Veteran police dog expert, Bernhard Flinks, talks to Kate Fairweather during a break at the UK's National Police Dog Trials 2025.

A wide-ranging conversation with Bernhard, who spent over 40 years in the German police force.

Bernhard has been hugely successful in the uniquely German sport, "Schutzhund" (German for Protection Dog), also known as IGP. This is something of a triathlon for working dogs (tracking, obedience, protection)or working trials for protective breeds - notably German Shepherds but also the other main protection dog breeds. Schutzhund was given Intangible Cultural Heritage status by UNESCO in 2025.

Bernhard discusses cultural differences between training regimes in Germany and the UK. Also how approaches to training working dogs have evolved, particularly the balance between negative correction and positive reinforcement techniques.

More information from www.flinks.de.

Photo: photo of Bernanrd Flinks (www.Flinks.de).

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Hear the UK's top police dogs demonstrate the skills and qualities needed to operate at the very highest level. Courage, physical strength and agility, tracking ability, steadiness, precision and responsiveness are all tested during the UK trials. For the handlers, too, the pressure is on: competing against the best, being watched and judged by their peers.

Join Kate Fairweather at the National Police Dog Trials 2025, which took place in May at the Tally Ho training grounds, outside Birmingham.

Bringing together police dogs and their handlers - from Scotland to Cornwall, this is a remarkable display of what the UK’s police dogs can do in a competitive trial.

Thanks to the West Midlands Police Dog Section for having Dogs with Jobs along. Also to P.C. Demo Smart, (you may recall his explosives detection dog, Ted from an earlier episode), Sergeant Hayley Phillips as well as veteran competitor and judge, Sergeant Nick Dalrymple and P.C. Rachel Bower.

You may also enjoy these connected episodes:

• P.D. Viper the firearms support dog
• 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 Metropolitan Police
• 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

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A short but uplifting episode, with a timely update on an important medical research project that seeks to isolate and establish what is hoped will prove to be unique bio-markers for Parkinson's disease.

Our interiewee is Claire Guest OBE, whose charity, Medical Detection Dogs has been at the forefront of some remarkable breakthroughs using bio detection dogs.

When Dogs with Jobs visited in 2023, the charity was just starting to consider whether its work could extend into Parkinsons - which is hard to diagnose currently. The classic sympoms of Parkinsons, such as tremors, become obvious only late on. So any contribution towards earlier diagnosis could bring a huge benefit to patients and allow earlier intervention.

Kate Fairweather grabs an update, before Claire disappears to the Literary Corner to read aloud from her book at Goodwoof 2025.

Recorded at Goodwoof 2025.

Connected episodes

• lorin, Iggy and Asher, bio detection dogs and owner, Dr. Claire Guest OBE
• Hear E-Coli detection dog Plum at work at the charity's training centre.
• Medical Alert dogs

Do you work your dog or know someone else who might like to come on the show? Get in touch with Kate, via team@shineradio.uk.

Find more dogs with interesting jobs.

© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the time came to step up, much loved pet collie Tay abandoned the sofa for the sheep farm, where his herding talent has made him indispensable to lambing season on the farm.

Owner and professional trainer Martina Miradoli tried Tay on various sports, including agility, scent detection (he was good at this) and introduced him to sheep. Despite her efforts to stimulate him, his drive remained low.

Then, Martina and her partner had the chance to take on the tenancy of a busy farm which meant that Tay had to step up.

Martina describes Tay's journey from the sofa to the sheep farm, where he has come into his own at last - just 15 lambs to go at the time of recording.

• Find Martina and Tay on Instagram at @martina_bordercollie_geek
• Check out Martina's wonderful and aptly named podcast, The Border Collie Geek Podcast.

Photo credit: Martina Maradoli

For more photos, visit https://shineradio.uk/dogswithjobs

Connected episodes:

• Diva at the English National Sheepdog Trials 2023
• Edie, Max and Joe, the sheep farm workers

Get in touch!

Do you work your dog? Kate would love to hear from you! Sporting dogs, caring dogs, service dogs - the more varied the better. Get in touch on team@shineradio.uk.

© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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