Anti Rhino-Poaching Dogs, South Africa Don't Blame the Dog

Our 15,000-year-old partnership with man's best friend is breaking down.

This programme contains some strong language.

No! Ah, no!

Sit!

Britain has more badly behaved dogs than ever before.

No, go away! Go!

Dog bites alone have tripled in the last seven years.

Chica, come here. Come here!

But don't blame the dogs...

because experts agree their owners are to blame.

I let him get away with most things. Just because he's so cute.

Chica, oi!

BUS HONKS HORN

In this series, 12 out-of-control dog owners...

He does not listen to a word that I say. It's just a nightmare.

..who have reached breaking point...

Emotionally, it just totally and utterly

drains every bit of life out of you.

..are leaving their dogs behind...

-I didn't even know stuff like that existed.

-Wow.

..to fly across the globe

to meet the toughest working dog professionals.

You are going to be the pack leader, you are going to be the dog's boss.

They'll live and work alongside dogs...

It stinks in here.

..that herd...

Spice! To me!

..race...

Don't ever, ever let that go. Those are my dogs.

-..act...

-Hold it.

-..and track.

-Come on!

Good boy!

Have they got what it takes to master these dogs...

It's the most terrifying thing I've ever done.

-Look out, look out!

-SHE SCREAMS

..and their own lives?

Because it's not just their dogs that need to change.

# Na na na na na na na na

# Na na na na na na

# Na na A diva is a female version... #

22-year-old Yorkshire lass, Holly Taylor, loves her dog. A lot!

# A diva is a female version of a hustler... #

I got Suki from a friend of a friend.

I had three cats before, but I've always kind of wanted a dog,

so once the cats died, then I got a dog.

One-year-old Suki is a Jack Russell/ Pug cross known as a Jug.

Suki Sue. That's her nickname, that I made up myself.

Yay!

But Holly treats this toy dog more like a person

with a blinging wardrobe...

You look pretty.

..non-stop sweets

and what every dog needs -

a trip to the beauty parlour?

Oh, fantastic. See, she don't mind at all, she loves it.

We're going to pop some diamante on Suki's nails, make 'em all sparkly.

-Do you feel special?

-An absolute diva.

Because of all the attention,

Princess Suki Sue just doesn't know her place,

and Holly's mum, Lisa, isn't happy.

We've had to rip the carpet up.

She chewed all of it and ate it, and made herself really sick.

The bedroom, ruined. The bed, done for.

I daren't bring anybody round, it's so embarrassing.

And it's not just the furniture Suki sinks her teeth into.

That is naughty. Naughty!

Suki's definitely the top dog.

Now, when you get on the bed, no biting!

Suki!

That's classic Suki, tantrums.

She might love her dog to bits,

but she barely lifts a manicured finger to take care of her.

I walk the dog, feed the dog, groom the dog,

pick up the poopies in the garden, absolutely everything.

In fact, there are two princesses around here.

She doesn't contribute to the household, she doesn't clean,

she doesn't wash her own clothing, she doesn't do anything,

and it's about time she stood on her own two feet.

I'm scared of what you're going to do next, Suki.

Although Suki is guilty of some nasty nips,

200 miles away in urban East London, there's a six-month-old pup

whose bite could well be worse than her bark.

# I need dollar, dollar... #

I got Chica as a puppy. She's a Staffy.

She's owned by cocky 22-year-old student, Mikki Elson.

Some people say she's got a similar personality to me,

trying to cause a bit of trouble.

Yeah, she loves to follow girls around as well.

I suppose it's a quick excuse to chat to them, isn't it?

Chica's a cross-Staffy,

a dog whose owners feel will gain them respect on the street.

Basically live in London, this is East 6, East Ham.

It's a place where there's like a gang on every street corner.

Mikki has seen his share of trouble.

I've been bitten by a guy, I've had knives put to me,

I got robbed in my car with a gun.

Mikki thinks bite-training his pup

is the answer to his protection worries.

I need to teach her to stop, obviously, as well. Stop!

He's not bothered about the basic training every dog needs.

-He went on the track?

-Yeah.

-Serious! Crazy dog.

And he doesn't use a lead and collar.

Owning a potentially dangerous dog has added

to the list of worries for Mikki's parents.

Even my dad said, like, "Look at you with your tattoos

"and your dog, your car - you're an idiot."

He is image-conscious, and yes, she's blended in with his look now.

Right now, this six-month-old pup still has her baby teeth,

but as she grows, she could become a danger to others.

She's crazy, isn't she?

She's out of control, she could bite somebody.

Mikki needs to take control of her

while she's young to make sure that that doesn't happen.

Chica! Oi!

Chica, man.

Trouble maker.

There are many schools of thought about how best to control dogs,

but experts agree the majority of problems are caused by the owner,

not the dog,

and it's the owner that needs changing first.

So Holly and Mikki will be leaving their dogs at home

and jetting off to the other side of the globe.

They'll spend a week with the world's best working dogs.

I don't know whether it'll be hot or cold.

Will fixing themselves help fix the canine crisis at home?

Meet Henry Holsthyzen, one of the most successful security dog trainers in South Africa,

and the man to take on the Brits.

Don't move!

-That's it, that's it.

