Army Dogs, Canada Don't Blame the Dog

This programme contains some strong language

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

DOGS GROWL AND BARK

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.

Shivvy, 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.

Jesus Christ!

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 be flown around the world

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 will live alongside dogs...

-It stinks in here!

-..that herd...

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?

The most terrifying thing I've done in my life.

Look out, look out.

SHE SCREAMS

And their own lives?

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

Welcome to Essex, home of 25-year-old hair stylist Ed Copping

and his two pampered pugs, Prince Pugsley and Prince Peanut.

Do you like this, Peanut?

Like all princes,

they have to look fabulous and be on top of the latest trends.

As well as being their stylist, Ed is also their personal chef.

Scrambled egg, smoked salmon,

cream cheese.

They'll eat absolutely everything that we're eating.

But treating them like royalty comes at a price.

The dogs chew up the furniture,

laptop cables, phone chargers.

They poo in the house. They wee in the house.

HE LAUGHS

Ed might find it funny, but hubby Charles is not amused.

-I don't like cleaning up poo.

-But they're not going to, right, OK.

I don't like the house smelling of poo.

That's the reality of having two dogs. Double the amount of poo.

It was your idea to get the second one.

If nothing changes with this whole situation,

I think the tensions are just going to get so high,

it's going to be war.

But Ed just can't bear the thought of disciplining his little babies.

I'd rather let someone else shout at them rather than me,

and then they can hate someone else and still love me.

He even lets them sleep in the bed at the expense of his relationship.

Definitely doesn't do wonders for the love life at all.

Unless something changes, Ed's relationship is going to the dogs.

It's crazy. It drives me... I get angry.

I'm quite angry just talking about it.

They can get away with murder, yes. That's what I love about them.

Meet 21-year-old Bexy Smith from Stoke-on-Trent

and her Labrador, Brooke.

Brooke!

Stay-at-home mum Bexy rarely gets out of the house,

but it's not because she's looking after son Stevie.

The problem is that Brooke is completely out of control

and causing chaos in the house.

Come here, Brooke!

Oh, God.

'She just destroys everything.

'She's like a beast, isn't she?'

I've never thought a dog would be more hard work than a toddler.

Bexy has tried to discipline her

but Brooke doesn't pay her any attention.

If you shout at her and you tell her not do it,

she'll just do it again anyway, so what's the point?

She doesn't listen to anything what you say.

Whenever I tell her sit, she'll ignore me.

Brooke. Sit. Sit. Sit!

She bought Brooke for her mum three years ago,

but because Brooke's behaviour is so bad,

Bexy's been landed with looking after her

and it's holding Bexy back.

She hasn't reached her full potential.

She's a clever girl and she can do anything she puts her mind to,

but not at the moment.

She can't go out to get a full-time job or go back college

and finish courses off and obviously she's putting Brooke before herself

because she's stopping what she wants to do for the sake of the dog.

You can't leave Brooke no longer than I'd say an hour because,

chewing the skirting board,

weeing or doing something.

I do feel like I'm trapped like a prisoner because I'm just

stuck here on me own with Brooke until somebody comes in from work.

And until she gets Brooke under control...

Brooke, now come here!

..her life is ruled by her unruly dog.

Brooke!

No, get down!

Naughty girl!

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 fixing first.

So Bexy and Ed will be leaving their dogs at home

-and jetting off to the other side of the globe.

-You going to miss me?

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

Will fixing themselves help fix the canine crisis at home?

It'll be all right.

Meet military war dog trainer Mike McConnery,

the man to take on the Brits.

Take him out, that's it.

Take him out, tear him up.

Mike and his team in Canada use unique training techniques

to turn these specially bred dogs into the ultimate war weapon.

We're effective, highly effective.

We're the most effective canine training, breeding facility

anywhere in the world.

Dogs are used more and more on the battlefield,

and in the US Army alone, there are almost 3,000 currently in service.

They can track enemies, detect explosives

and are trained to kill.

Dog and handler are trained to communicate

in highly pressurised conditions

and Mike knows that a strong relationship is vital.

It's the only animal in the world that bonds with us like that.

They don't have the frailties of humans, they stay with you

no matter what happens, they comfort you in times of great stress

and they give you a sense of security

that another human being can't give you.

So we work together, the dog and the handlers, they function together.

His dogs have been deployed to

some of the hottest conflict zones in the world,

including Afghanistan and Iraq.

And they're dogs that will go at 100 miles an hour.

They're four-legged ballistic missiles.

Mike believes that if any dog is badly behaved,

it's simply reflecting the owner.

People can travel from one continent to another, then take

a totally different dog, and within a very few minutes,

that dog has the same behavioural problems

as their dog at home,

because of the fact that that dog is a reflection of their soul.

How are you, you OK?

Ed and Bexy don't know it,

but Mike's going to try the impossible...

..train them to communicate so effectively with his working dogs that,

by the end of the week, they can operate as a military canine unit

in a simulated terrorist attack.

Let's go!

We're going to put them through their paces,

we're going to toughen them up.

They are going to be treated like a soldier.

I still can't believe I'm in Canada now, it's just like...

I'm just dead excited.

They're somewhere near Toronto, but the training methods

and the specific location are both classified.

