Brain and Behaviour
The Brain and Behaviour Podcast with Daniel Shaw MSc, CDBC explores the science behind complex dog and cat behaviour. It combines neuroscience, real-world cases, and expert insights to explain topics such as aggression, trauma, and training. The show aims to help listeners better understand the animals in their lives.
Episodes
Where Pain Meets Behaviour
Daniel is joined by Dr Findy Wills and Elena Wilse on what happens when behaviour and physiotherapy work together, and why physical pain so often sits underneath a behaviour problem.Links from this episode:- Elevate Veterinary Physiotherapy, including the online gait analysis service: elevatevetphysio.co.uk- Elevate on Instagram: @elevatevetphysio- The guide framework discussed in the episode, ava
Reactivity, Unpacking a Label
Daniel is joined by Lynn Hewison and Chirag Patel to question a word we all use and rarely define, reactivity. They look at why it means something different to almost everyone who says it, and what a more useful approach looks like when the dog is in front of you.Lynn Hewison is a Clinical Animal Behaviourist who led the MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour at the University of Lincoln. Chirag Patel i
The Reactivity Zones Approach with Victoria Stilwell
In this episode Daniel is joined by Victoria Stilwell to discuss her new Reactivity Zones Approach as well as her journey into dog training, her early experience as a dog trainer in New York City, and her projects and collaborations with incredible trainers all over the world. Victoria will be involved in a number of events in 2026 including the Emotional Wellbeing in Animals Conference, a UK semi
Episode 22 - Beyond Training Formulas - Suzanne Clothier
Episode SummaryIn this conversation, Suzanne Clothier explores why behaviour work must begin with the individual animal rather than rigid training formulas or one-size-fits-all methods. She reflects on her evolution as a trainer, her concerns about overly transactional models, and why relationship, context, and the animal’s lived experience are central to meaningful behaviour change.Suzanne intro
Episode 21 - How to Judge Bite Risk - Dr. Helen Howell
Guest BioDr Helen Howell is a forensic behaviourist and expert witness. Helen spent 16 years as a police detective, much of which was spent working on a child protection unit. Following retirement through injury Helen became a clinical animal behaviourist. Helen has worked with dogs all over the world including street dogs in India and Sri Lanka and game bred American Pit Bull terriers from dog fi
Episode 20 - Resource Guarding Behaviour - Sonia Fetherling
Episode SummaryIn this episode, Sonia Fetherling joins Daniel to unpack the complexity and nuance of resource guarding. Sonia explains why typical protocols often fall apart in real homes, particularly with dogs who steal items, escalate quickly, or have developed poisoned cues around trading and food delivery. Drawing from her work with severe cases Sonia outlines why resource guarding is rarely
Episode 19 - Talking Separation Anxiety - Malena DeMartini
In this episode Daniel talks to the incredible Malena DeMartini about all things separation anxiety in dogs. Malena dives into some fascinating topics including the dog–caregiver relationship in the context of separation anxiety protocols, tracking data in separation cases, and the practical considerations for supporting dogs with separation anxiety. To find out more, visit Malena’s website https:
Episode 18 - Microbiomes, Meals, and Mood: Nutrition’s Role in Behaviour - Alyssa Ralph
Episode SummaryAlyssa joins Daniel to explore the critical intersection of nutrition and behaviour. She shares her journey from zoo animal welfare to canine nutrition, inspired by both professional experience and personal health challenges. The conversation covers the science of the microbiome, the similarities between human and canine nutrition, and how diet can exacerbate or alleviate behaviour
Episode 17 - The Play Way - Dr Amy Cook
Guest Bio:Dr. Cook is an International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, a longstanding professional member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), and was one of the first trainers nationally to become a Certified Professional Dog Trainer through independent evaluation. Dr. Cook received her Ph.D. in Psychology from UC Berkeley,
Episode 16 - Campaigning and Advocacy - Hannah Molloy
Episode Summary:Hannah and Daniel discuss the role of campaigning, policy, and communication in advancing dog welfare. Hannah shares her journey from hands-on training to TV, authorship, and policy work, and explains how being able to connect with different stakeholders —from dog owners to vets to MPs—is a critical skill. They explore the successes of APPG for Dog Welfare, grassroots campaigning,
Episode 15 - Insights on Behaviour Cases - Melissa McCue-McGrath
Episode Summary:Melissa joins Daniel to compare the behavioural challenges of dogs in urban and rural settings. She explains how city dogs are constantly bombarded by sensory overload—sounds, smells, confined spaces, and straight-line encounters on sidewalks—that create frustration, reactivity, and stress. In contrast, rural dogs often face challenges like predation and lack of recall training. Me
Episode 14 - Breaking Down Barriers to Dog Welfare - Dr Rowena Packer
Guest BioRowena is the Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science (2020-Present) at the Royal Veterinary College, London. Rowena leads a research group exploring diverse topics in this area, including the impact of chronic and inherited disorders on dog behaviour and welfare, and the impact of owner knowledge, attitudes and behaviour on canine welfare. She has received >£
Episode 13 - The Science of Stress with Dr. Else Verbeek
