0:00:05 > 0:00:09We'll welcome a quarter of a million puppies into our homes this year.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Of all different shapes and sizes -
0:00:14 > 0:00:16from the most popular
0:00:16 > 0:00:19to the very expensive
0:00:19 > 0:00:21to some of the smallest.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25But new owners, be warned.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29Behind those puppy dog stares lies a magnet for mischief.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Lola, walk.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34- Stop it.- No, no.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38In this series, we follow a group of families and their puppies...
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Hey!
0:00:40 > 0:00:43..in those all-important first six months together.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46I have to say it's worse than having had a baby.
0:00:46 > 0:00:47Poppy bite me.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52The puppies will need training,
0:00:52 > 0:00:55discipline, and require a whole lot of patience.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01They can more than quadruple in size,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04consume up to 80kg of food...
0:01:06 > 0:01:10..and go to the toilet more than 1,000 times.
0:01:10 > 0:01:16This series explores how the nation's favourite pet adapts to their new world...
0:01:16 > 0:01:17Ah!
0:01:18 > 0:01:20..but also the profound effects
0:01:20 > 0:01:22they can have on the lives of their owners.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25This is the biggest commitment of my life.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Uh-oh!
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Oh, I'm a girl who does not take failure very well.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Join us on an extraordinary journey
0:01:33 > 0:01:37as we follow ten very special puppies
0:01:37 > 0:01:39as they embark on a new life
0:01:39 > 0:01:41with ten very different families.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56The first eight of our puppies have joined their families,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00and in this episode we catch up with trainee therapy dog Hunter...
0:02:00 > 0:02:02HOWLS
0:02:02 > 0:02:05..as he makes himself at home...
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Hunter, what have you done?
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Did I leave the lounge tidy?
0:02:10 > 0:02:13..while Delia faces biting off more than she can chew
0:02:13 > 0:02:14with big breed Shiva.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Ah! No. Ah! No.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20No. No!
0:02:20 > 0:02:24And we meet the first-time homeowners taking on a rescue dog.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Oh, what have you done? What have you done?
0:02:27 > 0:02:28Oh!
0:02:31 > 0:02:33But we start in Hertfordshire,
0:02:33 > 0:02:37where the ninth of our puppies will be setting up residence.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40So we've got Caring For Your New Puppy,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Fundamentals Of Puppy Proofing.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47It says that if you can care for a Cockapoo, the Cockapoo will care for you.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48That's nice, isn't it?
0:02:48 > 0:02:55Juliet Woolf and her husband Trevor are looking for a playmate for eight-year-old son Rio.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57We've wanted a puppy for a long time
0:02:57 > 0:03:00and we know Rio absolutely adores dogs.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03He's an only child, he doesn't have a sibling.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05That was cheating.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10He feels lonely. It will give him someone that he can love and cherish.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Like a brother or a sister.
0:03:13 > 0:03:151-0!
0:03:15 > 0:03:17I'm very excited to get a puppy.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20When I get home from school I'll cuddle it.
0:03:20 > 0:03:21Then...
0:03:23 > 0:03:26..love it. It's going to change my life.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Rio was born with a rare genetic condition
0:03:33 > 0:03:36which meant some of the bones in his right leg didn't develop.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40This is my day leg that I use for school.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46And this is my one I use for athletics.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53He's the only amputee in the school.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57It's a very isolating position to be in.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Children can be very cruel,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03and sadly he gets bullied because of his disability.
0:04:03 > 0:04:08My hopes for the puppy and for Rio is that they'll have a really special bond
0:04:08 > 0:04:12and no matter how hard Rio's day at school has been he can be
0:04:12 > 0:04:15guaranteed a warm and friendly welcome.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Take him. Let's get you back in the warmth.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31It's just been a long car journey.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33It's your new home.
0:04:36 > 0:04:37She's quite cuddly.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Meet Rosso, a nine-week-old Cockapoo.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47The first ever designer dog, the Cockapoo was bred in the 1960s
0:04:47 > 0:04:50to combine the cocker spaniel's gentle temperament
0:04:50 > 0:04:53with the poodle's love of people.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56They are now the most popular crossbreed in the country.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Don't you just love that, Trevor, Rio?
0:05:00 > 0:05:02- Spoilt.- Spoilt.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Rosso is going to be one very spoilt puppy.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Are you sleeping? I can't see your eyes.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13Every second he's cuddling him and giving him kisses and, yeah,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15he's excited.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Give your pyjamas to Rosso so he can get used to your smell.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Yeah, in the bed, maybe.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27A lot of people say when you have a puppy it's like having a newborn,
0:05:27 > 0:05:31but I'm really looking forward to that added responsibility.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33And giving lots of love and affection -
0:05:33 > 0:05:36we've all got a lot of love and affection to give.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38We're right here.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Now, will you have that?
0:05:55 > 0:05:57It's Rosso's first morning at the Woolf house
0:05:57 > 0:06:00and he's getting stuck into his breakfast.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03He loves it.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05High five, high five.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09So this is a big milestone for Rosso to have his first meal
0:06:09 > 0:06:11here in our home. I think it's a great sign.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14It shows that he's feeling more settled and relaxed.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16I do feel like we should have a biology lesson for dogs.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- He's doing a poo!- Are you joking?
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Oh, my God! Already!
0:06:22 > 0:06:26What happened? You've done a big poo.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28- Not a big one.- He has.
0:06:28 > 0:06:29Where? Oh, my God.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Don't eat it.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35Well, OK, that came out much quicker than we thought, didn't it?
0:06:35 > 0:06:37I think we'll nominate Rio as the...
0:06:37 > 0:06:39The number one pooper-scooper.
0:06:39 > 0:06:40The pooper-scooper, yeah.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43- He's going to do another one. - Are you joking?
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Grab a mat.
0:06:45 > 0:06:46But in truth it will be me.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Yeah, it'll probably be Juliet.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50No!
0:06:50 > 0:06:54Oh, no! Rosso!
0:06:54 > 0:06:58Over the next few days, Juliet is on constant poop patrol.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00No, no, no, Rosso.
0:07:00 > 0:07:01No, don't sniff it.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Don't sniff it.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05I'm quite a driven person, I guess.
0:07:05 > 0:07:11If I've got a task to do, and training Rosso being the primary task,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13and I want to succeed at doing it,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15and I am a perfectionist.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19A puppy usually needs to go to the toilet up to ten or 20 times a day.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22- Look, over there. On the mat.- Where?
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- Near the mat.- Oh. Great.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28So a new owner will need to be vigilant if they want to limit the damage.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Thank you, Rosso.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33His poo stinks!
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Big brother Rio is less than impressed.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39And he did a wee on my foot this morning.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48No.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- Shiva.- In south London,
0:07:50 > 0:07:55Delia Lewis is already seven weeks into life with her puppy Shiva.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Ah! No. Ah! No.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59Ah! No. Ah!
0:07:59 > 0:08:02But that doesn't mean things have got any easier.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05No, no.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08No. No!
0:08:08 > 0:08:10No.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14Anyone who tells you that it's easy, a breeze or a walk in the park
0:08:14 > 0:08:18is just absolutely lying.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Single lady Delia chose a giant breed Leonberger to provide
0:08:23 > 0:08:26the companionship she was missing in her life.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30But when Shiva arrived it wasn't quite the fairy tale she'd dreamed of...
