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Off Lead | Hello, Maggie. episode artwork

Oct 12, 2026 12 min

Off Lead | Hello, Maggie.

from Just a Dog Podcast Hosted by Nadine Burzler

Introducing Off Lead, a new series on Just a Dog Podcast. Every second Monday, its just me, thinking out loud about what I’ve been noticing about dogs, and humans.In this episode, I explain why I’m doing it, then read my essay, Hello, Maggie, about the bulldog who lives downstairs. She meets me on the stairs with a whole-body wag, and I love seeing her. But my heart aches every time I pass by her door. In this episode of Just a Dog Podcast, I'm sharing the first Off Lead, a new series where I share my observations and thinking about dogs. Sometimes it's something I've written, sometimes it's a news story that caught my attention.This first Off Lead is an essay about Maggie, the bulldog who lives in my building. She meets me on the stairs with a whole-body wag, and I love seeing her. But my heart aches every time I pass her door.In this episode: What Off Lead is, and why I'm making it Meet Maggie, the bulldog downstairs Shiny floors and a dog's grip on the world Stairs, short legs and a heavy body How the fragrances we love might feel to a dog's nose The wrinkles, eyes and breathing that come with a flat face What love can reach, and what it can't Key takeaways: A dog's sense of smell is far stronger than ours, so a scent we find faint can be overwhelming to them. Smooth floors like laminate give dogs very little grip, which can strain their joints. Flat-faced dogs like bulldogs can struggle to breathe, and extra weight makes it harder. Skin folds need regular cleaning to stay healthy. Loving a dog and seeing what life is like for them are two different things.

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Off Lead | Hello, Maggie.

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This episode was published on October 12, 2026.

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