Episode 1 10 Puppies and Us

DOG BARKS

We'll welcome 250,000 puppies into our homes this year.

Of all different shapes and sizes.

From the most popular,

to the very expensive,

to some of the smallest.

But new owners, be warned.

Behind those puppy-dog stares lies a magnet for mischief.

Lola! Walk!

-Stop it.

-No! No!

In this series, we follow a group of families and their puppies...

-Oi!

-HE WHISTLES

..in those all-important first six months together.

I have to say, it's worse than having had a baby.

Puppy bite me.

SNORING

DOG BARKS

The puppies will need training, discipline,

and require a whole lot of patience.

They can more than quadruple in size...

..consume up to 80kg of food...

..and go to the toilet more than 1,000 times.

This series explores how the nation's favourite pet

adapts to their new world.

Aww!

But also the profound effects

they can have on the lives of their owners.

This is the biggest commitment of my life.

Uh-oh.

I'm a girl who does not take failure very well.

Join us on an extraordinary journey,

as we follow ten very special puppies

as they embark on a new life with ten very different families.

We start our adventure with four of our canine companions.

From a Border collie joining ski patrol in the Scottish Highlands,

to a Chihuahua taking up residence in an East London nail salon.

But our first puppy will be joining the Paye family

in Liphook, Hampshire.

Ten-year-old Amelia and younger brother Charlie

have spent three years pestering mum Claire

and dad Andy to get a puppy.

-Why have we decided to get a puppy?

-Well, there are many reasons...

-There are?

-..why you would like to get a puppy.

Me, personally? Yeah, OK. Yup, go on.

First scoop ever of Lola's food.

Daddy's been really hard to persuade,

but Mummy was a bit easier.

I think the kids persuaded me,

got me on board and I pestered Andy.

I don't know how much she's supposed to have either.

-He could still have said no.

-I did for a long time.

You did for a long time, and then you stopped saying no.

As soon as I wavered slightly, you paid the cheque over, didn't you?

Amelia! Come back, can you hold the bag, please?

-No.

-What do you mean, no?

For children, I think it's very good for them to have the responsibility

to care for another individual.

Bringing of the poop bags.

One for you, Charlie.

..and to accept that something else is going to take

precedence over them.

Yeah, that's a little bit more substantial.

Wait, let me feel that one.

Determined the kids will do their bit,

Claire is insisting on a pre-PUP.

Charlie, the contract is up.

"We promise that we will spend less time on the TV.

"I will feed the dog."

-Yes.

-"I will clean up after the dog."

-Especially you, Charlie.

-Yeah.

I'm really excited. I can't wait to get the puppy because, like,

we've been waiting for so long.

I expect them to do what they've said they will do.

And there will be penalties if they don't do it.

Today, Claire and Amelia left early to collect their new puppy.

I'm excited, but also I'm a little bit on the apprehensive side.

Just because it's such a big commitment to take on.

I really, really, really, really, really can't wait.

Charlie, turn the TV off.

She's here!

Good girl.

Put it down and then she can meet us.

-Oh, look at that!

-She's really calm,

and she was a good girl all the way home.

Meet Lola, a two-month-old Golden Retriever.

This breed is intelligent, friendly and easy to train,

making them one of the top ten most popular dogs for families.

Hey? No, no licking of the face.

She's like a perfect puppy, isn't she?

It's like she's read the rules on how to be a puppy.

-Well, don't speak too soon, dear.

-Well, so far.

-Yeah!

THEY LAUGH

We need a poo bag just in case she does a poo.

Let's take you to your corner.

I need to make sure she doesn't have a wee before she gets there.

-Oh, sorry, Lola.

-Lola! Lola! Puppy, puppy, puppy.

Oh, good girl!

This part, we've designated as her toilet area.

Because it's a long way from the house.

If one of us forgets to pick something up, we don't walk over it.

Lola's more interested in Andy's prized flowerbeds.

No, Lola. No, Lola, over here.

Stop eating. Lola.

As dogs have only one fifth of the taste buds of humans,

she's not too choosy with her snacks.

-I don't know what she likes about it. Lola.

-No.

I want her to be really well-behaved.

No chewing things.

No barking at children.

To always go to the toilet in one part of the garden.

There's something about having a being around that might obey me

and do what I want it to do - ie, a dog - that is very appealing.

Pup, pup, pup. Over here, Lola.

Oh, well. Let's just let her go anyway.

For now, Lola's picked her own toilet area.

We have a poo.

And look, Charlie is here.

Charlie's chief poop picker-upper.

The kids are at least sticking to their contract.

Well done.

Lola! Pup, pup, pup!

For Lola, settling into her new home will be her biggest challenge.

Lola, hurry up and go.

But our next puppy will also be entering another

pet's territory.

DOG GROWLS

Meet Rocky, the Chihuahua.

Proud guardian of a nail salon in East London

owned by Kim Tran and her daughters, Hannah and Anne.

He thinks the salon is his territory.

He looks very friendly but he's not.

You have to be careful when you touch him.

He's not a dog you can pick up and cuddle.

Unbeknown to ten-year-old Rocky,

plans are afoot to get him a new companion.

