Crufts 2014 Special

Here's the Crufts 2014 special from The Dog News Show - the podcast where Debbie Connolly and Julie Hill discuss the latest dog news stories, exchanging strong opinions, often with more than a pinch of humour. In this show you can hear excerpts of the interviews the team did at Crufts, and all the full length interviews are also on the website. First up in the is show is an interview with Stephen Jenkinson who is the Kennel Club's Access Advisor. Debbie talked to him about what his job entails, and how he works with dog owners and land owners to make sure that dogs can be walked with no danger to them, or to the environments they are visiting. He brings up some strategies that can be employed to help, and you can find more information on this page - New approaches to managing dogs in the countryside. Next, Julie talks to Dr Claire Guest, founder and head trainer at Medical Detection Dogs about the work her amazing dogs do working with partners with a range of conditions. Claire also spills the beans on some exciting news for the charity, who recently did a demonstration in front of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. The royal couple have been so moved by the charity's work that the Duchess is now their patron. Find out more at the Medical Detection Dogs site. It's no secret that Debbie is a big fan of police dogs - not to mention police dog handlers - and her second interview in this show is with Dave Hibbert who is not only a puppy socialiser, but has founded the Retired WM Police Dog Benevolent Fund to care for police dogs when they stop working. This is a cause close to Debbie's heart, as she runs Bravo Working Dog Rescue, so hear two  experts talk about the retirement care needed for dogs who make our lives safer in so many ways. Raw feeding is a hot topic in the dog world, so Julie caught up with enthusiastic raw feeder Judith Broug to talk about her Facebook group Rawfeeding Rebels. Judith is a total convert to raw feeding, and she not only feeds her three dogs a raw food diet, she seeks to spread the benefits to other dog owners. However, Judith doesn't appreciate over-zealous attempts to persuade owners to adopt a raw approach, and the Rawfeeding Rebels group is strictly non-judgmental and welcoming. Hear a very interesting take on the subject of raw feeding in this interview. Debbie gets all Girl Power when she talks to Police Officer Sue Cheek about her work with her police dogs Beau and King. Sue has been named the force's Dog Handler of the Year, and she and her canine partner have been in situations where they've been shot at and had petrol bombs thrown at them. Police dogs are often in the front line of the fight against crime, and they deserve our gratitude, as do the incredible officers who handle them. Sue was at Crufts taking part  in displays in the main arena, where she and King wowed the crowds. And finally we come to Schmaltz Corner - the bit you've been waiting for! Julie talked to Steven Courtney about his Cocker Spaniel Molls who was trained for him by Medical Detection Dogs. Molls alerts to Steven's blood sugar levels which are affected by his aggressive and unpredictable diabetes, allowing him to participate in activities which were previous impossible, and giving his parents piece of mind. The partnership were one of the nominees in the Kennel Club's Friends for Life competition. Will Debbie be able to find something to stomp all over this story about? Listen and find out.