-After serving in the police...

Good boy!

..he now runs Canine Security Solutions,

training dogs for military and protection purposes.

These are some of the world's most dangerous attack dogs,

and Henry has them eating out of the palm of his hand.

But some may think his theories are a bit old school.

Dogs are pack animals, OK, like wolves.

In nature, there's order.

You are going to be the pack leader,

you are going to be the dog's boss, OK?

This guy's not just dog squad - he's God squad.

I believe that everyone in life, according to the Bible,

have been given gifts. I can't sing,

but I think the Lord has given me a gift to deal with animals.

Just stay on until I call you.

Henry uses his gift in the battle to protect

South Africa's endangered rhinos from illegal poaching.

A rhino horn sells for hundreds of thousands of pounds

in the Far East, where it's used in traditional medicines.

Poachers hacked off this rhino's horn with a chainsaw

and left it to bleed to death.

Last year, one rhino a day suffered a similar fate.

These guys are armed with AK-47s, 303 shotguns -

it's a full-out war that is raging out there in the bush.

Henry's team track down the bad guys

armed not with guns, but specially trained anti-poaching dogs,

the Belgian Malinois.

There's nothing they can't do.

They can track, bite, do narcotics, explosive detection, de-mining,

you name it - search and rescue.

A type of shepherd dog, it can track faster than a bloodhound,

doesn't get distracted by wild animals

and, when needed, can bring down bandits.

SHOUTING

No, this is for my sister, not you.

Struggling UK dog owners, Mikki and Holly,

will be travelling to South Africa, where Henry wants to train them

to join his elite anti-poaching team.

They are going to be in an environment

that is totally out of their depth.

Hopefully, there will be electricity.

They are going to have to watch for rhino, lion...

Are you excited for Mummy?

..elephant, buffalo around any corner.

Looks very excited, look at her face.

I just can't imagine her roughing it in a tent

without her hair straighteners on tap and six inches of make-up.

Have a wonderful time.

Be good!

-Hello, is it Mikey?

-Mikki.

-Mikki.

-What's your name?

-Holly.

-Ah, how's it going, you all right?

-Yes, I'm all right, how are you?

-I'm sick.

After a 10-hour flight through the night to Johannesburg,

they hit the road heading north to Pretoria.

It's too exciting, it's too hot. I want to go play.

I don't know, man, just got adrenaline pumping, I'm ready.

It's a lot of green, it's like being in Yorkshire.

It's just like being at home.

Their destination is the canine dog breeding and training facility.

They look like wild dogs. Don't like them.

Waiting for them is Henry,

his team of expert handlers

and over 80 elite dogs.

Can I ask you to please remove that? Thank you.

OK, my name is Henry Holsthyzen, I'm the owner of this facility.

Here, the training that we're going to do is almost like military style,

and the reason is we're going into dangerous situations.

When I'm talking, look at me.

Rhino poaching is a huge problem.

Just last year, they have killed 333 rhinos for their horns.

These people are extremely dangerous,

armed with AK-47s and big rifles.

I expect you guys to bond with these dogs,

and you have to earn their trust within a few days.

Your job, and if you pass my selection test,

will be to partake in a simulated rhino poaching incident.

To get there, it's going to be tough.

This is your dog.

The Brits are each given three dogs to look after.

It's their job to make sure they get food, water,

and their kennels are clean.

Hobo-chic is how I would describe my new look. I look like a bin lady.

To get a sense of their dog-handling skills,

Henry wants to see what the Brits do without any guidance from him.

Go. Away you go. Just hold him back.

Oh! This way.

Come on boy, slow down. Giant! Good boy.

Sit down, Killer.

Mikki wants to be assertive too quickly, too soon.

Killer, sit down.

He's expecting a dog to sit

and to obey his commands with a dog that doesn't know him from soap.

You want to dance, hm?

The Malinois are adept at reading their handler's mood,

vital in dangerous situations,

but a bit of a giveaway when it comes to the Brits' inexperience.

SHE GROANS FRUSTRATEDLY

Holly is much less in control of the dog than Mikki is.

They're strong and they do things like that.

So this is giving me an idea of what I need to do

to ensure that she is the leader of the pack.

Come on, good boy.

The dogs don't understand any language,

be it English or Afrikaans.

They're stronger than they look, really.

What Henry says they understand is tone,

commands given with the right authority -

something Holly struggles with at home with Suki.

Sit. Sit down!

Suki!

Come and sit here.

So, if he jumps up on you,

you pull him down with that leash with force

and tell him, "Foy!"

Hard, firm and in control.

-What's the word?

-Foy.

-Foy, but hard.

-Try it.

-Foy!

Better, more, more assertive. Foy!

I can't... Foy!

No, that sounds happy. Hard.

I don't want to shout at him, cos he's so lovely.

No, that's the problem. If you cannot use your voice correctly,

you will never be able to control your dog.

OK. Off you go.

In Henry's kind of work, a lead is essential,

but at home, Mikki rarely uses one.

Usually when I walk around, I don't have a leash for Chica,

so she follows me about.

Because she's really little, like, I look a bit gay, like if I hold...

if I walk with a leash like, I feel a little bit gay with a tiny dog.