Do you think that he'll be jealous?

-I think he will be fine.

-Yes?

As long as I give them both equal amounts...

-Of time. Of attention.

-Yes.

Today, Hannah's taking her sister, Anne, along to meet her new puppy.

I've already chosen my puppy,

and I've already given her her name.

Her name is Chloe.

THEY EXCLAIM

Oh, my God.

This is 12-week-old Chloe, a long-haired Chihuahua.

A toy breed, it's the smallest dog in the world.

But beneath the cute exterior lies a feisty and stubborn nature.

She's gorgeous.

She knows she is.

As well as being a playmate for Rocky,

Chloe will be filling the gap left by Hannah's previous pet.

-This is Lucky's collar.

-Oh, who's Lucky?

-Oh, my dog that passed away.

-Aww.

-I wear her collar as a bracelet now.

Hannah's much-loved Chihuahua, Lucky, died unexpectedly

three months ago during a routine operation.

We called her Lucky because we thought she was lucky.

She wasn't lucky.

I had Lucky cremated.

And I placed Lucky's box of ashes inside this container.

I brought her few toys as well.

Because in our culture, the spirit remains on earth for 49 days.

Lucky meant the world to me.

She made me very happy.

I miss everything about her.

It will get easier. Time... Time heals. Time will heal you.

I feel very happy for my sister to be getting a new puppy.

Because we lost our beloved Lucky.

And it's left a big hole in her heart.

They do try to become the boss. And if you let them,

you'll find that you're feeding them when they want to be fed.

-You're walking them when they want to be walked.

-OK.

Rather than the other way round.

-They've got to fit in with your lifestyle.

-Yeah.

I do spoil my dogs!

We treat them as if they were people.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

They're part of the family.

-Bye-bye.

-You take care.

-I'm going to come round and see them.

-Yes!

-Yeah, definitely.

-Hello.

-Hello, Mum.

-Hi!

Time for top dog Rocky to meet his new salon companion.

An adopted daughter.

Oh!

Rocky seems very intrigued, doesn't he?

He's sniffing her.

Dogs greet by sniffing each other at the mouth and rear end.

A dog's two anal glands give off a unique odour,

to reveal all sorts of vital information,

from their sex to what they've eaten,

to their emotional state.

Rocky seems to be chasing Chloe, and she's running away.

So she's not too sure of him.

Although he is very sure of her, he really likes her.

I really do think they're going to get on really well,

and this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

I'll never be able to forget what happened to Lucky,

but Chloe being here now...

..I think she'll make me happy again.

Over in Hampshire, golden retriever

Lola is settling in for her first night in a new home.

Don't cry, Lola. I'll leave the door open and see what she does.

She came into the kitchen a bit,

and then she wanted to go straight back into her bed,

where she felt safe. I think she seems OK.

But because we don't know anything about puppies,

we don't know if this is normal behaviour.

-It probably is because, I guess, you know...

-Yeah.

..if she's used to having her brothers and sisters around,

-and suddenly it's changed.

-Yes, good girl. Good girl!

Lola is in one of the fear-imprint stages...

..when puppies can become scared of harmless sounds and objects.

DOOR BANGS

Sorry, Lola!

For now, all Lola wants to do is retreat back to the safety

of the utility room.

Awww!

This morning, Lola will have to leave her safety zone,

whether she likes it or not...

LOLA GROWLS

Lola! Pup, pup, puppy!

..because Claire's taking her on the school run.

You need to get your shoes on.

I'll sort Lola out.

Have a good day. Enjoy!

THEY LAUGH

Right. Off we go.

If you both sit in the back seat.

Let's go.

I can't think of anything, other than having a new baby, that's

quite as exciting for a family as getting a new pet.

The hamster was lovely, but she wasn't quite as exciting.

-Say goodbye.

-Bye, Lola.

There you go.

So, Lola, just the two of us now.

Although getting her back in the car will be interesting.

I think we're going to put you there.

-Now what?

-SHE LAUGHS

-No?

-LOLA WHIMPERS

Oh, no, you're not happy about something, are you?

There you go. How's that for a plan? No?

I can't close the door!

Here we go. This is a little bit better.

Fingers crossed.

Oh, are you trying to get on the seat?

Aw! Come on, then, up you come. How do people do these things?

Right. No eye contact.

Let's see if we can just look forwards and see how you get on.

All dogs, whatever their age, should be restrained using a harness,

cage or guard.

LOLA WHINES

No, what you can't do is come over here.

You need to stay over there.

Right, OK. I'm going to pull over. Let's put you in the back.

Put you down there. Don't go under the seat.

Good girl. I'm still here.

I'm still here. Right, Lola.

Grin and bear it.

Good girl. Well done.

Lola, what are you chewing?

Oh, you've been sick. OK. Poor thing.

Although puppies can suffer from motion sickness,

for nervous new pets like Lola,

it's more likely that anxiety

has triggered the return of her breakfast.

Oh, now she's eating it up again.

Right, we're home now. You poor thing.

I'm sorry about that. Maybe we won't take you to school again.

Inside, Lola heads straight back to the utility room and won't come out.