Maybe if I just tell them my dog can do a ballet spin,

they'll be really impressed. They'll be like, "Well done, you've done brilliant!"

The dog deserves to be treated with dignity,

and a person that refuses to do that should not own a dog.

My word, there's like nothing here.

I imagine their asses will pucker a bit

when they come through that bush line,

and if they do, we're doing our job.

Step forward, people. That's good, right there.

-You are?

-Edward Copping.

-And you are?

-Bexy Smith.

I'm Mike McConnery. I own and operate Baden K-9.

These gentlemen own and operate Tier 1 K-9.

This facility is set up to train the most elite units in the world.

And you are going to undergo five days of training with us.

The best thing for you to do is to pick up everything that you've known

about dogs and yourself up to now

and put it in the bag with your civilian clothing.

You're not laughing anymore, it's not funny anymore.

-No, it's not quite so funny.

-All right.

Mike is keen to get straight to work to see what the Brits are made of.

My heart's pounding, it still is now.

The guy is horrible.

-I'm going to kill Brooke for this, I really am.

-Ow!

Ow, trod on branches!

What the hell do I do with this? I mean, what's this?

As recruits for the week, they're given military names.

-Take a seat right there.

-Come on.

Bexy becomes Number 1 and is given Hunter, a Dutch Shepherd dog,

known for their speed.

Sit, sit.

Ed becomes Number 2 and is given Callie, a Malinois,

a breed known to be fearless on the battlefield.

Sit.

Lesson one - voice control.

Your vocals are very nice if you're talking to children. "Good puppy."

That's not how we speak to dogs.

You're going to learn to assert yourselves.

Not being brutal, but learn to speak to them.

To help the Brits understand, Mike has a test that looks makeshift

but trains them to give confident commands under pressure.

And it's hard to do that climbing over benches,

especially when you can't see.

First up is Ed.

Callie has a pinch collar like all Mike's dogs,

but they aren't recommended in the UK.

Callie should only move when he tells her.

If not, he could easily lose balance and fall off.

Bring her back down in position...

The key to success is keeping his cool and using the right tone.

Sit, out... No, down.

What happened, Number 2?

She jumped up and knocked the top bench down.

This dog is not listening because you are not giving any directions.

Secure. Same drill.

Easy up. Easy up.

Wait. Wait.

Now, if you can say this... Listen to me. If you can go...

-SLOWLY:

-"Wait, wait,"

why can you not go...

-FIRMLY:

-"Wait!"?

What is it inside you that stops you from going, "Wait!"?

-Are you going to apply yourself?

-I am applying myself.

-Wait.

-Change your vocals. Change your vocals.

-She's moving.

-Wait.

-She's moving.

-Oh, shit!

"Shit" doesn't belong here. Back to the front, Number 2.

Next, Bexy. Her dog Hunter should stay until she gives a command.

-Sit.

-Change your vocals, Number 1 -

he's moving and climbing up the obstacle.

-Change your vocal tones and put him back, he'll knock it off.

-Sit!

-Whoa, there you go.

-Wait!

Up on the obstacle.

-Good job, Number 1. You're all right, Number 1?

-Yeah, OK.

Find your bench, Number 1. Hang on to that pole.

It's OK, leave it. Wait.

-OK, now, remember, when you call him and he comes to you...

-Yeah.

..now if he moves too fast, he's going to knock you off.

Let's go, easy.

Wait.

-Did you hear that, Number 1?

-I heard him jump up.

-And then what did you hear?

-Him lie down.

-OK, so what is he doing? He's following direction.

-Yeah.

-Why?

-Cos I did it with a...

Cos your vocal tones, your attitude.

For someone who can't control her dog at home,

Bexy's just made Hunter listen.

I can't believe that he just... I did it, like, straightaway,

and I'm really pleased.

Having this much control over a dog is amazing. I just... I love it.

Makes me want to do more now, I'm really getting into it.

I think that we're off to a really good start.

I mean, it is very apparent after just a couple of hours

what's happening, and I think that after five days,

we're going to really see some differences in these people.

We're going to put her in situations where she's going to have to

rely on herself, and she did very, very well in there.

Number 2, on the other hand, has

some problems with disciplining a dog.

This lack of taking the initiative

and lack of taking discipline is actually not working well for him.

Yes, I did make a bit of a cock-up in there,

and I knocked the bench over, but instead of saying,

"Don't worry about that, bring the dog back,"

it was, basically, "You're doing a bit of a shit job."

It was really annoying. It was just...

Making sure they can't hear me! It was just really annoying.

Just say, "Don't worry about that, let's go back to the start."

It was just rude.

The Brits are about to find out where they're staying for the week.

This is home for five days.

It's not really the Ritz, is it?

All right. Goodnight. Goodbye. Good luck.

For stay-at-home mum Bexy,

life under canvas is going to take a bit of getting used to.

I'm not happy, I am not happy.

I'm doing all this for Brooke while she's at home now,

probably doing what she wants, lying all around everywhere,

and I've got to do this cos of her.

Little shit!

And the army training doesn't stop here.

Ed and Bexy will also have to live on army rations.

I'm just happy that the guys have gone.

Like, I'm so happy they've gone, this is like a walk in the park,

rather than dealing with them all day.

