It's time for a Christmas episode again. In this episode we have an interview with a woman who's doing her best to change the way we talk and think about rescue dogs. Cynthia Miller shares her life with two beautiful Maltese dogs, Lulu and Lolly, and she and the girls do a lot of work to raise money for dogs who really need help. Cynthia (and husband Dean) wrote Rescue Dog Rock, which you can see at Lulu and Lolly's website. The video that accompanies the song may well make you think again about rescue dogs. Lulu and Lolly have their own calendar which is helping raise money for charity. They also have a blog, and their own unique career ambitions. To have your preconceptions challenged, listen to Cynthia - her enthusiasm is infectious.

It may be Christmas but we can't rustle up a Fairy Godmother. We can do the next best thing though - that's the Furry Godmother, Dogs Today editor, Beverley Cuddy. Beverley talks about a charity that's close to her heart - Tailwaggers. The charity was once incredibly popular in the UK, but has declined in recent years. Beverley is helping to ensure the charity's future. It may not be a household name, and it may not change the world - but Tailwaggers can and does change people's and dogs' lives for the better. Beverley gives some heart-warming examples of people who have turned to Tailwaggers and found solutions to their problems.

We have a special two minute fiction feature - Christmas Shopping. Why buy things for a dog you haven't got? And our quotes between items are a dog's rules for Christmas. So listen online, or take us with you on your mp3, but one way or another, enjoy a merry Christmas with DogCast Radio.

If you're looking for ways to save money as we all feel the bite of the credit crunch, veterinarian Paula Terifaj has some great advice on how you can spend less on your dog's medical treatment. In the second part of her interview, Paula talks about what you should do to prepare for a large vet bill. She also has tips if you are already in debt, and she'll tell you if insurance is financially viable. Paula also reveals the single most significant contribution you can make to keeping your dog healthy - which of course means paying out less at the vet's surgery.

The documentary Pedigree Dogs Exposed has caused turmoil in the dog world in the UK, with the Kennel Club being accused of putting dogs' appearances ahead of their health. What is the truth of the matter? Are Kennel Club approved breeders the best guarantee of a healthy puppy? If a dog isn't Kennel Club registered does that mean it's more likely to live a long happy life? Should you look for a breeder who carries out health tests? What about puppy farms or mills, and are back yard breeders to be avoided? What's the difference between the top kennels and a hobby breeder? If you're confused, let Kimberley MacDonald make sense of it for you. Kimberley breeds healthy, well-balanced Rottweilers and Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, and has the information you need to know about buying a puppy, how to spot a good breeder and how to recognise a bad one. How should you buy a puppy - and just as importantly, how should you never buy a puppy?

In the DogCast Radio News, hear about the plight of Hubble, the dog that the media dubbed Britain's ugliest dog. You can hear about the dog who drove, the rarest litter in England, the dog who stood up to a snake, and the Jack Russell who's looking for love.

In Buddy's Diary, Buddy's looking on the bright side of life - and how could you do anything but that, as you listen to your favourite dog podcast? And to make things even better, there's now a video section on the DogCast Radio website. You'll find the video button at the top of each page, next to the photo button, so go and check out the videos already uploaded.

With the credit crunch making us all look for ways to economise, we have timely money saving advice from Dr. Paula Terrifaj. Paula talks about how you can spend less at the veterinarian's surgery without compromising your dog's health. Who knows that better than a veterinarian herself? Find out when to go to the veterinarian and when to wait, where to buy medicines from, and how to find a great value veterinarian. Is it really necessary to have an annual health check? What treatment is essential, for example do our dogs really need all those vaccinations? So to make sure you keep your dog healthy without wasting money, take Paula's advice.

When Stephen Foster and his partner adopted rescue dog Ollie, it was the start of a very difficult relationship for Stephen. Ollie had been found living wild in Thetford Forest, and was according to Stephen, thin but beautiful. It wasn't the immediate happy ending they had hoped for though, as Ollie became frightened of Stephen, and it was a long struggle to achieve harmony. The experience inspired Stephen to write Walking Ollie, a book that dog owners will identify with and understand. Told with humour, the story is honest and moving. Later puppy Saluki Dylan joined the family, and another book was inspired - Along Came Dylan. So did Stephen's persistence pay off? Did Ollie eventually bond with the owner who loved him? Hear Stephen answer these questions.

In the DogCast Radio News, Kate and Nick bring you the latest happenings in the dog world.

