Maggie and Vanessa explain what extreme conformation is and why some dogs are bred with very flat faces, short legs or tails, no hair, or lots of wrinkles. They may look cute but often there are unintended consequences that affect the health and welfare of the dogs. These problems lead not only to more vet bills and heartache for you but lifelong issues for your pet. We discuss what’s being done to help reduce these problems and how a new tool, the Innate Health Assessment could improve the lives of future generations of puppies.

Where do dogs come from and why are there so many breeds? Vanessa and Maggie discuss how dogs evolved from the grey wolf to become man’s best friend and how dogs were selectively bred for different purposes like hunting and guarding. Learn how your pet dog today may have been born to be a companion but may still have the characteristics of their working ancestor. How does this affect your dog’s behaviour? You may be surprised by the background of favourite breeds such as Dachshunds and Yorkies.

There has been a lot in the news about the UK's Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA’s) investigation into the companion animal (pet) veterinary industry. Maggie and Vanessa discuss the changes that have occurred over the last few years, including the increase in the number of corporately owned practices and the impact this has had. They look at what changes have been suggested by the CMA, whether they will really make a difference to pet owners and the impact the investigation has had on frontline vet staff.

The CMA's remedies and recommendations to vet practices can be found here.