How do I solve 12 across in Times Cryptic 3295?

Question

Accepted Answer

12 across reads "Dog doctor on the radio" (6 letters); the answer is HEELER. It's a homophone clue: the answer sounds like another word. Indicators like 'reportedly', 'we hear', or 'sounds like' point to a word that's pronounced similarly to the answer. The full step-by-step breakdown is on this page.

Dog doctor on the radio (6)

12A — Dog doctor on the radio (6) — HEELER