Tuesday Talks with Ruby Reese

In this episode of Tuesday Talks with Ruby Reese, Killian is rejoined by Suzi Walsh, animal behaviourist and founder of dogbehaviour.ie, for a wide-ranging and genuinely enjoyable conversation about the importance of play for dogs.
Suzi unpacks what play actually means - and why it looks different for every dog depending on breed, age, history and personality. She explains how play supports brain development, emotional regulation and bonding, and what the science tells us about what happens in the brain during play. The conversation covers solo play, interspecies play, and the often underestimated value of playing directly with your own dog.
Suzi also addresses some of the biggest misconceptions around play - including the myth that dogs should want to play with every dog they meet, the problems with over-relying on fetch, and why a tired dog is not always a happy one. She shares how play features in her behaviour modification work and why mixing up activities - particularly those that involve sniffing and problem-solving - is so important for mental wellbeing.
A warm, practical and thought-provoking listen for every dog owner.
Websites & Social Media
Suzi Walsh - dogbehaviour.ie Website: dogbehaviour.ie Instagram: @dogbehaviour.ie
Ruby Reese Website: ruby-reese.ie Instagram: @rubyreeseofficial
dognutrition.ie Website: dognutrition.ie Instagram: @dognutrition.ie
References:
Affenzeller, N., Palme, R. & Zulch, H. (2017). Playful activity post-learning improves training performance in Labrador Retriever dogs. Physiology & Behavior.
Beerda, B. et al. (1997). Manifestations of chronic and acute stress in dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
Beerda, B. et al. (1998). Behavioural, saliva cortisol and heart rate responses to different types of stimuli in dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science.
Horváth, Z. et al. (2008). Affiliative and disciplinary behaviour of human handlers during play with their dog affects cortisol concentrations in opposite directions. Hormones and Behavior.
Miller, S. L. et al. (2022). The importance of evaluating positive welfare characteristics and temperament in working therapy dogs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
Rooney, N. J. & Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2003). Links between play and dominance and attachment dimensions of dog–human relationships. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science.
Rossi, A. et al. (2018). Hormonal correlates of exploratory and play-soliciting behavior in domestic dogs. Frontiers in Psychology.
Shiverdecker, M. D., Schiml, P. A. & Hennessy, M. B. (2013). Human interaction moderates plasma cortisol and behavioral responses of dogs to shelter housing. Physiology & Behavior.
Sipple, N. et al. (2021). Intraspecific and interspecific attachment between cohabitant dogs and human caregivers. Integrative and Comparative Biology.
Chmelíková, E. et al. (2020). Salivary cortisol as a marker of acute stress in dogs: a review. Domestic Animal Endocrinology. 
Please Note: In the interest of keeping episodes conversational and entertaining we will make broad generalisations that may not reflect you, your situation or your pet. If you have any concerns please consult a certified professional who will assess your individual needs.

In this episode of Tuesday Talks with Ruby Reese, Killian is joined by Neil O'Sullivan, Veterinary Surgeon at Village Vets Cloyne, for an eye-opening conversation about soft tissue surgery and orthopaedics in dogs.
Neil explains the key differences between the two disciplines, what recovery looks like for each, and why post-operative care at home plays such a crucial role in the success of any procedure. He shares practical advice on spotting the early signs of pain or reduced mobility, when to call the vet, and how to tell the difference between a minor issue and something that needs prompt attention.
The conversation also covers cruciate ligament injuries, developmental conditions such as hip dysplasia and OCD, breed predispositions to joint problems, and how weight management and age-appropriate exercise can make a real difference - particularly in large and giant breed puppies. Neil also addresses some common myths around surgery and offers a thoughtful takeaway for every dog owner.
This episode is sponsored by Village Vets, caring for pets across Ireland since 1980. Find out more at villagevets.ie. And if you are interested in their Pet Health Plan you can find out more at https://www.villagevets.ie/pet-health-plan

Websites & Social Media
Village Vets 
Website: villagevets.ie 
Instagram: @villagevets.ireland

Ruby Reese 
Website: ruby-reese.ie 
Instagram: @rubyreeseofficial

dognutrition.ie 
Website: dognutrition.ie 
Instagram: @dognutrition.ie

Please Note: In the interest of keeping episodes conversational and entertaining we will make broad generalisations that may not reflect you, your situation or your pet. If you have any concerns please consult a certified professional who will assess your individual needs.

In this episode of Tuesday Talks with Ruby Reese, Killian is joined by Pete Wedderburn - widely known as Pete the Vet - veterinary surgeon at Village Vets in Bray and one of Ireland's most recognisable voices in animal welfare and pet care.
Pete shares his remarkable journey from vet school in Edinburgh to working in Africa, travelling the world, and eventually settling in Ireland - where he has been practising for over 35 years. He reflects on how the human-pet relationship has changed dramatically over that time, and what that means for veterinary care today.
The conversation covers common misconceptions around pet behaviour, exotic animals and vet costs, the importance of pet insurance, and why animals are such powerful models of mindfulness. Pete also shares what drew him to media work, the philosophy behind always saying yes to opportunities, and introduces his own wonderful cast of dogs, cats and hens.
This episode is sponsored by Village Vets, caring for pets across Ireland since 1980. Find out more at villagevets.ie. And if you are interested in their Pet Health Plan you can find out more at https://www.villagevets.ie/pet-health-plan

Websites & Social Media
Pete the Vet
Website: petethevet.com Instagram: @pete.wedderburn
Village Vets
Website: villagevets.ie Instagram: @villagevets.ireland
Ruby Reese
Website: ruby-reese.ie Instagram: @rubyreeseofficial
dognutrition.ie
Website: dognutrition.ie Instagram: @dognutrition.ie

Please Note: In the interest of keeping episodes conversational and entertaining we will make broad generalisations that may not reflect you, your situation or your pet. If you have any concerns please consult a certified professional who will assess your individual needs.