I think I will be able to conquer the dog.

If anyone can train her, I will be able to do it.

Shall we go this way?

I like a challenge. And I do have high standards of her,

and I have high expectations of us as a dog-owning family.

-Lola, come!

-SHE TAPS FLOOR

Lola.

Lola, come! You can do it.

Oh, lovely. Yes!

LOLA WHINES

Right. Lola.

Getting down to a puppy's level,

using gentle encouragement and letting them come to you,

is the best way to gain a puppy's trust.

Lola.

Look how much fun it is here.

Awww!

Good girl. Yes!

Good girl! Well done!

Aren't you the cleverest little puppy in the house?

Bet she has a wee on the carpet now.

Quite often in life, the more you put into something,

or the harder something is, the greater the rewards are.

I'm sure the rewards will be immense, and they'll be things that

we can't even imagine, now, that will be absolutely wonderful.

Like Lola, most of our puppies will be joining their new families around

the age of eight weeks old.

It's an ideal time to begin training and socialisation,

as this stage is a puppy's most rapid period of learning.

But some of our owners won't have the chance

to shape their perfect pet.

-Aw!

-Oh, look.

-Is that Pedro?

-Oh, my God!

-OVER SPEAKER

-This is Pedro!

-Adorable.

The Clinks, in Guildford, are taking the plunge with a seven-month-old

rescue dog. They found him through an online Spanish charity,

who've carefully vetted them.

What breed do you think he might be?

We think he's a Podenco, but he's obviously crossed with a very,

-very tiny dog.

-OK.

The Podenco is a hunting breed, often abandoned when past its prime,

so an ideal dog to rescue.

Keep still. That's your mummy and daddy there - look.

I think there are enough dogs out there who have had horrible,

disadvantaged, miserable starts in life.

But to be able to give a dog a loving home who, against all odds,

probably wouldn't have had one, I think is the right thing to do.

Before I forget, for dinner tonight, we need to take a bottle of wine.

OK.

Rick and Sarah have decided it's the perfect time in life to adopt

an adolescent, now that their own are flying the nest.

A dog, I think, would be lovely in that sense, because it would be

something that we could both focus on.

I'm not saying it's going to be a child replacement,

-but it will replace a bit of something, I think.

-Yes.

Sarah says I'm retired. I say I'm semi-retired.

I'm really looking forward to going to get the newspaper in the morning

or having a cup of tea at the local caff.

-And having a dog.

-And that's nice, that's something you do

when you're retired, you see? You go for coffee!

-Sorry, I am not retired.

-Get to meet people in the community.

I am not retired.

DOOR BELL RINGS

Oh, my God. He's here.

After an epic 1,400-mile journey,

Rick's new semi-retirement buddy has landed in Guildford.

Pedro! I recognise you. Hello!

Do you know where home is? Come on.

Over this way. That's it.

This is your new home.

This is your house now.

Do you want to wander round a little bit? Yup.

This is Pedro.

A Podenco cross who's spent most of his life in a Spanish rescue centre,

after being found abandoned in a bag of cement at just a few weeks old.

Hey, hey, hey, hey! Down you go. Down.

This is worrying me.

Come on, down!

Oh, my God. He's going to be a handful, I can tell.

As Pedro's already well into his terrible teens,

any undesirable behaviour will be harder to tackle.

Oh, crikey, no, we're not doing that!

Down, down. Down.

Down.

No.

Well, finally. Oh, OK.

For now, you're allowed up on the sofa.

For now.

This is sort of a little bit like internet dating, really, I felt.

You know, you'd see the pictures, you like the sound of them...

He's just adorable.

After a tranquil start,

the Tran family in East London have got their hands full with

a tempestuous toddler.

SQUEAKING AND BARKING

Chihuahuas usually prefer the company of their own breed,

but these two haven't formed the bond Hannah hoped for.

She won't leave him alone.

She literally torments him.

CHLOE YIPS

Chloe's crouching posture, known as the play bow,

is a sure sign she wants Rocky to join in the fun.

But at ten, Rocky doesn't have the same energy levels.

His method of dealing with it is just barking, basically.

What he does best.

BARKING

And that just makes her even more hyper.

Chloe really likes him.

She's always constantly licking his face.

It's really cute to watch, but he does not like it.

Maybe because she still eats her own poop.

It's a really disgusting habit.

Don't lick that!

His fur smells afterwards, after she licks him.

So, yeah, he's not happy about that.

It's not really what I expected.

I always thought

maybe they'd get on and...

I don't really know what to do.

Here you go.

The Clinks have now had Pedro for 48 hours.

Yes. Water.

-Good boy.

-Good boy!

There you go. Sleep well.

Having slept alongside 27 other rescue dogs

for his first seven months,

he's now spending his nights alone.

DOG WHINES

Now, what's the matter, hmm?

What's the matter?

OK? You need to go to sleep.

-OK?

-PEDRO SNUFFLES

Calm down.

HE WHINES

20% of dogs experience separation anxiety

and quickly pick up on any cues that mean their owner is leaving.

HE WHINES

OK, we're all going to bed. OK?