Can you believe it?

-I was so angry, though, so angry.

-I saw your face! I saw your face!

I'm very aware that I look like the back end of a bus.

I didn't even sleep a wink last night.

I can't believe I'm sitting here, eating this.

After a tough night, our Brits are worried about the day ahead.

It is really difficult,

and I don't know if I'm going to be able to do it today.

But...doesn't mean I don't want to.

I can't work them out. Surely they can't be that nasty.

Surely.

Mike is stepping up Ed and Bexy's training with an assault course

that will work the dog and handler

under increasing levels of difficulty.

But before they start, Bexy gets some serious news from home.

I just don't know how he is. I'm not there for him.

Her three-year-old son Stevie is ill.

Stevie's just not very well at all, I've spoken to him this morning,

and he's just not... He's so breathless and everything,

and I just feel like I'm not going to be able to concentrate

and take all the things in what they're telling me to do.

Despite the news, Bexy is determined to carry on.

The purpose of this obstacle is primarily to develop

your communication skills with your dog while under physical duress.

Communication with your dog during this process is

the number-one reason you're doing it.

-What's the purpose of the exercise, Number 1?

-Hmm?

-What's the purpose of the exercise, Number 1?

-Um...mind's gone blank.

OK, Number 1, are you paying attention?

-I am, but my mind's gone blank.

-OK, your mind's gone blank.

Bexy is worrying about the news back home.

You're not paying attention, are you, Number 1?

I am paying attention, I just didn't understand what you've just said.

You don't understand?

Number 1's not paying attention to the instructions, she's fading out.

There's a child which is hers that has had some medical issues.

Her mind right now, whether she'll admit it or not, is somewhere else.

Completely somewhere else.

So, we're going to have to give much more precise, shorter instructions.

I don't know if I'm going to do it.

Number 1, don't hold your arm out. Manage your lead and bring him up.

She should be telling Hunter to get up on the beam and wait,

but she's not being stern enough.

-Sit.

-Ready, bring him up.

Up. Up.

Now what is he doing?

-He's just....

-He's avoiding. All right?

Hunter's ignoring Bexy's half-hearted commands.

Change your vocal tones and change your attitude. Get up. Hup.

-Tell him, "Let's go."

-Let's go. Up.

Finally, Bexy gets it together.

Easy, easy.

-Now, "Wait."

-Wait.

There's a lot of pulling and a lot of stress on the dog.

Just doesn't look...nice.

Ed, who babies his pets back home, is finding it hard to watch.

Wait, good, tell him wait.

But these dogs are trained from five weeks old, and are used to these physical exercises.

-Easy, easy, yeah.

-Good.

-Easy...

-I think I'm just going to get a bit of a backbone

and be a bit of a douche like them.

Easy, easy.

I mean, that's basically what it is, I've just got to, like, man up

and be basically a bit of a bastard to do it.

-Easy.

-Well done, you got her.

Down. Sit.

-Good?

-Yeah.

Ed's given a tougher exercise.

Follow Josh over to the start point.

Josh thinks it will make him use the correct tone of voice on his dog.

This is where, Number 2, you're going to have to change your vocals.

OK, this dog is a working service war dog. It's not a baby.

-OK? Go.

-Easy.

She's moving on my move,

she's not to move until you tell her to go, put her back.

-Peanut!

-Just like at home...

-Come on!

-..Ed is struggling to command his dog.

Easy. Easy. Huh!

-No. Those aren't commands.

-I know they're not. I'm trying, stop...

Hey, I'm not stopping anything, I'm here to work with you.

Listen to me, listen to me.

-I'm talking to you how you should talk to them.

-Yeah.

-So let's do this. If you can't come...

-Knock it off.

-That's right.

-Knock it off.

Oh, your vocals have changed.

SHARPLY: Easy. Easy. Easy.

SOFTLY: Let's go.

-Come on, you're not...

-Easy, easy.

-Tell her, let's go, pull on the lead.

-Let's go.

-Easy.

-Easy.

-Right down, sit her.

-Sit!

-Good sit.

-Back over beside Number 1.

What are you feeling right now?

Oh, d'you know what? I fucking hate him, he's pissing me right off.

Mike is worried that Ed's not buying into the training,

and wants to see for himself if it's linked to problems back home.

Number 2, come on in.

-Yes?

-Is there anything you want to tell me

before I start this thing rolling?

Um...

If you feel embarrassment now, it's not embarrassment,

it's enlightenment. All right, are you ready?

'Peanut. Ed, he's licking me.'

'Peanut, no.

'Up his bum?'

You don't want to me to put it back, you want me to keep it?

DOG SQUEALS

'Whenever I see something really nice, I think, "That'll look lovely on them," then I'll just get it.

'Can't be wearing last year's wardrobes.'

Mike soon discovers that Ed doesn't assert himself with his pugs either.

In fact, he treats them like humans.

Although these dogs are a toy breed or a small breed,

and although you can take them out and you can dress them up,

a dog needs the rain on its coat, a dog needs the sun on its coat.

So when they go outside, they shouldn't have that stuff on.

You're restricting them, it's not healthy for them.

You rob the dog of his dignity by dressing him up as a little clown.

'Peanut, come on.

