Episode 16 Dick 'N' Dom Go Wild

In this show, trained professionals work with unpredictable animals.

-So don't try anything you're about to see yourselves. OK?

-OK?

'Did you know that right now there are people all around the UK

'working their socks off to help wounded wildlife and poorly pets?

'And we've managed to get VIP passes for willing helpers to get stuck in

'at the busiest vets', wildlife sanctuaries and rescue centres.'

Rats! 'It's tough and dirty work, but somebody's got to do it.

'On today's show, Libby and Lara encounter strange creatures

'on a wetland safari.'

-These are actually aliens.

-Aaagh!

-Aliens?!

'Aaron and Josh's dream is fulfilled when they help homeless hounds.'

I hope she gets a new home because she's such a lovely dog.

'Dom gets to be Gary the guinea pig's hairdresser.'

Is it snippy-snippy time yet?

-Where are you off to today?

-To help out some otters at the wetlands.

-What if it's sunny?

-It'll still be the wetlands.

-Not the drylands?

-It's always wet. Where are you going?

-Some dogs' trust.

-I know.

-Where are you going?

-I told you.

-I don't know.

-I don't know.

-Weirdo!

Today on Dick 'N' Dom Go Wild,

we're in Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire,

home to all sorts of British wildlife.

I just need a couple of bright young things to help me out.

'Hoping to shine today are cousins Lara and Libby.

'Lara loves all creatures great and indeed small,

'apart from biting flies and munching midges.'

Midges are harming me.

They're eating me.

If there were enough midges, I'd be eaten to the bone.

'As for Libby, she's hooked on ducks, but thinks ants are pants.'

Some of them bit me.

'And it was horrible.'

Aaagh!

Then my dad finally said, "OK, we can get some ducks."

I was like, "Yay!"

'Both girls like spying on all things flying,

'but don't get to see them much.'

Unless you're very still, they won't come.

You'll probably only see the most common birds ever.

'I think today's place will be right on target for these two.

'Only one way to find out though.'

Welcome to Dick 'N' Dom Go Wild, girls.

Lara, your wildlife experience doesn't go beyond your back garden?

-Just about.

-So you do know a bit about wildlife.

-Yeah.

-And Libby, are you keen to learn more?

-Yes.

-This much more or that much more?

-That much more.

-This much more?

-Yes.

Here at the Wetland Centre we have got unrestricted access

to some of the most rare species that have come here.

-Shall we learn more?

-Yes!

'This massive wetland is home to the world's largest collection

'of protected swans, geese and ducks.

'It also has wetland wonders like these nosey parkers -

'nine-year-old Flo and daughter Ha-Ha,

'the North American river otters.'

Have you ever been this close to an otter?

I don't think I've seen an otter in real life before.

I might have seen it on the TV.

-This is better than telly, isn't it?

-Much better.

Yeah. Libby, what do you think of our wet, oily friend?

-I could take it home.

-You'd like one as a pet?

-Yeah.

One thing you can do is give them a special, fishy treat.

-Do you want to do that?

-Yeah!

'And the girls tear into the task

'of snipping up slimy, stinky fish for Flo and Ha-Ha's breakfast dish.'

Eugh! All its guts are coming out!

'That looks "offal"!'

Who would have thought that beautifu creatures would eat horrible food?

'The girls chop up the herrings to hide vital vitamins in them

'that make them as nutritious as freshly caught fish.'

If they don't eat the vitamins in the wild, why would they need it...?

In the wild, it's fresher than this and it's still flapping.

A bit extra makes them healthy.

'Breakfast bagged for hungry otters. Yum-yum-yum!

'And later, our girls face grunting otters who want their grub.'

GRUNTING Why do they make that noise?

That is "go away" in Otter!

'Now go away. First, Dick faces up to a dog's life in Scotland.'

Glasgow's Dogs Trust is a large dog home.

They never stop looking for homes for the dogs here.

Some dogs that can't live with people roam around their own field,

happy and stress-free. Maybe I'll join them.

After meeting today's helpers, I might have to.

'Turning out today are Josh and Aaron.

'Josh is an animal fanatic who is disappointingly petless.

'He's set his mind on one thing and one thing only.'

