0:00:02 > 0:00:05As a nation, we are just potty about our pets.
0:00:05 > 0:00:06Lunch time.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10We are unashamedly animal crackers. And I'm just the same.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12What do you think about that?
0:00:12 > 0:00:17But you'd be amazed at the sometimes baffling lengths we go to for our pets.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22- Oh, that was silly, wasn't it? - The time...
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Oh, that's lovely. Yay!
0:00:24 > 0:00:26..the money...
0:00:26 > 0:00:29- She looks like a princess. - She does.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32- ..not to mention the love. - Oh, yes, that's nice.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35So join me as I enter the extraordinary and often
0:00:35 > 0:00:38bizarre world of our pedigree pals.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55This week, love and marriage - one couple splash out on a dream
0:00:55 > 0:00:57wedding for their dogs.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Some people would say, you know, "You must be mad," you know.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Why not? Why shouldn't they get married?
0:01:03 > 0:01:05CHEERING
0:01:05 > 0:01:11We meet Bumble, an amazing Labrador who is a lifeline for her owner.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Yeah, you're a good girl.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17Rather than me feeling a burden, Bumble does it, but she's happy.
0:01:17 > 0:01:18Yeah.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21And what's troubling my dog, Baz?
0:01:21 > 0:01:25I turn to something extraordinary - a dog psychic.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Animal communication works by using telepathy.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Sometimes, I'll see images of things,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33and sometimes I'll hear, like, the voice in your head.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38Have you ever wished your pet could actually speak to you?
0:01:38 > 0:01:41And that you could hear his thoughts?
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Well, there are people who really do believe
0:01:43 > 0:01:48they can indeed communicate directly with animals, using telepathy.
0:01:52 > 0:01:57We are in Cambridge and about to meet one of just 20 so-called
0:01:57 > 0:02:01animal communicators in the country, who claim to have the ability
0:02:01 > 0:02:04to get inside the mind of animals.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06- Hi. How are you? - Good, how are you?
0:02:06 > 0:02:11This is Michelle, a renowned pet psychic who has written a
0:02:11 > 0:02:14book on animal communication.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17I close my eyes, I take a deep breath in, so I use the breath.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22Michelle professes to have unique mystic powers.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26She's come to the home of dog breeder Fran, who is baffled
0:02:26 > 0:02:31by the anxious behaviour of Raven, one of her Basset hounds.
0:02:31 > 0:02:32Shush.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37The problem is, Raven is from a long line of champions and Fran
0:02:37 > 0:02:40would dearly love her to follow in their footsteps, but although
0:02:40 > 0:02:45she was successful at first, Raven now just gets the jitters
0:02:45 > 0:02:47when she's taken to competitions.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50She seems irritable and desperately unhappy.
0:02:51 > 0:02:52Leave her alone.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54She's very, very shy.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58She's frightened of the judge, of anybody coming too close,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01which is a real shame, because she's lovely.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Fran is so perplexed by Raven's anxiety, she will try
0:03:04 > 0:03:07absolutely anything to get to the bottom of it.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Michelle's going to try psychic communication with Raven.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Now, I'm not sure how this works, or indeed whether it works at all.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21Animal communication is working really outside of our five senses,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25so it's working with a telepathic communication with animals.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29It brings you a deeper connection with the animal,
0:03:29 > 0:03:33so it's really working more with emotions and thoughts.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36I mean, that's the sort of information that I receive from the animal.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41I'll be honest, I am sceptical myself, but pet owners,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45wildlife parks and animal shelters have called on Michelle and
0:03:45 > 0:03:46seem to take this seriously.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50What I'd really like her to do is to be obviously proud of herself,
0:03:50 > 0:03:52hold her head up high.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Because obviously I don't want her to be afraid.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56OK.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Look into my eyes.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02This is the first of eight or nine sessions Michelle would have
0:04:02 > 0:04:05with an animal.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11It's one of the most bizarre things I've ever seen.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15What does Michelle believe is going on?