'I just hate to be rough, cos I don't think really know how they feel.

'It's like they sort of look at me and go, "Oh, what's he talking about?,"

or if they get upset with me for shouting at them.

So I'd rather let someone else shout at them rather than me,

then they can hate someone else and still love me.

You're going to have to have the dogs listen to you

and you're going to have to correct them and say, "Knock it off,"

and they're going to look at you and be smug

and walk away and you're going to think,

"Oh, it breaks my heart, they think I'm terrible" -

they do not think you're terrible.

But Mike can see a far more disturbing side

to the way Ed looks after his pugs.

'Bit of mayo. Bit more mayo.'

Peanut will eat it if it's hand-given to him.

'He won't eat it himself off the plate.'

OK, first of all, your dog is grossly overweight.

Mayonnaise, salt, any of that stuff is very, very bad for them.

Every time you do this, you're killing him,

so if you put rat poison on your fingers and give it to him,

you're being more humane,

because you're going to get it over with quickly. You're killing him.

It's hideous, everything that I'm doing is

shortening their life, effectively, so I feel really guilty about it.

Maybe this will be the wake-up call that Ed needs to toughen up

and start treating his dogs as dogs.

The message that keeps on coming across to me is the fact that

I am basically killing my dogs, and that is just horrific.

That is just really bad.

I think being here, I have realised that I've got no choice,

I've got to change.

Bexy's also had some bad news.

Her three-year-old son has been taken to hospital,

and she's decided to leave.

He's what? Go ahead, you can tell me.

He's sick?

I've just, like, come to the conclusion now that

I've just got to go home and just be there for my little boy.

And you've made the best decision. Truthfully.

I mean that, because I would have done the same thing.

I would have been gone and I wouldn't even have looked back.

I wouldn't look back and had any regrets -

if my children call me, I'm gone.

-You're free to go, Bexy. Best of luck to you.

-Thank you.

Thanks very much. Thank you.

I just wish that I could have stayed.

It was a brilliant experience and...

Really, really good.

Oh, well, everything will be all right.

With the final mission just three days away,

a new recruit is enlisted.

Ed's got a wish list as to who it is.

I would just love it if she was kind of rubbish at everything,

cos then it would just make me look amazing,

and yeah, I just don't want to get shouted at anymore,

and if someone else is sort of making a bit of a prat out of themselves,

then it'll make me look brilliant.

The new recruit is 30-year-old Georgia Olner from the West Midlands, and she lives with Schmoo.

She's a teacher, but she's got major discipline problems

outside the classroom.

She will try and attack people.

Sit!

Weighing 45 kilos, Schmoo is a mastiff cross with attitude

and has already inflicted serious injury on three people.

She'll go for anybody who's coming towards me.

Schmoo!

She's bitten my builder, down to the bone.

Bit hot for you, isn't it?

My dad got bitten. Wham! And latched herself.

She's bitten my lodger's mum.

She had teeth marks and blood coming out of all round here

and all round there.

The terrifying thing is that Georgia has no control over Schmoo.

In! In!

Her life revolves around avoiding potentially dangerous situations.

Most of the time I walk her after dark.

If I see someone in the field with another dog I'll turn round

and go back and go a different way.

But not tackling Schmoo's behaviour head-on has left Georgia isolated.

I've lived here six years and my parents have been round once.

Neither of us dare go in the house because the thing's going to eat you.

It's scary that such a big dog's ruling her life and I am extremely worried.

Mum Jane can see that Schmoo is taking over Georgia's life.

Relationships aren't going to build because if Schmoo doesn't like them

then that's going to be difficult, isn't it?

But you say to Georgia why don't you get another sort of dog, and she won't.

-No.

-She won't hear of it. She will not hear of it.

Georgia couldn't bear life without her.

She's just really loving and she's always there. She's my best friend.

Schmoo was abandoned because nobody wanted her,

and Georgia can relate to that feeling.

With other things in my life, I do have a backbone,

but when it comes to relationships, emotions, me and the dog...

Well, the dog takes advantage and so do pretty much all the men.

She needs to kind of be sorted out and I probably do as well.

Step forward.

-Your name is...?

-Georgia Jane Olner.

-Are you ready to go?

-I am ready to go.

Thank God somebody is. All right.

Here.

Thank you.

Walk off.

There were some very straight faces round there,

Things are best taught with a mixture of discipline and humour.

I think it's going to be pretty one-sided this week.

Time for Ed to meet his new comrade.

No more name, you are Number 1.

Just as Ed thought he had the upper hand, Mike's got a surprise in store.

Good, switch dogs with him.

He's given a younger German shepherd

and will have to build a bond from scratch.

This dog's name is Heidi.

If he doesn't get his voice right, Heidi will walk all over him.

Georgia's given Hunter, Bexy's old dog.

Have any of them cracked a smile?

-No.

-At all.

-No cracking smiles.

-Ever?

Ever. It's going to be really tough, I'm not going to lie to you, it is really tough.

-Bring it on.

-Bring it on. That's what we like.

With only three days to get the recruits trained up for their final operation,

Mike needs to get Georgia up to speed.

He wants Ed and Georgia to learn

that communication isn't just about what you say, it's about the attitude you say it with.