I really want a dog because they jump up and you can cuddle them

'Aaron is a big animal lover also.

'But he's a lot less choosy about his potential pet.'

A dog, a rabbit,

a guinea pig, a hamster and a bearded dragon.

'Why no dogs then, boys?'

My mum and my sister are allergic to the hair.

My mum and dad are allergic to every dog.

Go on. Fetch, fetch!

'The old allergy line! You'll have a ball today.

'Get ready to dote on lots of dogs.'

-Are you all right, fellas?

-Yes.

-Welcome to the Dogs Trust.

-Will you be OK looking after canines today?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Neither of you are allowed a dog?

-No.

-No.

I think you're going to enjoy today, so whack these on. Let's do it.

'This place is over 120 years old. Since then,

'it's been on a mission to make the lives of needy dogs better.'

-Hi, Jim.

-Hello.

-This is Josh and Aaron.

-Hi, Josh, Aaron.

-Who is this?

-This is Pepsi.

-Hello, Pepsi.

Pepsi is a nine-year-old female, labrador-collie cross.

She came here because of a change in circumstances with her family,

so hopefully, we can re-home her.

-Say hello.

-Hiya, Pepsi.

-Hello.

-Good lads.

'Poor Pepsi arrived here two months ago.'

What will the boys do with Pepsi?

Pepsi needs groomed and washed.

-Do you want to help me?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Great.

'Their job is to spruce up Pepsi,

'so she can look her best and attract a new, caring owner.'

This is called a ball-pin brush.

You always start and you brush with the way of the coat, you see?

'Boys, this is your big chance to show you can care for a canine.'

Go on then, Josh. You get stuck in on the other side.

'Lovely. The lads are really getting rid of the knots and grime.'

That's good. You're doing a good job.

-How often would you give a dog a groom?

-I'd recommend twice a week.

That keeps the dog in tip-top condition.

'If this wasn't done often, Pepsi's coat would get filthy.'

If you had a dog, would you be all right doing this twice a week?

-Yeah.

-It's a lot of work.

-I wouldn't mind.

You'd like it? Good stuff. Pepsi's very excited.

Loving it, aren't you?

'And later, Josh and Aaron keep showering love on homeless Pepsi.'

LAUGHTER

'Back at the gigantic wetland,

-'Lara and Libby are up to something fishy.'

-Girls!

'They've prepared breakfast for river otters Flo and Ha-Ha.'

GRUNTING

Why do they make that noise?

That is "go away" in Otter.

"You're in my bedroom, you're in my house. Clear off!"

If they're really grumpy, they might try and bite you.

'That's charming(!) I'd offer the otters some scoff pretty fast.'

You've got Ha-Ha on the left. That's the youngster. She's got big ears.

Then this is Mum who's called Flo.

See if they'll have a bit of fish off you. Throw it down.

'There's no grumpy grunting now.

'All you can hear is Flo and Ha-Ha hoofing down the girls' trough.'

There we go.

Look, Mother says, "That's my bit. Get out of it."

Give them another bit, otherwise they'll bite my bum.

'The otters are impressed with Lara and Libby's fish-lobbing antics.'

If I throw this now, she will probably come out the bushes.

Well, she's having a look round. She's quite curious. There she is.

-She's quite hungry.

-Which one didn't get it?

Mum got it. Ha-Ha missed out that time.

Try and get it further down.

-There we go, Ha-Ha.

-And Ha-Ha's got it.

Right, so that's all the food gone.

-What do you think about feeding otters?

-It's really cool.

- You're lucky. - I'm a bit squeamish about the fish

If you get this close to the lovely animals,

you've got to chop up the slimy fish.

You're really lucky to be able to be close with the animals every day.

'Bosh! The two otters are all filled up with fresh fish.

'How was that for you, girls?'

Getting that close to an otter was really cool

because not many people get to do that.

Getting close to those otters was just phenomenal.

They were just sleek and they were swimming like acrobats in the water.

It's like just, "Wow!"

'And later, the girls worm out some tasty treats for toads.

-'Cue "eugh"!'

-Eugh! Gross!

'Aaron and Josh are helping out at a busy dogs' home in Scotland.

'They've given recent arrival Pepsi a good grooming.

'Now she needs a medicated shampoo power shower to get her all glossy.