We're all going to sleep.

OK? That's a good boy. That's a good boy.

-HE WHINES

-Sshhh.

PEDRO WHINES

Oh, Pedro!

SNORING

A bit frustrated!

That, you know, we can't have a good night's sleep.

I have to say, it's worse than having had a baby.

And I've had three babies.

My problem is, I don't know what the problem is with him.

I think it's because he doesn't want to be on his own.

Rescue dogs like Pedro, who've had an inconsistent start in life,

are even more likely to want to stay close to their owners.

Is this comfortable for you? It's not for me.

Agh! Right down my ear.

I just don't know what else we can do.

I don't want to give in just yet.

Pedro, come on.

I'll shut the door behind him.

On their sixth night, Rick and Sarah decide to leave Pedro to cry.

HE WHINES

It's a mystery, isn't it? You have to admit.

SHE LAUGHS

I don't know, he just came out.

But I don't know where he is, even. He's not in the cage!

The cage is...

Oh, it's up here, you see?

But he can't... How can he get out of there?

Oh, there you are.

Pedro, come here.

Definitely, I would say, night by night,

his behaviour is getting worse.

I'm very aware of the fact that it's something that we are doing wrong.

Why are you doing this, hmm?

Is it because you're lonely?

You can't tell us, can you?

No. No.

So, now you'll be fine, and absolutely quiet

until we try again tonight, won't you?

Each of our ten puppies will snooze for 15-20 hours a day.

And should be sleeping through the night by four months old.

But some will experience nocturnal disruption

as they adjust to their new home.

LIGHT WHINING

To encourage them to sleep alone, puppies need consistency and calm,

quiet reassurances.

As much as they say you must persist, you just,

-you know, ignore it.

-Ignore it.

But he does sound like he's in distress, so...

it's a bit worrying.

Rick and Sarah decide to deal with the problem...

Pillow in...

..by avoiding it.

Pedro is moving into the bedroom.

And this is where Pedro's now sleeping.

For the night.

This isn't actually the perfect solution.

I don't really want to spend the next 15 years with a dog in a

crate in my room.

-But for now it's at least

-a

-solution, isn't it?

-Mm.

In London, Chihuahua Chloe is 20 weeks old.

And still convinced that Rocky is her perfect playmate.

Rocky hates her, basically.

He doesn't like her. He doesn't want to be anywhere near her.

Chloe's playful biting isn't as harmless as she thinks.

Dogs can have a bite force of over 700 psi.

Although the pint-sized Chihuahua is no match for a pit bull or a

Rottweiler, it's ranked as one of the top two breeds

most likely to bite.

Bad luck for Rocky.

The only time they're not like this is when they're sleeping.

DOG YIPS

I don't really know what to do.

On hand to help our puppies' owners is Louise Glazebrook,

a dog behaviourist with over ten years' experience

in reining in unruly pet pooches.

-Hi!

-Hi!

-Hello!

-I'm Louise.

Hi, Louise, nice to meet you.

All right, so what do you need my help with?

I'm having a little bit of trouble trying to get Rocky

-to get on with my new puppy.

-OK.

He really doesn't like her.

What was the reason behind, then, getting Chloe?

After Lucky passed away, I couldn't cope.

Yeah.

Yeah, I wanted to get a puppy just as a distraction.

Oh, don't... Honestly, don't...

-I still miss her.

-I totally understand.

I bought her more so for me.

I didn't really think about Rocky, either.

I just assumed they'd probably get on anyway, but I was wrong.

-If a dog is really part of your gang and part of your life...

-Mm.

..when they go, there's always going to be something missing that

-no other dog will replace.

-Yeah.

But I do feel like they can help you move forward.

I think we just need to probably address the balance a little bit...

-Mm-hm.

-..of how things are kind of working out.

This is where Rocky spends most of his time.

So I can just see what Chloe's up to, shall we maybe just...

-Move the gate.

-Yeah, just move the gate,

so we can just see naturally what she would get up to

without encouraging her.

Here she comes, here she comes.

There she goes.

THEY BARK

OK.

How long do you think she can keep that up?

That kind of annoying him?

-Well, she can go on forever.

-Can she really?

-Yeah.

When I see he's getting a bit distressed, I have to separate them.

-OK. Essentially he's a little bit like a retired gentleman...

-Yeah.

..who wants his peace, read a newspaper, chill out.

And then you've kind of introduced a young toddler

with loads of energy,

and they're kind of poles apart.

To give Rocky some time out,

they need to find a way to channel Chloe's energy elsewhere.

In terms of exercise,

where is it that you're going with Chloe and doing with her and...?

Just around the block.

OK. Do you feel like she enjoys going out?

She'd rather be indoors.

-I have to carry her halfway down the road!

-Really?

-Yeah.

So, is this where you normally take her?

Yeah, I usually always walk her down this street.

-OK.

-It's quite a busy road as well,

-so the noise kind of puts her off.

-OK.

Although this is Chloe's walk, her feet haven't yet touched the ground.

-I usually pop her down...

-OK, let's see.

-..around this point.

Is this what she's normally like?

Yeah, she normally is like this.