0:08:30 > 0:08:32YAP
0:08:32 > 0:08:33OK.
0:08:33 > 0:08:34I'm going to open the door now.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37..as Delia couldn't leave her alone for a second.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41She's quite vocal with me just leaving her outside the bathroom.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44I'd like to have a private moment.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45YAPPING
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Look, I'm here. I'm here.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53I'm here. I think I'm a prisoner.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55I'm a prisoner.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Her new guard was also fond of ignoring her every command.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Shiva.
0:09:01 > 0:09:02Oi! Come on.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Things came to a head at a puppy training class
0:09:06 > 0:09:09when Shiva staged a dirty protest.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15I'm a girl who does not take failure very well.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20And over their first two months together,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Shiva has more than tripled in size.
0:09:23 > 0:09:29I have extra anxieties because she's a big breed puppy. Argh!
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Stop that. I just turned around one morning,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34she looked normal and then by the afternoon
0:09:34 > 0:09:38I swear she'd grown an inch or something and I'd think, when did that happen?
0:09:38 > 0:09:44Now Shiva is 15 weeks old and Delia's problems are growing as quickly her dog.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46No.
0:09:49 > 0:09:50Sit.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53No. No.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55No.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59My dog doesn't seem to take no for an answer.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01YAPPING, GROWLING
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Leave it.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08Shiva's growling and nipping could be down to teething.
0:10:08 > 0:10:14But she's also displaying signs of something known as the zoomies.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Frenetic and seemingly random bursts of energy...
0:10:18 > 0:10:22..often characterised by a wild glint in the eye.
0:10:24 > 0:10:25She got me.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29No. No.
0:10:29 > 0:10:35The zoomies can be an indication the pup isn't getting enough exercise or mental stimulation.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Where am I bleeding? I don't know.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41On my shoulder.
0:10:41 > 0:10:47I mean... Puppy teeth anywhere are... Argh! ..are quite sharp.
0:10:47 > 0:10:48Down.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Come on, now. Down.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56As quickly as Shiva's bad behaviour started,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59it's over.
0:10:59 > 0:11:00Are you tired now?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04Are you finished terrorising me?
0:11:04 > 0:11:08She'll probably fall asleep in about five or ten minutes now.
0:11:09 > 0:11:10Yeah.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17I do have a genuine concern that if I don't get the training right,
0:11:17 > 0:11:19I'm not going to be able to control her,
0:11:19 > 0:11:23and a 50-kilo dog is not a dog that you,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26you know, want to lose control of at any time.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30For any new owner, tackling basic training can be an uphill struggle.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38But some puppies are specially chosen to become working dogs,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42and their owners have much more to lose if they don't get it right.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48In Lancashire, the Lowe family are four weeks into their canine adventure.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Take him away again and see if he cries.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Bring him back. Bring him back.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00There he is.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03They welcomed Hunter the Labrador to act as a therapy dog
0:12:03 > 0:12:07for four-year-old Alfie who, along with twin brother Arthur,
0:12:07 > 0:12:08has Down's Syndrome.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11You like these ears.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Alfie also suffers from anxiety due to autism.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17He likes his ears and I think it's because they're soft and warm
0:12:17 > 0:12:21and when he touches the ears it makes you laugh, doesn't it?
0:12:23 > 0:12:25With five kids at home,
0:12:25 > 0:12:30the decision to add a puppy into the mix wasn't an easy one for head of the household Emma.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33It is a very big deal for us to get the right dog.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38Obviously, if we went out ourselves and bought a dog and brought it in and it wasn't suitable
0:12:38 > 0:12:41it would break our hearts to have to find it a new home.
0:12:41 > 0:12:47But with the help of canine expert Louise and a visit from a fully trained assistance dog,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Emma was convinced the benefits would outweigh the challenges ahead.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54I've never seen him like this around an animal before.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Is that nice, Alfie?
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Emma took the plunge and bought Hunter,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10who's now a firm favourite with the five kids,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13particularly 12-year-old Harry.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20But Emma needs him to fulfil his training role as a therapy dog.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Alfie can get so upset so easy.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Because he can scream and cry for hours on end.
0:13:25 > 0:13:30Her aim is for Hunter to calm Alfie down independently of her...
0:13:30 > 0:13:35- Hunter, come here.- ..instinctively reacting to Alfie's mood without being told.
0:13:36 > 0:13:42What I want Hunter to do is understand when Alfie is stressed.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46Ooh! Ooh, he's kissing you.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50I want him to understand when Alfie is in need of him.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56We'll get there. He's still only a puppy.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05What are you taking with you? Taking your baby with you? You're not taking Daddy Pig or Mummy Pig?
0:14:05 > 0:14:10- No?- Today Emma has decided to make a bold move and test 12-week-old
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Hunter's growing sense of independence.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18She's leaving him home alone while she goes to pick the older kids up from school.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20He's already up to mischief.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22I'm not too sure about this.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27If this is successful then I can start leaving him in the lounge
0:14:27 > 0:14:30and I feel like I can start letting him have a little bit more run of the house,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33so we'll see. Come on, then.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Be good. Hunter?
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Be good.
0:14:44 > 0:14:50Labradors are one of the top choices for therapy dogs because of their sociable and affectionate nature.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54But their love of companionship means when left alone they can be
0:14:54 > 0:14:57susceptible to boredom or separation anxiety.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06Like Hunter, many dogs react by destroying personal belongings to surround themselves
0:15:06 > 0:15:10with their owner's smell, making them feel more secure.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15HUNTER WHINES
0:15:27 > 0:15:30What's happened, Elsie?
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Uh-oh!
0:15:32 > 0:15:35Hunter, what have you done?
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Did I leave the lounge tidy?
0:15:38 > 0:15:42He has totally destroyed the lounge.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Have a look what the dog's done.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Oh, my...
0:15:49 > 0:15:52It will take two years to fully train Hunter in his future role
0:15:52 > 0:15:55as antidote to Alfie's anxieties,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59but for now he's just increasing Emma's.
0:15:59 > 0:16:04He's now asleep because he's had so much fun trashing my house.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19In Hertfordshire,
0:16:19 > 0:16:23there's no danger of 11-week-old Cockapoo Rosso feeling neglected.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28So I'm microwaving Rosso's bed.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31Yes, he's a very pampered pooch.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33Juliet's laying on the VIP treatment.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40What we then do is just slip this inside of here.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45So let's go and see if he likes this.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I like to spoil my boys, what can I say?
0:16:47 > 0:16:49I think that's a mother's job.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Come and sit with me on the sofa.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Look at you being carried like a king.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59You just want to give your family the best and he's a member of our family.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01He's my second baby.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04After Rio. He's my fur baby, aren't you?
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Yes.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Is Rosso here?
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Rosso!
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Oh, look - he was waiting for you.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19It is Rio's first week back at school since the new puppy arrived.
0:17:19 > 0:17:20Oh, look.
0:17:25 > 0:17:31This puppy's going to play such a pivotal role in Rio's confidence
0:17:31 > 0:17:35and his self-esteem, having had such a hard time at school.
0:17:35 > 0:17:43My favourite thing about Rosso is that he loves cuddles and stuff.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46I love you. You love me.
0:17:46 > 0:17:47I love you. I love you.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49He's a different child.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53He's just made a world of difference, he really has.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55It means that you're really happy, aren't you, now?
