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