What a shame they didn't put me on the show. I'd really like to take him on, like to see him try and shout me into using a choke chain...

I really don't see what this is supposed to teach them about looking after their dogs at all! They briefly mention the fact that 'pack leader' mentality is outdated and choke chain collars aren't widely used in the uk but the remainder of the program continues to highlight that the problem is that they are not 'leaders' or 'respected' by their dog

Not watched the teaser, or the programme. Its on tomorrow night though so il probably watch it then.

Well I actually enjoyed it more than I was expecting to. The British dog owners were numpties (of course) and the pack theory was heavily used, but I thought the anti-poaching dogs and the job they do were amazing.

Same here At least the programme makers had the sensitivity to point out that choke chains are not considered suitable in Britain, and if the South African trainer used any other more aversive means to train his dogs, we weren't shown it. Whew.

I loved seeing those Malis work - I also loved seeing how the kids slowly cottoned on to the idea that they could really work with dogs as a human/canine team.... something that would never have occurred to them otherwise.

They seemed so dislocated from the working dogs (as with their own 'pets') but when the penny dropped it was great to see.... One moment when the dog looked up at its handler asking a question, I thought That's it! You got it!

There was someone in this household who probably enjoyed it more than me... She was transfixed for most of the hour (probably more of her kin than she's seen in a long time!), and this was when they were doing the bitework...


Looking forward to next week's but I think it's going to be a tough call..... The kids are sent to a very busy and distressing shelter in Australia.

It was better than I expected... and I think the anti-poaching thing is brilliant!

I can't believe that guy taught his 6 month old to bite! And that the girl couldn't care less that the dog wasn't going to get any food or water!

I do like that they said the pack theory is out dated and advised people not to use choke chains in Britain... I did think it was strange though, that they said that, yet still made a programme with all the being used...

Die honde wat Afrikaans gepraat ....

Did nobody else wince when the guy checked the dog for going towards the fence? A full on yank with the full force of a five foot lead Way over the top and really put me off. The sniffer work was really interesting to watch but that scene just put my back up for the rest of the programme. It might have given the owners a change in perspective for viewing their dogs but it didn't give them transferable skills, she could hardly go home and start yanking around her pug like that And when she was showing off at the end she was like "sit...sit down....sit...sit down!", couldn't even get her cues straight so no wonder the dog needed to be asked five times! Hmmm....

The poaching stuff was fascinating though and I'm interested to see other trainers approaches in future programmes, hopefully they'll have so better role models coming up. Interested to see the husky racing one.

Forgetting the two british kids that went

I actually enjoyed it, I thought the way those dogs did tracking and how they knew their job was amazing.

I wasn't over keen on the part where they walked past the fence and the big guy yanked the choke chain.....and I wasn't impressed with the labradors hanging teets either ..... but on the whole it was better then I thought....even Pat watched it

At the risk of repeating myself, the defining moment was when one of the teen's dogs turned round, with wide relaxed mouth, keen eyes, to look it its handler for direction.... asking a question. (I know that look so well! and love it)

Not sure the handler understood it at the time - but if they'd got that degree of trust and that certain look with their pet dogs at home - and recognised it! - would they have needed to be there at all?

Just being devil's advocate for a moment..... but why couldn't the best trainers and behaviourists in the UK have given them the same motivation?