0:17:55 > 0:17:57That you've got Rosso in your life?
0:17:57 > 0:17:58Your little fur baby brother.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03He may be Rio's perfect playmate, but on other matters...
0:18:03 > 0:18:06- Rosso.- Oh, no. You're not doing something, are you?
0:18:06 > 0:18:08Oh, Rosso!
0:18:08 > 0:18:12..Rosso's not yet the perfect house guest.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16I think we should try and do puppy training with the treats, yes?
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Rosso. Down.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22Down. I know you can smell it.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25I don't want to be cruel. I'll let you have one to start with.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Do you want to come and help me do this in a minute?
0:18:27 > 0:18:30- OK.- Treats can help your pup to pick up commands,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33but only if they're given sparingly,
0:18:33 > 0:18:35and crucially for the correct behaviour.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Rosso. All right.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Right, I'll have to give that to him.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45Spoiled fur baby Rosso manages to charm treats out of Mum regardless.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47That's not fair, you're teasing him,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50so now you've got to give it to him.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52Sit. No.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Right, well, that's teasing him
0:18:54 > 0:18:55if I don't give it to him.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58OK. No, no... No...
0:18:58 > 0:19:00Sit. You're supposed to sit down.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04No, your bottom needs to go on the floor.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08I'm very pleased with the fact that he's already learning to sit nicely.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11It was because he was sitting so well.
0:19:11 > 0:19:12Oh, OK. I left that out for too long
0:19:12 > 0:19:14so I have to give it to you.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17No, no, no.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Between the front paws.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Bottom down. Bottom down.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Right, just have a couple and then let's try.
0:19:26 > 0:19:2940 treats later, it's time to head outside.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Rosso. See this, see this?
0:19:33 > 0:19:36I would like you to fill this, OK?
0:19:36 > 0:19:37Yes.
0:19:37 > 0:19:38Yes.
0:19:38 > 0:19:39ROSSO YAPS
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Do you want to have a run around?
0:19:45 > 0:19:48You're just waiting for the treats, aren't you?
0:19:48 > 0:19:54Rosso might be keeping everyone waiting but Juliet's not one to miss an opportunity for more training.
0:19:54 > 0:19:55Rosso, come.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Good boy. Rosso, come.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03I'll trip over you. Rosso, come.
0:20:05 > 0:20:11- Good boy.- That's one more treat for Rosso but no number twos for Juliet.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Leave it. Rosso, you must need the toilet.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16You must need the toilet now, come on.
0:20:16 > 0:20:17Good boy.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21I don't think it's going to happen now and it's getting a bit cold, isn't it?
0:20:21 > 0:20:24All right. Let's try again a bit later.
0:20:24 > 0:20:25Come on, then.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Back inside...
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Rosso, no!
0:20:32 > 0:20:33Thank you, Rosso.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37The toilet training is a big, big problem.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39He's just not getting it.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41He's not getting it outside at all.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46You've come to inspect your work, haven't you, Rosso?
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Nine of our puppies are now making their mark in their new homes...
0:20:53 > 0:20:57..leaving just one who's yet to meet their family.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59Aww!
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Oh. That's cute, isn't it?
0:21:02 > 0:21:06In North Lincolnshire, 25-year-old Alex and 30-year-old Pete
0:21:06 > 0:21:10are settling into their first home together.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Neither of us wear the trousers in the relationship.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14SHE LAUGHS
0:21:14 > 0:21:16Describe Pete for me.
0:21:16 > 0:21:17- Messy.- Loving.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Annoying.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20Annoying.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23The couple met seven years ago at Pete's restaurant where they
0:21:23 > 0:21:27both worked, but it wasn't love at first sight.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32I really hated him at first, he was horrible.
0:21:32 > 0:21:33She's a vegetarian.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36I remember putting a load of salami inside her purse.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40I think it was one of those "treat them mean,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42"keep them keen" sort of things.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44I don't know how it worked, though.
0:21:44 > 0:21:45You just wanted me.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47That's all it was.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49Yeah.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53The only missing piece of the puzzle is a dog to make their house a home.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57It's not like we're just going out to get a new telly.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00That's it now. We leave the house now, and that's it,
0:22:00 > 0:22:05we'll be back as a three and we've got this little animal that's relying on us.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Dependent on us.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11And they've chosen a puppy that comes with a history.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14We've always wanted a rescue dog, haven't we?
0:22:14 > 0:22:17I don't like the idea of going out and buying a puppy
0:22:17 > 0:22:21when you know that these are all in shelters waiting to go to homes.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23It is like a moral thing.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27It's almost like bringing a baby home, isn't it?
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Yeah. Well, it's a big enough commitment as well.
0:22:30 > 0:22:31It is. Yeah.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- Hello.- Hello.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41You OK?
0:22:41 > 0:22:43You're excited, aren't you?
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Bless her.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46She's so cute.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51And this is Pippa, a seven-month-old Labrador cross.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56One of the 47,000 dogs given up in the UK each year,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00Pippa's previous owner couldn't cope with her excessive chewing.
0:23:02 > 0:23:08The last straw came when she destroyed a brand-new mobile phone.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Are you excited to come home?
0:23:10 > 0:23:12Come on, then. Good girl.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18It is quite maternal for a rescue dog, like, the feeling.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22Cos you are rescuing it and I suppose, yeah,
0:23:22 > 0:23:26you do get that motherly feeling, like, looking after it and giving it a good home.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Yeah.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33- She OK about that?- Yeah.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35- She happy?- I think so.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37- You happy?- Yeah.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Then I'm happy.
0:23:39 > 0:23:47Before they take Pippa to her new home, Alex and Pete decided to introduce her to the local park.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Good girl.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50We know what trouble she's got,
0:23:50 > 0:23:54we know that she's a bad chewer and we're prepared to help her with that.
0:23:54 > 0:23:55Pippa.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Pippa. Come here.
0:23:57 > 0:23:58- Come here, girl. - Worst-case scenario,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02she chews our house up but we've got to find ways to deal with it
0:24:02 > 0:24:04and help her with it.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06She seems like she's taken to us pretty well.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10She's quite happy with us, aren't you, girl?
0:24:10 > 0:24:13High-five. High-five.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- Ah!- Yeah. Good girl.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Within minutes of arriving home...
0:24:21 > 0:24:22Tennis balls everywhere.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25She doesn't know what to do with them all. Look at all these!
0:24:25 > 0:24:30..Pippa's quick to demonstrate the chewing problem that landed her in trouble with her last owners.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Oh, what've you done?
0:24:33 > 0:24:34What you done?
0:24:37 > 0:24:40She's making light work of the tennis ball at the minute, isn't she?
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Pippa!
0:24:45 > 0:24:49One tennis ball destroyed, time for something more robust.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51It's that one. Look, you were playing with that in the car.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54- Good girl!- Do you think she'll be all right with that?
0:24:54 > 0:24:56She's not going to chew through that or anything?
0:24:56 > 0:25:00No, they said that she shouldn't be able to chew through that but if you see her chewing a tennis ball,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03I think we should try and swap it for that one, where she can't...
0:25:03 > 0:25:06She's not going to eat through that one, hopefully.
0:25:06 > 0:25:07Oh...
0:25:08 > 0:25:11So that theory didn't last very long!