0:04:15 > 0:04:20Animals think in pictures and emotion, that's how
0:04:20 > 0:04:23an animal will try and communicate with you.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25The vibrations
0:04:25 > 0:04:28that we receive will actually come in either an image that
0:04:28 > 0:04:31I will see in my mind's eye, or the other way,
0:04:31 > 0:04:36there's like a feeling that I actually feel myself in my own body.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39I've worked with red pandas and tigers
0:04:39 > 0:04:43and I've also worked with mice and a whole variety
0:04:43 > 0:04:46of different animals that I've communicated with.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49So, whether it is a rhinoceros or whether it's a spider,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51it's exactly the same.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54So, does Michelle think she's got anything from Raven?
0:04:54 > 0:04:57When I was communicating with her
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and asked her about being a show dog, the first thing that she
0:05:00 > 0:05:03actually said to me was, "What am I doing here?"
0:05:03 > 0:05:05She feels that the place that's she's in,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08the environment is very alien to her.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13She doesn't really want to let you down in the show ring, so she's
0:05:13 > 0:05:18very aware of how she behaves and it can bring on the anxiety.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20But hold on, there's more.
0:05:20 > 0:05:25Raven has apparently told Michelle what she'd really rather do.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29The breeding side, that is her forte.
0:05:29 > 0:05:35When I asked her that question, she was so excited - "I can't wait,
0:05:35 > 0:05:41"this is my thing," she's so mumsy, so I think the breeding
0:05:41 > 0:05:47side for her is going to be where she absolutely shines through.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Yeah, she's been brilliant with pups in the past, actually.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52She's a completely different dog.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54She's right in the middle of it.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02So apparently, Raven just wants to be a stay-at-home mum.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04I'm not sure what to make of it.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05Thanks for your help.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08But Fran seems like a happy customer.
0:06:08 > 0:06:09- Bye.- Bye now.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Michelle's next stop is Norfolk.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16She's come to see breeder, Tracy. Her dog Foxy has given Tracy
0:06:16 > 0:06:19an emotional dilemma.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22- Hi, Michelle.- How are you?
0:06:22 > 0:06:23Very well, thank you.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29Foxy has had a litter of pups and today, Tracy is due to sell one
0:06:29 > 0:06:35of them, but she wants reassurance that Foxy's OK with it.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39Being my dog, I feel that she is happy and that she is OK with
0:06:39 > 0:06:47her babies going, so I'm hoping that I haven't misinterpreted my own dog.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51If you wouldn't mind communicating with Foxy,
0:06:51 > 0:06:55I really need to know if she's happy giving one of her puppies away today.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03I'm sure many people will be sceptical
0:07:03 > 0:07:06about animals talking telepathically.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11I'm quite often asked if I'm speaking to an Italian rabbit or a
0:07:11 > 0:07:17Mexican pig, for example, how do I... Do I speak all of these languages?
0:07:17 > 0:07:20But because the information comes as a frequency,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24It's my interpretation of the vibration that I'm receiving.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29Michelle now charges £30 for a session, but says she's been
0:07:29 > 0:07:33talking to animals since she was a child.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37When I was about six or seven years old,
0:07:37 > 0:07:42I had a yellow Labrador and I would chat with him all day.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46It kept my right brain open, which is the part that is
0:07:46 > 0:07:49used in animal communication, so if you're a very open, right-brained
0:07:49 > 0:07:53person, it allows the communication to come in to that side, before
0:07:53 > 0:07:58the left, analytical brain starts to tell you that you're making it up.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03So what does Michelle say that Foxy thinks about giving her puppies away?
0:08:03 > 0:08:08The way she looks at it, is that they will always be her puppies
0:08:08 > 0:08:12and it feels to her that, somebody's looking after them for me,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14but they will always be my puppies.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18So is there anything else that Foxy wants to tell us?
0:08:18 > 0:08:21Oh, here we go.
0:08:22 > 0:08:28What she did say to me was that there's no singing at the moment,
0:08:28 > 0:08:34so I think that she must be missing somebody singing around the house.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37It's really strange you say that, cos recently our stereo broke and
0:08:37 > 0:08:41we like to have a lot of music and we sing along to music all the time.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46We haven't done that for the last few weeks, so Foxy's obviously missing it.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Oh, well, that's cleared that up(!)