Having a dog should not show anyone who you are.

If you are comfortable with who you are,

you can walk with a Pekinese or a Maltese.

I don't care.

I will walk with a dog that's got frills on with a pink leash.

Why? I know who I am. I don't need a dog to make me macho.

Attitudes like that, those are the guys that end up in trouble.

I'd love to see that guy with a pink lead, that would be hysterical,

and he'd probably look a little bit gay, to be fair.

If I saw him, I'd be like, yeah, that's one of those butch gay guys.

Come on, Killer. Killer, Killer, come here.

Using a nice blue lead

and a more controversial check chain, Mikki takes Killer for a walk.

Check chains are not recommended in Britain,

but Henry thinks they are necessary in his line of work.

-Be careful. Pull her back, sharp.

-Come here.

OK, Mikki, you want to be tough and macho,

I'm going to show you the macho way.

OK, let's give her rope. Come on, Kill.

Come on, Kill. Come.

No!

Before she actually goes for that dog, look at her body language.

-Yeah.

-A strong sharp "no", "good girl", continue.

-OK, continue.

-Come on, girl.

But rather than thinking about how a lead could control his dangerous dog,

Mikki's still thinking about how he'll look on the street.

Most people usually on the streets walk like this,

like tight leash, so it looks like the dog's out of control,

if you know what I mean, so it looks dangerous

-and like they're walking and you can see the dog's like...

-HE SNARLS

I can see that Mikki might end up in trouble.

Killer, come here.

He wants to be a tough guy, the macho gang leader type of thing.

I don't know who I want to look dangerous for.

Just everyone in general, I suppose,

maybe cos I'm terrified of getting stabbed or something.

Killer, come here, boy. Killer! Good boy, good boy.

In just a few days' time, Holly and Mikki

will be travelling deep into the African bush

to work as part of Henry's team in the fight against rhino poaching.

To stand a chance of tracking down poachers,

they're meant to spend time bonding with their dogs 24/7.

-Hello.

-Welcome to the dog world.

-Mm-hm.

So tonight, the storeroom next to the kennels is home.

Something of a shock for Princess Holly.

It's literally like being in Africa,

there's flies flying around, I'm on the floor cooking.

But Mikki is ready for anything.

What else have I got? Vitamins, tablets, condoms.

-What?

-Just in case.

Obviously I'm in Africa, so I don't want to be catching no AIDS.

We've come here with dogs, so what were you expecting to do?

Take the purple-haired girl back or something like that, I don't know.

I don't know what goes in my head - it's some big dream world, isn't it?

Ugh, sick!

Day two in South Africa.

At home, Holly doesn't get involved in cleaning up after Suki,

but here, Henry's military schedule

means the Brits need to have their dogs fed, watered,

and kennels cleaned by 9 o'clock.

Fun times cleaning up shit.

Ah, it's got wee on it. Ugh!

Henry insists the dogs come out of the kennel on a check chain,

but this metal loop is something Holly needs explained every time.

-It's totally in the wrong place, OK.

-I never know how to do it.

Now I know how to clean dog shit. I'm an expert.

Despite Mikki's confidence, after half an hour, the Brits are way behind.

An hour on three kennels is unacceptable. Please hurry up.

However, Mikki IS pulling his weight, unlike Princess Holly.

Holly, I need you to move it.

I want to wear gloves because I'm getting shit on my hands.

-I think Holly's struggling a little bit.

-It's disgusting.

You know what English girls are like - lazy.

After an hour of scooping and scrubbing, Holly's ready to quit.

Rank.

Ugh! Disgusting.

Do you know what? I'm leaving it there, I literally can't be arsed.

Just like at home, she's happy to let other people do her work for her.

Why are you helping Holly?

Come out of that kennel - it's her responsibility.

By 9 o'clock, something's got to give.

Holly, make a decision -

either clean kennel or your dog does not get food.

It won't get done in two minutes.

Well, you've got one minute and then you need to stop.

So Holly decides not to give one of her dogs any food or water.

OK, obviously you can see I'm not happy.

Cleaning three kennels took you an hour and 15 minutes.

I gave you an option, Holly -

either you clean your dog's kennel or he gets food and water.

You decided that you'd rather clean the kennel for that last minute.

Oh, I thought you meant clean the dog's kennel

and it gets food or water.

No. OK, I presume you are here because you love dogs, am I right?

-I love MY dog.

-So you don't like, like these dogs?

I'm sad that she didn't get her food, but I don't...

I'm not, like, stressing over it.

If you're not stressed about the dog that's not been fed

or not getting water, then you've got no place being here.

Do you understand me? Look me in the eye when I'm talking to you.

If you ever take that attitude of not caring for my animals,

I will chase you off my property and I will not allow you in here again, is that clear?

-Yep.

-Holly's barely got started and she could be on her way home.

I won't employ someone like that, I won't train someone like that,

and she's here because she says she wanted to be here,

and if she doesn't do the job, then there's no need for her to be here.

I'm over it.

He was just being a bit much, really.

I mean, it wasn't like I was standing around doing nothing -

I was cleaning them as fast as I could.

I would like to go home, but I've got a good few days left yet.

Henry has decided to give Holly a second chance.