What about if we try going up there, where it's a little bit quieter?

-It's fine as a pee break...

-Yeah.

-..it's fine as a quick

"get a bit of air, go back in",

but it's not fine as exercise, stimulation.

Do you have a park that's nearby that would be easy for you to go to,

-that's, like, a decent size?

-Yeah, there is a park near here.

-I've never been to it, though.

-OK.

So, why don't we pop her down?

Let's just go for a little walk along and see how she is,

see if she's interested, if she'll walk.

For me, she feels much happier.

She's pulling, she's trying to get things, it smells amazing.

So she's doing all the things that a dog should be able to do,

but when you're walking her on the street, she's not getting that

-stimulation, it feels like she just wants to go home.

-Yeah.

Toy dogs like Chloe are not handbag accessories.

All of our ten puppies, whatever their size,

should be getting regular exercise, and increasing it every month.

As they approach adulthood, their needs will begin to differ.

While an hour of exertion is enough for a full-grown pug,

a cocker spaniel can keep going for more than three hours.

Do you think you would ever get to the point where you might be happy

to let her off for a bit more free rein?

I think eventually - I am naturally a very anxious person.

OK. That's fine. Would it totally freak you out if I dropped the lead?

-Yes!

-OK.

Or maybe we can try.

It's your decision, she's your dog.

-I think we should try.

-Yeah?

-Chloe!

-SHE CLAPS

Chloe!

Good girl!

So talk to her, when she comes back to you.

Chloe.

Call, call, call. That's it.

-Praise, praise, give her lots of praise.

-Yeah! Good girl!

-Good girl!

-Good girl!

Oh, you're so clever!

-How are you feeling?

-I feel much better.

-You feel much better?

-Yeah. I doesn't feel as apprehensive now.

-OK.

-Yeah, I need to be less uptight.

Like Hannah, all of our owners will need to conquer the anxieties that

come with taking on a new pet.

But the stakes are even higher for the owner of our fourth puppy...

..who's destined for working life

in one of the UK's most hostile environments.

Good morning, Will. Go ahead.

Morning, Graham. Just a general overview of Zone B...

The Alpha run is much better.

Will Davis has been a ski patroller in the Nevis Range

in the Scottish Highlands for three years.

I'm definitely a self-proclaimed geek about ski patrol.

I absolutely love it. It's something I've wanted to do for a long time.

I wake up every morning, and I cannot wait to go to work.

In the UK, mountain rescue teams

respond to over a thousand emergencies every year -

from lost hikers to avalanche victims.

If you're buried in an avalanche, unless you are exceptionally lucky,

your only chance of survival would be an avalanche dog

sniffing you out.

Will is taking on the huge responsibility

of training the Nevis Mountain Rangers' first-ever

search-and-rescue dog.

If we get this training right with the ski patrol dog here,

there's a very high chance it could save someone's life.

I'm very excited,

but I'm also absolutely terrified about the undertaking of it.

Today's picking-up-Jura day.

So yeah, today is a massive day.

So, yeah, just...

see what happens. See if she likes me.

Will is making a 500-mile round trip to Northumberland,

to pick up his puppy.

I'm not married, I don't have a mortgage. So, yeah.

Yeah, this is the biggest commitment of my life so far.

-Hello, Catherine.

-Hello, Will!

-Oh, hello, puppy!

-Here he is!

-Hello!

-Hello!

SHE LAUGHS

This is Jura, a 12-week-old Border collie.

Bred from two working sheepdog parents,

she has the magic combination of brains, stamina and loyalty -

ideal for the role of search and rescue.

Hello! Hello!

Who's a good girl? Are you my little girl?

Are you going to bite my chin? Hello!

She's absolutely amazing.

She's stunning! Gorgeous little thing, aren't you?

You're going to go and help Will.

For the last three months,

Jura's been looked after by breeder Catherine.

Don't do that!

SHE LAUGHS

Are you drying the tears off my eyes?! Mm?

I'M not going to start crying.

Here we go, poochie. Sorry, Catherine, to do this to you.

It's all right.

Mm?

Prison for the next seven hours.

Sorry, doggy. In you go...

-There we go.

-That's got a little blanket, to...

-See you later.

-Thank you. Bye!

I hope Jura makes a brilliant

rescue dog.

Once she gets trained and does what she's going to do and find people on

Ben Nevis, she's just going to have an amazing adventure.

JURA WHINES

It's all right, puppy. Only another seven hours to go.

SHE WHINES

Yeah, yeah.

Ever since we've suddenly got into the snowline,

she seems to have calmed down quite a lot.

She seems very, very interested in it.

I can tell already she's a great dog.

-She's an absolute great pup.

-HE SNIFFS

-And she's definitely just

-BLEEP

-herself!

Welcome to having a puppy.

Luckily, there's some snow to wash her on.

All over the car, good girl. Yeah. Well done.

When a puppy is scared or anxious,

they can release a thick, smelly liquid from their anal glands.

If it coincides with a poo, it can be extra stinky.

Jeez. What have you been eating?!

Literally everywhere.

My toiletries!

In you go. Thank you.

It is going to stink for the rest of this journey,

but nothing I can do about it.

