Gundogs and Guard dogs

• S6E8 Tiers & Fears – Christmas Special

  Ho Ho Ho! The Gundogs & Guard Dogs team wishes you all a very Merry Christmas!In this festive episode, our chaotic duo takes a nostalgic wander back to the first Covid lockdown, all in preparation for the Reloaded episodes dropping over the Christmas break. From the initial terror to “Eat Out to Help Out” to “Get back inside immediately!”, they relive the madness… including the era of masked smiles, with Lez accidentally terrifying local children while trying to smile and Ross not bothering to try at all.They chat about the joys, and the not-so-joyous bits, of a big family Christmas. It’s always lovely to get home, unless “home” is anywhere near Lez, whose extreme festive cooking with Bailey’s cake, cherries, and marzipan is enough to frighten even the hardiest soul. Ross remains eternally grateful for the safe distance provided by living in London rather than Scotland.This is our final episode of 2025, but fear not, the ridiculous pair will be back in early January, and we’ve already lined up some incredible guests for 2026, with a few interviews recorded and ready to go.We also take a quick look back at 2025 and some of the wonderful people we’ve been privileged to speak with.Over the next couple of weeks, you can catch our Reloaded episodes, or dive back into the full catalogue whenever you fancy.Thank you to every one of our listeners, we truly appreciate you. Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas, and we can’t wait to head into 2026 with this brilliant tribe.We’ll be back on 9th January, in our usual delightfully dreary style! ---- oOo ----Lez and Ross have both been in the industry professionally for well over 20 years and each has been involved with dogs for over 40 years. Whilst sensibly they have stayed away from the ‘limelight’ regarding TV offers, they have regularly been on national and local radio, spoken at national events at NDWA, CFBA, and Kennel Club / Crufts events as well as bespoke speaking engagements for the Dog Safety Education Executive (DogSEE). Ross wrote for Dogs Monthly Magazine for over 12 years and Lez was the first lady feature writer for a national Shooting Magazine (both Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter). They were also 'study buddies' and were the first in the UK to achieve a Masters Degree (Professional Practice) in Canine Behaviour and Psychology in 2011. They work well together and apart, support and work with dog rescue organisations and train professional dog trainers and behaviourists. Different as chalk and cheese, but maybe not as different as they like to think.Intrigued? want to know more? then check out our websites...www.rossmccarthy.com ~ www.lezgraham.com

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• S6E7 Do Gundogs need Guard Dogs?

  Thank goodness, Gundogs are off the menu, Guard Dogs are in.Charles Wall from A1K9 joins the team today. From a dog-mad little kid, the “dog boy” many of us once were, to carving out a career with personal protection dogs, his story echoes the journeys of so many dog lovers.From a hobby to a business, from Exchange and Mart to Koehler dog training books to wrapping newspaper around your arm, this is how we grow. Are some of the old books still the best, or are we forever trying to reinvent the wheel?What is a personal protection dog? The martial artist of the dog world?What separates sport dogs, security dogs, and dogs trained specifically for family and home protection?We explore what truly makes a personal protection dog, the importance of breed lines, and whether a Malinois can work as a protection dog in a family home. Surprisingly, yes… but where they originate is critical. Maybe Dutch really is better than Belgian.There is a bit of a rant about how, in the UK, we continue to get things wrong in almost every aspect of dog breeding and training.Who gets a personal protection dog?How is the changing face of crime influencing this? The team delicately swerves the topic of illegal immigration, but it is still a wake-up call.Scary times.Government statistics might suggest crime is declining, but we all know that may not be the case. Prescribed use of force and the wider security industry come into the conversation too.And once again, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 appears, opening a frightening hornets’ nest of what future legislation might bring.It seems easy to sort out this mess, yet incredibly difficult and exhausting at the same time. ---- oOo ----Lez and Ross have both been in the industry professionally for well over 20 years and each has been involved with dogs for over 40 years. Whilst sensibly they have stayed away from the ‘limelight’ regarding TV offers, they have regularly been on national and local radio, spoken at national events at NDWA, CFBA, and Kennel Club / Crufts events as well as bespoke speaking engagements for the Dog Safety Education Executive (DogSEE). Ross wrote for Dogs Monthly Magazine for over 12 years and Lez was the first lady feature writer for a national Shooting Magazine (both Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter). They were also 'study buddies' and were the first in the UK to achieve a Masters Degree (Professional Practice) in Canine Behaviour and Psychology in 2011. They work well together and apart, support and work with dog rescue organisations and train professional dog trainers and behaviourists. Different as chalk and cheese, but maybe not as different as they like to think.Intrigued? want to know more? then check out our websites...www.rossmccarthy.com ~ www.lezgraham.com