The reason I am hard on people is not because I'm just difficult.

These dogs are my life, they're like my children.

If you were one of my employees, you would have been fired.

The more effort you put in, the more you're going to get out.

There comes a time where help is needed,

and a time where you have to... do things on your own.

But it's not just Holly Henry's concerned about.

Next, the Brits will be bite training,

vital in Henry's work to catch poachers.

But if Mikki's not careful,

his cocky confidence could land him in trouble.

Excitement's a good thing, but being too excited, over-confident,

can lead to serious injury.

Back home, Mikki wants an aggressive dog,

and reckons it's cool to bite-train his puppy.

I need to teach her to stop, obviously, as well.

That's the harder thing.

I can get her to do it, but getting her to stop's a different story.

Guys, we're going to do some serious bite work now,

-where he's actually going to release the dog.

-Oh!

-OK, the dog is going to go for Hank in the full bite suit.

-Oh!

So, just stand still. Don't run, please.

The last thing you want to do is run.

He already took me to the side and had a word with me.

He was like, "This is very dangerous, basically,

"blah blah blah, so watch yourself, don't be an idiot."

Am I not sensible?

Neo is a highly trained four-year-old German Shepherd.

-Yeah!

-The man in the suit is Hank, one of Henry's dog handlers.

What about Hank's head?

Well, that's his problem. Let's go!

This should only be attempted by professionals.

The bite force of this dog is enough to break a man's arm,

so key to Henry's training,

is getting the dog to respond to the off command.

Take him off!

OK, good boy, good boy.

Henry wants Mikki, in particular, to realise how dangerous it is

to let a dog attack a person.

It may be starting to sink in.

-Hank?

-Are we scared?

-Yes.

-Yep, we're scared.

So guys, here comes the surprise. You're going to wear the arm.

Are you serious?

The Brits will use a specially designed bite sleeve.

-Do you feel the handle?

-Yep.

As poachers often carry guns, the dog's are trained

to attack the arms of their victim.

It feels heavy and a bit sweaty.

Plus there's blood on it, here, which is scary.

Long as it doesn't go for my legs.

Could do, cos you're quite tall. It might not be able to reach,

-so it might just grab your leg.

-Shut up.

-No, it won't. Hold it.

-Holly's holding a crop...

-Oh!

..not to hit the dog, but to simulate a weapon.

-Closer. Come, come.

-Oh!

BARKING AND SHOUTING

OK, let go, let go, let go.

-Wow.

-But it seems the princess does have some backbone.

-Eh, it was fun. Fun, fun times.

-Put it on.

Now Mikki finds out what it's like

to be on the wrong side of bite training.

If he doesn't get this, he could be coming for my neck, my face.

That dog looks heavy, and I'm only light,

so if I fall over, then...goodbye little Mikki.

Come forward, come forward.

BARKING AND SHOUTING

Come on! Come on! Come on!

Loose!

If this wasn't on, literally, my arm would not be on.

Key to hunting down poachers is controlling the attack dog,

so now the Brits will work as the handler.

I don't like this. It's going to hurt my hands.

Watch him, Killer, watch him.

Despite showing some spirit when it came to being attacked,

Holly can't find the grit to hold onto the dog on her own.

Even when I was with, she relied a lot on me to control him,

and obviously the voice thing is still a problem.

-Good boy.

-Watch him, Killer, watch him, watch him.

That was wicked.

That was too cool!

You leave him!

It was like having some savage dog on a leash,

that's dying to kill something, and you're trying to pull it back.

That's pretty much what it feels like.

Loved it.

Later, Mikki's cocky attitude is still playing on Henry's mind.

Mikki needs to realise that, once we're out in the bush,

it is actually dangerous.

He's never been shot at, he's never been chased by a buffalo or a lion

or an elephant, or anything like that.

And tomorrow, those dangers will become all the more real,

as the Brits will be leaving the safety of the kennels

for the wilds of the bush.

You know, Africa's got a way of opening your eyes.

Africa's not for sissies,

but it's also not for the type of person

that thinks he can be gung-ho, because that will get you killed.

Guys, I want you to be packed and ready to go within 45 minutes.

You are not coming back here.

It's time that you see the bush, and we get serious about this.

The holiday is over.

We don't have to clean out the pooey kennels this morning,

which is the best news I've had for a while.

Mikki, thank you.

Venturing into the African bush is a big deal.

Good girl. That's it.

It's unlike any environment the Brits have encountered,

but this doesn't seem to bother Mikki.

I'm never nervous with Henry around. Look at the size of him.

I swear he's bigger than a buffalo.

He's probably the most dangerous creature out in the bush.

Mikki. I hope that the experience that you will get here with us

will make you come in a boy, but go out a man.

And being a man, taking responsibility,

not just for you, but for other people as well -

that is, in my eyes, what a man is. A man takes responsibility,

he takes charge, and he knows what's right and what's wrong.

After two days in a dog pound in Pretoria...

-Oh, my God!

-..it's now that Holly and Mikki

get an introduction to the real South Africa.

I didn't even know stuff like that existed.

Three hours into the journey, the dogs are given a chance

to stretch their legs.

But when the time comes to get back on the road,

Holly refuses to load the dog into the trailer on her own.