All I need is a bin bag in my life right now!

No more stinky poo, Jura. Please.

Will needs to teach Jura a lot more than just

where to do her number twos.

He has just six months to get Jura ready for an assessment

that will determine whether or not she has a future

as a search-and-rescue dog in the Highlands of Scotland.

OK, sit, Lola, sit, sit... Don't jump, don't jump.

Now we're doing "not jumping". Sit down! Down, Lola, down.

In Hampshire, the Paye family are now a month

into THEIR canine adventure.

And Lola is starting to assert her independence.

But I've got two feet.

Lola.

Stop it!

Oh, stop it! Lola, come.

I'm not entirely sure she knows her name,

because she never responds when we're outside.

Before Lola arrived,

kids Amelia and Charlie signed a binding contract, promising not only

to play with her, but to train, feed, walk and clear up after her.

Right, does one of you want to try holding the thing up?

I mean, this is typical,

that you try and get the children to do something and I end up doing it.

Amelia! This is supposed to be your job.

Amelia and Charlie don't like inconvenience on their lives.

It's not going to get any better when they're teenagers,

they are not going to be more willing to be inconvenienced

for the sake of, you know, doggy dos.

Lola, come!

Claire has been left to do all the hard work.

Here you go, Lola, good girl.

I know another one, I've been trying to teach her to stay.

When I ask her to stay...she comes.

Stay, Lola.

SHE LAUGHS

No, don't chew it!

So annoying.

Puppies are capable of learning five basic commands

by the age of eight weeks.

No! Lola. No.

But Lola's having too much fun to listen.

Puppies need this time to play and explore in a safe environment.

Stop it, Lola. Lola, ball.

Ball.

Stop it! Stop it. No. No. No!

Lola, this way, this way. This is not ideal.

Asking Lola to stop is like asking a young child to sit still.

The best time to train a pup is when it's in a calmer mood.

Now, is this a nice family pet?

This is supposed to be a golden retriever puppy.

Argh! She's gone wild. Stop it!

She does not respect me.

No respect. If I was a rapper, I'd be writing lots of songs about this.

And the fact she's dissing me.

There are limits, and I'm just really fed up with it.

Oh, don't eat the roses.

So annoying!

No, don't go outside.

Don't go outside, Lola.

I said don't, Lola! Oh, grr!

Lola!

SHE SIGHS

All new owners need to train their puppies.

But for Will Davis, there's added pressure.

He needs to teach his Border collie, Jura, how to save lives.

And after one night in her new home, it's time for her first test.

We're just going to go over to the sort of Glencoe mountain area

and go and play in the snow.

This is another sort of crucial part, to see if she likes the snow.

If Will succeeds in training Jura as a search-and-rescue dog,

she'll be spending every winter working in freezing conditions.

Want to come and play in the snow?

You're going to have to get used to all this. Yeah, ooh,

someone's excited. See what you think of this!

Not even... Off the lead as well, eh? There you go, girl.

Wahey!

Oh, and she's off.

Just like Jura, most puppies love snow.

While us humans would never brave the snow in bare feet,

dogs have exceptionally good blood flow to their paws,

protecting them from frostbite.

Jura...stay.

That was everything I thought it would be -

just running through the snow with my dog

is a pretty momentous occasion

for me. Erm... Yeah.

So much fun!

Come on, Jura. Come on. Jura.

-Jura. Hup... Hup.

-By 14 weeks old,

Jura is making the daily trip to work with Will.

This is the start of the morning routine,

so it's a mad rush to get to work.

There's the early-morning gondolas going up in the dark

to get to the top station at 650 metres,

and then straight into work on the mountain.

Jura's starting to learn new skills unique to her future role in this

challenging environment.

Jura, shoulders...

This is eventually leading on to the whole skiing with her on my

shoulders, which is the plan

to not tire her out. If there was an avalanche,

I'll ski her to the incident.

She's got all her energy so she'll search really well.

Hey? Go on, go on, then...

As an adult, Jura will be able to keep going all day.

-Come on, then. This way...

-HE WHISTLES

But until then, Will has to be careful

not to overwork her growing joints.

-Good girl...

-So he only exercises her during his breaks.

What a good girl!

But that leaves her with energy to burn at night.

Ho-ho, mad spell!

Will you let me chill out, Jura? Eh? Are we going to chill out?

Good girl... Good girl.

Jura... Hey!

Her energy level just goes through the roof when she comes back here.

If I just keep doing this all night, this is all we'll do,

but the second I try and do anything else,

she'll start trying to eat coal, eat wood, eat the basket...

For bachelor Will, nights out at the pub are a distant memory.

If I just left her,

I have no idea what state this room would be in if I came back down.

Come on.

It's more than baby-sitting, it's an absolute full-time job.

I'm completely mentally exhausted at the minute,

the most I've ever been in my life.

And I've sacrificed a lot of my life for this dog.

Jura, down.

While Will used to invite his mates over for a beer,

they're now being roped into dog-sitting.

Now that you're here, I'm going for a shower!

See you later!

How do I know when she needs a wee?

Any opportunity to get a bit of a break and I'm taking it.

