Nine year old collie, Peggy Sue, is on her last agility season this year.

Owner, Rachel Williams took some time out from organising the Agility trials at Dogs Day Out in Hampshire to talk about the sport in general and Peggy Sue's career.

Rachel is interesting on the working urge in collies - Peggy Sue will retire from agility, but she has no plans to stop. She's also bringing on her younger puppy, Brie, whose parents are both working farm dogs.

She also explains why this sport - seen at the highest levels at Crufts and international competitions - remains highly accessible to any dog and handler with a close relationship and a liking for activity.

It's accessible to all - from kids to really quite old (!), and all breeds can participate from toy poodles to malinois.

Recorded at Dogs Day Out, 2026 in East Worldham, Hampshire.

Photo by Sean Cameron.

Find out more about agility:

• Kennel Club website - list of approved trainers (positive reinforcement only)
• Agility4all.co.uk - UK based agility shows for all dogs (with diary)
• Agilitynet on Facebook for meet ups and classes near you

Do you work your dog or dogs?

Please get in touch with Kate at team@shineradio.uk if you'd like to introduce a working dog to the show!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tweed, the springer spaniel has the distinction of being the UK's first digital asset detection dog.

Martin King of the Devon and Cornwall Police Dog Section tells the origin story of this vitally important search discipline in the UK.

Known as electronic storage detection, digital asset detection and various other names, Tweed's skillset is firmly established as a key discipline for evidentiary purposes within the police.

Back in 2015, a trainer in his force read an article about such detection work going on in Connecticut, U.S.A. The trainer, Graham Atwood, visited and brought back the knowhow to train the UK's first two dogs.

Tweed won Service Dog of the Year 2025 and was shortlisted for Crufts Hero Dog of the Year 2026.

Many thanks to Martin King for talking to us - it's a delight to have a little piece of working dog history on the show.

Kate Fairweather interviewed Martin at Crufts 2026.

Connected episodes:

• The UK's National Police Dog Trials 2025
• 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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the origin story of the charity, Service Dogs UK, which supports veterans of the military and blue light services in training their own PTSD assistance dogs.

Hear its founder and operations director, Garry Botterill, on the various training models, and how his own lived experience in the military and police has informed the training model and contributed to the approach taken by Service Dogs UK.

Find out more about assistance dogs supporting veterans

Garry mentions all these organisations in this episode. As we say in the episode, there are many other organisations and charities - these are just some of them!

• Service Dogs UK and the Dogs Making a Difference Awards 2026
• Paws for Purple Hearts (U.S.)
• Paws and Stripes (New Mexico, U.S.)
• Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services (PAALS) (South Carolina, U.S.)
• Warrior Canine Connection (Maryland, U.S.)

Connected Dogs with Jobs episodes on assistance dogs

• Duke, the PTSD service dog, (also trained by Service Dogs UK)
• Mika, the well being and trauma support dog in the Metropolitan Police
• By your side: navigating life with a guide dog over time
• Ralph, the owner-trained, multi-tasking assistance dog - perfect for a Rogate teenager
• Darcey, the Canine Partner: an assistance dog relationship in full bloom
• Benjy, the trainee guide dog's first five weeks on the job
• Daisy, the autism assistance dog - practical, psychological and emotional support

Do you work your dog?

Or perhaps you know someone else who does and might like to come on the show? I love to hear about all and any working dogs - the more varied, the better!

Get in touch with me, Kate, via team@shineradio.uk.

Find more dogs with interesting jobs.

© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2026

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.