People, this is a water assault course. It is one of five

water assault courses on this facility.

Covert operations in a combat zone

require an elite dog team to cross terrain undetected.

These specialist techniques should only be attempted

under professional supervision.

Also communicating with his touch on Hunter, doesn't have to talk.

Soldiers must keep their dog silent across the water by continually

and quietly reassuring it.

In the most difficult part of the exercise,

they must give the dog one purposeful command.

Water.

Mike wants them to see that communication

isn't about volume, it's about saying commands like you mean them.

But Georgia's mind is elsewhere.

She has noticed the water is full of snakes.

Do you like snakes?

-Um, no, I'm completely phobic about snakes.

-Well, then you have something to take control of.

There's no way I'm going in that water.

-There's no way you're going in that water?

-No.

Absolutely no way? Then you know what you're going to do?

-What?

-You're going to give the dog over

and you're going to get on the next plane back to the UK.

Look at me.

I am not fooling.

You're going to hand him over. You're going to change and you're going home.

Have a dog.

-Goodbye.

-Bye.

She went, "OK, here you go." Defiant.

Right? That tells me something about the way she handles her dog,

that tells me something about her dog's personality.

It's snakes. I'm just phobic about snakes,

can't even look at them on TV. Hate them.

So you're going to get on a plane and leave.

I'm not getting in that water.

What's the problem with your dog?

She goes for other dogs, goes for other people.

-What do you mean, goes for them? Licks them? Bites them?

-No, jumps up and goes for the face.

Why are you still with that dog? Why not get rid of it?

-Get rid of it how?

-Put it down.

-No.

-Why?

-I'm not putting a healthy dog down.

-Well, you're walking away from HIM.

-What we... I don't need to go into the water.

-Well, sure you do.

-Why do I?

-You came here to learn.

-I did come here to learn.

-Really? Apply yourself and do it. Let's go.

-Follow.

-Let's go, let's go, let's go.

-Go, take the opportunity, take your hands out your pocket, follow.

I've changed my mind cos I'm here for Schmoo.

And if a snake comes near me I'm going to get out and punch their lights out.

You know the drill.

Georgia decides to try the first half of the exercise.

She must reach the beam and then turn around.

Just talk to your dog. It'll help calm you, you're OK.

-Wait.

-You're doing fine.

-Oh my God! What was that!

-Nothing. Georgia,

Georgia, listen to me, it was nothing.

No, no, it went.

Georgia, don't stop now, kid, we're going. All right.

-Lift.

-Lift him up.

-You're fine.

Excellent, OK. Excellent. Look at you, look at you,

you look like you've been doing this all your life.

Excellent.

OK, go to the beam, turn around and come back.

-Oh!

-No, you're fine, Georgia, you're fine,

there is nothing in the water with you.

Nice and easy. Nice and easy.

Now remember - exit the water in victory, not in flight.

Nice and easy, nice and easy, nice and easy.

Now remember - don't be in a hurry to exit. Take your time and go out,

because you've won.

No shake.

There you go.

Horrible, absolutely horrible.

As I stepped back into the water, put the first foot in,

black snake just slid over my foot in front of me.

Absolutely awful.

And I'm really struggling to see the point.

Mike's seen Georgia's behaviour under pressure

and has learned lots about her.

She's a person that is willing to avoid rather than take control.

First it was, "I have a phobia, I can't control it."

These are all things that she honestly believed

and then all of a sudden she went in the water.

That's a big, big step and I hope she realises what she's done.

The dog is moving at your pace and he's not to splash when you get...

Next up is Ed.

Having heard some home truths from Mike,

he's realising he needs to toughen up.

So I've got such a strong mindset today,

nothing's going to get me down today.

Mike is giving Ed the chance to prove himself.

He's going to attempt a full submersion with Heidi.

To succeed, Ed must tackle the exercise with determination and focus,

whilst keeping Heidi under control.

I can see by your face there's a bit of stress,

and at that point where you leave the world

and go into the silence of the water is going to be just you and

the dog for that moment, it's a magical moment.

And when you go back home,

your dog should benefit from what you are going to touch right now.

Very important for you to give her the command "water",

which she is very familiar with,

before you insert through the motion. Good to go?

One motion, one motion, one motion.

Water.

-Knock it off.

-Right, right. Good!

Keep going.

Ed's new attitude seems to be paying off.

You're getting a lot more control, Number 2, and it's showing.

I walked into the forest with like, me Prada bag on me arm and,

and, you know, me make-up looking perfect and now I'm like,

ducking and diving through boggy water with snakes in it.

Today, I'm just... I've got such a different attitude.

Like completely, it's like completely off the wall compared to my first day.

While Ed is embracing the teaching methods,

Georgia is struggling with her new mentor.

Absolutely 100% fed up with it.

They do know a lot,

and they have a lot of good kind of information to impart,

but if they carry on in the way they're going, I'm just going to walk out.

Back in camp, Ed tries to raise Georgia's spirits.

I'm one of those people that I just really struggle to give up on anything.

I really struggle to give up on anything,

but I think life is too short.

But then that's why I do things like this, cos life's too short

and don't think I'll ever do it otherwise.

