A Dog's Life with Anna Webb

Latest Episodes:

Chippy the Dog Oct 01, 2023

Show notes

This week David Vozar joins us to talk about his inspirational Chippy - the little white 'webtoon' pup who has spread joy, kindness, and positivity to billions of people globally for over a decade in the world of GIFs.

David is Chippy’s official ’scribbler and draws on his memories of his childhood dog. After many years working in publishing he returned to his true love of drawing and taught himself animation. In an effort to push back on all the negativity in social media he thought that bringing Chippy each day with messages of unconditional love would resonate with people.

David continues to live in New Jersey and has worked in publishing for more than forty years. He has three picture books for children including, Yo! Hungry Wolf, M.C. Turtle and the Hip Hop Hare and RAPunzel, all illustrated by Betsy Lewin. His first two Chippy the Dog books, If Chippy Was Your Dog and 100 Ways to Love You, were self-published and is thrilled with the new editions as well as a new daily Chippy calendar coming from Sourcebooks in October.

The book If Chippy Was Your Dog

Chippy's Instagram and Linktree

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits

Banning the American XL Bully Sep 24, 2023

Show notes

This week we’re joined by Animal Psychologist, Dr Roger Mugford, discussing the recent ban of the American XL Bully. We chat about Dr Roger’s experience in 1991 when the knee jerk Dangerous Dogs Act legislation was introduced. Designed to keep the public safe from dog bites and incidents, evidence is clear that the law has simply not worked. Dog bites increase to rise, at a record high earlier this year, up 34% since 2019, and with 18 deaths caused by dogs in the past 18 months. The XL Bully being accountable for eight of these tragic mortalities. Government's decision to ban the the XL Bully type is a massive concern as Dr Roger explains, the XL Bully is a ’designer crossbreed’, a mix of four or five different breeds. Therefore they vary in size, head shape, ear carriage and a mix of a boxer crossed Labrador could be mistaken for one of this ‘type’. Hundreds of innocent dogs could be ‘seized’ and separated from their owners until proved by DNA either not guilty or euthanised. Also these ‘types’ are now being abandoned to rescues that imminently are not able to re-home dogs as defined by the DDA, meaning these dogs will be put to sleep. As Dr Roger reiterates having been an Expert Witness for hundreds of dogs in court, banning a breed is not the solution, the only way forward is better accountability for dogs through education and regulating ownership. Dogs are man’s best friend and should not be discriminated against by how the look, or pay the price for inexperienced owners or those exploiting a dogs’ strength for illegal dog fighting and intimidation.

Visit their website Company of Animals or Instagram

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits

Sponsorship or advertising opportunities: info@theloniouspunkproductions.com

Esther Logue from Paleo Ridge Sep 17, 2023

Show notes

This week we're joined once again to friend of the show, Esther Logue, from Paleo Ridge. Anna and Esther talk about how a raw food diet helps your dog with health and behaviour issues and lays to rest some misnomers around raw food.

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits

Sponsorship or advertising opportunities: info@theloniouspunkproductions.com

Lady B Sep 10, 2023

Show notes

This week we’re joined by Lady Bathurst of Cirencester Park. Lady B is the founder of The National Foundation for Retired Service Animals (NFRSA).

Lady B discusses why she launched this charity to help all service dogs and horses in their retirement. Raising funds so that the charity can help with vet bills, and make their golden years really golden after serving the public so bravely.

Having celebrated the charity’s first birthday a few months ago, Lady Bathurst will be departing on 13th September for 3 weeks - cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats. Accompanied along the way by a number of well known celebrities including the Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York who is Patron of the charity.

Other famous names including Ben Miller, Minnie Driver, Dr Dawn Harper, David Gower, Nick Knowles, Lisa Maxwell and many other will be.joining Lady B along the way. We chat about the grueling training program, the route and why she is determined to hit the demanding mileages everyday!

We discuss other ways of fundraising including the charity’s annual calendar and simple ways to raise much needed funds. We also chat about Lady B’s own massive passion for all animals, but especially Cocker Spaniels.

We urge you to support Lady B and help retired service animals!

Visit the website or Twitter or Instagram

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits

Sponsorship or advertising opportunities: info@theloniouspunkproductions.com

Niall Harbison Sep 03, 2023

Show notes

This week we’re joined by Niall Harbison talking about his book, Hope, which is about how Thailand’s street dogs taught him the meaning of life! Originally from Tyrone, Niall moved to Thailand after selling his marketing and PR company. He now lives in the countryside, where he spends his days feeding and looking after thousands of street dogs he comes across. We chat about individual dogs that have made their mark on Niall’s heart, and why even in the toughest moments, the dogs have given Niall hope to carry on. After all everybody deserves a second chance!

Buy the book here

Donate to Niall's charity here

Instagram: @niall.harbison

Twitter: @NiallHarbison

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits

Lucy Meggeson Aug 27, 2023

Show notes

This week we’re joined by the amazing animal lover Lucy Meggeson to talk about her cat called Johnny Depp. On the rare, yet significant appearance of a cat on A DOG’S LIFE, is to celebrate cats and pay tribute to Anna’s late cat, Gremlin, but also to talk about Anna’s and Lucy’s mutual connection, which is Johnny Depp.

Lucy's own ground breaking podcast - Spinsterhood Reimagined - dares to investigate the elusive yet secretly celebrated world of Spinsterhood. What it means and its growth as arguably a very cool demographic. More importantly why Spinsterhood is growing and how Lucy helps empower women in a world where conventional ‘almost Victorian’ values are increasingly misplaced.