0:25:17 > 0:25:22A dog's desire to chew comes from its wolf ancestors.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Those with strong enough jaws to gnaw on bones after a hunt were more
0:25:26 > 0:25:29likely to survive and pass on their genes.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34And although dogs were first domesticated over 15,000 years ago,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38taming their wild side is no walk in the park.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Ah-ah! Ah-ah!
0:25:40 > 0:25:43As Delia is finding out in south London.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47Leave it! Oh, my goodness!
0:25:47 > 0:25:52Shiva is now four months, but at 24 kilos,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55still only halfway towards her adult body weight.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00And she's still following Delia everywhere she goes.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04I am concerned about not making...
0:26:04 > 0:26:09Basically not being able to control her as she gets bigger and bigger and bigger.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13Dog behaviourist Louise is no stranger to pets who won't listen.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15Or indeed their owners.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19Shiva! I'll just give her my shoe.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Having previously worked with Delia to find the right breed,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26Louise is back to help her rein in Shiva's bad behaviour.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29- Hello!- Hello! How are you?
0:26:29 > 0:26:31I am exhausted...
0:26:31 > 0:26:33- Are you?- Overwhelmed puppy parent.
0:26:33 > 0:26:34You are a puppy parent.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35Shall we go upstairs?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Oh, yes, please! So, when I last saw you,
0:26:38 > 0:26:41you told me the dog you were going to get, you were very excited.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43- Yes.- Where are we at now?
0:26:43 > 0:26:45I can't believe I have her.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48In good ways and in bad ways.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51There's lots of anxiety and worries, there's a lot of love,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55there's no regrets, but there are some...
0:26:55 > 0:26:58- Her day to day...- ..heavy realities.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59- OK.- I'll show you...
0:26:59 > 0:27:02- Yeah.- OK. Right.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Argh! Stop it!
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Stop it!
0:27:06 > 0:27:07Sit!
0:27:07 > 0:27:08YAPPING
0:27:12 > 0:27:15So, she actually bit my calf there.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21- Yeah...- OK, OK.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26I don't feel confident that I'm doing the right thing
0:27:26 > 0:27:29and that I'm going to continue to do the right thing,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32and I actually feel quite upset by saying that!
0:27:32 > 0:27:33What do you mean you feel upset? What...
0:27:33 > 0:27:37I just feel that I'm not doing very well.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43Because it's not like you didn't know she was going to be a big dog.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47I want to really do well for her.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49OK, but you don't know what to do.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51- No.- OK, that's fair enough, but you have to remember,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55this is totally normal - this is not, you know, you're not the only person.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58We can get you on the right path.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02We can make some tweaks and I would hope to see some differences.
0:28:02 > 0:28:07I feel like what you're experiencing is excess energy.
0:28:07 > 0:28:12I think you could also be experiencing the fact that teething could be kicking in.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Once these teeth on the side start to come through,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18they can get quite grabby because what they're trying to do is
0:28:18 > 0:28:20create tension and pull on it to ease the pain,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23which is why we're getting a lot more biting.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26Shiva's toys are too soft to bite on
0:28:26 > 0:28:28and not interesting enough to hold her attention.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Let me have a look at what you've got.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34Very empty cupboards at the moment!
0:28:34 > 0:28:37- That's fine. Do you have a tea towel we can use?- Yeah.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43- OK.- Louise has an idea to tackle the problem.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49- Ah!- Right, then what you're going to do, little bits of treat.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54- All right.- Do you know how fun this is going to be?
0:28:54 > 0:28:55Let's give her that.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57Go on, then.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Good girl!
0:29:05 > 0:29:08Yeah? So, where she's basically got her paws on it,
0:29:08 > 0:29:12she's holding it down and then what she's doing with our mouth is pulling,
0:29:12 > 0:29:14which is essentially what she's doing to you.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Louise wants to deal with another pressing issue.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19In the bathroom.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22- So, don't call her, just leave her there.- Sorry!
0:29:22 > 0:29:28Delia thinks Shiva has separation anxiety, but Louise isn't so sure.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Let's count, OK?
0:29:30 > 0:29:34One, two, three, four...
0:29:34 > 0:29:3615, 16, 17...
0:29:37 > 0:29:40..28, 29, 30...
0:29:40 > 0:29:44OK, I think we could keep going but that would be enough time to come in, do a wee and go out.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46- Oh, absolutely.- OK?
0:29:46 > 0:29:49She can do this.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52But you're just assuming that she can't do it.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54Yes, that... Yeah.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57When you go out we're just going to go and sit down.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09When I'm saying to you to come out and try and ignore her,
0:30:09 > 0:30:16it's because I don't want you to be rewarding the fact that she's stood waiting for you.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18As soon as we walked back in the room,
0:30:18 > 0:30:21she just walked back over to her chew toy, which is great.
0:30:21 > 0:30:28So, what I want you to do every day is make an opportunity to leave her on her own at some point,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30so if that's the toilet, whether that's the shower,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33whether that's nipping out to the shops, you can do that.
0:30:33 > 0:30:34Yeah, absolutely!
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Absolutely! I'm very happy with that.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45250 miles north, three-month-old Hunter is out for a stroll.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48He's not moving.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51- Come on!- 12-year-old young carer Harry
0:30:51 > 0:30:54has appointed himself the family's official dog walker.
0:30:54 > 0:30:55A role he's warming to.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58Good dog, come on!
0:30:58 > 0:30:59Come on!
0:31:01 > 0:31:05If I walk Hunter every day, I get a bit of time on my own.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08No, don't lick in there.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10So, I've got Hunter as my friend now.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12As I walk down here.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14I'm very proud of my Harry.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18Because he does so much and he never, ever moans.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20Best dog, aren't you? Aren't you?
0:31:20 > 0:31:22Yes, you are, you're the best dog!
0:31:22 > 0:31:24Ah!
0:31:25 > 0:31:30Back home, life with a new pup is a little less relaxing.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33See, look at that, did you see him?
0:31:33 > 0:31:38Like any puppy his age, Hunter's adopted a therapy-unfriendly habit.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40Ah-ah, Hunter, no!
0:31:40 > 0:31:44I'd definitely say the toughest challenge about Alfie
0:31:44 > 0:31:46and Hunter is the nipping.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49It can add more stress.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Don't bite. Don't bite.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55He wants my hair.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00Hunter, come here! Sit down.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05Today, training on Hunter's biting and chewing starts in earnest
0:32:05 > 0:32:07and Emma's got him a special outfit for the occasion.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11I'll put this on, so he learns to calm down when it's on.
0:32:11 > 0:32:18I want him to realise it's actually work time and it's time to be that therapy dog for little Alfie.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20There was a good boy!
0:32:20 > 0:32:23Was a good boy!
0:32:23 > 0:32:27Emma's been advised to massage Hunter's mouth and jaw repeatedly,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30to teach him to be gentle and not to snap.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33So, even if they open their mouth and you put your hand in it,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36they soon learn not to, like, bite, bite.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38There you go, he's doing it now.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Look at them peggy teeth.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Look at them peggy teeth.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48Give me a kiss.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50Good boy, that's nice.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54Ooh, he's licking your face! Good boy!
0:32:54 > 0:32:56No biting.
0:32:56 > 0:32:57Good boy!
