Viper is a German Shepherd just months off retirement after a colourful career in the West Midlands Police as a Firearms Support Dog.

Handler, Police Constable Dave Short gives an insight into how the relationship has evolved over the years with Viper, who was his first police dog. Dave joined the Dog section with 17 years of policing under his belt, but as a newbie in the Dog Unit, learned alongside Viper on the job.

It's a varied life, and Dave and his dogs are deployed in a wide range of situations. As Viper heads towards retirement with Dave's family, the newest member of the team is trotting along behind. Six month old German Shepherd, Loki, another has big shoes to fill, but things are looking good so far.

This episode of Dogs with Jobs was recorded at Crufts 2025.

You may also enjoy these connected episodes:

• P.D. Chase and the career arc of a general purpose police dog
• P.D. Meika, who searches for London criminals' cash, drugs and firearms
• P.D. Ted, the explosives detection dog with the West Midlands Police
• P.D. Jax the victim recovery dog with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary

• Mika, the well being and trauma support dog in the Met
• Champ, the engagement dog working in child protection in the Victoria police
• Keo the well being dog in the UK police; and
• Mabel the emotional support worker in the Fire Service

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.

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.

• Follow Natalie on Instagram to see the reels she mentions in the interview @detectiveharleyfadd or visit her website
• Harley was trained by Kathy Watters of Nosey Dog Detection Partners in Wyoming

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:

• P.D. Meika, who searches for London criminals' cash, drugs and firearms
• P.D. Ted, the explosives detection dog with the West Midlands Police
• P.D. Jax the victim recovery dog with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary

• Mika, the well being and trauma support dog in the Met
• Champ, the engagement dog working in child protection in the Victoria police
• Keo the well being dog in the UK police; and
• Mabel the emotional support worker in the Fire Service

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:

• Hughie, his best mate saw him through his teens into his twenties, with many firsts experienced together;
• Bessie, whose intelligence and sociability made work trips all over the UK an adventure;
• Mason, whose steadiness guided Nathan, a toddler and a baby in a buggy safely across town every day and through Covid; and now
• Joey, who sits at the heart of family life, while supporting Nathan with the challenges of blind parenting.

Nathan works for Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (Guide Dogs)

Connected episodes on assistance dogs

• Ralph, the owner-trained, multi-tasking assistance dog - perfect for a Rogate teenager
• Darcey, the Canine Partner: an assistance dog relationship in full bloom
• Benjy, the trainee guide dog's first five weeks on the job
• Daisy, the autism assistance dog - practical, psychological and emotional support
• Breck, the retired guide dog

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

• Bloodlines and breeding: the breeding of hounds for a trail hunting pack

• Meet Debit and Dervish, the hunting hound puppies

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:

• Edie, Max and Joe the sheepdogs, and how to spot herding talent in a puppy
• Giglee the truffle hunter gets a surprise
• Medical detection dogs with Dr. Claire Guest CBE
• Darcy - a human/canine partnership in full bloom
• Ninja the barkour dog - a charismatic collie and his talented handler

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:

• Gundogs galore at the Hampshire Country Sports Day (October 2024)
• Echo, Delta and Polar, the gun dog trio (September 2024)
• Oberon the working Clumber spaniel (September 2023)
• Alfie, the waterfowling retreiver (October 2022)
• Who's winning at the South of England Hound Show? (August 2022)
• The Sealyham terrier Rat Pack (July 2023)
• Meet the Beagles! (October 2022)
• Clover, the accidental gundog (September, 2022)
• Debit and Dervish, the hunting hound pups (November 2021)
• An insight into the breeding of hounds (November 2021)
• Drake, the gun dog champion (September 2021)

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.