Anna's Blog

Despite great intentions, 80% of us give up on resolutions by the second Friday in January, its known as ‘quitters’ day’! Whether it’s to kickstart more healthy eating, lose some excess pounds, take up running, yoga or just practice mindfulness, it appears us human’s give up! 

Dogs don’t make New Year resolutions. Dogs depend on us to make so many choices for them, from what they eat, whether they wear a collar or a harness, to where they sleep. What if we turn the tables and let our dogs inspire New Year resolutions?  

I bet they'd say 'Walk Your Dog' is a good one to begin with! 

Shedding more light on the human-dog relationship, this study adds to our understanding of how dogs may interpret and interact with human psychological states. It also confirmed the truth in the old adage: that dogs can smell fear! Interestingly, in another study from Sweden, scientists discovered that stressed owners and their dogs shared increased levels of cortisol in their hair. 

When you think of Christmas from your dog’s point of view it’s no wonder ‘tis the season to be stressed.  With an understanding of how changes in routine can affect every individual dog differently.

Being aware that dogs that aged three years or under won’t have benefitted from as much early socialisation around visitors as older dogs, so preparation and planning this Christmas will make all the difference.

Anna's chatting to broadcaster Jo Good about the journey of the famous ‘dog slot' on BBC radio that she's co-hosted with Anna for 14 years and now is broadcast across the UK. Recapping on how we met, we talk about the media and dogs and how post pandemic the world of dogs has shifted. Anna and Jo touch on interviews and the messages to get across,  and reminisce about their first dogs , Molly the Bull Terrier and British Bulldog Matilda who were TV and radio naturals,

My passion to feed Molly for optimum health inspired my study on canine (and feline) nutrition at the College of Integrated Veterinary Therapies. The field of nutrition changes almost daily with science increasingly confirming the health value of fresh functional whole foods. Appreciating the key role of food, the new science of Epigenetics investigates the interplay between everything in our environment, including diet, that impacts either positively or negatively to genetic expression, which either promotes health or creates disease.

Traditionally Medics have viewed OA as a structural disease that involves the breakdown of articular cartilage and its subsequent effect on the joints. Whilst wear and tear overtime is one cause, new technology, and the sciences of Epigenetics and Nutrigenomics highlight how negative environmental influences, like obesity, affect gene expression making dogs more likely to suffer from inflammation of the joints.

When we’re joined by Niall Harbison talking about his book, Hope, which is about how Thailand’s street dogs taught him the meaning of life! Originally from Tyrone, Niall moved to Thailand after selling his marketing and PR company.

Niall who was a self confessed alchoholic who in moving to Thailand became worse, ending up in in intensive care, and nearly died. His rescue dog fromIreland called Snoop was his inspiration to get out of hospital and clean up his act, channelling his energy and into helping hundreds of Thai street dogs.