'This will keep her flea-free

'and make her look gorgeous to attract a new owner.'

First, we need to give her a good soak.

'Aaron is all over this task.

'He's doing an ace job of keeping Pepsi calm.'

-Do dogs like being showered?

-They love it.

-You can see how much Pepsi's enjoying standing here.

-Wahey!

-Start again.

-I recognise that breath from somewhere.

It's not dog breath... Oh, dog breath!

'Yes, I suppose I deserved that soaking.'

-Let's see if she likes this.

-'Look! Pepsi's getting a blow-dry!'

She looks like she's enjoying that.

-Oh, yeah, she loves it.

-Is that good, Pepsi?

-So have you enjoyed washing the dog, lads?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Good.

'Surely no-one can resist our spruced-up doggy wonder now!'

It was really good meeting and washing Pepsi.

I don't have a dog and it was really fun.

Cleaning a dog is quite hard work, but I'd do it if I did have a dog.

I really hope she gets a new home because she's such a lovely dog.

'Your great grooming work has definitely helped her chances.

'Later, Aaron and Josh deal with a car accident canine in a heartbeat.'

-What does it sound like?

-It's...

-KNOCKING SOUND

-Perfect. Perfect.

'But first, Dom gets to grips with guinea pigs and it gets hairy.'

What might this little hairy sausage want doing today?

Short back and sides? Bowl cut?

You are going nowhere near Gary the guinea pig.

He's getting a fur and skin check done by a professional.

So, scissors down! Marie?

'Marie is checking Gary for pesky parasites

'and she uses sticky tape to track them down.'

We take a little bit of hair from his coat.

'Fur mites and lice can be itchy and troublesome to a guinea pig.

'We're looking for tell-tale signs like hair loss.

'The sticky tape will lift the mites free from Gary.

'Regular checks are really important.'

Pop it on a slide and we'll look under the microscope for parasites.

Part the hair, place it down

and gently lift it off, so we get a nice bit of hair.

Look after the guinea pig. Hold him gently.

-We'll go away and look at these under the microscope.

-Have fun now.

Can we see anything?

Hairs. Fingerprints. No mites, no mites.

Gary hasn't got mites. We'll give hi a bath, so he stays that way.

So, basically, a shampoo and set for you, my little hairy fruitcake!

OK, Gary, here you go.

Tell us if the temperature's right or it needs to be hotter or colder.

We need to put a bit of water around his face too.

He looks alarmed.

It can be worrying, but this will help keep his coat nice and clean.

Is it snippy-snippy time yet?

-Looking at the hair over his eyes, he's ready for a trim.

-Right.

-Do I just go for it?

-I think I'll show you what to do first.

Just gently snipping it round...

Start from the middle here and work your way round in the bowl cut shape

-Just snippety-snip?

-Brilliant.

-Look at me.

-He's good at that.

-See that?

-And we'll just do this bit here as well.

-Is this so he can go to the toilet?

-Yeah.

'There we are. I have to say this is one of Dom's finest masterpieces.

'Just one little touch is missing.'

Gary, how do you feel about going blonde?

'At the Wetland Reserve, Lara and Libby work with all things watery.'

You've simply got to wash... these.

'Worms. Slimy, squidgy, wriggly worms.'

Woo-ha-ha!

Wash it.

Come on. You can do two at once. Come on, they love it.

'I know what you're asking - why are we washing worms?

'Well, the soil these worms live in could contain bacteria.'

-Eew! This is gross.

-'And it could be harmful to this natterjack toad

'that we need to feed the worms to.

'In the wild, toads nosh on worms that come out in the rain

'and aren't covered in muck.'

This is the rarest amphibian in the UK. You're very lucky to see one.

-They're only found in 60 sites.

-It's slimy and warty

with big bug eyes - let's call it Dick.

'He definitely looks peckish. Time to get his amazing tongue working.'

What they do is they flick it out.

They have really sticky saliva that helps them gather it in.

Got him! Look at that.

Oh, man!

-'Time to meet our next amphibian.'

-OK, what we've got here

is a fire salamander. These ones are not native to the UK.

-These are alien species...

-AARGH!

-Aliens?

-That doesn't mean they're from another planet.

They're not from this country. They're found all over Europe.