Host Julie talks about walking Buddy in the damp chill English autumn weather, and the nature of happiness, in Walk the Walk.

The National Dog Show sponsored by Purina will be televised on Thanksgiving Afternoon, and is fast becoming a holiday tradition. Co-host David Frei tells us what viewers can expect to see. He also talks about the behind the scenes work that goes into preparing a show dog, and what the judges are looking for. David knows what he is talking about as he has had great success in the show world with his Afghan Hounds and Brittany Spaniels. He also knows how rewarding having a qualified therapy dog is. If you don't know what a bench show is, or what stacking is, David explains these terms, plus he tells us what the new breed at this year's show will be. To find out more about the National Dog Show, visit their website, and for a really useful dog show glossary, visit the Purina site.

Dogs don't belong in pet shops, but if a new pet superstore has its way it's something we'll be seeing a lot more of in the UK. Lady Margaret Flack, together with the Kennel Club and Our Dogs, is mounting a campaign to try to put an end to puppy farming, dog smuggling, dog dealing and dogs being sold in pet shops. In this interview, Lady Margaret talks about the awful conditions dogs are kept in at puppy farms, and about the pet superstore that is an outlet for many puppy farm dogs. Lady Margaret points out why dogs bred by puppy farms are highly unlikely to be healthy or temperamentally sound, and point out the right and wrong way to buy a puppy. The campaign includes demonstrations at the superstore selling many breeds of dog, and we'll bring you updates of its progress.

Kate and Gin rose to fame in the show Britain's Got Talent, and are one of the most well known doggy dancing duos around. Now Kate has written a book telling not only her and Gin's story, but also offering advice on how you can train your dog like she trains Gin.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is now recognised by the UK Kennel Club. Host Julie talks to Kimberley MacDonald, the woman who brought the Swissies to Britain, worked to have them recognised by the Kennel Club, and is now setting up a breed club. If you'd like to find out more or actually meet a Greater Swiss Mountain dog, Kimberley and her dogs will be attending Discover Dogs and Crufts.

In a packed show, we also have the DogCast Radio News, in which you can hear about dog guarding monkeys, Pekingese dogs losing popularity, and how dogs have been surfboarding, making use of GPS and eating chocolate muffins.

Australian Terriers are cheerful, companionable, lively little dogs, and in this episode breeder Doreen Simpkins gives us an insight into life with this delightful breed. She talks about their appearance and character, as well as grooming, training and exercise requirements. Doreen is involved with both Australian terrier Breed Clubs in the UK, and also writes the breed note column for Our Dogs weekly newspaper. To find out more about this feisty Terrier breed which originally helped control vermin and snakes in the Australian outback, listen to Doreen's interview.

Matthew Culmore's interview about settling a new puppy into the house concludes in this episode. You can hear the first part in episode 74 of DogCast Radio. In this interview Bichon Frise breeder Matthew continues with what to do to ease the stress of transferring to his new home for a puppy. How much time do you need to set aside to be with him? How should you feed him? How should you treat him generally? - Matthew answers all this and more.

Winfred Peppinck was the Australian High Commissioner/Ambassador to the Caribbean when he and his wife Wendy took a lucky rescue dog into their home. Diplomatic Dog - DD as he became known - lived happily with them, and his life as a cherished pet was incredibly different from his beginnings as a stray. Winfred was inspired to write the book The Diplomatic Dog of Barbados telling DD's rags to riches story. Sadly, DD passed away earlier this year, leaving his owners devastated. In a poignant story, A Phoenix in Black and White, Winfred recalls the bitter-sweet arrival of new puppy Harry Lime. The Diplomatic Dog of Barbados is published by Olympia.

The DogCast book Buddy's Diary plus fiction and article from DogCast Radio is now available, so if you are looking for a Christmas present for a dog lover, or you know someone who would enjoy DogCast Radio but doesn't have Internet access, or maybe you just fancy treating yourself, look no further!

Top Bichon Frise breeder Matthew Culmore talks about settling a new puppy in to your home. Matthew was previously on the show in episode 51 giving advice on how to recognise a good breeder. However, once you've found a breeder you trust, you then need to know how to make the transition from the breeder's house to yours as smooth as possible for the puppy. Matthew's dogs' litters have been highly rated by the American Kennel Club, and settle into their new homes extremely well, and in this interview you can hear Matthew's advice on how to acheive the same success with your dog. If you've ever wondered how your puppy should spend his first night in your home, when you should start training and how to treat your puppy generally, this interview has answers for you.

Many national Kennel Clubs around the world offer dogs and owners the chance to participate in the Canine Good Citizen Scheme. Buddy and host Julie have passed the Bronze and Silver levels, and are currently working on their Gold Award. Julie talks to trainer Jill Arnold from Paws 4 Thought Dog Training about what the scheme involves. You can also hear from owners working at all levels of the scheme about how the training has benefitted them and their dogs. The scheme incorporates tasks that owners will find useful in every day life with their dog, such as basic obedience, as well as teaching the dog not to leave or enter a car until he is given permission.

Buddy has been watching his people, and frankly they have been up to some strange behaviour recently. What makes birthdays so good? Why do they smear smelly stuff from tins onto the walls? Above all, what on earth is in that big glass box? All will be revealed in Buddy's Diary. In the DogCast Radio News there's an incredible shaggy dog story about the dog who survived a close encounter with a shark. Host Julie talks about the effect the painting The Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner had on her.

Buddy talks about a new book he really likes - well he would wouldn't he? It's called Buddy's Diary plus fiction and article from DogCast Radio. Yes, you can now enjoy DogCast Radio as a book! So if you're looking for a Christmas present for a dog lover, you know someone who would enjoy DogCast Radio but doesn't have Internet access, or you'd just like to treat yourself, you've heard the show, now buy the book.

Clicker training - you've probably heard of it, but do you know how to do it? In this show you can hear Aaron Clayton from Karen Pryor Clicker Training explaining exactly what clicker training is, how you can start using it, and some of the amazing results you can get with it. We bust some myths about clicking, and talk about how it can be used for both family pets and those competing at the highest level. Clicking is a way to communicate with your dog, and it's also a way to help your dog use his brain and begin to think and problem solve. This will mean a happier life for both of you, and a closer relationship too.

In the DogCast Radio News, you can hear about some of the dangers your dog can encounter in your own backyard - from insects to plants to cocoa mulch. Our fiction feature is Spirit, written and read by host Julie.

After rescuing her two dogs Lulu and Lolly, Cynthia Miller decided that rescue dogs needed to be talked and thought about in a much happier way. To that end, the trio have launched their own music video - Rescue Dog Rock - which you can see on You Tube. Lulu and Lolly have their own website too, and sales of their calendar and other merchandised have benefitted Animal Rescue New Orleans in the wake of the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Do you ever wish that your dog was calmer? Well wish no more, as trainer Pat Miller talks about the simple steps you can take to allow your dog to become calm. It's great when our dogs are full of enthusiasm and energy, but we can encourage them to find the right outlet for that energy, and show them how to behave appropriately at other times. Pat has some common sense ideas and she talks about how any owner can put them into effect. Plus she tells Julie how to train Labrador Buddy to greet people in a more calm manner. Pat Miller was a humane officer at the Marin Humane society in California for over twenty years, before qualifying as a CPDT trainer and opening her own training establishment, Peaceable Paws. She is also the training editor of The Whole Dog Journal. Pat has living proof that her methods work, in the shape of her own serene pack of dogs.

Monty is a dog who has had a lot of luck - some good some bad. In this interview you can hear how he is certainly lucky with the owner he has now, Joanna Brown, with whom he has found his forever home. Just as things were looking up for Monty, disaster struck again, and Joanna had to help him get through physical and emotional damage. Just how much can a dog suffer and come back from? What do you do when you love your dog, but you find it hard to like him? Worse still, how do you cope when you don't think he likes you? When they discovered Tellington Touch, it was a huge breakthrough for the pair, and TTouch practitioner Sarah Fisher was so taken with Monty he features in her latest book. To find out more about Joanna Brown visit the I want a happy hound site.

Buddy's Diary is about Buddy's recent vacation in Scotland. What does Scotland smell like? Why does it take so long to get there? And what the heck do they do to those bagpipes to make that sound come out? All will be revealed! In the news hear how dogs can make you snore, where to find advice on choosing the right dog for you, and a dog who is sniffing out bumblebees.

Julie and Buddy have been practising Heelwork to Music for a few months, and were delighted to be awarded fourth place in a competition by Kate Nicholas. Kate is the human half of the dancing duo Kate & Gin - Gin is the canine half. They were catapulted to fame by the UK show Britain's Got Talent, and have been wowing crowds ever since. Julie interviewed Kate about how life is now for the partnership, and discovered more about Kate's book.

Dogs are very social animals, and bond strongly with their pack whether canine or human. Some dogs can find it difficult to be left alone, and sometimes separation anxiety can develop into a serious problem. We were contacted by a listener with a dog called Scruffy who hated being left alone so much that she barked. Scruffy's owner found the complaints and unsympathetic attitude of her neighbours difficult to cope with, and it was clear the situation wasn't ideal for anyone involved. We turned to expert trainer and author Cindy Scott for advice. In this interview Cindy has some great and practical suggestions on how you can cope with separation issues.

Happily for Scruffy she now spends time at a friend's house when her owner is at work. Scruffy was a rescue dog and in these photos you can see how far she has travelled in her new home. When she first arrived she was uncertain and worried, but after some time with her new loving owner, you can see she has relaxed and is loving life.

The Border Collie is a very popular, but often misunderstood breed. Barbara Sykes is a Collie expert who has lived and worked with the breed all her life. She has written several books and publishes a magazine, Freedom of Spirit, on the breed, as well as competing at the highest level, and developing her own training philosophy, T.L.C - Thinking Like Canines. Barbara knows Border Collies well and in this interview she talks about how to meet the needs of the breed. What is the ideal home for a Collie? How do you motivate a Border Collie, and do you really have to give them to chance to do constant agility or flyball? Barbara has the answers.

In the DogCast Radio News Kate and Nick bring you some advice for keeping your dog healthy and comfortable in summer. We have a fiction feature called Teamwork, which focuses on a dog and his person's struggle to find an activity that suits them.

It's DogCast Radio's third birthday, and we've had a great time sharing anything and everything dog related with you. We're taking a short break, and we'll be back with the next episode of DogCast Radio on September 13th.

Greyfriars in the UK is a rehabilitation and hydro-therapy referral centre. The centre does a much needed job of helping dogs with a variety of problems, and even healthy dogs can benefit from some water treatment. In this interview Angela Griffiths talks about her work at Greyfriars, the dogs she has helped, and the close bond she forms with them. In order to enhance dogs' enjoyment of their time in the water, Angela or another member of staff goes into the pool as well, and it's not unknown for owners to accompany their dog too.

The Cold Wet Nose Show was billed as the show with a sense of humour and a heart of gold, and also as the most fun a dog and his family can have all year. It certainly was a terrific day out for humans and dogs, with displays, demonstrations, competitions and awards going on in the main ring, with fun games and training and shopping opportunities to hand as well. Don't worry if you couldn't attend as we spoke to a variety of people who were there.

One of the amazing dogs with a heart warming story who won an award is Bianca. She is a young Labrador who is being trained to work with a little boy called Noah. At a very young age, Bianca has learned to alert Noah's parents when his blood sugar levels fall, which can happen frequently and without warning. Bianca is making a huge difference to a family's life, and she was a pleasure to meet. Claire Guest who is training Bianca told us all about this award-winning dog.

The Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs put on a display in the main ring, and I spoke to Chairman Daryl Toogood about what the team actually does. He told me how early dogs can start their training, and how long it usually takes to complete. He talked about how the dogs work, and the sort of environment in which they work.

Candy King lost her Jack Russell puppy four years ago, and despite the puppy having a microchip, they have still not been reunited. Candy turned her pain into a positive and launched Dolly's Directive, which seeks to make it a legal requirement that everyone who comes into contact with dogs, whether they are lost or not, scans them. The effect of losing a dog can be devastating and Candy talks movingly about her missing dog and her mission to change the legal situation in the UK.

How much thought do you give to what your dog sleeps on? Do you know the advantages that a raised bed can offer? Katherine McKay was at the show offering the chance to try the beds out, and she told us the benefits of letting your dog sleep on one. Star tried them out and certainly looked comfortable enough!

Although Adolescent Dogs trains all ages of dogs from young puppies to older dogs, I talked to Jenny Trigg & Anna Read about a time that can be particularly trying - when your dog hits the teenage years. What happens when your dog becomes a teenager, and how can you make the time as stress free as possible? You can emerge at the other end with your sanity and your relationship with your dog intact - so listen to some advice on how to manage that!

In the DogCast Radio News you can hear about the dangers of going out or staying in with your dog, the latest thing dogs are being taught to sniff out, and a dog who got in a flap when he tried to be a copycat.

In our fiction feature, The Kitchen Dog, you can hear about a dog who isn't happy with his life.