In this episode of Tuesday Talks with Ruby Reese, Killian is joined in the studio by Chris O'Keeffe, dog nutritionist and co-founder of dognutrition.ie, for a practical guide to decoding dog food labels.
Chris explains why the front of a packet is largely marketing, and why the ingredients list on the back is where the real information lies. He walks through how ingredients are ordered by weight in their pre-dried state - and why this can be misleading - before breaking down the difference between terms like chicken, poultry and meat derivatives, and what ingredient splitting really means.
The conversation also covers regulated terms such as organic, complete, complementary and life stage claims, contrasted with unregulated buzzwords like natural, holistic, premium and grain free. Chris shares the red flags he looks out for as a nutritionist, the most common mistakes dog owners make when reading labels, and what he would like to see changed in pet food regulation.
An essential listen for anyone who wants to make more confident choices at the pet food aisle.

Want to learn more? Use the discount code Podcast30 to save 30 on our canine nutrition course at ruby-reese.ie.

Websites & Social Media
Ruby Reese
Website: ruby-reese.ie
Instagram: @rubyreeseofficial

dognutrition.ie
Website: dognutrition.ie
Instagram: @dognutrition.ie

Please Note: In the interest of keeping episodes conversational and entertaining we will make broad generalisations that may not reflect you, your situation or your pet. If you have any concerns please consult a certified professional who will assess your individual needs.

Chapter List
00:16 Introduction and episode overview
01:26 Welcome to Chris O'Keeffe, dog nutritionist and co-founder of dognutrition.ie
01:40 Why the front of the packet is just marketing
03:03 The ingredients list - the most important part of any label
03:37 How ingredients are ordered by weight
04:16 How ingredients lists can be misleading
05:39 The mixing bowl stage and water weight explained
07:16 Why fresh and natural do not always mean what we think
07:50 The case for dry matter labelling
09:56 When percentages have to be declared
10:24 Dog nutrition course mention and discount code
11:37 Chicken, poultry and meat derivatives - what is the difference?
13:20 Vague ingredient terms and food intolerances
14:15 Does a longer or shorter ingredients list mean better quality?
15:44 Ingredient splitting explained
17:32 FEDIAF, AAFCO and what certifications actually mean
18:38 Complete and balanced - what it really means
20:28 Complete versus complementary for raw feeders
21:13 Regulated versus unregulated buzzwords
23:57 Grain free - what it does and does not tell you
25:40 Fillers, byproducts and other unregulated terms
28:16 The biggest label reading mistakes dog owners make
29:44 Red flags to look out for on pet food packaging
32:21 What Chris would change about pet food labelling
33:07 Closing thoughts

In this episode of Tuesday Talks with Ruby Reese, Killian is joined by Claire O'Donnell, veterinary physiotherapist and owner of the Canine Clinic in Cork, for a deep dive into clinical hydrotherapy for dogs.
Claire explains how hydrotherapy differs from ordinary swimming, breaking down the properties of water - buoyancy, resistance, hydrostatic pressure and warmth - that make it such a powerful rehabilitation environment. She covers the most common conditions she treats, from cruciate repairs and hip dysplasia to spinal conditions, soft tissue injuries, weight management and age-related mobility issues, and walks through what a typical session looks like from start to finish.
The conversation also explores the growing case for preventative care, the parallels between human and canine rehabilitation, and how hydrotherapy can sometimes help dogs avoid surgery altogether - as it did for Killian's own dog, Ruby.
A practical and eye-opening episode for any dog guardian curious about what hydrotherapy really involves.

Websites & Social Media
The Canine Clinic
Website: thecanineclinic.com
Instagram: @thecanineclinicandspa

Ruby Reese
Website: ruby-reese.ie
Instagram: @rubyreeseofficial

dognutrition.ie
Website: dognutrition.ie
Instagram: @dognutrition.ie

Please Note: In the interest of keeping episodes conversational and entertaining we will make broad generalisations that may not reflect you, your situation or your pet. If you have any concerns please consult a certified professional who will assess your individual needs.

Chapter List
00:00 Introduction and summer update 
03:55 Welcome back to Claire O'Donnell of the Canine Clinic 
04:11 Guest introduction - physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and the therapeutic dog spa 
05:03 What is clinical hydrotherapy and how does it differ from swimming? 
08:14 The properties of water that make it an effective rehabilitation environment 
11:02 Growing awareness of canine physiotherapy and hydrotherapy 
12:14 The parallels between human and canine rehabilitation 
14:24 The most common conditions treated with hydrotherapy 
18:12 Hydrotherapy for senior dogs and weight management cases 
18:50 The value of pre-operative hydrotherapy 
19:45 Ruby's story - avoiding knee surgery through hydrotherapy 
23:07 What a typical hydrotherapy session looks like from start to finish 
30:21 Electrotherapies - laser and pulsed electromagnetic therapy 
32:34 Common misconceptions about hydrotherapy 
34:50 Hydrotherapy as strength and conditioning, not just rehabilitation 
35:20 Closing thoughts and thank you