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• S6E6 Blown Out

  Today’s special guest is…oh...not here! Just the two of them then…probably one of the most boring conversations you can ever overhear! Splinters in your bum…or just telling the truth?! Diwali, Halloween, Guy Fawkes…the Fireworks never stop! It’s not just dogs…it's horses and all animals who suffer! Cobwebs and severed heads! The cheer continues with swerving trick and treat and now the Scottish element has an abundance of Malteasers to get rid of! The drivel continues and for anyone still awake, a flash of some new boots, a possible piercing new car and dog crates.An award or two thrown in plus…A bit of rudeness, a bit of awkwardness, a look at prices and the cost of living. Caterpillar cakes and £2 for an egg! Banana on a pizza? Trout on a BBQBagels & peanut butter - trout – Getting older or die – these two will never be on the same page! A brief dog chat…cockers and Gundog training… rehoming vs discarding… Onwards and upwards, and thank gawd these two have some fabulous guests coming up! ---- oOo ----Lez and Ross have both been in the industry professionally for well over 20 years and each has been involved with dogs for over 40 years. Whilst sensibly they have stayed away from the ‘limelight’ regarding TV offers, they have regularly been on national and local radio, spoken at national events at NDWA, CFBA, and Kennel Club / Crufts events as well as bespoke speaking engagements for the Dog Safety Education Executive (DogSEE). Ross wrote for Dogs Monthly Magazine for over 12 years and Lez was the first lady feature writer for a national Shooting Magazine (both Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter). They were also 'study buddies' and were the first in the UK to achieve a Masters Degree (Professional Practice) in Canine Behaviour and Psychology in 2011. They work well together and apart, support and work with dog rescue organisations and train professional dog trainers and behaviourists. Different as chalk and cheese, but maybe not as different as they like to think.Intrigued? want to know more? then check out our websites...www.rossmccarthy.com ~ www.lezgraham.com

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• S6E5 - LIBRELLA ... need we say more?

  Whether you’re using Librella, considering it, or just want to do what’s best for your dogs, this episode is essential listening. 👀💥The fabulous Andrew Armitage from Greenside Regenerative Therapies joins us for an eye-opening deep dive into the truth about Librella 💉🐾Strap yourself in folks... ---- oOo ----Lez and Ross have both been in the industry professionally for well over 20 years and each has been involved with dogs for over 40 years. Whilst sensibly they have stayed away from the ‘limelight’ regarding TV offers, they have regularly been on national and local radio, spoken at national events at NDWA, CFBA, and Kennel Club / Crufts events as well as bespoke speaking engagements for the Dog Safety Education Executive (DogSEE). Ross wrote for Dogs Monthly Magazine for over 12 years and Lez was the first lady feature writer for a national Shooting Magazine (both Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter). They were also 'study buddies' and were the first in the UK to achieve a Masters Degree (Professional Practice) in Canine Behaviour and Psychology in 2011. They work well together and apart, support and work with dog rescue organisations and train professional dog trainers and behaviourists. Different as chalk and cheese, but maybe not as different as they like to think.Intrigued? want to know more? then check out our websites...www.rossmccarthy.com ~ www.lezgraham.com

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• S6E4 Do you have a qualification, or are you qualified?

  In this gloriously moany episode, we dive headfirst into the murky waters of what it really means to be qualified in the dog world. Are you genuinely trained and educated—or just good at looking the part online?We kick off with a wildly unscientific theory from the Scottish side about why time speeds up as you age (spoiler: the Londoner calls BS). From there, it’s a nostalgic detour into school days: teachers lighting up, sneaky cigarette passes, and Ross getting a ruler wrapped round his head. Classic.Then we’re onto the good stuff: skiving, consequence-free parenting, consequence-free dog training, and one bizarre but surprisingly helpful PSA about what happens if your car breaks down with dogs inside.From the Dandie Dinmont (the only dog breed named after a fictional character!) to cockers, Malamutes, Ridgebacks, and the eternal Norfolk vs Norwich terrier debate—we’re digging deep into breed-specific behaviour. We even throw in a dermoid sinus just to keep things weird.Eventually, inevitably, we land on qualifications. Ofqual’s gutting the dog training and behaviour framework, the industry remains unregulated, and everyone’s got an opinion. So we’ve got one question: are you qualified—or do you just have a qualification?Rants, facts, laughs, and a few bonkers tangents.Welcome to another episode where we say what dog pros are thinking—but rarely say out loud.Share the love. Share the rant. Swerve the nonsense. And always do the best you can—for the dogs. ---- oOo ----Lez and Ross have both been in the industry professionally for well over 20 years and each has been involved with dogs for over 40 years. Whilst sensibly they have stayed away from the ‘limelight’ regarding TV offers, they have regularly been on national and local radio, spoken at national events at NDWA, CFBA, and Kennel Club / Crufts events as well as bespoke speaking engagements for the Dog Safety Education Executive (DogSEE). Ross wrote for Dogs Monthly Magazine for over 12 years and Lez was the first lady feature writer for a national Shooting Magazine (both Sporting Gun and Sporting Shooter). They were also 'study buddies' and were the first in the UK to achieve a Masters Degree (Professional Practice) in Canine Behaviour and Psychology in 2011. They work well together and apart, support and work with dog rescue organisations and train professional dog trainers and behaviourists. Different as chalk and cheese, but maybe not as different as they like to think.Intrigued? want to know more? then check out our websites...www.rossmccarthy.com ~ www.lezgraham.comAnd if you'd rather watch than listen, you can catch Gundogs and Guard Dogs on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@gundogguarddog

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