0:33:00 > 0:33:02Ready to roll.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05Right, let's go.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08In the car, where Emma spends half the day
0:33:08 > 0:33:10ferrying her children to and from school,
0:33:10 > 0:33:14there are signs Hunter is growing into his role as a support for Alfie.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19Alfie can get very stressed, you see, and very upset, so,
0:33:19 > 0:33:23since he's had Hunter in the car, I feel that he is a bit more relaxed.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Now and again, he'll lean over and touch him,
0:33:30 > 0:33:32so that's quite nice.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39One of the secrets to Hunter's ability to soothe Alfie is the power of stroking.
0:33:42 > 0:33:47For all of us, stroking is an effective way to relieve stress.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49It releases endorphins,
0:33:49 > 0:33:54the body's natural chemical that blocks pain and encourages relaxation,
0:33:54 > 0:34:00as well as oxytocin, which reduces anxiety and promotes feelings of trust.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04It takes just a few strokes for this chemical reaction to take effect.
0:34:05 > 0:34:10And for Alfie, helps alleviate distress.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Are we nearly there?
0:34:12 > 0:34:13Are we going?
0:34:13 > 0:34:16He's excited. Yeah!
0:34:21 > 0:34:26In North Lincolnshire, it's the humans who have the job of therapist,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29settling in rescue pup Pippa.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Over the last 48 hours,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38she's made light work of every toy she's been given.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40Oh, what have you done?
0:34:40 > 0:34:44She does a tennis ball a day. It's about 30p a tennis ball.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46Yeah, she's not having a tennis ball a day.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48- Just cost us a few quid in chew toys.- Yeah.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51For the next 20 years!
0:34:52 > 0:34:54Go on, then!
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Pull it! Doesn't seem interested in the furniture at all, does she?
0:34:58 > 0:34:59- No.- Which is good.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02- I think it's initially probably started from boredom.- Yeah, yeah.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04And then it's now a bad habit.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07She's obviously been quite unsettled before she's come to us, you know,
0:35:07 > 0:35:10she's only a seven-month-old pup and she's had...
0:35:10 > 0:35:12This is her fourth home already.
0:35:12 > 0:35:17So, we just want to get her settled in and let her know this is her home now. This is it, you know?
0:35:17 > 0:35:19You're not going anywhere.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21After such a tumultuous start in life,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25it's important Alex and Pete get things right for Pippa from the outset.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29It's something expert Louise knows all about,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33having taken in a five-year-old Great Dane herself last year.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36I'm really excited for Alex and Pete.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38I think genuinely taking a rescue dog can be a brilliant thing
0:35:38 > 0:35:43for a family. Erm, they get a bit of a bad press and actually,
0:35:43 > 0:35:47most rescue dogs don't even have issues and the ones that do,
0:35:47 > 0:35:51it really is about starting on the right path in the beginning because if you do that,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54with some clever strategies and the correct training,
0:35:54 > 0:36:01then you can really help a dog that's in distress overcome all of that and succeed moving forward.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04DOORBELL
0:36:04 > 0:36:07- Hello!- Hi! Hello!
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Oh, you're very shiny, aren't you?
0:36:10 > 0:36:12So, this is Pippa!
0:36:12 > 0:36:13- Yeah.- Indeed.- Wow!
0:36:13 > 0:36:16Look at you.
0:36:16 > 0:36:17Right, so, how's it going?
0:36:17 > 0:36:19Yeah, she's doing good, isn't she?
0:36:19 > 0:36:22- Yeah, she's settled in.- She seems to have settled in quite quickly.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25So, what was her background and everything? What did they tell you?
0:36:25 > 0:36:31- So, we don't know too much, but apparently she chewed really bad with the previous owners.- Right.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33Then she ended up in the rescue centre.
0:36:33 > 0:36:38- We haven't seen any chewing of the furniture but lots of chewing of the toys.- Yeah.- OK.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40Chewing basically can become like a stress reliever,
0:36:40 > 0:36:42it can be a way to get rid of anxiety,
0:36:42 > 0:36:44it can be a way to make them feel better,
0:36:44 > 0:36:46it can also be a boredom activity.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49So, there can obviously be a lot of reasons behind it,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52it's not as simple as that it's just a destructive behaviour.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58The first step towards settling in a rescue dog is to try and understand
0:36:58 > 0:37:02their particular behaviours - good and bad.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Each new owner must try and build up a picture of their history.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10They need to become part social worker, part detective,
0:37:10 > 0:37:13to unravel just what makes their dog tick.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19So, one of the things that I started when I got my dog last year,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22I kind of started putting a piece of paper on the wall that my husband,
0:37:22 > 0:37:27myself, my dog walker, anything that they saw, we would write on there.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31- OK.- So, if you're walking her and you're at work and you're not going to be home until midnight,
0:37:31 > 0:37:35if she freaked out from seeing, say, a cow, you should know that information.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38- OK.- And the same with anything that she loves,
0:37:38 > 0:37:41anything that she's chewing, anything that she likes,
0:37:41 > 0:37:46any fear that you've seen because this helps you start to build up
0:37:46 > 0:37:49- this picture of Pippa.- Definitely dislikes being left alone.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51- Yeah.- OK. Chewing, obviously we can say...
0:37:51 > 0:37:53- Tennis balls.- Tennis balls.
0:37:53 > 0:37:54Definitely number one.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Any kind of soft rubbers and that, isn't it?
0:37:57 > 0:37:59- Yeah.- So, I think what would be great, if you're happy,
0:37:59 > 0:38:04- is if we pop it up on the wall and then you guys can add to it as time goes on.- Yeah, yeah.
0:38:04 > 0:38:05It's easy to see.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08- Is that all right?- Yeah.- Good idea.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Next clue in the detective hunt, food.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Louise wants to find out what Pippa's eating,
0:38:16 > 0:38:19as it could be contributing to her desire to chew.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22If you look at something like dry food,
0:38:22 > 0:38:26maize and rice are essentially carbohydrate...
0:38:26 > 0:38:28- Carbs.- ..type things that are not a huge amount of benefit.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31- Not providing much to her. - Turkey meal and meat meal,
0:38:31 > 0:38:33- do you know what that is?- Erm, no.
0:38:33 > 0:38:34So, imagine, like, the carcass...
0:38:34 > 0:38:36- Yes.- ..of, say, a chicken.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38But everything's been taken off it.
0:38:38 > 0:38:40- Right.- Beet pulp is essentially sugar.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44- Right, OK.- The last thing we want to be doing is filling her full
0:38:44 > 0:38:47of sugar, carbohydrates and stuff that she doesn't need...
0:38:47 > 0:38:50- Yeah, yeah. Definitely.- ..and then expecting her not to have energy
0:38:50 > 0:38:53or expecting her just to be calm and chilled out.
0:38:53 > 0:38:58If you look at how our dogs used to be fed, it was scraps off the table. It was things from the butcher's.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01- Scrapings.- Especially with him having a restaurant, he'll get like...
0:39:01 > 0:39:07Be able to bring bits of meat and things like that back, and I've got memories of that when I was a kid.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09And, you know, everyone, whole family, used to,
0:39:09 > 0:39:11dog bowl up on the side and scrape your plate.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14- Yeah.- If you've got all of these amazing scraps, vegetables,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17meat and all of that stuff, from work,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19it would be a real shame for her not to have the benefit of that.