-Are they poisonous?

-They release their toxins if they're threatened.

-You'd have to eat them to feel it.

-Any plans to eat them?

-No!

'You've got to hand it to them. Our girls are up for examining them

'and they're keen for me to join in with the American tiger salamander.'

This one has a habit of mistaking people's fingers for its food.

Yah!

-Come here.

-Don't scream.

-Am I doing it right?

-Just grab it.

-That's it.

-There you are.

-We'll feed him a locust, I think.

-Who here hates locusts?

-Me!

You feed him a locust. 'So Libby serves up supper to the salamander.'

THEY GROAN That is rather disgusting.

So there we go. Amphibians. You've been in touch with them.

There's plenty more to do so let's move on to the next thing.

Oi!

'And the next thing is this. Look - a canoe safari!'

-How do you think we might find water voles here?

-By looking very hard.

Yeah, looking very hard.

'Aaron and Josh are spending the day

'helping out homeless hounds in Glasgow.

'A lot of the dogs come here when their owners can't look after them,

'but the next dog came here after even sadder circumstances.'

Hi, boys. I'm Angela, I'm a vet here and this is Sasha.

She came in here a week or so ago after a road traffic accident.

We're just going to check her over.

Before we start, can you guys give your hands a bit of a wash for me?

'Sasha was brought here with grazes on her legs and a gash on her body.

'Her owners couldn't afford to pay for crucial vet treatment,

'so she was handed over to the care of this place.

'But she still needs a lot of care and Aaron and Josh can help.'

We'll give her a wee check over. We start at the head and work back.

We'll have a little look in her ears first, make sure they're clean.

That one looks lovely.

'Dogs can detect sounds that humans can't even hear. Now Sasha's eyes.'

-What things are you looking for?

-That there's no tears or discharge.

That's fine. It doesn't look red.

'It's going well. Josh checks her heart. He should hear "lub-dub".'

-What does it sound like?

-HE KNOCKS ON TABLE

-Perfect.

-'See? I told you.

'For a dog that nearly lost her life in a road accident,

'Sasha's looking and sounding in great shape,

'but now the boys need to check her injuries.

'Any signs of infection could set Sasha's recovery back a bit.'

-Were the wounds quite serious?

-The wee grazes weren't too bad,

but the one up here was serious. She had a big gash in her side.

She's got quite a lot of stitches,

but that's healing up really nicely.

'These dudes are desperate for a dog of their own

'and they have what it takes to care for a pet properly.'

-She's getting better on those legs.

-Yeah, she's walking really well.

'Looks like Sasha will be heading for a new home in the near future.

'Good luck, girl!

-'Later, Aaron and Josh get down to a proper puppy workout.'

-Puppies!

Come on, puppies.

'But first Dick gets funny about big bunnies.'

Here, look at this.

Wow! Your dog has massive teeth.

Don't be daft. This is Radar. Radar is a British giant rabbit

and, as the name might suggest, this breed is the largest in the UK.

They can weigh up to 8 kilograms.

-Where did you get it? Top of t'beanstalk?

-Don't be daft.

-What do you feed him - sharks?

-Don't be daft!

-Can I have a stroke?

OK, but be careful. They're very powerful so they're not ideal

for small children or daft adults.

He looks a lot smaller in MY hands, doesn't he?

Nah. It's all in your mind.

'Aaron and Josh are working hard at a rehoming centre in Glasgow.

'Now the boys turn their attention to Collie Cross puppies

'who were recently handed over because the owners couldn't cope.'

-Puppies! Come on.

-'They need to get used to playing with people.

'A happy, person-friendly pup stands the best chance to find a new home.'

Right, boys. This is our first activity. This is our ball pit.

We need to encourage the pups to come in and play with the balls.

'At first the puppies aren't sure what to make of the balls.'

-Puppies...

-Puppies!

-'But with encouragement from the boys...'

-Come on, puppy.

-Oh, yay. Well done.

-'..they get brave and come over to play.'

-Well done.

-Look at it!

-Oh, yes. I like a nice ball pond.

-It's for the puppies.

'You wouldn't catch me getting all soppy about puppies,

'that's for sure.' Cute.

Yes, yes... 'Oops. You just did.'