Pick him up.

How the frig am I meant to pick this dog up, seriously?

He's as heavy as fuck, and it's moving about.

Firstly, Holly, listen to me. Firstly, I am your superior.

You do not swear at me.

-I'm not swearing at you, I'm swearing at the situation.

-No, you do not.

If I want to, I'll swear at the situation.

Pick up your dog like I showed you.

I understand what you're saying, it's just hard.

She thinks she isn't physically strong enough,

but this is actually a battle of wills.

What's happening here is that you are losing

more and more control over him.

He has no respect for you, absolutely nothing.

Look at his body language. He doesn't care about you.

He is not your boss, you are his boss.

This is Holly's big weakness.

Some point, you WILL have to take charge of him

and tell him, "You know what? Enough is enough."

And the moment you make that switch in your head, he will know it

and he will respect you, and your problems are at an end.

But it just doesn't seem like Holly's day.

Argh! Please be careful when you're fucking fannying about.

BANGING

It's becoming less enjoyable every day.

As the Brits near their destination, they get their first view

of the vast African bush.

I'm actually gob-smacked.

Whether it's the sun or the emotion, I almost got tears.

Where do you go and search for a poacher that's killing rhinos

in this vastness?

It's almost impossible.

Having a dog in an environment like this gives us the edge.

With all the latest technology you have in the world today,

nothing can do things as good as man's best friend.

It's in this stunning landscape that a fight's going on

to save the endangered South African rhino.

On the black market, a rhino horn is worth £50,000 per kilo.

That's more than gold, diamonds and cocaine.

The poaching crisis is now so severe, wild rhino could be extinct

within a decade.

But all animals are under threat from local poachers

looking for bush meat, using improvised wire snares.

Henry wants to show Holly and Mikki how bad the problem is.

Have a look at this.

I didn't think they'd look like this.

What did you think a snare was?

Like a trap, with like pincers, claw.

-Like a bear trap, big gin trap?

-Yeah.

Holly soon finds out how effective a simple wire loop can be.

-Just try and walk forward.

-Ooh!

Now try and just wiggle, like an animal would.

-It just gets tighter, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

If a big elephant gets caught in this,

he might have the strength to break this,

but this thing is tied around his leg and it remains there.

It's a horrible, horrible death.

Snares are indiscriminate in the animals they catch.

It shows you that rhinos are not just caught for the rhino horn,

they also get caught in these snares.

-So they have it from both sides.

-Mmm.

It seems the harsh realities of poaching are sinking in.

Then, lastly, a lioness.

For the rest of their time in South Africa,

the Brits will be camping in the bush...

-Let's get out.

-..in the middle of a game reserve.

Everyone has to pitch in to get tents up and a fire started.

-Don't watch.

-It's not happening. It's really not happening.

It looks like some Blair Witch shit.

But even now, Holly's counting on others to do her work for her.

Hi, Elmond. How do we do our tent?

Have we done it? Oh.

But, yay!

Feed the dogs and get ready to go.

Tracking lessons begin today,

but this morning, Holly's got other things on her mind.

Say again?

Last night, Kara bit through the zip on my case, and it's come off.

We don't worry about that right now.

We're looking at surviving in the bush,

and that suitcase zipper is the last of my worries.

It might be the last of yours, but it's in my head.

That's pissed me off.

And despite instruction,

Holly still can't manage Henry's basic methods.

That choke chain is on wrong again.

Look how he's choking himself the whole time.

-But I need help, cos I can't do it on my own.

-Why?

How many days have we been working with dogs now?

But I haven't done this before, to change the lead.

I showed you guys how to do it.

You hold him between your legs and you change the choke chain.

I've showed this to you at the kennels.

It's time you start listening and paying attention.

Do you know the difference between left and right?

-Yeah, I'm not stupid.

-OK, but then don't act stupid.

During her week in the bush, Holly takes time out to review with Henry

just how she is with her dog back home.

-OK, are you ready?

-This is fun. OK.

-Let's go.

No!

Nail polish on a dog?!

Isn't that pretty?

How Holly treats her dog is a million miles away

from what Henry preaches in South Africa.

What do you think of what you've been taught this far?

She doesn't get treated like a dog at home -

she's like another person in the household.

-How's that working out for you?

-Not great.

Dogs are not comfortable in that position.

They need to be treated like animals.

The moment you start giving animals human characteristics,

you're entering on dangerous grounds.

Come on. Suki, naughty.

Henry thinks the way Holly treats Suki

means the dog's thoroughly confused about just who is in charge of who.

Suki!

So she shows aggression towards you

the moment you want to correct her.

No respect, basically.

Dogs were not bred to lead the pack of humans. They want a leader.

But taking charge of the dog is only part of the problem.

It says a lot about you as a person.

Can't stand on your own two feet,

let people solve your problems for you.

Every aspect of her life lacks discipline,

including the way she's looking after the dog.

-Do you understand why the dog is an issue?

-Yeah.

If I didn't understand why the dog was an issue, and it WAS me,

then I wouldn't be here. I know it's me.

The door has been opened.

You've gotten a look at who Holly can be.

The journey actually starts now.

She's had to travel 5,000 miles to understand the problem

she faces at home, but it seems Holly now realises

it's time to take control.

I've now realised that it's going to take me to change,

in order for Suki to change,

in order for the whole environment where she lives,

and where I'm living, to change and become better.

In two days' time, Henry plans

to test Mikki and Holly's dog-handling skills.

They'll have to track down poachers in a training exercise.

Good girl, Kara.

Tracking is not easy.

The idea is for you to start recognising the body language

of the dog, once he is in scent.

When tracking, the dogs wear a special harness.

When this goes on, they know it's time to work.

-Holly, look carefully how he does it. Next time, it's your turn.

-Yep.

When the dog is on the scent, its nose is to the ground,

and it pulls forward purposefully.

Good boy.

When it loses it, the head comes up, and it begins looking around.

That's when the handler needs to lead the dog back to the last point

where they were sure the animal had the scent.

He's doing quite well, I think. He's following something.

For Holly, the short track was an education.

I could see then his body language change when he picked up a scent -

he became more alert, his ears sort of stood up

and his tail sort of flicked round.

Should be OK when I have to do it myself, hopefully, fingers crossed.

Mikki is following Hank and Kara.

That's a good boy! She's gone, she's gone!

And despite years of experience, the pair have some problems.

The camera crew have left their scent all over the place,

confusing the dog, a situation Mikki finds quite funny.

I could do a better job than my guy here.

I think she's found the camp site.

Hank perseveres and eventually finds the target.

That's a good girl!

But it's not a great start for Mikki.

The next day, the Brits are in control of the tracking,

and it's their first chance to show how much they've learned.

In this environment,

there's a big chance they'll run into a wild animal.

Guys, safety rules.

Any predators - lions, leopards, hyena,

any one of those - when you see them, please don't run.

Mikki, this is what we've been training for,

all that hard work at the kennels,

walking with the dog, reading the dog's body language,

building that bond, it's now being put to the test.

That's it. Suke, suke.

Suke, suke, foy, suke, suke.

Till now, Mikki's cocky attitude hasn't got him in too much trouble.

That's it, follow.

But tracking scent in the African bush is no joke.

Suke, suke, foy.

Good girl. Suke, foy.

Mikki confidently races off into the bush.

But minutes later, Kara has lost the scent.

Her head is up and she's ambling along, but Mikki's failed to notice.

Suke, suke.

He's now heading in completely the wrong direction.

The whole idea was that it was a short track.

and the fact he allowed them to continue so far

without recognising that they'd lost the track somewhere here

is a bit of a problem.

Suke, suke.

Mikki should backtrack to pick up the scent.

Suke, suke, foy, Kara.

Suke, suke.

But he is continuing deeper and deeper into the bush.

There is a kudu coming out of the bush,

so we know they're not there.

By now, Henry's getting concerned

and sends the game ranger in search of Mikki.

'It's also dangerous how quickly people can get lost.'

Once you're in this thicket,

one wrong turn, lose eye contact, and they're lost.

Hi, there.

-How's it going?

-He said we must head back to the open field. Open field.

Mikki has failed the task.

Mikki needs to now understand that he's the problem and not the dog.

The communications between the two of them are not good.

They like each other, but she's not listening to him.

No, bring her back.

Sad, upset,

I've got no smile on my face at the moment.

This way.

Next, Holly and Giant prepare to strike out into the bush.

Good boy.

I'm a bit worried as to what might happen. Mikki's didn't go too well,

so you just have to make sure that you're always watching the dog

and sort of looking at its body language.

Suke, suke, suke, suke, suke!

She pays close attention to her dog.

Good boy.

Good boy, Giant.

Suke, suke, suke, suke, suke, suke!

Good boy, good boy.

And it leads her straight to the goal.

Ah, there we are!

Good boy! Good boy, Giant!

I didn't even see that.

-But did you see him?

-Yeah, I saw him, but I couldn't see them.

That's the whole point of having a dog in the bush.

He can see and smell what you can't.

That was good. Praise him a lot.

Mikki's failure has really wiped the smile off his face.

OK, let's leave it, guys.

HE SPEAKS AFRIKAANS

No, not pissed off, just a bit depressed.

I'm one of those people, if it's not done instantly, perfectly,

I get stressed.

This tracking test provided Henry with a real insight into Mikki.

Now he wants to find out more about his life

and how he handles his dog back home.

'She is quite annoying, basically. Yeah, she's quite bad with roads,

-'she doesn't really understand cars.'

-HORN BLARES

'Had a few skidding cars, I've jumped in the road to get her.'

The fact Mikki lets Chica run wild leaves Henry stunned.

The first thing you need to do when you get home is get the equipment,

get your leash and start with decent obedience.

Yeah, it is pretty crazy the way I treat her, now looking back at this,

cos obviously, as you say, the love is there,

but there is no responsibility

if she's running off and I'm like, "Oh, she's mad, she's crazy,"

because she does, but it's supposed to be me who stops her doing that.

And the news that Mikki's bite-training his cross Staffy

sets alarm bells ringing.

You can never continue with bite work.

What you are doing is, you're in control of a runaway train.

Somewhere, someone is going to get hurt

and that is not just dangerous, it's stupid.