0:39:19 > 0:39:20Yeah.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Pippa needs to burn off excess energy.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30- Oh, she's found a ball...- But as she's not ready yet to go off-lead,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32they've brought her to an enclosed paddock.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34Good girl!
0:39:34 > 0:39:36Well done!
0:39:37 > 0:39:42If you can get, sort of, two hours a day, off-lead play, interaction,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45sniffing, I would honestly think that that chewing behaviour
0:39:45 > 0:39:48would not be something that would be a big concern.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51- She's such a happy-go-lucky dog, isn't she?- Yeah.- Good girl!
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Good girl!
0:39:54 > 0:39:59- She's that proof of how brilliant a rescue dog can be.- Hm.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03Her disposition is happy, she's enthusiastic, she's affectionate,
0:40:03 > 0:40:08- she's loving. That basis of what you would want as a companion dog is all there.- Yeah, definitely.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Yeah!
0:40:14 > 0:40:18In south London, over the last two months,
0:40:18 > 0:40:26Shiva the Leonberger has grown to two thirds of her adult size and weighs in at 35 kilos.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Come on, Shiva! Come on!
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Delia's been following Louise's advice to the full,
0:40:30 > 0:40:35introducing more involving toys, upping Shiva's exercise
0:40:35 > 0:40:38and ignoring her when she goes to the toilet.
0:40:42 > 0:40:49I definitely do feel like we've come a long way, that I can pee on my own!
0:40:49 > 0:40:51Thank you, that one.
0:40:51 > 0:40:52Thank you.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56In a way, she's taught persistence because, yeah,
0:40:56 > 0:40:59I would wake up, yes, I would feel really downtrodden and, like a fool,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02I felt like an idiot, like, why did I get this big dog?
0:41:02 > 0:41:04I clearly can't do this.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06But here I am!
0:41:08 > 0:41:12- Come on!- Today, Delia's taking her sister, Lizzie, out for lunch.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Be back in a bit.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19Shiva's staying home.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21OK.
0:41:21 > 0:41:22Bye!
0:41:25 > 0:41:27You know what I don't miss?
0:41:27 > 0:41:30I don't miss walking out of the shower and thinking,
0:41:30 > 0:41:35is that water from the shower or is that her pee?
0:41:35 > 0:41:36Because you just didn't know.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42I can leave the house in confidence that nothing's going to be destroyed,
0:41:42 > 0:41:44that she's going to be OK.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48I really thank Louise for that help and giving me the confidence to get out.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50And then the million-dollar question,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53would you get another Leonberger?
0:41:53 > 0:41:57I can neither confirm nor deny
0:41:57 > 0:41:59that I would get another Leonberger.
0:41:59 > 0:42:00No.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06For Delia, life is now unrecognisable from the day
0:42:06 > 0:42:09she brought home her then small bundle of fur.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Good girl!
0:42:12 > 0:42:13What a journey.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16What a journey. I'm a different person, she changed my life.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21She really blew up my life!
0:42:21 > 0:42:25Wrecked it and then changed it into something really beautiful.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29Despite all the bad times, somehow,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32your puppy looks up at you and doesn't give up on you.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35You know, because she didn't give up on me, I didn't give up on her.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39I couldn't really imagine life without my little Shiva.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41Little!
0:42:41 > 0:42:44But Shiva's not the only change in Delia's life.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46I've got a boyfriend.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49He moved in. And now,
0:42:49 > 0:42:55I'm part of this family unit and life is really bright and wonderful.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Rosso! No!
0:43:05 > 0:43:09In Hertfordshire, family life is going a little less smoothly.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12It's very nice having someone who's naughtier than I am.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16He gets all the tellings off and I don't.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19It's like having a naughty brother.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22I need to take you outside.
0:43:22 > 0:43:28Five-month-old pampered pooch Rosso is still doing his business everywhere but the garden.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32You are restricted, you can't go to other people's houses,
0:43:32 > 0:43:35you know, even to go to any shops where dogs are allowed,
0:43:35 > 0:43:38it's a worry because you never know when the urge might take him.
0:43:40 > 0:43:46Most puppies will be fully toilet trained by six months but Rosso's not even close.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48In a bid to salvage her cream carpets,
0:43:48 > 0:43:51Juliette's called in the cavalry.
0:43:53 > 0:43:54- Hello!- Hello, I'm Louise.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56Nice to meet you!
0:43:56 > 0:43:58- Hi!- Come in.- Thank you. Do you want me to take my shoes off?
0:43:58 > 0:44:00No, don't worry.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03We are a live wire!
0:44:03 > 0:44:06Oh, we're very excited, aren't we?
0:44:06 > 0:44:08All right, so how are things going?
0:44:08 > 0:44:11He's progressing well on a lot of fronts
0:44:11 > 0:44:13but the main issue is the toilet training.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15The toilet training?
0:44:15 > 0:44:17Yeah, toilet training. You can't relax.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20We've taken him outside and we've been outside playing,
0:44:20 > 0:44:24- you come back in the house and you're on edge because you think he's going to have an accident.- OK.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27Even though we're following the...
0:44:27 > 0:44:30Shhh... Right, he's been barking because it's lunch time, so...
0:44:30 > 0:44:32Rosso? Do you want to come and have some lunch?
0:44:32 > 0:44:34Show me then what you get up to...
0:44:34 > 0:44:39Yes. As soon as he's finished his last mouthful, we go straight outside.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43- And it is that because you're hoping he's going to do a wee or a poo or both?- Both.- OK.
0:44:43 > 0:44:45We'll take him outside and nothing happens.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48Then we're out there maybe 15, 20 minutes, playing,
0:44:48 > 0:44:51we'll come back inside for a few minutes, go outside again,
0:44:51 > 0:44:53doesn't happen.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01Rosso, are you going to do your wee-wee and poo-poo?
0:45:01 > 0:45:03So, when you're out here with him,
0:45:03 > 0:45:07would you normally kind of just let him whizz around, or,
0:45:07 > 0:45:09would you like normally just sit down, or...
0:45:09 > 0:45:11No, I don't sit down with him.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13I'm normally interacting with him,
0:45:13 > 0:45:17so we can be out here for 20 minutes and I'll be doing some commands
0:45:17 > 0:45:20with him and waiting patiently and nothing happens.
0:45:20 > 0:45:23OK, when you say that you're doing commands with him, what do you mean?
0:45:23 > 0:45:25Rosso? Rosso, sit!
0:45:25 > 0:45:27He's not usually already laying down.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29- No, that's fine. - He's worn himself out.
0:45:29 > 0:45:32OK. Because you're sitting nicely, you're laying nicely, that's OK.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36Rosso, stand! Rosso, stand!
0:45:36 > 0:45:38Rosso, come! Rosso, come!
0:45:38 > 0:45:42Rosso, lay! Rosso, lay!
0:45:42 > 0:45:44Rosso, are you going to sit? Rosso, sit!
0:45:44 > 0:45:47Are you going to come? Maybe just going to...
0:45:47 > 0:45:50OK, Rosso, come over here. OK.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54We'll throw a piece to the side and then wait for him to come back
0:45:54 > 0:45:57and see whether he sits in readiness for the next command.
0:46:01 > 0:46:03Rosso, come!
0:46:06 > 0:46:07Rosso, come!
0:46:09 > 0:46:12Rosso, come!
