Hear about the vital contribution to seabird conservation made by Reid, an English springer spaniel who works as a rodent detection dog in the Scottish islands.

Conservationist and handler Rachel Cripps talks to presenter Kate Fairweather about Reid's work, visiting nearly 40 islands during the course of the year, in all weathers, searching for evidence of rat incursions.

Biosecurity is the practice of protecting places from the threats to wildlife posed by
introducing new diseases or types of plants or animals that do not naturally occur there.

The work of Biosecurity for Scotland focuses on protecting 38 seabird islands around Scotland from invasive non-native mammalian predators, such as rats, mice, mink and stoat. These Scottish islands are remote, home to many globally important colonies of seabirds. Native seabirds, which have not evolved alongside predators and are vulnerable to invasive predators, which eat the eggs, chicks and sometimes adult birds.

Thanks to Sophie at RSPB for introducing Reid and Rachel to the show. Biosecurity for Scotland is funded by NRF, and is a partnership of RSPB Scotland, NTS and NatureScot.

Other dogs working in conservation

Do you work your dog or dogs?

Get in touch with Kate at team@shineradio.uk with suggestions or introductions to working dogs to feature on the show - she's always interested to hear about dogs with interesting jobs.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear a lot about breeding in working dogs. Yet we know little about their brains:

• How might a guide dog’s brain differ from that of a hunting hound?
• Where does personality fit in with a working dog?
• Can a dog have ADHD?

Kate Fairweather asks these questions and more of Sophie Barton of the Canine Brains Project, based in the Hecht Lab at Harvard University in Boston.

Sophie oversees the Working Breed Study at the Canine Brains Project. This is a non-invasive brain imaging study into selected working breeds. A major goal of this research is to benefit the working dog community by improving breeding and training practices.

• Participate in The Working Breeds Study
• More about the Canine Brains Project

Do you work your dog or dogs?

Get in touch with Kate via team@shineradio.uk if you have a dog that does an interesting job. She loves to hear about working dogs.

Also, if you have suggestions for guests for the podcast - either handlers or people who are working in an academic or training area in this field, please do get in touch!

© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2024

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Explosives detection work is a highly specialised discipline within the police, and the stakes are high.

On this episode of Dogs with Jobs, we meet Police Dog Ted, one of 17 explosive detection dogs working within the West Midlands Police Service, one of the largest urban police forces in the UK, which even has its own breeding scheme.

Ted's handler, Police Constable Damo Smart, has over 21 years' experience as a police dog handler and instructor. Damo was part of the West Midlands Police display team in the Crufts arena with dozens of police colleagues and dogs.

Performance over, he joins Dogs with Jobs presenter Kate Fairweather in the press room at Crufts to talk about P.D. Ted, and where such specialised police dogs fit into the overall framework and resources within the police service.

Travel sickness is a no-no for explo dogs, who must be away from home for big sports events and royal occasions as part of the job. Damo explains why it also takes a certain attitude from the handler to work these dogs, given the high stakes involved. So a steady attitude and the ability to relax once the work is over is key.

Damo explains what he looks for in an explo dog and what it takes to search at this level - and to search safely.

Connected episodes:

• Jax the victim recovery dog with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary;
• Mabel the emotional support dog in the Hampshire & Isle of Wight fire service
• P.D. Didi, the general purpose police dog
• Keo, the wellbeing support dog in the police

More photos at shineradio.uk/dogswithjobs

Do you work your dog or dogs?

If you would be interested in coming on the show, please get in touch with Kate at team@shineradio.uk or call 10730 555 500.

© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2024

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.