99% of the time, it's a handler or the owner problem

and not a dog problem.

When she bites someone because you taught her to bite someone,

-she's going to be put down.

-Hmm?

Mikki thinks the bite power of Staffies

earns him respect on the street,

a large part of why he chose this breed.

'He is image conscious,'

and yes, she's sort of blended in with his look now.

And Mikki's lifestyle has already got him into trouble.

I've been bitten by a guy,

'I've had knives put to me,

'I got robbed in my... a car with a gun.'

Bad stuff happens in my area.

Gangs, people looking to do stuff to you, come in your house...

Yeah. So it is kind of crazy, you do need that protection.

Taking responsibility, changing problems that occurred in the past,

it takes guts, it takes backbone,

it takes a man.

Your life now needs to change direction.

If not, you're on a collision course

and only you have the power to stop it.

It can end up destroying your life.

Keen to make the most of Mikki's wake-up call,

Henry wants him to take time out from camp.

'When I first got Chica, I had a crossroads

'and I chose the wrong decision, basically.'

There's a lot of crossroads in my life.

I might've chose the wrong decision,

heading in areas I shouldn't have gone.

He walks to a nearby village

and is shocked by what he sees.

I mean, there's a lot of poverty here.

Crazy. I never thought I'd ever come to a place like this.

Henry's arranged for Mikki to meet two former poachers

who've recently made big changes in their lives.

Thebogo and Themba didn't shoot rhinos

but used snares to catch smaller animals

for the illegal bush meat market.

What kind of age are most of the poachers?

Although Themba was never caught, Thebogo was.

Serious?

It wasn't jail that changed these guys

but concern for their community's future.

Thanks very much for chatting to me.

Amazing, you've taught me a lot, taught me a lot. Relax, man.

That evening, it seems Mikki's trip to the village has had a big impact.

Pretty much, I'm kind of speechless, really.

I'm still thinking about it all. It's all soaking in.

One of the most amazing things I've seen in my life,

the contrast from where I've come from, where I've grown up,

hearing their backgrounds, just seeing the village, people's lives,

it's just eye-opening, it's amazing.

Tomorrow, the Brits' new dog-handling skills

will be put to the test in an anti-poaching operation,

in which Holly and Mikki will be on their own.

I know the dogs can do the job

and I want them to know that it's on them, only on them,

to make a success of this.

It's the final day.

And it seems something's clicked in the Brits.

The morning routine of life in the bush,

and taking care of the dogs, runs like clockwork.

Definitely seen an improvement in myself, in the way

I can cope with the dogs and getting them in and out of the trailer.

It's got more and more easier now,

it's just like I've been doing it years.

As the Brits get ready for their anti-poaching test...

Just stay on until I call you here.

..evidence of the very real threat rhinos face

has been discovered a few kilometres away.

A rhino has escaped from the game reserve.

Rangers are using a helicopter to herd it back.

They've sedated it with a tranquilising dart.

Now they need to manhandle the two-and-a-half-tonne animal

back onto the property.

Poachers have been reported in the area.

And today Holly and Mikki will be out in the bush,

on their own.

There has been a poaching incident.

We could be walking into a situation with people with knives, guns -

it's definitely a dangerous situation.

On the banks of a nearby lake, members of Henry's security squad

-take on the role of poachers on the run.

-Are you excited?

This is a big step up from the training scenarios.

-Whoa, whoa, whoa.

-Wait here.

The complications of a carcass nearby and a body of water,

not to mention a complex trail laid over 4km,

will test the Brits to the max.

Mikki, I'm looking for that on switch,

that serious face, that game face.

It's not a joke any more, it's serious times.

Yeah, it's time to go, it's ready.

Holly, the same applies to you.

I need you to go out there

and prove to everyone who Holly is.

I don't want them to fail me,

but more than that,

I don't want them to fail themselves.

It's go time.

Come on then, boy. Come on then, boy.

Killer, suke.

Suke, suke.

Suke, suke.

But finding a trail at a crime scene...

Suke, suke.

..even a simulated one,

is more complicated

than following the trails they've been training with.

Hmm, could maybe go back to the scent. I think he's lost it already.

Just go back.

Suke! Good boy.

Mikki's got a clear read on Killer's body language.

Killer, suke.

And they're the first to pick up one of the scent trails.

Good boy, Killer, good boy.

Good boy, Killer, good boy.

Good boy, Killer, good boy.

Paying close attention to the dog's behaviour,

they stay on target, and after ten minutes,

Mikki's covered the best part of a kilometre.

-Ooh!

-Meanwhile, Holly's still at the lake.

Oh, my God!

Why's he going over there?

It's a nightmare.

Holly needs to open her eyes. She's as blind as a bat.

The dog is taking her for a walk, he's not searching,

and she's not taking charge of that animal.

I knew it.

I knew this would happen.

Good boy, good boy.

Mikki's switch in attitude is getting the job done.

Suke.

Killer, suke.

Come on, boy. Suke, suke, suke.

Suke.

For some reason, Holly's dog

continues to take her back to the lake,

again...and again.

Oh, oh, oh.

I don't know whether I'm meant to go over here.

This is exactly where he comes every single time.

Good boy, that's it, Killer.