0:08:48 > 0:08:53Foxy is a very intuitive dog who knew what I'd come to do
0:08:53 > 0:08:58and was completely open and she was very easy to talk with.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Hi, Martin. Do come in.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05The buyers have arrived. Dad Martin is buying a pup for Mark.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08They have no idea of the turmoil owner Tracy's going through.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11It's time for Tracy to let the pup go.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16I'm really happy for the puppy that's going to its new home today.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18It's really reassured me that I'm doing the right thing.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22There we are. One little boy.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Enjoy him. Be a good boy.
0:09:26 > 0:09:27He will.
0:09:36 > 0:09:37Watch your step there.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41The first puppy's always the worst. It does get easier with each
0:09:41 > 0:09:45puppy going, but you're very attached to them, so it is difficult.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48It's like waving goodbye to a family member or a child.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53- See you.- Bye.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01I'm yet to be convinced, but I am intrigued
0:10:01 > 0:10:05and I'd dearly love to understand what's troubling my own dog, Baz.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08So I'm going to put Michelle to the test myself
0:10:08 > 0:10:10when she pays us a visit at home later.
0:10:10 > 0:10:16In the meantime, this is seven-year-old Labrador, Bumble,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19in the West midlands. Now, I'm in awe of Bumble and others
0:10:19 > 0:10:23like her, because she's a disability dog.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Shall we have a cuddle? Shall we have a cuddle?
0:10:26 > 0:10:32Her owner is university student Demi, who has cerebral palsy.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35I can't stand, I can't weight bear.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38I haven't got balance, so obviously I can't walk.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Come on then. Come on then, what's this?
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Bumble kind of compensates for that weakness.
0:10:45 > 0:10:50Life as a teenager before Bumble was hard for Demi.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52She was totally dependent on others
0:10:52 > 0:10:56and her hope of going to university seemed impossible.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03But five years ago, Bumble came into Demi's life and they have
0:11:03 > 0:11:06been inseparable ever since.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07You're a good girl!
0:11:07 > 0:11:11'Bumble's changed my life completely.'
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Good girl.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18'Rather than me feeling a burden, Bumble does it, but she's happy.'
0:11:18 > 0:11:22She's now in her third year at university, studying
0:11:22 > 0:11:23counselling psychology.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28University wouldn't have been possible without Bumble.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Good girl. Good girl.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Demi is one of the lucky ones.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35The charity that she got Bumble from gets 2,000 requests
0:11:35 > 0:11:40for dogs every year, but is only able to train up 50.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Bumble's brought out me as a person
0:11:43 > 0:11:46and all the qualities that I believe I have.
0:11:48 > 0:11:53It takes a special sort of Labrador to do what Bumble does.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56She was bred here in West Sussex by Michelle, who has been
0:11:56 > 0:12:00breeding disability dogs since 1997.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06The Labs that I breed have got to be physically strong, because
0:12:06 > 0:12:11the work they do is demanding, along with a gentle temperament.
0:12:11 > 0:12:18These two sisters, Clementine and Olive, have both recently had litters.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27But out of their eight adorable little pups, only a few will
0:12:27 > 0:12:31have what it takes to follow in Bumble's footsteps.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33This particularly litter is two and a half weeks.
0:12:33 > 0:12:39You're looking for a nice, broad skull, nice, strong tail set,
0:12:39 > 0:12:42good bone and they just physically have an overall
0:12:42 > 0:12:45picture of strength and wellbeing.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Michelle breeds puppies for the charity Dogs for the Disabled.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53A Labrador puppy would normally cost up to £850 to buy
0:12:53 > 0:12:56but she gives the charity a £300 discount.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01These are photographs that Dogs for the Disabled send me
0:13:01 > 0:13:04when one of my puppies qualifies.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07I feel passionately about supporting the charity.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10It gives people a quality of life.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14It's a fantastic life for the dog. It just gives me a lot of pleasure.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17I feel like I'm doing my bit.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Today is a big day for the pups.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Chris.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26Pup, pup, pup, puppies!
0:13:26 > 0:13:27Thank you.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Training expert Chris from the charity has come to see if
0:13:31 > 0:13:35any of them have what it takes to one day become a disability dog.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39He puts them through their paces.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41- Here we go.- Good girlie.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45It might look like just fun but Chris is looking for a pup with
0:13:45 > 0:13:47exceptional aptitude, who amongst other things is good with
0:13:47 > 0:13:51people, is not nervous or timid...
