Early in 2018, having moved from London to North Wales, I took on a rescue dog, Leon. He is a young, tri-colour collie cross — no chip implanted, so no history. He loved, and loves, people (which was the main reason I said ‘Yes!’ to adopting him). But he is always on duty, always listening to the slightest sound generated in the world around him. He reacts (and overreacts) to other dogs. I have spent the past 18 months-plus developing a bond, training him, taking him to classes, trying to make his world as safe and secure as it can be, to give him a stable and loving home, yet still allowing him to be what he is: a dog. 

 

I am Fiona Matthias, and I'm a journalist and editor, and Leon has inspired me to go exploring. I want to look at dogs in every aspect of our lives: what they mean to us and have meant to us in the past, how we treat them, how we mistreat them, whether we understand them or whether we only believe we understand them. And I want to use facts as the basis of that exploration. With the help of dog behaviourists, nutritionists, sociologists, scientists, academics, trainers and other practitioners, I hope that the Good Dog Talk podcast will add to our knowledge and understanding of our faithful friends. And, of course, I hope you enjoy it.