Hiding in the bush, the poachers know, if the Brits do their job right,

it's only a matter of time before they're found.

And Mikki and Killer are getting close.

Ah, good boy. Good boy, Killer.

Safe, Henry, we got the poachers, they've been arrested.

Success at last. I knew he could do it.

What's going on?

Holly, however, is still at the lake.

Good boy, Giant.

Good boy.

But the Yorkshire lass is showing some Northern grit

and just won't give up.

Back we go!

Finally she gets Giant under control

and gets a read on his body language.

Good boy.

Good boy, Giant.

As the light fades, she ploughs on through thorns and scrub.

Good boy. Good boy.

Yay!

Ah, that's it, Giant. That was hard.

Well done.

I know it was tough, but I'm very proud of you for not giving up.

The Holly that I met the first day would have given up

the first five minutes.

Although Holly struggled,

today she proved she can stand on her own two feet.

But I'm proud of you for sticking to your guns.

In their short time with Henry, it seems the Brits have learnt

a lot more than just how to handle a dog.

My gut feeling at the start was, "I won't be able to do this.

"How am I going to build the tent? How am I going to make all these things work?"

But I do feel like I sort of have learnt that, you know,

if you really want to do something and you really have to,

then you can do it.

Being here's definitely taught me that you don't always need help

from everybody else,

you don't always need support.

Sometimes you've got to be sort of headstrong and think,

"No, I can do this on my own."

Tell me, do you feel empowered to... to go back home

and make changes to your doggy?

I think I'll make changes to my whole life, to be fair,

not just with the dog.

When I walked down that street in the village, I felt so selfish,

like such a prick.

It was good to see that, with what our lives and experience,

where I am in the world and what's going on.

'Obviously it was, it was a dog thing,'

we came here to learn about dogs, but I've learned more about myself,

more about other people and a lot about the world, to be honest.

You've made all those first steps, you are there.

In my eyes, you're a man.

I think you still need to prove to yourself that you're a man

once you get back home.

Not for what I have, what I walk down the street with,

or what car I drive, but what's inside of me.

Oh, my dear. SHE LAUGHS

Big guy.

Oh, I'm so sad now.

And I want to see you become that leader that I know you can become.

Believe in yourself.

-Thank you, Henry.

-Guys, go well.

ENGINE STARTS

Come on, Suki.

Back home in Yorkshire, Holly and Suki Sue are stepping out.

-Suki! Good girl.

-And Henry's lessons in voice control are paying off.

Suki... Suki, this way.

Good girl.

I feel like I've got more control over her.

In fact, regular walks and the introduction of some doggy toys

means Suki burns off her energy

and doesn't take it out on the furniture.

Now that she's used to the teddy, we can sort of start making changes

with the house - we can buy new cushion covers, we can buy a carpet.

-Buy a new sofa.

-Buy a new sofa, cos we know that she's going to chew

the teddy and not the furniture.

Suki's a happier dog. She's much calmer, better behaved.

One of the things Henry taught us while we were

in South Africa was, just because you're letting her get away with it,

doesn't mean to say that she's happy. And, you know, she'll enjoy it more

if you sort of take control and she's the dog.

Before Holly went to South Africa, Suki Sue was treated to all kinds

of clothing and accessories, but no longer.

I just shoved them in this cupboard here,

where all the cleaning products are, just out of the way.

Now dressing up's a thing of the past, Suki's happily in her place.

Sit down, Suki. Sit, sit down.

Good girl.

-Chica, sit down.

-Down south...

-Chica, sit down.

..Mikki's seen the error of his ways...

-Stay.

-..and has quite literally got Chica on a short leash.

Good girl!

I've got two different kinds of leads - I've got this one

and one that can extend as she runs or I can stop it

and basically get her closer.

Before, I used to be, like, running off to chase her down the road.

It wasn't a walk, it was a sprint to one location to another

to stop all these incidents happening.

Chica, sit down.

Come on, then.

Good girl. Good girl.

I think he's really learnt a lot,

and his attitude is, you know, work hard, play hard.

And take things a little bit more seriously as well.

Sit down.

Aggressive training is no more.

Bite work has been swapped for something fun and rewarding.

I've taught her a variety of tricks. I've got "up", "box" and "safe".

Stay... Wait.

Chica, safe. Good girl.

Go on, girl. Go on, girl.

But his time away has taught him about much more than

being a pet owner.

It makes you think about how materialistic we are out here.

Chica, box.

I've just been trying to relax as me, as just a person,

instead of what clothes I've got, car, little dog, what am I doing?

Like, it's just, it's just more about me and if I'm happy or not,

if I'm making the people around me happy.

I feel he's grown up a lot. We all feel he has.

And he's definitely a lot more responsible.

Sit.

Since coming home, Holly has decided it really is time she grew up,

so her and Suki are going to begin another adventure.

I have decided that I'm moving out.

Me and my boyfriend have found a place together.

She's moving to Manchester with her partner,

which has been quite a shock.

It was a running joke within the family that Holly would be here

when she was 35.

Here we go.

I think going to South Africa has definitely made me realise that,

you know, it's time to move out, and I can move out.

And, you know, although it is a big step,

Africa sort of made me realise that I can do it.

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