities we talk about dogs in film with Cinema Journalist and founder of the only canine film awards, the Palm Dog. Apart from a dog’s potential role in any plot, dogs are the familiar, they represent loyalty – a film is not a film without ‘man’s best friend. We highlight the canine cinema legends from Rin Tin Tin who earned more than Greta Garbo and saved Warner Bros from bankruptcy in the 1930’s. Into the present with canine stars like Uggie from The Artist. Merging film and literature in Copperfield where the dog Gyp reveals as much about Dickens as he does about his owner, Dora Spenlow, in the classic.
To listen, click here !