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LWDG POD DOG

LWDG POD DOG

By: The Ladies Working Dog Group
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 Join us weekly as the LWDG Group and Guest Experts talk about all things working dog and gundog! Your weekly podcast for online and on air dog training. More about the LWDG: The LWDG supports ladies nationwide (and in other countries) with a wealth of support and information including masterclasses, featured expert support, training tips, and tools. With regular online coaching and meet-ups in our virtual 'Dog & Duck', these resources are aimed at supporting lady handlers to get the absolute best from their dogs whilst growing confidence and belief in themselves so that they can become a team. www.thelwdg.com© 2023 The Ladies Working Dog Group All Rights Reserved.
Episodes
  • 205. Knowing Your Dogs Limits

    205. Knowing Your Dogs Limits
    Mar 27 2026
    Knowing when to stop isn't giving up. It's one of the most important skills you can build as a handler, and this week Claire and I are getting into exactly that.There's a real difference between pushing a dog and protecting a dog, and the line between them isn't always obvious. Claire talks about stretching a dog's ability, that productive discomfort where a dog is learning something new, might wobble a bit, might show a flash of an old behaviour you thought you'd cracked months ago. That's not regression. That's growth. It can look messy. It's supposed to.But there's another side of that line, and that's where things go wrong.What we cover in this episodeThe difference between a stretched dog and an overwhelmed one and why the symptoms can look identical if you're not watching closely. The dog isn't being naughty. It's telling you something.Physical fatigue vs. mental fatigue and why mental tiredness is the sneaky one. A physically tired dog slows down. A mentally tired dog starts chewing grass, showboating with the dummy, going off for a random sniff. It looks like misbehaviour. It's actually a dog running on empty upstairs.The bored dog trap because if you never stretch your dog and just keep repeating the same comfortable routine, you'll get behaviours creeping back in too. A bored working dog will find its own entertainment. It won't be the entertainment you wanted.External pressure and where it actually comes from the other handlers, the gamekeeper's nod, the dog two fields over who's been doing this since it was eight weeks old. Claire is straight-talking on this: comparison is not a training plan.Why working dogs will push through pain to do the job and why that means we have to be the ones to make the call. If you're waiting for your spaniel to tap out, you'll be waiting a long time.The warmup read Claire's practical tip for gauging your dog before you even start. Know what your dog looks like at their best, and you'll know when something's off.Finishing on a high not just as a nice idea, but as a training habit. The challenge this week is to finish one session earlier than you think you need to. Just once. See what happens.Claire also shares the story of Indy and Rose, two completely different dogs in terms of mental stamina, self-regulation, and what 'enough' looks like for each of them. There is no universal rulebook. There is only your dog, in front of you, today. And Claire is recording this just two and a half weeks post knee surgery. Still showing up, still delivering. She's very much one of us.Your challenge this weekFinish one session earlier than you think you need to. Notice how your dog walks away from it. Notice how you walk away from it.Free Masterclass, Tuesday 31st March, 7:30pmReading the Dog in Front of You: A Supercar on a ShoestringUpdated based on your feedback and better than ever. Head to www.thelwdg.com, there's a banner at the top for Free Training. Click it. Join us.Every session, every stumble, every breakthrough, it all counts. Keep going. We see you.Thanks for joining us for this episode of Found It, Fetched It. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve got muddy boots and a seasoned dog by your side, we’re here to walk the journey with you. We’re all about real talk, practical tips, and celebrating every little win—because in this world, progress isn’t always perfect, but it’s always worth it.💬 We’d love to hear from youGot a story to share, a question to ask, or just fancy saying hi? Come chat with us on socials or pop over to the website.📚 Want to go further with your training?Get our LWDG Gundog Progress Gap Map Work Out Where You Are, And What To Train Next !Want to know more about 🎓 The LWDG Society Expert-led courses, community support, and the kind of training that actually makes sense.📱 Stay connected with the pack:Website: ladiesworkingdoggroup.comFacebook: Ladies Working Dog GroupInstagram: @ladiesworkingdogs✨ And remember… Every session, every stumble, every breakthrough, it all counts. You’re not just training a dog. You’re building trust, confidence, and a community that’s right behind you.Keep going. We see you. 💛
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    38 mins
  • 204. The Van, the GunDog, and All of Europe