0:13:51 > 0:13:54She's done a little bit of licking as well
0:13:54 > 0:13:56when she approaches, which is perhaps a slight sign of anxiety.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59..and willing to please.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Good, that's nice.
0:14:02 > 0:14:07Out of the eight pups, he's picked just one.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Little Ida here.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13She's got a good retrieve for us to then develop in training
0:14:13 > 0:14:16and then her response to the strange noises,
0:14:16 > 0:14:18she noticed that something odd was happening, but then
0:14:18 > 0:14:21she carried on investigating with a nice, soft tail wag.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Once Ida's taken away for three years of training, Michelle
0:14:25 > 0:14:28will never see it again.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33The puppies that go to Dogs for the Disabled, I've never visited.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36If I could meet somebody that has got one of my dogs,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39I'd be delighted and very interested.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44Michelle's dream of seeing one of her old pups again is going to come true,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47as she's off to meet Bumble.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57Meanwhile, we are in Northamptonshire for one of
0:14:57 > 0:14:59the most eccentric things I have ever heard of.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02- Go, Darcy. - That's a good boy.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06We're at the home of two blissfully happy Norfolk terriers,
0:15:06 > 0:15:11six-year-old Darcy and four-year-old Todd.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16Retired couple Sue and Bryn are their owners.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Darcy and Todd have a good relationship.
0:15:18 > 0:15:24They live together, they play together, share their toys.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26But they're about to be delivered a bombshell.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29What we decided to do was get them married.
0:15:29 > 0:15:36Yes, you heard right, Sue and Bryn are getting their dogs married.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Some people would say, you know, "You must be mad," you know.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44Why not? You know, they're like our children, and why shouldn't they get married?
0:15:44 > 0:15:51Sue and Bryn's only daughter has grown up and left home,
0:15:51 > 0:15:55so this is their last chance to have a big slap-up family wedding.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58It just happens to be for the dogs.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02We're giving back what they've given us over the years.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04A dog don't ask for much. You know, all he wants...
0:16:04 > 0:16:06To be clean and fed.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09They've got a bed and they give you all the love they can.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12You know, you can't ask for much more than that.
0:16:12 > 0:16:13Can we?
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Just because it's the dogs, the preparations are no different
0:16:19 > 0:16:25from a normal wedding. There's flowers to buy...
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Darcy, do you like those? Oh, yes, they're lovely.
0:16:28 > 0:16:36As we all know, weddings are expensive and the flowers alone cost a whopping £120.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Todd likes them.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41Good girl.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45Next, it's the dog boutique.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51There's a dress for the bride.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56This is what we've got for Darcy's dress. That is gorgeous, beautiful.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58- So this is going on the bodice. - Yes.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01And we're going to take the bodice to there.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03- Yeah.- So the bodice is seven inches, Kate.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Are we going with a veil?
0:17:05 > 0:17:07No, I think we're going to do flowers.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- You look beautiful, don't you, darling?- Beautiful girlie.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Let's not forget the suit for the groom.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15I think the darker one would like nice.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17- The dark with the blue stripes.- Yes.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22In all, £55 are lavished on costumes for Darcy and Todd.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25I think they will look absolutely fabulous.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26It was what I wanted.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Hang on a minute. Hold on.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33I'm really, really excited about it and I can't wait till the wedding.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35This can only get more bizarre.
0:17:43 > 0:17:49It's two months since my wife, Anne, and I got our new dog, Baz,
0:17:49 > 0:17:50from the rescue centre.
0:17:50 > 0:17:55He'd obviously had a troubled life and is quite skittish.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00He is extremely nervous still, particularly with me,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03but he is not at all nervous with Anne.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07'We've been seeing pet behaviour experts, who have given
0:18:07 > 0:18:12'us tips on trying to understand why Baz is still a little scared of me.'
0:18:12 > 0:18:18The main hope is that he likes me as much as he likes Anne.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21That would be my wish.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25We've no idea what made Baz so fearful,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27but we suspect he's been maltreated.