Sand pit, wood pit, pebble pit. What's this all about?

This is where we teach them different textures,

so they're not scared in the outside world. These things are outside.

'Walking on new surfaces helps the puppies' confidence

'when they encounter new places like sandy beaches or woodland areas.'

-Puppies...

-You do get all this woodchip stuff on your walks now.

It's something the puppies can get used to.

This one's more interested in a belly tickle.

'And this one's more interested in taking a nap.

-'Hard work is all of this playing.'

-Through to the tunnels. Come on.

The tunnel training is to make it less scary to be in enclosed areas.

-If they go in a tunnel, they'll come back out the other side.

-OK, boys.

-Ready for some tunnel training?

-Yes.

'It's easy enough to get the dogs IN the tunnel...'

That's it. Go, go, go.

'The hard bit is getting them out.'

She's nearly through. Ah, wrong way.

'Almost, Josh!

'Come to Dickie.

'Ah.

'Finally, Josh gets a result.'

-It's coming out my side!

-Woo-hoo!

-How was your day?

-Brilliant.

-You liked it?

-It was really fun.

You like dogs. Do you still want one?

-Or is it too much like hard work?

-I'd like one much more now.

I really want it more now than I did earlier.

Well, now we should say farewell to our viewers in our puppy voices.

-Goodbye! Goodbye!

-Goodbye!

-Nice.

-Bye!

'Lara and Libby are working behind the scenes at a wetland haven.

'All their hard work is about to get rewarded in grand style.

'They're using this amazing maze of waterways to search for signs

'of one of the UK's most endangered rodents - the water vole.'

So what exactly do they look like?

Well, water voles are fairly like a rat, I suppose.

-They're a medium-sized rodent.

-We're looking for something like a rat?

Yeah. One of their names has been water rat. It's a bit like a rat,

but a much cuter version of.

'They look just like this, actually.

'Water voles are great swimmers and dive at the first sign of danger.

'Finding them will be pretty tough.'

-How do you think we might find them out here?

-By looking very hard!

-Yeah, looking very hard.

-'They look for signs of eaten vegetation.

'Piles of gnawed plants with tooth marks would indicate

'that they are alive and well here.'

-Have a look for those teeth marks.

-Those jagged edges?

'Our explorers have found some tell-tale munch marks.'

That's a good sign. They're out and about eating.

'Water voles can scoff up to 80% of their body weight in a day!

'That's like me chomping through more than 1,000 chocolate bars.

'They've not spotted a water vole, but Libby has clocked something.'

-What's the little black bird?

-OK.

-That's a baby moor hen.

-'Ah! A good sign.'

Wherever you find water voles, you'll find moor hen.

-That's a nice sighting.

-'They share the same kind of hang outs.'

-See the mallard in there?

-Yeah.

-And is that another moor hen?

-Yeah, that one's a bit older.

'Then James finds a water vole hole, but they're keeping their heads down

-'and it looks like the girls will miss out today.'

-It comes out here

and goes right up in the hole.

The actual nesting chamber is four or five feet back.

Hello there! Have a good time on the boats?

-BOTH: Yeah!

-Seen lots of wildlife?

-BOTH: Yeah!

-Good. Any water voles?

-BOTH: No!

-Don't worry. I've got a Plan B. All right?

All right, here is Plan B. John, Plan B.

It's one of our captive water voles.

-If I can find the safe end...

-In some ways this is more exciting.

You get to see it close-up. Look at the size of that!

-There he is.

-Aww.

-Look at him!

'Lara and Libby finally meet a water vole.

'And he is in a toilet roll tube.'

-Are they all right to touch?

-No, best not. I've got the safe end.

If you turn him round that way, you can see his lovely orange teeth.

All right, voley, you go back in there and scurry around. Bye, vole.

-Bye, vole.

-Bye!

-See you later.

Now then, today you've dabbled with British wildlife.

-How have you found it?

-Brilliant!

-You enjoyed it?

-Yeah.

-Have we got a thumbs up with all things wild?

-Yes.

-Jolly good.

All right. Job done.

-Emergency! I need a haircut.

-No, I don't do human hair.

-Oh, come on. Fur, hair. Just get on with it.

-All right.

Ah. I think I may have taken too much off.

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