Sweet.

Come on!

I'm going to get you!

I'm out of breath.

He's worn me out.

I'm supposed to be walking YOU, not you walking ME.

In Guildford, Rick is settling in to

semi-retirement with his new sidekick.

Because I've built such a bond with him already, he means so much to me.

He's like my child now.

I'm responsible for him.

It's like, if he was to become ill,

it would affect me like it would if it was my own child becoming ill.

But Pedro's no longer a child.

Now around 8½ months old,

he's a fully-fledged adolescent.

Pedro.

Pedro!

Oh, God.

Like their male human counterparts,

teenage dogs experience a surge in testosterone

and like to push the boundaries.

Oh, Pedro. What are we going to do with you?

He has started going out and

wandering all around the neighbour's garden and not coming back.

Over the last two weeks Pedro has disappeared ten times.

He is a bit of a Houdini.

If you remember, he was escaping

from his cage and we never did figure out how he did that.

Has he gotten over?

He's over on the other side, isn't he? Pedro!

HE SIGHS

Come here.

The secret to Pedro's escapology also lies in his breeding.

He is part Podenco, an inquisitive

breed of sight hound from the Canary Islands.

Ideal for catching rabbits with their sharp vision and speed.

You didn't escape, did you?

Yeah. Again.

It's just an ongoing saga.

What are we going to do with you, eh?

Once again, Rick has decided prevention is better than cure.

The next move is to secure the garden once and for all.

That is my goal

and I guarantee it.

HE CHUCKLES

Into the jungle. Staple gun.

Little Pedro, make a secure environment for him.

This is all for your benefit, Pedro.

I hope you appreciate it.

This is quite satisfying now,

watching him try to get out, and he can't.

Pedro!

Pedro!

Pedro? I think he's gone over.

Pedro! He's definitely gone, hasn't he?

Pedro!

He's gone. He's done it.

Yet again.

I can't stand this.

While Rick's struggling to keep Pedro in line,

in Hampshire, mum Claire is battling to control her human charges.

So we were just going to go through the contract again, just to revise.

-"I will clean up after the dog."

-CHILDREN TALK OVER ONE ANOTHER

I picked up a poo this morning.

Did you? You do. Charlie is very good.

You have been a bit resistant, Amelia.

No, but I picked up a poo this morning.

Well, I know, but she's going to do more than one.

My point is, if you find one you should pick it up.

"We will spend less time on the TV."

Yes. Yes.

The contract is not worth the paper it's written on.

It has served Amelia and Charlie's purpose

in that we have now got a dog

but I would say to any families out there - do not expect your children

to do anything with the dog.

Lola, don't chew the microphone.

Don't chew the microphone.

Lola, stop... No, don't try and bite me.

Now 12 weeks old,

Lola is fully vaccinated and ready for her first proper walk...

Right, we're going to go out. We are going to go out.

..which is also down to Claire.

Come on. It's called going for a walk.

You want to do this, believe me, you want to do this.

Let's just carry you out here.

On the pavement, Lola, pavement.

If you just come towards me,

then away from the stream...

Lola, no! Just stop eating everything!

I have very mixed feelings about Lola at the moment because

she's such a pain so much of the time.

I worry that we're not bonding as well as we could.

I'm worried that the continuing

feeling of we feel we've made a massive mistake and think -

what have we done?

What have we done getting a dog?

In Scotland, ski patroller Will

and 19-week-old Jura are facing a challenge of their own.

You love coming to work, don't you, Jura?

You love it.

In four months' time,

Jura will be evaluated by The Search And Rescue Dog Association.

She'll only be invited to join their training programme

-if she passes the initiation.

-Come on, Jura, what's this?

Come on, dig.

It's kind of coming back to my fears that I first had when I first got

the dog and the responsibility is on me.

I would be kicking myself if I made a clanger and mucked up what's

clearly a very, very good dog.

So I need to have a recap with

some of the more experienced handlers and find out where I'm at.

Will has called in Tom Gilchrist and Brian Powell,

search-and-rescue dog handlers with 25 years' experience between them.

Hello. Hello.

Who's this?

Tom will be supervising Jura's test in the spring and knows exactly what

she needs to learn to pass this first stage.

We'll do a search with Meggie.

I'll talk you through all the stages and hopefully it'll make sense.

-Yeah.

-And then you can apply it to Jura.

Tom's fully qualified dog Meggie

needs to find his colleague Brian who is

hiding somewhere in the mist.

Go find.

Let's go.

There she goes. Straight on.

Straight away.

Meggie is capable of searching for missing people across an incredible

three-square-kilometre area.

That's purely on scent that she's found him.

-Yeah.

-Look, there she is.

Meggie's bark is a crucial indication to her handler

-Tom that she's found someone.

-Hear her?

-Yeah.

-If we walk in a different direction...

We'll do that, we'll just walk this way...

Watch what happens.

An advanced dog like Meggie will also shuttle back and forth from

the casualty to the handler to guide the rescue team in.

-MEGGIE BARKS

-Have you found him? Have you?

Good dog, and show us.

Now we've got to follow.

She really does that, yeah.