0:46:12 > 0:46:15I've got some other treats I can try if you like.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18Thank you, Juliet. Well, I've seen... I think I've seen enough.
0:46:18 > 0:46:23- What he's not doing is associating coming out here with going to the toilet.- Yeah.
0:46:23 > 0:46:26What I would like you to think about is you're just going to come out and
0:46:26 > 0:46:30- sit somewhere.- Yeah.- And I want you to essentially just ignore him.
0:46:30 > 0:46:36- OK.- I want him to basically start to make his own entertainment because I want him to walk around.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39That movement is going to be the thing that gets him to go to the toilet,
0:46:39 > 0:46:41whereas if you start doing commands and stuff with him,
0:46:41 > 0:46:44- you're going to bring his attention back to you.- Yeah.
0:46:44 > 0:46:48From now on, Juliet should only interact with Rosso
0:46:48 > 0:46:52and reward him with treats after he's done his business.
0:46:52 > 0:46:59What will start to happen is that every time he gets rewarded for going outside, it's a good thing.
0:46:59 > 0:47:06Dogs are drawn to the scent of their own urine and are hard-wired to go in spots where they've gone before.
0:47:06 > 0:47:10The more he does it out here, the more likely he is to do it out here.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12Once he's done it, it will start to become a habit,
0:47:12 > 0:47:15rather than going inside is becoming the habit.
0:47:15 > 0:47:21Ooh! Ooh! Well done! Well done, Rosso!
0:47:21 > 0:47:23Well done!
0:47:23 > 0:47:25- That was great!- Good boy!
0:47:25 > 0:47:27- Amazing.- Wow.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29Well done, Rosso.
0:47:29 > 0:47:33There's one more thing Louise wants to pick up on.
0:47:33 > 0:47:35There was an instance over there where you gave him a treat...
0:47:35 > 0:47:38- Yes.- ..but then you just threw a handful of those same treats on the floor.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41I know! I know, I sort of just thought, oh, he's sitting nicely,
0:47:41 > 0:47:43I'll give him a treat, but, yes.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46But that's where, like, look at him and be like, good boy, well done!
0:47:46 > 0:47:48Let him know that he's doing the right thing.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51But without feeling the need to give him an actual treat.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54- Yeah.- No, I was aware myself that I think I'm giving too many treats.
0:47:59 > 0:48:04In Preston, Hunter is now five months old and well on his way
0:48:04 > 0:48:06to developing the muscular physique
0:48:06 > 0:48:10that makes the Labrador one of the most lithe and athletic breeds.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13Hunter! Hey!
0:48:13 > 0:48:17But he still has the energy and temperament of a puppy.
0:48:17 > 0:48:21Hunter! Come here!
0:48:21 > 0:48:23Come here!
0:48:23 > 0:48:25Sit! Sit!
0:48:25 > 0:48:27Sit, sit, sit!
0:48:27 > 0:48:29- Good boy.- Good boy.
0:48:29 > 0:48:34So Emma and son Harry are trying to teach him how to be calm for Alfie.
0:48:34 > 0:48:38I want to try and train him so he can learn to come over to Alfie.
0:48:39 > 0:48:40Hunter!
0:48:40 > 0:48:43Come here! Hunter!
0:48:43 > 0:48:44Come here!
0:48:46 > 0:48:49Hunter! Come on, come on.
0:48:51 > 0:48:53Practice makes perfect.
0:48:55 > 0:48:57Come on. Good boy.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00Good boy.
0:49:00 > 0:49:04Hunter, no, sit down.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07He's already sensing when Alfie is upset.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10So, hopefully, in the future,
0:49:10 > 0:49:14he will do it without me having to give him the command to go and do it.
0:49:15 > 0:49:17Good boy. What did he do?
0:49:17 > 0:49:20Did he come to you, Alfie?
0:49:20 > 0:49:24I honestly do believe that Hunter is having a positive effect on Alfie.
0:49:24 > 0:49:25Good boy, well done!
0:49:25 > 0:49:29- Well done.- There's also been a surprise development.
0:49:29 > 0:49:31Along with his day job,
0:49:31 > 0:49:35Hunter's been working his magic on Alfie's twin brother, Arthur.
0:49:35 > 0:49:40Arthur has Down's syndrome, too, and up till now has struggled to learn to walk.
0:49:41 > 0:49:45Arthur's become more mobile since Hunter's been in the house.
0:49:45 > 0:49:50For him not to be walking at four was quite frightening,
0:49:50 > 0:49:52something that we've been battling for years.
0:49:52 > 0:49:53Go on, then, get it!
0:49:55 > 0:49:57Go on!
0:49:59 > 0:50:00Look at that!
0:50:00 > 0:50:02He's walking on his own!
0:50:02 > 0:50:04Like, on his own!
0:50:04 > 0:50:05How ace is that?
0:50:05 > 0:50:07Arthur! Arthur!
0:50:07 > 0:50:09Oh, he's come to give you...
0:50:09 > 0:50:11Oh!
0:50:13 > 0:50:17For him to stand up and walk, it was like a huge achievement.
0:50:17 > 0:50:21Hand on heart, I do believe that Hunter has actually helped him succeed in that.
0:50:21 > 0:50:22Yay!
0:50:22 > 0:50:25We're the champion!
0:50:25 > 0:50:27With so many needs to consider,
0:50:27 > 0:50:31getting a puppy was a difficult decision for Emma.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33But it's beginning to pay off.
0:50:33 > 0:50:34We all love him to bits.
0:50:34 > 0:50:36Don't we, hey?
0:50:36 > 0:50:37There's Hunter.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41He's loved so much.
0:50:41 > 0:50:47We are very proud of him because he is doing exactly what we've asked him to do.
0:50:52 > 0:50:53Erm, bacon cranberry?
0:50:53 > 0:50:55- Yes, please.- There you go, madam.
0:50:55 > 0:50:59In Lincolnshire, it's Alex and Pete that need to prove themselves,
0:50:59 > 0:51:03ensuring rescue pup Pippa has the new life she deserves.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06Chef Pete has been getting creative with his restaurant leftovers...
0:51:08 > 0:51:10..to provide Pippa with a healthy diet.
0:51:12 > 0:51:16Mushy peas would be good, a bit of haddock, take the batter off it, like.
0:51:16 > 0:51:18She's definitely going to be well-fed, yeah,
0:51:18 > 0:51:20she's going to be one of the best-fed dogs in town.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23And he's even going to the trouble of cooking the offcuts.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26Yeah, I'm just taking the salmon out of the oven,
0:51:26 > 0:51:29so these are just all, like, the trimmings and stuff like that.
0:51:29 > 0:51:30These would normally just go to waste.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44Hello! Hello.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49Right, Pippa, on the menu tonight, we've got poached salmon,
0:51:49 > 0:51:54broccoli stem, a little bit of cabbage,
0:51:54 > 0:51:57all with a mere hint of steak-and-ale pie.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00Very nice. A bit jealous myself, to be honest!
0:52:00 > 0:52:02There you go, pup.
0:52:02 > 0:52:06Pippa's new gourmet diet is a big hit.
0:52:06 > 0:52:10All growing puppies need nutritionally balanced meals.
0:52:10 > 0:52:14But it can also be a great way to tackle behaviour problems,
0:52:14 > 0:52:17like Pippa's excessive chewing.
0:52:17 > 0:52:23Avoiding additives while providing the right nutrients stabilises blood sugar and serotonin levels,
0:52:23 > 0:52:27leading to a calmer and more content dog.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29All good, Pip?
0:52:31 > 0:52:32Michelin star-worthy?
0:52:32 > 0:52:34Would you say?
0:52:37 > 0:52:38Up you get!
0:52:38 > 0:52:40Up!
0:52:40 > 0:52:42Now Pippa's happier,
0:52:42 > 0:52:45her destructive chewing habits have given way to more fun activities.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49Good girl!
0:52:49 > 0:52:50She's proper learnt.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52Good girl!
0:52:52 > 0:52:53Ding, give me a treat!
0:52:54 > 0:52:57Can we imagine life without Pippa?
0:52:57 > 0:53:01- I wouldn't want to. - Neither would I, actually.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05- No, definitely not.- As annoying as you are, I wouldn't want to.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08She's not annoying. You're annoying, actually.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11- You're more annoying than she is. - Oh, my God!
0:53:11 > 0:53:15After spending the first seven months of her life moving from home to home,
0:53:15 > 0:53:20Pippa's search for a permanent family is finally at an end.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23With her coming from a rescue, I think you can have more...
0:53:23 > 0:53:25Pride in the fact that we've...
0:53:25 > 0:53:26Rescued her.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29- Come on! You got yourself in... - Come on, good girl!
0:53:29 > 0:53:31Good girl!
0:53:31 > 0:53:35I think we've done a lot in the sense of learning about Pippa
0:53:35 > 0:53:38and we've took a lot of time to understand, like, what she likes,
0:53:38 > 0:53:41what she doesn't like.
0:53:41 > 0:53:42Come on, then!
0:53:42 > 0:53:44We're taking her out a lot, she's got a lot of attention,
0:53:44 > 0:53:48she's got lots of toys to choose from, whereas, if she didn't have anything and she wasn't going out
0:53:48 > 0:53:51as much and she was getting bored, then that's probably when the chewing was going to start.
0:53:51 > 0:53:55So, I think, for ourselves, that's something that we're quite proud of.
0:53:56 > 0:53:59Would we class her as part of the family?
0:53:59 > 0:54:00Yeah.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Definitely.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07She's been a massive part of making the house feel like a home.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14Rosso, are you going to come? Yeah?
0:54:14 > 0:54:18At pampered pooch central, things are also looking up.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20Oh, good save.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23The toilet training's going really well, actually.
0:54:23 > 0:54:25We're hardly having any accidents at all at home.
0:54:25 > 0:54:27When we go in the garden,
0:54:27 > 0:54:33I took on board exactly what Louise said about not using that time for training.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36If it takes half an hour, you know, as we've saw,
0:54:36 > 0:54:39when Louise was here, it takes half an hour, you've just got to watch and wait.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45These days, treats for Rosso have been replaced with patience.
0:54:45 > 0:54:47I haven't played this for so long.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50And it's the family who get the rewards.
0:54:50 > 0:54:52Good boy, Rosso!
0:54:52 > 0:54:54Hallelujah!
0:54:54 > 0:54:57Everyone in the world, Rosso's done a poo here.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00- Can I clear it up? - Can you clear it up?
0:55:00 > 0:55:02Did I hear you correctly?
0:55:02 > 0:55:03Are you feeling OK?
0:55:03 > 0:55:05- Yeah.- Are you sure?
0:55:05 > 0:55:08- Can I get a new...- Are you feeling quite... Ah! Did you hear that?
0:55:08 > 0:55:11"Can I clear it up? Can I get a new ball?"
0:55:11 > 0:55:13In the same sentence.
0:55:13 > 0:55:14Lovely, thank you.
0:55:17 > 0:55:21Since Rosso first arrived as a companion for only child Rio,
0:55:21 > 0:55:24the pair have become firm friends.
0:55:24 > 0:55:28Cos he's my best friend and he's very cute,
0:55:28 > 0:55:31he looks like a teddy bear, seriously.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34I'm not joking, he does.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37And he's amazing to be with.
0:55:37 > 0:55:40He's basically like a fluff ball of fun,
0:55:40 > 0:55:43he's all we ever dreamed of in a puppy.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52We've spent six months in the lives of our ten puppies...
0:55:54 > 0:55:57..documenting all their highs and lows
0:55:57 > 0:56:03as they transformed from nervous fledglings into bold young teens,
0:56:03 > 0:56:05ready to take on the world.
0:56:05 > 0:56:09Although our pups still have a little room to grow,
0:56:09 > 0:56:11their brains are now adult-sized
0:56:11 > 0:56:15and their unique personalities are flourishing.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20And for our families,
0:56:20 > 0:56:23the roller-coaster ride has continued since our cameras left.
0:56:23 > 0:56:27You're digging another hole.
0:56:27 > 0:56:31In Hampshire, the battle of Clare versus Lola continues.
0:56:31 > 0:56:34Let's just see how my voice of authority works.
0:56:34 > 0:56:36Lola! Come on! Come on!
0:56:36 > 0:56:40I'm walking away. Walking away...
0:56:40 > 0:56:42No, it's not working.
0:56:42 > 0:56:44How are you doing over there, Butch?
0:56:44 > 0:56:48Online sensation Butch Cassidy is about to hit a milestone.
0:56:48 > 0:56:505,000 followers.
0:56:50 > 0:56:55He's slightly obsessed, he doesn't get out of bed for less than 400 likes.
0:56:55 > 0:56:58Well, at least we know fame won't go to his head.
0:56:58 > 0:57:00Isn't that right, Butchie?
0:57:00 > 0:57:01Butchie?
0:57:03 > 0:57:04Up in the Highlands,
0:57:04 > 0:57:08Jura's Search and Rescue training continues apace.
0:57:08 > 0:57:11Just another day at the office for Jura pup.
0:57:11 > 0:57:14She's not scared of helicopters, at least!
0:57:14 > 0:57:18And in the East London nail salon, for the first time,
0:57:18 > 0:57:21there are now three dogs to welcome passers-by.
0:57:22 > 0:57:26YAPPING
0:57:29 > 0:57:33Our owners embarked on an extraordinary journey
0:57:33 > 0:57:37when they welcomed home their newest family members.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40But none of them regret it.
0:57:40 > 0:57:45I would never have thought that a dog could become a family member.
0:57:45 > 0:57:48But actually, he is.
0:57:48 > 0:57:52- He is!- No amount of research could prepare you for having a puppy,
0:57:52 > 0:57:54if you haven't had one before.
0:57:54 > 0:57:56But we're growing to love each other.
0:57:56 > 0:58:00I was a bit taken aback by how much I love him.
0:58:02 > 0:58:05It's very genuine, unconditional love.
0:58:05 > 0:58:08You can tell they mean it.
0:58:08 > 0:58:10I knew it was going to be good, but for me,
0:58:10 > 0:58:13it's been so much better than I hoped it would be.
0:58:15 > 0:58:18As for Juliet and Rosso in Hertfordshire,
0:58:18 > 0:58:21one final thing hasn't gone unnoticed.
0:58:21 > 0:58:22So, there's a hashtag, #dogalike,
0:58:22 > 0:58:25and people have actually stopped me in the street and said,
0:58:25 > 0:58:27"Do you know that you look like your dog?"
0:58:27 > 0:58:29Yeah, that's me without hair product!