Inside Battersea (Episode 213)

Louise and Michelle are joined by Courtney Goodright, a Canine Behaviourist and Training Advisor at Battersea.

Courtney pulls back the curtain on what really happens behind the scenes at one of the country's best-known rescues, from the moment a dog arrives to the day it goes home.

We learn why strays are on the rise, what those first three decompression days look like, and how the team works out what makes each individual dog tick. There's a beautiful success story about a shut-down foster dog who completely blossomed, an honest chat about what reactivity actually means, and a lovely thread running right through it all: every dog needs a job, and that is exactly where canicross comes in.

Warm, fascinating, and genuinely useful whether you're thinking about adopting or just want to understand your own dog a little better.

Timings

00:00 – Meet Courtney Her role splits two ways: hands-on behaviour work with the more complex dogs, and training and mentoring the staff, volunteers and fosterers. No two days look the same.

01:55 – Three sites, 160 dogs Brands Hatch, London and Old Windsor each have their own strengths, from rural space to on-site clinics. Battersea is completely charity funded with no government money, caring for around 160 dogs at a time.

03:43 – Why dogs end up at Battersea A big rise in strays, the financial squeeze meaning people can no longer afford their pets, the knock-on from COVID-era ownership, and life changes like new babies and returning to the office. Courtney also touches on the new Renters' Rights Bill and what it could mean for keeping dogs in rented homes.

05:35 – History helps, but it can cut both ways Why a dog with no known background isn't always harder to place, and how a long list of "can't live with this, can't cope with that" can become a barrier of its own.

06:36 – Behaviour modification plans How the team builds a plan for any flagged dog so they can see the behaviour for themselves, make progress, and then be completely honest with new owners about what's been done and what they'll need to take on.

10:03 – The first three days Why every new arrival gets a decompression period to settle, build bonds with their care group, and start showing the team their likes, dislikes and motivations before anything formal begins.

11:11 – The assessment process Formal handling, play with and without toys, dog-to-dog assessments and more, always at the dog's pace. If something flags up, they pause, train, and set the dog up to succeed.