Oh, you clever dog!

Oh, you're clever!

Oh, you're clever!

She didn't start barking automatically.

-She started barking because I taught her to bark on command.

-Yeah.

When Brian was bravoing for me,

when she came in he said,

"Speak, speak, speak."

And that's...

MEGGIE BARKS

Look.

That's absolutely what you want.

Meggie's reward is playtime.

Now it's Jura's turn.

She's too young to attempt to search using scent but must learn the rules

-of the game.

-What we're going to do

is we're going to try a squeaky toy with her.

You can see there's a... "Oh, what is this?"

Training starts by enticing Jura with a toy that she can't have.

We're going to give this to Brian.

Find it. Find! That's it!

What have you got, Jura?

There you go!

Once you've done enough of these little things,

the dog actually realises, this is a great game.

And eventually, you can actually do without the commands

and the triggers, they just know. The only thing

missing from your search sequence, Will, is an indication.

So you've got to work on that.

You've got to get Jura to bark, if you can.

She's got to have some indication and a bark's the best.

Will won't see Tom again until the day of the big test.

So, spring time, we'll meet up and Brian will be somewhere out there

and Jura's going to go and find him and indicate.

Yeah. Challenge accepted!

THEY LAUGH

-Sweet.

-You'll be good.

-All right.

There's a moral weight that comes with being a dog handler that

you can't really shake off, you can't get rid of.

All of a sudden he'll realise this is the real deal.

My dog has got to do a job here

and there could be somebody's life at risk

and this dog could save it and it's up to me to do that.

That was an amazing session, without a doubt.

Yeah, just learnt so much.

Tom has put the pressure on a bit now.

I've got a deadline to meet and it's

quite a big job up from what she's doing.

I have a lot of faith that Jura can succeed

in sort of passing Tom's assessment.

She's the right dog for the job.

Pressure's on me.

Spanish rescue dog Pedro has been with the Clinks for four months.

To start with, I had to put wire netting along here. Mesh.

So far, Rick's retirement has been spent

trying to Pedro-proof the garden.

This is two layers here, right here,

this bit, because he was getting underneath.

This is a favourite spot.

So now he can't get in there.

His DIY skills are,

if I'm to be brutality honest, quite non-existent.

Because that was one of his favourite spots to get out,

-I had to put a huge...

-Yep, yep.

Old fence post, actually.

Well, it worked. I've seen Rick go outside numerous times with various

different types of netting, wiring, fencing...

Behind there is some old fencing. Green wire fencing.

-I can see that.

-But that in itself wasn't good enough,

so then I had to put this other fencing up,

which is why there's so many different materials.

He then emerges from the trees,

because he often lurks behind the trees,

sort of victorious and I'm like, really?

This is a lot of work. I hope you realise.

SHE LAUGHS

And then this is your piece de resistance.

Yes. It's very secure and we can't use the gate any more.

I think I can safely say the garden is now secure.

I have said that many times before.

-I fully understand.

-What do you think, Pedro?

-You tell us.

-A lot of people won't believe me.

I think it is, cos he's not escaped for a very long time.

Now 11 months old, this rescue dog found in a bag of cement in Spain

has finally found a loving home for life.

Retiring used to worry me a lot because I thought I would never be

able to fill my time during the day. What would I do?

I hate that!

Since Pedro entered our lives, he's changed what I do.

I get out more often.

If I could get him to do the chores, that would be even better,

but I'm working on that.

I do feel pleased that we've taken a dog that would probably have had a

pretty miserable life on the streets and given that dog a happy home.

And it's hard now to imagine that we've never had him.

Yeah, he's very special. Very special.

Our first four puppies have each come with unique challenges as they

struggle to adapt to life with their new owners.

I almost can't believe she's my dog.

She's too perfect.

In East London, calm has at last settled on the Tran family home.

For me, this is like the dream, that they're on the bed together,

they don't care about each other.

He's also happy, which we want.

We want Rocky to be happy.

She's happy.

And that's the end goal, isn't it?

But Hannah has a last-minute bombshell to drop on Louise.

-Don't be angry...

-Oh, no, what are you going to tell me?

I'm getting another puppy, in a week's time.

What do you think?

You look speechless.

I want to get a playmate for Chloe.

It wouldn't be the thing that I would recommend for you to do.

I mean, have you actually thought about on a daily basis how you're

going to manage it with her

and another energetic puppy?

No, I haven't, actually.

It's something I just decided on the spur of the moment.

Um...

I was not expecting...

..that a third dog

was going to be on the cards.

Why are you bringing another puppy into the mix?

I've got to be honest, it is mainly for me.

I just want another dog.

The logic is that they're struggling with two, so bringing a third in...

..just doesn't... It doesn't make sense to me.

I hope I'm proved wrong.

Next time...

-HIGH PITCHED:

-No!

One novice owner tries before she buys...

I love big dogs.

This is so awesome!

SHE LAUGHS

..while another new arrival makes her mark...

TODDLER CRIES

Puppy bite me.

Walk, Lola, heel.

..and Claire and Lola reach breaking point.

Lola, walk!

I don't know what else to try!