Guest Bio:Else Verbeek is the founder of Amazing Animal Minds and an Associate Professor of Animal Welfare at the Agricultural University in Uppsala (Sweden). At Amazing Animal Minds, I help dogs (and their owners) overcome stress, fear and anxiety. In addition, I provide training and education about dog behaviour, stress and emotion for dog trainers and behaviourists. My research explored the lin
Episode 12 - Welfare in Captive Dogs with Kim Brophey
Guest Bio:Kim Brophey, CDBC, CPDT-KA, FDM, is an applied ethologist and accomplished behavior consultant and trainer who has been working with dogs and their families for over 25 years. Kim’s commitment to Family Dog Mediation® has been recognized internationally, awarded the APDT Outstanding Trainer of the Year in 2009 and the Best Dog Trainer of WNC eight years in a row.She is a member of the In
Episode 11 - Behaviour cases in the veterinary setting - Dr Grace Cook
Guest Bio:Dr. Grace Cook is a recent graduate of the Royal Veterinary College, earning her degree as a veterinary surgeon in July 2024. With a deep-rooted passion for canine care, she has dedicated over a decade to working with rescue dogs, having personally cared for around 30 foster dogs, kittens and other animals. Her extensive experience with dogs spans from rescue and rehabilitation to profes
Episode 10 - Genetics and Behaviour - Dr. Jessica Perry Hekman
Guest BioJessica Perry Hekman, DVM, PhD, is a behavioral geneticist. She is one of the founders of the Functional Dog Collaborative (functionalbreeding.org), a non-profit which seeks to change the conversation around dog breeding in the dog loving community. She also teaches behavioral biology at the Virginia Tech online Masters program for Applied Animal Behavior and Welfare, and offers webinars
Episode 9 - Rethinking Leash Reactivity with Jessica Wheatcraft
Guest BioJessica Wheatcraft, CDBC is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant and professional dog trainer who has worked with thousands of dogs for over 17 years. She works with dog professionals virtually all over the world via her Leash Reactivity Mentorship for Professionals and online community, in addition to in-person seminars for trainers, behavior consultants and shelter staff. She specializes
Episode 8 – Marketing and Messaging – Andre Yeu
Guest BioAndre Yeu is a highly successful dog trainer and entrepreneur. As the founder of When Hounds Fly Dog Training, he's grown his business to over seven figures in annual revenue with five locations and a team of over 20. His expertise has also led him to become a Karen Pryor Academy faculty member, where he shares his knowledge with aspiring trainers. Yeu is a sought-after speaker, deliverin
Episode 7 - Welfare and Working Dogs - Sally Dickinson
Guest Bio:It all started as a kid working border collies on a sheep farm in northern England, Sally knew from a young age that animals, and dogs in particular, would be an enduring feature of her life.Now based out of northern Virginia, Sally recently completed 20 years of service as a firefighter / paramedic and technical rescue specialist, concurrent with training and working Search and Rescue d
Episode 6 - Rescue, Behaviour and Ethics – Tom Candy
Tom Candy is a Certified Clinical Animal Behaviourist with extensive experience in rescue, welfare, and canine training. He holds a BSc in Bio-Veterinary Science and an MSc in Clinical Animal Behaviour from the University of Lincoln. Starting in rescue at just 15 years old, Tom has since worked across rehoming centres as a Senior Training and Behaviour Advisor, supporting teams in managing complex
Episode 5 - What Makes Dogs Tick? Genetics, Cognition and Personality - Katriina Tiira
Dr. Katriina Tiira is a behavioural geneticist and the founder of SmartDog, a company offering scientific cognition and personality testing for dogs. She holds a PhD and has researched canine genetics and cognition for over 20 years.SummaryKatriina explains how cognitive traits and genetic differences influence dog behaviour. She introduces the SmartDog test system and discusses how trainers and b
Episode 4 – Resilience in Dogs - Dr Kathy Murphy and Bobbie Bhambree
Guest Bios:Dr. Kathy Murphy graduated from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons UK in 1999, initially working in mixed clinical practice before studying for two post graduate clinical qualifications. In 2009 she was awarded a highly prestigious Wellcome Research Training Fellowship to study for her PhD, in Behavioral Neuroscience, at The Queens College, University of Oxford, UK. She subsequent
Episode 3 - Dogs Helping Dogs - Trish McMillan
In this episode, Daniel Shaw speaks with Trish McMillan about how dogs can help other dogs. They explore how well-socialized dogs can be used to assist fearful or reactive dogs in overcoming anxiety and building confidence through social support. Trish discusses the concept of social facilitation, where dogs learn appropriate behavior by observing their peers. She shares practical techniques for s
Episode 2 - Understanding Separation-Related Behaviour – Dr. Moira Hechenleitner
Dr. Moira Hechenleitner is a veterinarian and Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT) with over 16 years of experience helping dogs and their guardians navigate separation-related issues. She holds a postgraduate qualification in Animal-Assisted Therapy and is a founding board member of the Chilean Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Moira works internationally, offering consultations an
Episode 1 - Scent, Science and Ethics: Behaviour through a Neuroscience Lens - Simon Gadbois
Dr. Simon Gadbois is a behavioural scientist and neuroscientist at Dalhousie University, Canada, where he directs the Canid and Reptile Behaviour and Olfactory Cognition Lab. His research integrates animal psychology, neuroscience, and ethology, with a focus on olfactory cognition in dogs. His projects include wildlife conservation detection, biomedical scent detection (PTSD and diabetes), and loc