That's why I do things like go to rainforests and climb mountains,

it's not why I spend my time getting yelled at by a bunch of testosterone-overloaded apes.

If I wanted that I'd go and get in the gorilla pen at Twycross Zoo.

Oh, God, you're going to get us into trouble, I can feel it in me waters.

It's 8 in the morning and time to report for duty.

Leave it, it's OK.

Seat.

Seat.

Good morning, people.

Morning.

How do you feel this morning, Number 2?

I think the reality's sort of set in this morning

about how sort of difficult what you do actually is.

I think it's really hit me today.

When you hit the beam yesterday, you were one person

and when you came up from the other side, you had changed again,

and it's a good change.

Number 1, how are you this morning?

Not a massive fan of some of the teaching methods used.

Last night I was sitting there just thinking, "Why am I here?"

Even though you may not understand what we do,

and even though you may not condone the methods,

the people that follow our methods keep you people quite safe,

because of what they're capable of doing and because they don't quit.

With only a day until their final mission,

Mike wants to persuade Georgia about the training

but she keeps digging her heels in and Mike wants to understand what's behind it.

We are going to go into your world through this video.

Bless her, she's so cute.

She, well, anyone she doesn't know, she can be really aggressive towards. She's bitten my builder,

she's bitten my dad, she's bitten my lodger's mum on the face.

That was my lodger's fault, though, he was being a fool.

When the dog bites, you...you admit that you blame other people.

Your voice changes when you say that and your face changes, all right?

In other words, it's a defiance, OK.

You're not only defending the dog, you're defending yourself.

Yeah, I think you're probably right, put kind of a big massive emotional barrier up

which is half kind of stubbornness and defiance and the other half is the dog.

-Well, I'm going to...

-And together they make quite a big wall.

-Exactly, yeah.

She's just really loving and she's always there, she's my best friend.

If the dog is there for you, Number 1,

does that mean that people, humans, have not been there for you?

They've let you down or they've, they've hurt you in some way?

Some people have hurt me and let me down, yeah.

I don't know, I just tend to feel kind of emotionally vulnerable

in the whole kind of relationship situation.

All my relationships have been shit.

Nobody can use or abuse you unless you permit them to.

They can't.

The same way the dog is protecting you, you want that barrier,

you want that buffer.

When you take control of yourself,

and you start to realise that you are worth the same

as every other living person on this planet,

when you start to treat yourself in that way,

other people, good people will be attracted

and treat you in that manner.

-It's down to me to do it, isn't it?

-Yeah, you're absolutely right.

Georgia is realising that she and Schmoo have more in common than she thought.

Bad-tempered, narky, defensive on the outside,

but really kind of soft and sweet and fairly vulnerable

once she lets you in, just quite hard to get her to let you in.

I kind of like that feeling of

me and her against the world kind of thing,

but it's true, I do need to change myself,

and as I change, she'll change,

cos we are in that respect probably fairly identical.

Mike's starting to get through to Georgia.

She's never faced up to how her pet makes other people feel.

But he's got a way to show her.

They're going to do controlled bite work

that only professionals should undertake.

-All right, Number 1, are you ready?

-I'm ready.

He's lined up two war dogs.

This is Titan and this is Callie,

they are both Mechelaars, both Malinois.

Callie is a stealth entry dog, while Titan is a formidable beast

used in war zones for forced entry and attack.

He's actually done the job, done the deed and he knows it.

I'm going to get eaten!

But then again, so are the people who come round my house

when I don't control my dog, so I should really be on the other end of it.

First, Georgia will take a bite from the smaller dog.

CALLIE YAPS AND WHIMPERS

Yeah, good work! Take! Take!

Feel how she's pulling your body.

-Yeah.

-That is nothing to what's going to happen. Out!

-Ow.

-Ow?

Now this is nothing, absolutely nothing,

to what that dog is going to do.

While Georgia braces herself for Titan,

on the other side of the base, Ed is about to face his toughest challenge yet.

-We get to have some fun, man.

-He's ready to be pushed harder.

And we'd be doing him a disservice if we don't push him harder.

-Yeah.

-His mission - to cross the lake on this high wire,

which is tricky enough, but he's got to do it with Heidi.

He must keep his balance and give clear commands.

Everything is communication.

So I mean straightaway that's something that

I need to do at home, cos that's something I'm not doing at home.

But after what we went through yesterday, I've got control of her.

Titan, the experienced killing machine,

is in position to deploy on Georgia so that she can experience what it's like to be attacked.

The slightest move of your head when he pulls your arm down,

and he will re-target your face immediately. All right?

And believe me, it will happen so fast there's nothing anybody can do.

All right, now I see your eyes are getting bigger, OK.

What we have done is we have brought a creature here like your dog.

Do you want to take Titan on your arm?

-Possibly not.

-Possibly not a no, no possibilities, no maybes,

no, I don't know, I'm not certain.

-Do you want to take Titan on your arm?

-No.

-No, and guess what.

-What?

You have the right. The people in your home...

-Don't have the right.

-..have no right to say yes or no

cos you took that option away from them.

That dog is half the weight of your dog.

I know, yeah. Those people must have been so scared. Must have been so horrible for them.

On the other side of the facility,

Ed is attempting highly specialised army training.

Knock it off!

-Good lift.