0:18:27 > 0:18:32We'll do anything to help him, so why not try animal communicator
0:18:32 > 0:18:36Michelle to see if she can get to the bottom of Baz's problems?
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Come on, my darling. Whay! Yes.
0:18:40 > 0:18:45I'm open minded, but we haven't found anything about Basil yet that
0:18:45 > 0:18:47helps us, really.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54I know animal communication is a bit wacky and Anne's even more
0:18:54 > 0:18:57wary than me, but let's see what happens.
0:19:04 > 0:19:05I was asking him
0:19:05 > 0:19:10really about the life that he had before he came to you.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13It was quite a busy house.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17I feel that the way they played with him was actually quite rough.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22And he was almost maybe teased at times and he showed me...
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Now, how did you get those answers?
0:19:24 > 0:19:26OK, well, what I do,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29animal communication works by using telepathy, it's
0:19:29 > 0:19:33a telepathic connection that I have with them, and I feel that what
0:19:33 > 0:19:40Baz needed and wanted was some order and structure and some tranquillity
0:19:40 > 0:19:44and support and it's wonderful, really, that he's found you.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Well, we've no way of knowing if that's true or meaningless.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52- When I communicate with him, I keep telling him, "Ronnie loves you."- Yes.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56He's a lovely dog, he's a loving dog and he will settle.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59He will definitely settle, but he's just adjusting.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04I have to be absolutely honest, I don't believe these sort of people.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09I mean, they are talking about knowing what
0:20:09 > 0:20:12a dog's like by looking and imagining.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Having been a dog owner all my life...
0:20:16 > 0:20:19that's not something I would truly believe in.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23'If others find Michelle's work helpful, all well and good,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27'but I'm not sure we're any closer to unlocking Baz's history, so
0:20:27 > 0:20:31'we're just going to keep giving him all the love we can, hoping
0:20:31 > 0:20:33'that, in time, he can put his past behind him.'
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Off to the West Midlands now and a special treat today for
0:20:40 > 0:20:42breeder, Michelle.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47This is the first time she'd been to see one of her disability dogs in action.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51She's seeing Bumble, who she hasn't seen since she was a puppy.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Oh, clever.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Bumble belongs to university student, Demi.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01Michelle's brought Violet, Bumble's sister.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03- Hello.- Hello, Demi.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Hello. They look alike.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08- Oh, hi. I'm Michelle.- Hello.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10- Nice to meet you. - All right, I'm Demi.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14Come on, dogs. Let's shut the door.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16It's lovely for me to meet you, because I've got,
0:21:16 > 0:21:23in my office at home, they've had 21 dogs from me over the years.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25This for me was amazing,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28because normally you wouldn't ever get to meet the breeder.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31So it's nice to know where she comes... Like, things about her,
0:21:31 > 0:21:32where she comes from.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35So how has Bumble enhanced your life?
0:21:35 > 0:21:40Before Bumble, I kind of felt a bit like a burden as such, because
0:21:40 > 0:21:44I'd drop things, my mum would pick them up, I'd drop them again.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46She'd have to come and pick them up again.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48And then obviously to my mum, it gets a bit tiring,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51whereas to Bumble, it's a bit of a game.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54It doesn't matter how many times I drop it, she'll pick it up.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Demi is keen to show Michelle what Bumble's three years
0:21:57 > 0:22:00of training means she can do.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Starting with answering the phone.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04Oh, bless her, good girl.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Good girl, well done.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08Bumble, pull, pull.
0:22:08 > 0:22:09Pull, pull.
0:22:09 > 0:22:15Yeah, you're a clever girl. Well done.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19As well as fetching and opening doors, Bumble can bark on command,
0:22:19 > 0:22:23vital if Demi falls over and requires human assistance.
0:22:23 > 0:22:29Bumble, speak. And again. And again. And again.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Obviously, that's loud enough now.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Yeah. It's all right for your eardrums!