We discuss all the animals who have impacted on Lucy since childhood, and why her cat, Johnny, fulfills some inner nurturing instinct. We also discuss why Spinsterhood could be enviable for some, and chat about the episode Anna recorded with Lucy revealing her meeting with Johnny Depp one evening in Soho.

Lucy's Website and Instagram

The Spinsterhood Re-imagined podcast

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits

Robert Clarke Aug 20, 2023

Show notes

This week we’re joined by artist, Robert Clarke, known for his stunning portraits of dogs. Talking to us from NYC where he moved from London, we chat about the differences in dogs and their people across the pond, but why commissioning a unique piece of art is still considered a ’must have’ for dog owners. As one of the first artists to focus on dogs back in 2010, Robert’s first A-Z of dog breeds was exhibited in the Rebecca Hossack Gallery in 2012. We chat about one of Anna’s most coveted possessions, a portrait by Robert of Molly her first Miniature Bull Terrier painted in 2011. It’s Robert’s style that brings every dog to life using a canvas and the structure of paint and colour to capture a dog’s unique personality. Having studied at St Martins, Robert is no stranger to a range of subjects and projects not least his latest A-Z project looking at Montauk in New York state, south of Long Island. We chat about his up-coming new A-Z of dogs, which will be created and available to buy in time for Christmas. As an update to his original A-Z of dogs circa 2012, this will highlight the shift in breed popularity to include more doodles. We calling out to A DOG’S LIFE listeners to contact Robert with your ideas for the new A-Z (watch this space on Instagram). And of course to get your order in time for Christmas!

Robert's website and Instagram

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits

Flop Not Crop! Aug 13, 2023

Show notes

This week we’re joined by Jordan Shelley, Behaviour & Training animal welfare expert. We chat about his campaign Flop Not Crop and how he has raised awareness about the cruelty of cropping dogs' ears, which is illegal in the UK. Stopping nasty ear cropping kits (legal in the USA), from entering the UK by banning their sales online to the UK, and helping to curb this barbaric ‘fashion’ trend in certain breeds. We talk about re-introducing the dog licence and Jordan discusses his role at Animal Licensing Wales. We also discussed banning sales of dogs and live animals on the internet and the huge disappointment in the shelving of the Animal welfare (Kept Bill), and the impact of this in terms of dog welfare in the UK. We chat about the XL Bully and why adding this ‘breed’ onto the Dangerous Dogs list won’t really make any difference to reducing dog bite incidents, rather it lies in more education and a centralised approach.

Follow Jordan on Instagram and Twitter

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits

Trained Puppies Don't Bite Children Aug 06, 2023

Show notes

This week we're joined by Trainer & Behaviour expert, and Groomer, Deidre Ryan, whose book Trained Puppies Don’t Bite Children has to be the best dog training book Anna's read for years! Simply laid out in 100 short chapters with perfect illustrations, the book is based on the principles of the Sunday Times bestselling book “French children don’t throw food” by Pamela Druckerman. Deidre explains why she noticed she was raising her children in a similar way to how Deidre had raised her own five dogs. She realised that there were many parallels when it came to raising puppies and decided to write a no-nonsense approach for pet parents. We discuss the term pet parents and concur we are dog owners. Nevertheless in her book Deidre explains: "in the parenting book there is a ‘cadre’- a framework for how children are expected to behave. It combines “a little bit of strictness, with a lot of freedom”. My dogs are allowed lots of off leash freedom on walks, but I insist on a strong un-negotiable recall. We also talk about the animal welfare crisis in Ireland and how Deidre is supporting Dog Advocacy Ireland.

Buy the book

Deidre's website

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits

Dog Friendly Cinema Jul 30, 2023

Show notes

This week we’re joined by Amber Pegden, Marketing Manager at The Picture House Central. Based in Piccadilly in the heart of London’s Theatreland and Soho, it's also home to very special dog friendly screenings. Amber has been instrumental in creating this extremely popular dog-centric cinematic experience. She chats about why as a dog owner herself she understands why fellow dog owners would prefer to go and see films with their dogs. Interestingly it's not to see Lassie or 101 Dalmatians, its the latest ‘blockbuster’ movies. We talk about how Anna’s own Mr Binks is a seasoned cinema goer, and how Prudence, Anna’s Bull terrier, went to see the multi-award winning Isle of Dogs, created in Hackney in London. Amber highlights the thought behind her project which includes a seat for your dog that’s included in the price for a single human seat. On entering the Auditorium dogs are offered their own blanket to keep their seat dog hair free, with fresh bowls of water dotted around for the dogs. There’s dog-friendly ice cream on offer, and of course dog-friendly popcorn too. We chat about the joyous spirit of these screening where like minded folk get together and celebrate their dogs.Its a chance to sharpen their training, as well as meet and greets. As Anna’s personally most favourite thing to do as an inspired concept taking dog friendly to new limit. What’s extraordinary is that the dogs really enjoy it and settle. In over six years there’s never been a complaint about dog hair or any allergic reactions! It has to be experienced to be believed! Later, Anna joins her friends Jo Good, Henry Brandman, and Caroline Brill, all with their dogs to see the Barbie Movie.

Picture House Cinema website

Picture House Cinema Instagram

If you love A Dog's Life and would like to help support the show why not become a Patreon backer where you can also have access to some exclusive content.

If you want to move your dog to a raw diet or even switch brands we wholly recommend Paleo Ridge

For more about Anna go to annawebb.co.uk

Music and production by Mike Hanson for Pod People Productions

Cover art by Jaijo

Cover photo by Rhian Ap Gruffydd at Gruff Pawtraits