-Good lift.

OK. Listen to me - do all that you've been trained to do all week

in communication on your stress.

-OK.

-Lift.

-Good lift.

Easy.

To work in conflict zones, army dogs must get used to accompanying soldiers

in any situation.

And that includes wearing specialist harnesses on difficult water crossings.

We're in the danger zone. We're in the danger zone, Number 2.

Tell her knock it off.

-Knock it off!

-Now this is training.

It's OK, easy.

-Pull.

-It's OK.

Easy.

-OK, that's it.

-Oh, that's a killer.

-It's OK.

-The skills you've learned all week you've applied them on this obstacle,

so today you were tested. OK?

The hairdresser from Essex who couldn't tell his dogs off

has left his baby talk at the other side of the bridge.

Now I'm sort of getting that attitude to my voice and that sort of sternness

without it being sort of anger,

that'd be amazing to take home, because if I can

just use that voice with my dogs,

you know, that's, that's kind of the starting point.

Back at camp, Ed has a revelation for Georgia.

How are you doing, Number 2? You don't look good, you look like you're about to have a heart attack.

-Oh.

-You didn't look like that this morning?

-Actually become a man.

Why, what have you done?

That is man sweat, that is, unbelievable,

that is man sweat.

That is like, actually got a sweaty chest.

Mike's decided the Brits are ready to learn

one of the most specialised military techniques.

Abseiling, the ultimate way to exit helicopters and tall buildings.

Go.

It's their most difficult exercise yet

and it's as important as ever to keep their dogs under control.

That was as mad as a van full of badgers.

But first, they have to haul the dog to the top of the tower.

You are now going to go up with your dog.

When Georgia was under pressure yesterday, she crumbled.

This time, she needs to show she's not going to walk away.

A little bit nervous, as you would be.

I like my dog, want to keep him in one piece, really.

A bit worried that I'm not going to be strong enough to do it.

I'm also worried about the whole kind of descent as well,

and how my dog feels.

Every time she has to apply herself under stress she cops out, fades,

falls back, that's exactly why she's in the situation she's in

and unfortunately other people have been bit and paid for that situation.

And start lifting.

-Lift.

-Say "lift".

-Lift.

-Lift.

-I can't do it.

No, you can't say "I can't do it", you haven't even attempted it.

And rock, let's go, let's go.

Lift hard! Let's go, let's go, lift.

It might look cruel, but these dogs are specially bred

and highly trained to perform military techniques.

ED: Well done, Number 1, well done.

-"I can't" means "I won't".

-You can do it.

-Pull them up, come on. Come on. You've got to step forward, pull them up.

-Come on.

Pull them up. Good lift. That dog's 25 feet in the air which is pretty remarkable

for somebody that couldn't do it.

The most terrifying thing I've ever done in my life.

Apart from this next bit, which is going to be the most terrifying thing I've done in my life.

All right Number 1, go time, you're up.

Come on, let's go. Over the top.

-OK. Vocals are everything here.

-Let's go, Hunter.

-That's it.

OK, start walk, leaning back.

Stage 2, stage 2, stage 3, go, go, go, go, go.

Number 1, go, you've been told to go.

-Excellent, hang on to your brake.

-Hang on.

-Talk to your dog, you're doing fine.

-You're doing good.

Couldn't have worked out better.

Wait - hold on, hold on, belay, belay. There you go.

Despite the weight of her dog pulling her upside down,

she kept it together and they both stayed calm.

-Well done, Number 1.

-You have done it.

-That was good.

-Awesome job.

Oh.

Oh, that was the scariest thing I've ever done in my life.

You know what, Number 1?

You never lost control, you lost position, but you never lost control.

I would have to applaud you, Number 1.

Good job, Number 1.

Next up is Ed.

All right, let's go and measure him off.

Once you feel that load, keep moving.

Knock it off.

Where did you get that voice from, Number 2?

You gave it to me, sir.

-Go, go, go, go, go, go.

-Come on.

-Fuckin' hell!

-Wait.

You're in control, man. You are in control, look over your shoulder.

That's it, you're in control.

People you see, now we're training.

OK, it's OK.

-Walk out, walk out.

-Down.

-Walk out.

-Wow, that's amazing. I mean, I love a bit of an adrenalin and,

but that's like nothing I've ever felt. That was...

Yeah, I didn't know whether or not to keep going or not, but I braked.

Yeah, I know. You dug down there. Right from the spirit, man.

It was amazing, it was just crazy. I've really loved that.

It's the only thing I've ever done where I've got to the bottom and gone, "Finished it,"

and then burst into spontaneous tears cos I was just so scared.

These two people have dogs that are totally out of control,

but they took control, and the control starts here,

right here. You control you, you control the dog.

It's their final evening with their canine companions.

ED: And it's all sort of coming together as we're coming towards the end.

I think everything I've sort of done with my dog has been in a matter of urgency like, if I don't do

something right, the dog drops off a harness, the dog falls in the water, the dog hits the floor,

so that's kind of helped me sort of find my voice.

Cheers.

No, it has been constructive,

I went to do my thing with Mike this morning - the video thing - and that was really good.

It was absolutely fantastic. He kind of picked up everything

through the dog which was really freaky.