    204. The Van, the GunDog, and All of Europe
    Mar 13 2026
    What if your dog didn’t have to stay home? What if the van, the open road, and your best mate could all go together — across the UK, across Europe, all the way to Croatia? This week I had the loveliest chat with Karen Shepherd, one of our brilliant Society members, who has been taking her Springer Spaniel McCoy all over Europe in her motor home. And I mean all over... Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia. The dog has a better travel record than most people I know. Now you might know that Ali the campervan and I are very much looking forward to taking Arthur on our own adventures — once we’ve accepted that he has grown to the size of a small Shetland pony. So this conversation was, frankly, research. And it did not disappoint.In this episode we coverWhat campervan life with a gundog is really like — not the Instagram version, but the actual chaos and the joy of it. Why crate training was the single most important thing Karen did before their first trip. The honest truth about Brexit and what it means for anyone wanting to take their dog into Europe, including the animal health certificate versus getting a European pet passport — and why Karen got McCoy his passport in Bruges. The countries that are brilliant for dogs, the ones where you need a muzzle, and why Germany might just be the most dog-friendly place on earth. How to help your dog settle in a new environment every single night. What Karen wishes she’d known from the start. And the musical road in Hungary that is now firmly on my bucket list.The bit that stopped me in my tracksKaren said something that I keep coming back to. She talked about how all the different environments, the new smells, the new places, the constant low-level stimulation of life on the road, it all adds up to a dog that retires happy. Not a dog that’s been physically hammered into the ground, but a dog whose brain has been properly used. A dog that has genuinely lived his day.Sound familiar? That’s the Two Minds truth right there, just lived out on a campsite in Croatia.Useful linksAnimal Health Certificate (AHC) — GOV.UK guide to getting an AHC — required every time you leave the UK for Europe. Valid for 10 days from issue. Up to five pets can travel on one certificate.Taking your pet abroad (overview) — GOV.UK full pet travel guidance — the main hub for all UK pet travel rules, updated regularly.European Pet Passport — EU pet passport explained (PetAbroad) — once your dog has one, you no longer need a new AHC each trip. Must be issued by a European vet. McCoy’s was issued in Bruges.AHC explained in plain English — PassPets guide to Animal Health Certificates — a clear breakdown of the whole process, costs and what to prepare.Channel Tunnel with your dog — Eurotunnel LeShuttle pet travel page — the easiest crossing option as you stay in your vehicle throughout. 35 minutes, Folkestone to Calais.Tapeworm and country-specific rules — EU pet travel rules by country (Europa.eu) — muzzle laws, tapeworm requirements, and what differs country by country.Finding dog-friendly campsites across Europe — ACSI Campsites Europe app — the app Karen and many of our members use. Filter by dog-friendly, motorhome pitches, facilities. Available on iOS and Android.Karen’s top three things to have in place before your first tripA dog that travels well and is comfortable in a crate.A long line and a whistle — never leave home without them.Your paperwork sorted well in advance — the AHC requires a vet appointment, which means you need to know your travel dates ahead of time.If this has got you dreaming, good. That’s exactly what it’s supposed to do.We’d love to hear where you’ve taken your dog, or where you’re planning to go. Drop us a comment, come and share it in the community, and if you’ve enjoyed this episode please do leave us a review — it genuinely helps more women find us. See you in two weeks.Jo xThanks for joining us for this episode of Found It, Fetched It. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve got muddy boots and a seasoned dog by your side, we’re here to walk the journey with you. We’re all about real talk, practical tips, and celebrating every little win—because in this world, progress isn’t always perfect, but it’s always worth it.💬 We’d love to hear from youGot a story to share, a question to ask, or just fancy saying hi? Come chat with us on socials or pop over to the website.📚 Want to go further with your training?Get our LWDG Gundog Progress Gap Map Work Out Where You Are, And What To Train Next !Want to know more about 🎓 The LWDG Society Expert-led courses, community support, and the kind of training that actually makes sense.📱 Stay connected with the pack:Website: ladiesworkingdoggroup.comFacebook: Ladies Working Dog GroupInstagram: @ladiesworkingdogs✨ And remember… Every session, every stumble, every breakthrough, it all counts. You’re not just ...
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    26 mins
  • 203. The Walk You've Been Avoiding Is Actually Your Best Training Session

    203. The Walk You've Been Avoiding Is Actually Your Best Training Session
    Feb 27 2026

    Does your heart sink every time a bird flushes, a squirrel darts across the path, or a dog bolts past on the beach? You're not alone. And you're definitely not ruining your dog.

    This week Joanne is joined by LWDG group expert Claire Denyer to tackle one of the biggest myths that keeps working dog owners stuck: that being around wildlife makes a high-drive dog harder to handle. It's actually the opposite.


    What you'll hear in this episode:

    • Why "my dog would be amazing, he chases everything" is the wrong way around and what gundog training really asks for
    • How seagulls, swans, and deer can become your most powerful free training tool, even if you never go near a shoot
    • Why avoiding difficult environments doesn't build confidence. It shrinks your dog's world and makes the problem worse
    • The real reason high-drive dogs chase bikes, cars, and cats, and what to do about it
    • Why a solid leave is the foundation of a dog you can take anywhere
    • Claire's honest account of working through her own dog Genie's fear and reactivity, because even professional trainers have those walks


    If you've been holding back from taking your dog somewhere because you don't trust what might happen, this episode will give you the framework to get back out there.


    The one thing to take away: Country walks, bird flushes, unexpected wildlife moments are not training setbacks. They are real life opportunities to show your dog that excitement and partnership can exist at the same time.


    Know someone who's convinced they're ruining their dog just by going on normal walks? Send them this one.

    Thanks for joining us for this episode of Found It, Fetched It. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve got muddy boots and a seasoned dog by your side, we’re here to walk the journey with you. We’re all about real talk, practical tips, and celebrating every little win—because in this world, progress isn’t always perfect, but it’s always worth it.


    💬 We’d love to hear from you

    Got a story to share, a question to ask, or just fancy saying hi? Come chat with us on socials or pop over to the website.


    📚 Want to go further with your training?

    Get our LWDG Gundog Progress Gap Map Work Out Where You Are, And What To Train Next !


    Want to know more about 🎓 The LWDG Society

    Expert-led courses, community support, and the kind of training that actually makes sense.

    📱 Stay connected with the pack:

    Website: ladiesworkingdoggroup.com

    Facebook: Ladies Working Dog Group

    Instagram: @ladiesworkingdogs


    ✨ And remember… Every session, every stumble, every breakthrough, it all counts. You’re not just training a dog. You’re building trust, confidence, and a community that’s right behind you.

    Keep going. We see you. 💛
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
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Really helpful and I listen to them all. Truly helpful and always seem timely too

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The podcasts make you wonder think that you’re not the only one having problems and that there is always someone there to answer and give you an alternative.

Thought Provoking Always

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