61. Back for 2026 + Rare Breed Pools

What The Bark is back for 2026!After a little paw-se over the summer break, Nathan and George catch-up on what’s happened over summer, the winners at the recent Canberra Royal, and how dog breeds start to become ‘rare’.Have a topic you’d love to hear us discuss? Email in at [email protected] !

You googled, and we answered!Nathan and Genetic George sit down to talk through the 10 most searched pet genetics questions of 2025, and offer our answers.From dog ancestry, to DNA test reliability, and coat colour, we walk through what you were googling in 2025.This is our last episode for the year, and we will be back in 2026, with more What The Bark!

This week, we're here to demystify a very complex topic in the animal world - pet insurance.Nathan and George are joined by Dr. Steve Rose from Trupanion Australia, to break down the ins and outs of pet insurance, what all the different policies and terms mean, and the benefits for pets and their owners.A quick disclaimer:Trupanion Pet Insurance is issued by The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd ABN 78 090 584 473, AFSL 241436, and distributed, promoted and administered by Trupanion Australia Pty Ltd (ABN 33626393628, AR 1268213) as an authorised representative of Hollard. Any advice provided is general only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Please consider the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to ensure this product meets your needs before purchasing. PDS and Target Market Determination and Privacy Policy available at Trupanion.com.au

This week, we celebrate the life of George's dog Charlie, the lovable Boston Terrier and an iconic figure in the Orivet journey.Nathan and George talk about saying goodbye to a pet, the decisions around it, and coping with the grief that comes with such an irreplaceable loss.

Have you ever wondered whether stem cell therapy could work in dogs, as well as humans?We sat down with Paloma Newton, co-founder of Elita, a Melbourne start-up that is pioneering stem cell therapy and banking for dogs in Australia.We discuss the science behind it, the impact it can have on older dogs, and the real case studies that already exist!

Ever heard of a COI? 🧬 It stands for Coefficient of Inbreeding – a measure of how closely related a puppy’s parents are.This week, George and Nathan unpack this concept, and how breeders ensure genetic diversity in their breeding programs.

This week, we've dived into our back catalogue to bring you a What The Bark classic episode, all about Dog Temperaments!Dogs have personalities too! This week, we discuss Dog Temperaments with RightPaw breeder and show-dog judge Ginnette Loft. We delve into how dogs develop their temperaments, how dogs even in the same breed group can be polar opposites, and how breeders can conduct 'temperament testing' on their pups to match them with the right families.If you want to read more about Ginnette, you can visit her Emeraldcity Cairn Terriers profile on RightPaw.

Ever wondered how someone first becomes a breeder? What's involved in getting started?We sat down with Jessica from Hapapi Papillons, who shares how she started her breeding journey, and the many considerations along the way.From finding a mentor, to your foundation dogs, to planning the first litter - Jessica generously shares her experience becoming a breeder!

What The Bark is back for 2025, and raring to go!Nathan and George share some of the important life events that put a short pause on the pod for a few months.And George tells all about the US conferences he attended, and how the dog world is done differently in the US!

Have you ever wondered how Breed ID tests determine the make-up of your beloved pooch? George and Nathan sit down to discuss Breed ID testing, how the tests works, and the watch-outs to know when interpreting your results.