The Functional Breeding Podcast

In this two-part conversation, Jess Sedivy Gunderson sits down with Jane Lindquist to revisit and expand on one of the Functional Breeding Podcast’s most downloaded episodes.

Together, they explore what has evolved in puppy raising over the past several years, including socialization, resilience, developmental periods, breeder observation skills, and how the pandemic shaped conversations around raising puppies. Jess and Jane also discuss what has stayed the same, what has shifted, and why thoughtful puppy raising continues to require flexibility, curiosity, and adaptation as new science emerges.

Part 2 of the conversation drops a few weeks later and will focus on Jane’s newer work around weaning and the puppy microbiome.

Support the podcast and the work of the Functional Dog Collaborative on Patreon: Functional Breeding Patreon

A transcript for the show is available here:  Jane Lindquist Part 1: Puppy Culture Revisit - Functional Dog Collaborative

To learn more about Jane and her courses, visit puppyculture.com or madcapuniversity.com

In this episode from our archive, we revisit an important conversation between Perry and Dr. Jane Ladlow, VetMB, DipECVS, MRCVS, on brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), functional health, and the future of brachycephalic breeds. Their discussion explores the real-world welfare impacts of extreme conformation, the challenges of balancing breed type with health, and what meaningful change could look like moving forward.

Though this episode originally aired in 2024, the conversation remains deeply relevant for breeders, owners, veterinarians, and anyone interested in functional health and ethical dog breeding.

If you're like to support the podcast and the work of the Functional Dog Collaborative please visit our Patreon: Functional Breeding Patreon

Before stepping in as interim host, Jess Sedivy Gunderson joins Sarah Stremming (Cog-Dog Radio) alongside Xan Latta to share the story behind the Flatcoat Conservation Project. From the cancer crisis in Flat-Coated Retrievers to the promise of genetic rescue, this episode explores what happens when breeders choose dogs over tradition—and what that could mean for the breed’s future. 

If you'd like to support the FDC podcast, please visit our Patreon page.

This episode, I am being interviewed by Sarah Stremming about a recent scientific article about the genetics of behavior in herding breeds and specifically in border collies. I talk about the study's methods and what it all means, and Sarah grounds it in her deep practical experience with herding dogs. Sarah has been on the podcast so many times that she hardly needs an introduction but for new listeners, she is an internationally known dog behavior consultant and speaker. You can learn more about her at sarahstremming.com and I encourage you to check out her podcast, cog dog radio, where this episode is being jointly released.

On a personal note I want to let you all know that while I haven't been releasing episodes, this podcast has been very much on my mind. I continue to suffer from chronic fatigue which makes this kind of effort really difficult for me - after recording this episode I was unable to work for the rest of the day. I'm improving but it's very slow going. I am deeply grateful to those on Patreon who continue to support the podcast during this hiatus - that support goes straight to the Functional Dog Collaborative and is much needed and appreciated. 

Jeong, Hankyeol, Elaine A. Ostrander, and Jaemin Kim. "Genomic evidence for behavioral adaptation of herding dogs." Science Advances 11.18 (2025): eadp4591. https://www.science.org/doi/full/10.1126/sciadv.adp4591

This week I'm talking to Dr Laura Sharkey, dog trainer turned dog breeder, who runs the Bosun Dog Project. This project produces lovely mixed breed dogs who are bred to fit well into homes as companions. This episode was actually recorded in person with me and Laura in the same room. We started talking about what we would talk about and then I realized she had already said some really interesting stuff, so I hit record and prompted her to start over, and away we went, talking about some of the fascinating discoveries she's made with her analytical brain while raising many litters of foster puppies and five litters of Bosun puppies! If you want to know more about the Bosun Dog Project, you can go to bosundogproject.com.