0:22:35 > 0:22:38It's thought 100,000 people
0:22:38 > 0:22:41could benefit from an assistance dog like Bumble.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45But there are presently only around 280 in the UK.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49It's just amazing that a dog can change somebody's life.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Good girl.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56Bumble has given her more confidence to get up and face people
0:22:56 > 0:23:00and take a different view on life.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Hello.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08It's been informative and humbling and sort of mixed emotions,
0:23:08 > 0:23:09but it's been lovely.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Lovely to see you. And good luck with your uni.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18I believe that Michelle's done an amazing job
0:23:18 > 0:23:21in terms of breeding, cos obviously it's down to
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Michelle that her temperament is what it is.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Bye.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36In Northamptonshire, it's the day of the dog nuptials.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Are you going to look beautiful today?
0:23:38 > 0:23:4338 years since their own marriage, Sue has been saving hard for
0:23:43 > 0:23:44one last family wedding.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Lick my nose, thank you.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49It's not every day you get to wear your pink fascinator.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Oh, look what a pretty dress you've got.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55Oh, my word. I think I'm getting a bit choked up!
0:23:55 > 0:23:57She's very nervous.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01It's a big day, getting married, whether you're a dog or a human.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05As traditional, you know, that the bride doesn't see the groom
0:24:05 > 0:24:08on the day, and hasn't.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11I think it's going to be a wonderful surprise for Todd.
0:24:14 > 0:24:21At the wedding venue, preparations are in hand, Bryn's gone on ahead
0:24:21 > 0:24:23with the groom and is having a man-to-man talk.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26He's a little bit nervous, but definitely looking forward
0:24:26 > 0:24:28to your girlfriend, ain't you, becoming your wife?
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Married for life.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Oh, I'm feeling I'm losing touch with reality, but I can't wait
0:24:33 > 0:24:35to see what happens next.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45Presiding over the ceremony today is Ann, who when she's not
0:24:45 > 0:24:48playing pet vicar, runs a cattery.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51People do think it's crazy
0:24:51 > 0:24:54but the animals these days are an extension of your family.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Your children get married, so why not your animals?
0:24:57 > 0:25:00While pet weddings are popular in America, Ann's the only one
0:25:00 > 0:25:02doing them in the UK.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07And 50 invited guests today seem more than happy to go along with it.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10I think they make a fantastic couple, they are really,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12they're obviously made for each other.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15I've known the bride and groom since they were puppies.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18It's nice to see them make it legal at last.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22I don't know about "legal". Let's not get carried away.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Ah, here comes the groom.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31In the three years Ann's been doing pet weddings, she's done 14
0:25:31 > 0:25:36dog weddings, one cat and even one rabbit.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38There's only been one dog divorce.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Apparently, they just grew apart.
0:25:43 > 0:25:48Fashionably late, Darcy arrives.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Hello, darling, you'll be all right.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57WEDDING MARCH PLAYS
0:26:08 > 0:26:13These dear friends have shared their lives together for many years.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17Darcy wants to express all the joy in having Todd in her life.
0:26:17 > 0:26:23She will always love Todd, today, tomorrow and always.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28Is there any dog here today who knows of any lawful
0:26:28 > 0:26:32impediment why these two dogs should not be joined together?
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Bark now or forever wag your tail.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44I now pronounce Todd and Darcy husband and wife.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Todd and Darcy will make the happiest couple, I think,
0:26:51 > 0:26:53that I've married so far.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Today brought a tear to my eye,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57cos I could see how happy they both were.
0:26:57 > 0:27:02They just love each other, you can tell by...in their eyes.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Some wild dogs, like coyotes, actually do pair bond for life,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09but scientists doubt our pet dogs do it.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Maybe Darcy and Todd are an exception.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20But as the reception starts, it's not long before there's a controversy.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24- Check it out.- You flirt! - It didn't take her long, did it?
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Flirting with another man straight after the do, huh?
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Mind you, as soon as the cake appears, Darcy's soon back.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Perhaps she knows she's now a married woman.
0:27:34 > 0:27:35Cutting the cake now.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38CHEERING
0:27:41 > 0:27:45All in all, it cost over £1,000 to marry Darcy and Todd
0:27:45 > 0:27:49and although some might think Sue and Bryn are barking mad, it just
0:27:49 > 0:27:53goes to show how much the dogs are part of their family.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56It's a serious commitment from both of them.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Just taking their relationship to a different level.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03It's like any marriage, if you don't work it at, it won't last, will it?
0:28:03 > 0:28:08You know, it's give and take - the man gives and the woman takes it all!