Night, Private Olner.

Night Private Copping.

-Sweet dreams.

-Sweet dreams.

It's their last morning and time for the Brits to prove

they're no longer the dog owners they once were. Mike has set them an exercise.

Right then, people.

-'Mission brief, there are reports of terrorists taking people hostage.'

-..down into some dead ground.

The Farnhill Liberation front has been kidnapping wealthy elite persons at grid.

They must take out the terrorist.

To succeed, they'll need to draw on the skills they've learned all week.

Hopefully we'll pull this off.

We've spent all week, you know, working so hard to get to this point.

Here we go.

They're armed with mock guns and the ultimate weapon, their war dogs.

The emphasis is on stealth and speed while keeping Heidi and Hunter under control.

Everything that they're doing is possible because they have control.

Now it gets more difficult. They must give their dogs

precise instructions to wait and only move on their command.

You wait.

Platz.

It's OK.

Wait. Knock it off.

Knock it off.

Wait.

Good.

Look at these people.

Is that an out-of-control school teacher and a hairdresser that has two pugs that are running his life?

I don't see that any more. As a matter of fact, that doesn't

come to my mind at all.

Not at all.

On the other side of the bridge, a hijacker's been spotted.

The moment they've trained for -

time for the Brits to deploy their weapons.

Take him, take him, take him, take him, Hunter.

Go on, Hunter. Take him, take him.

Pull it out.

Out! Get on the floor.

Get on the fucking floor.

End ex, end ex, that's it.

-That was good to go.

-That was good, very good.

That was a cool mission. Actually felt like we're proper like canine military guys. It was amazing.

I felt I was in control of the dog the whole time.

I'm really pleased with that exercise. I may pass out right now.

OK people, we have spent a week together, Number 2,

and I have to say that the person that walked up and the person

I saw come across the field, same body, different attitude.

And Number 1, you're handling the dogs much better,

your attitude has changed. Amazing, isn't it? It's amazing.

I think it was bloody good teamwork for that to take.

-OK, very good.

-Yeah I'd like to think we smashed it.

-Excellent.

Mission complete. It's time for them to hang up their uniforms.

It's actually been a really amazing experience I'm actually going

to really miss it. I'm going to miss Heidi.

Feel really sad to leave this place.

I hated it at first, but it's great.

It just seems unbelievable that I was like,

I can't shout at my dogs because if I shout at them they're going to hate me.

It just goes to show, though, you do still have that sort of bond

with them and you are still just as close with them, as you are

if you're cuddling all the time, or feeding them constantly.

The girl who walked in here was defiant, stroppy, stubborn,

trying to hide vulnerabilities and weaknesses rather than face them,

trying to bury everything instead of dealing with it.

I think the girl who walks out of here is going to face up to things head on.

Deal with them and get on with it.

When I first got here I thought Mike was a grade-A asshole,

but now after spending some time with him, he really does know his stuff,

and, he's a really nice bloke, I like Mike a lot.

I'm going to ask you something.

I want you to respond as naturally as you can respond to me.

Would you put this on your dogs?

-No.

-Why?

They prefer blue, sir.

MIKE LAUGHS

The change in them from when I first met them -

I mean, there is absolutely no doubt that it's drastic.

The really neat part about it is they came with all these skills.

We turned a light on.

They're that light, so let's hope they shine

when they go back home, right?

Back on civvy street, Georgia is able to walk Schmoo in the daytime.

A miracle.

When I got back I wrote on my calendar, start of my new life.

She knows that I'm in charge now, which is really good.

-Hello.

-And mum Jane has come round for the first time in two years.

Sit, good girl. It's lovely to be able to come round to the house and see you

and not be terrified of her.

I'm quite surprised at the progress she's made, actually, and how, how quickly it's happened.

Absolutely amazing. Absolutely amazing.

It is. Oi, Schmoo, hm, what a good girl. Completely different dog.

-You are.

-I've changed my tone.

-You're a good girl.

Also my attitude, as well, that goes with it.

And it's made, made a difference, made a lot of difference.

I'm no longer scared to kind of take her out and I don't kind of avoid people

when I'm out with her, because I know that I've got control of her.

I can't actually believe the change.

It just makes me think, well, what have I been doing

for four and a half years? Why couldn't this miracle

have happened at the beginning?

Over in Essex, Ed has taken his hard-earned lessons home.

It's not being bossy, it's having the different attitude

in my voice with the dogs that helps them.

It's not being bossy.

I saw a difference in the dogs the second that he got home.

It was, it was almost like they'd sensed that he'd changed.

They haven't peed in the house since, they literally did run this household

and it's not like that at all.

If anything, we've kind of got a new boss now.

Ed has ditched the glitzy little numbers

and the nonstop treats have been replaced.

The dogs seem happier for it.

They still get just as much love, but in a more controlled way.

He's lost four to five pounds now, so, just much better for him.

He's so much more active, he runs around a lot more.

Really good.

Everything just got better and better and better and...

yeah, it's just amazing, really. And I'm going to stick with it,

it's the best thing I've ever done.

Next time,

two clueless British dog owners...

..are moving huge herds in Australia.

These dogs control millions of pounds of livestock.

But will the Brits be able to control their dogs or themselves?

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd