A Dog's Life with Anna Webb

We’re joined by Blue Cross Vet, Paul Manktelow, talking about how to keep your dog safe this Christmas.  We chat about why despite being super vigilant, every year many dogs become a veterinary statistic. It's estimated that 10 per cent of Britain's dogs see a vet over the festive season.  Paul highlights the main toxic foods from raisins, dark ‘posh’ chocolate, poinsettias, decorations, wrapping paper, sellotape, cooked turkey bones, and onions, not to mention the stresses  of visitors and over excitement if your dog isn’t used to busy households.  Christmas is hard to imagine from a dog’s point of view...

When once upon a time the term dog-friendly hadn’t been invented as we know it today!That’s why it was brilliant to chat with Photographer, Jackie Richards, about her book: Dogs in the Workplace.For over 13 years Jackie has capture dogs and their people in all sorts of different workplaces: from garages, butcher’s shops, cinemas, offices, hairdressers, nightclubs, antique shops and the list goes on.The book captures the relationship between many different breeds and their owners in many different situations.The common thread is the bond that’s convey...

‘Alright Pet’! That’s the hugely successful podcast by BBC Broadcaster, Anne-Marie Wallace who joins me on A Dog’s Life to chat about her passion for all animals, especially retired Greyhounds. Anne -Marie broadcasts on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC NI and launched Alright Pet that airs on BBC Sounds and is about to start its seventh series. Co-hosted by specialist Vet, Rob Adams, together they chat to famous pet owners and celebrate the bond we have with our pets. Beginning with dogs and cats, the podcast soon diversified to cover all animals. We chat about the real life sto...

This week we're joined by film Director, Heidi Ewing, of Loki Films , chatting about Folktales the latest release. When modern life becomes too loud, a group of teens escape to the Arctic wilderness for an unconventional gap year. Guided by patient teachers and a pack of Alaskan huskies, they learn resilience and form meaningful connections with nature, animals, and one another. Set in northern Norway close to the Russian border, Folktales follows the journey of some teenagers on a’gap’ year at a traditional folk high school. Navigating the challenges of the remote environment, they must rely on themselves, each...

This week we're joined by Bio-Archeologist, Dr Carly Ameen, who has been part of a team studying the  emergence and diversification of dog morphology. Looking at the remarkable difference in over 600 dog’s skulls from as far back as 11,000 years ago, the team discovered a huge variety of skull shapes and sizes. This proves that dogs were very different from wolves at this point in time. But the missing link as to when wolves became dogs is still unclear. But this research confirms it was more than 11,000 years ago! The variety of skull shapes in what is generically termed a...

This week we're joined by Solicitor, Ben Evans from Co-Op Legal Services who is talking about why lawyers are recommending that couples think about a ‘Pet-Nup’ agreement when taking on a pup. With 42% of all marriages in the UK ending in divorce, it’s not uncommon for the dog to be caught up in the break up.Ben explains he has seen dogs used in ‘psychological warfare‘ in acrimonious circumstances.Apart from being very costly to take the custody case to the courts, this stress and negative emotion oftentimes does not have the welfare of the dog in mind.<...

This week we’re  joined by Esther Logue, Content and Communications Manager at Paleo Ridge, catching up on the latest developments at one of the UK’s fastest growing raw food brands.We chat about the huge expansion of the raw feeding sector in the last decade and how the company has doubled in size in the last five years to adapt to this growing demand from an expanding customer base.  Announcing  the firm’s  new semi-automated production facility, which is a huge investment that underpins the brand’s long-term co...

This week Anna chats to the ‘House Plant Doctor, Joe Bagley, on the huge benefits of bringing house plants into our homes, adding that important Vitamin G - for green! More than a third (36%) of people say they miss the greenery outdoors during autumn and winter, while 65% spend more time inside and as little as 5% of people go outside for leisure multiple times a day between the months of November and February, according to new research by the Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland.Similarly dogs have more limited time to enjoy day...

This week Anna is chuffed to have chatted to Journalist and Author, Sophia Money-Coutts, about her new book - The Year of the Dog.It’s the funniest, most heart warming ‘memoir’ of bringing ‘Dennis’ - the Parsons Russell Terrier pup into her life just over a year ago. Approaching a landmark birthday, it’s the roller coaster journey of how he has changed Sophia’s life for the better!We discuss how the thought is that raising a puppy is simple: feed them, walk them, love them. Right? Wrong!!Sophia was armed with Pinterest...

In this classic episode (and Anna's personal favourite) the eminent biologist and author of Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home talks to Anna about the science behind our pets' 'sixth sense'.Thank you to the good people at Antinol. We're super proud to be collaborating with them and you can enjoy at 10% discount on your purchase by using our promocode ANNAWEBB. Remember - you're supporting A Dog's Life by supporting our proud sponsor!If you want to switch to a raw diet for your dog, you can't do better than Paleo Ridge...

We’re joined by Dr Nick Thompson talking about the integrative principle, based on a holistic viewpoint where different modalities including diet, acupuncture, herbs, homeopathy, red light therapy and physical therapies combine to offer a tool kit to help the natural healing process, whilst keeping your pet’s body burden to a minimum. We discuss the building blocks of species appropriate nutrition and the confusion in the market with so many pet foods brands, that it's no wonder ‘pet parents' get confused! Being a huge advocate for feeding a raw, balanced and complete diet, Dr Nick explains why, in a worl...

We’re joined by Lisbet Stuer-Lauridsen and Amber Synnott from Cloud 9 Vets who have launched a service dedicated to offering  at home  euthanasia for all pets, but mainly dogs and cats. They conducted a survey recently that revealed that two thirds of pet owners had no idea that it was possible to help your pet cross to the rainbow bridge at home.  Cloud 9 Vets operates as a national network of vet practices that service all the main hubs around the UK. These practices have been cherry picked by Amber and Lisbet as upholding the best practice for compassion and care...

In this classic episode from the archive, we’re joined by Dr Paul Koudounaris talking about his book ‘Faithful until Death’. As a first in terms of investigating Pet Cemeteries all around the world, Paul admits this was a labour of love of 11 years. Revealing the history of pet ownership as in the late Victorian era industrialisation meant more folk moved into cities, creating a new kind of pet husbandry, which included giving them a ’good’ death. Paul explores Cemeteries, and tombs from as far afield as Thailand, across Europe, in the UK and across the USA. We chat about the...

In this classic episode, Anna talks to Chocolatier, Paul A. Young in his small shop in Camden Passage, Islington, London. As well as the UK's leading maker of fine chocolate, Paul is an author and more importantly proud dad to Billy, a minature Dachshund. Chocolate is obviously bad for dogs but not for Pet Parents. Paul and Anna sample some of his treats and talk about how he needs to keep 'his work' away from Billy.Order Paul's new book The Joy of Chocolate or any of his delights here or follow on Instagram Thank...

We’re joined by Author Grace Olson who is talking about her latest series of children’s book about her sheep. These are sheep that have turned into therapists and work alongside Grace in helping people. Complementing Grace’s horses that have for many years been offering intuitive comfort and healing to Grace’s human clients.  We talk about how sheep have different personalities and are all individuals like dogs or cats, and how her flock of six have taken Grace on an emotional journey too. Famous for being regular contributors on the acclaimed TV show The Yorkshire Vet , Grace’s s...

This week we’re joined by Jason Cortis who facilitates courses for Blue Cross and works directly with police forces. Dog-related incidents reported to police have risen sharply, up from 30,500 in 2023 to over 32,500 in 2024, with the broader category of dogs being out of control, including injuries to people, adding another 23,000 cases annually.Meanwhile, NHS figures show an 88% increase in hospital attendances for dog injuries over the last 15 years, and research suggests one in four people will be bitten in their lifetime.The stark figures reinforce an urgent need for intervention, with the charity Blue Cross te...

Thank you to the good people at Antinol. We're super proud to be collaborating with them and you can enjoy at 10% discount on your purchase by using our promocode ANNAWEBB. Remember - you're supporting A Dog's Life by supporting our proud sponsor!If you want to switch to a raw diet for your dog, you can't do better than Paleo Ridge. Find out more here and follow them on @paleoridgeInstagram: @PaleoridgeIn this dangerously hot weather be sure to keep your pooch cool with a wet coat or t shirt. Go to...

This week Anna chats to Olga Jones who is talking about how her passion for training her own dogs, English Springer Spaniel, Bonnie and Simba, her Border Collie. Passionate about training tricks, Olga began competing in Canine Freestyle seven years ago, and with a strings of wins, competing at Crufts and more. Away from competitions, Olga’s dogs have been signed up for a host of TV appearances, photo-shoots and even playing a role in Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro at the Royal Opera House. Olga has always been interested in the Guinness Book of Records and talks about the...

In today’s episode we’re digging into puppy sales online and the founders of a new verification app called Pet Proov. Following a tragic experience Kate Margolis teamed up with Garry Clarke to invent a new system that can verify a breeder online to offer peace of mind that you won’t be scammed. Along with their aim to stop unscrupulous breeding, profits and scamming, Pet Proov helps re-homing centres verify their adopters. The technology can help in verify dog sitters, walkers, trainers and the whole sector that’s currently lacking in regulation.We’re also joined by...

This week we dig into the archive for this classic episode where Anna is joined by Will Green MA, Executive MBA Programme at the University of Winchester and Sales and Marketing Director of Paleo Ridge. We discuss sustainability in the pet industry, focusing on the model adopted by Paleo Ridge as a raw food firm supplier, setting eco-standards in terms of making feeding raw not only ‘peace of mind for your dog', but also for the planet. In an age where Veganism is being suggested for dogs we discuss why ethical farming is needed to save the planet and ma...