April 2007:
Dog House
3 x 40mins
Starting: Wednesday April 11th 2007
10.45pm BBC ONE
Five unruly, disruptive teenagers embark on an emotional journey of transformation, learning how to train assistance dogs for disabled people.
Canine Partners, based in West Sussex, produce some of the most highly trained dogs in the country. After months of patient training, the dogs can retrieve objects, open doors, call lifts, even empty a washing machine. The benefits for wheelchair users are enormous. But what will be the benefits for the kids?
Allie, 15 – only allowed at school one day a week, her house and family bear the scars of her violent temper.
Liam, 14 – excluded countless times for swearing at teachers and disrupting classes.
Katrina, 14 – shy to the point of agoraphobia, she will be forced to come out of herself or leave the course.
Rob, 13 – known as the Volcano for his explosive temper, Rob really wants to be a dancer.
Ellie, 14 – in and out of school for bullying and swearing, she seems to have no empathy with other people.
Over three months this unlikely crew descends on the sleepy training centre in Sussex, where head trainer Nina Bonderenko believes that working with the dogs can transform their behaviour. Patience, consistency and praise are the keys to dog training and perhaps the things that these children lack.
But from day one teenage mayhem is a shock to the system - these kids cannot concentrate for more than a few minutes, and the dogs are sensitive to any disruption. The experiment is almost over before it has begun. But gradually as the weeks progress some extraordinary and moving scenes emerge, as the young people begin to engage with the dogs as well as disabled people whose lives have been transformed.
But it is a steep learning curve - after just three months, the teenagers will have to put on a display of advanced dog training in front of an audience of families and teachers - to prove to everyone that they are worthy of another chance at school. This series charts their nerve-wracking progress, as they try to make it through to the end.
Directors: Jamie Berry & Deborah Lovett
Executive Producer: Colin Savage
Series Producer: Sam Bagnall Tel: 020 8752 7172
FOR FURTHER PRESS INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT SAM BAGNALL AT THE BBC ON 020 8752 7172
Jan 2007:
Canine Partners to Benefit from Hearts, Minds and Paws Book on dogs & working dogs, author Nina Bondarenko
Canine Partners (Registered Charity No. 803680) who specialise in providing highly trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities will benefit from a new, fascinating and fully-illustrated book on dogs and working dogs to be published in November. Written by internationally renowned lecturer, educator and trainer of dogs, Nina Bondarenko, the book will both inform and move us on the extraordinary powers of our canine partners.
This coffee-table book will feature a Foreword by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO, Patron of the Charity and an Introduction by Rosemary Smart, Chief Executive of The Kennel Club. Features will include a myriad of stories about dogs, their achievements and the ways they have literally transformed the lives of individuals. There are techniques for selecting a breed, knowing about and caring for dogs, as well as top tips for training your dog and fascinating insights into how dogs use senses we hardly understand, to help solve the most intricate crimes.
Author Nina Bondarenko has spent 15 years with Canine Partners and is Director of Canine Training Development. She has judged internationally, demonstrated for HM The Queen and developed the Puppy Education System of errorless learning. A consultant for the International Association of Animal Behaviour Counselors, Nina is also the Presenter of the training
video: Understanding and Training your Puppy, as well as ITVs Barking Babes and Meridian TVs Dogs with Dunbar.
We are delighted to be involved in this stunning book,² comments Terry Knott, CEO of Canine Partners. ³We feel that any dog lover will be spellbound, intrigued and moved by the content of OHearts, Minds and Paws.
Hearts, Minds and Paws is available now via www.akdpress.com or by calling 01243 779378. The book is priced at £19.95, with 25% being donated to the Canine Partners charity - training dogs to help transform the lives of people with disabilities. There are discounts for 5 or more books @ £15.00 each.
Jan 2007:
Canine Partner Sailor Receives Commendable Mention from Blue Cross
Assistance dog makes final four nominees for prestigious award
Canine Partners (Registered Charity No. 803680), a charity specialising in providing highly trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities, has today announced that one of it’s dogs, Sailor, has received a Commendable Mention from the Blue Cross. Sailor was one of four shortlisted to win The Blue Cross Award for animal heroism, but was pipped to the post by Jake, a Metropolitan explosives dog who cleared the scene at the Tavistock Square bus bombing.
The Blue Cross Medal was reinstated for one year only to mark the centenary of The Blue Cross animal hospital in Victoria – the oldest running charitable veterinary hospital in the country. The charity asked for owners or handlers to nominate animals that had come to the aid of another animal or human life, and shown bravery, companionship, or loyalty.
Ex-Army Warrant Office Eileen Hobson from London, a wheelchair user who suffers from a neurological disorder called Stiffman’s Syndrome, was partnered with Sailor in 2005. “Prior to having Sailor, I was a long term resident in a hospital needing 24 x 7 care,” comments Eileen. “I now live in a house again and thanks to Sailor have got back so much of my independence – something I didn’t think would ever be possible.”
Eileen and Sailor attended an award ceremony this week at The Blue Cross Animal Hospital Victoria, where actress Felicity Kendall presented the award. “I was disappointed Sailor didn’t win,” continues Eileen, “but the award went to a highly deserving dog. Just to reach the final four is such recognition for Sailor and what he does for me.”
Over the past 100 years, the Blue Cross Animal Hospital and its staff have developed to meet the capital’s changing animal welfare needs - it was originally opened to treat the working horses that were a common sight on London’s streets at the turn of the century. Today the hospital cares for the pets of a diverse mix of owners who cannot afford private veterinary fees and provides a number of outreach services including a mobile clinic and community nurse scheme.
Jan 2007:
4,000 Egg Boxes Urgently Required!
Canine Partners (Registered Charity No. 803680), a charity specialising in providing highly trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities, urgently requires unwanted egg boxes to help sound proof a new kennel block.
This plea is part of a project to house all dogs in training and puppies on-site at the Canine Partners Headquarters near Midhurst, rather than off-site at kennels. People are encouraged to send in the bottom egg holder section of clean unwanted egg boxes. These will be stuck onto the walls of a kennel block to act as an economical way of sound-proofing.
Andy Cook, Director of Operations at Canine Partners is leading this project. “We want to create a home-from-home environment for all the dogs living on-site. Obviously keeping noise to a minimum is beneficial, as is making a comfortable, dry and warm living area for these dogs.”
All clean egg boxes should be sent to Peter McErlain, Canine Partners, Mill Lane, Heyshott, West Sussex, GU29 0ED. For further information on Canine Partners please visit www.caninepartners.co.uk or call 08456 580480.
Jan 2007:
Assistance Dog Charity Launches in Bedford!
Local office needs your help
Canine Partners, who provides highly trained assistance dogs to people with disabilities, yesterday launched a satellite office in Clapham near Bedford. The launch was attended by staff from Canine Partners, established partnerships, puppies in training and Lorraine Lotan of Happy Dogs Training & Grooming who will be running the operation.
Canine Partners has been established for over 15 years and trains dogs to help people who have disabilities with every day tasks such as shopping, dressing and undressing, picking up dropped items; as well as emergency response procedures. The charity has over 90 partnerships throughout the country and is opening satellite offices in a number of key regions, so it can help more people get back their independence by having an assistance dog.
The Bedford based satellite office currently has 2 puppies in training, as well as support from local resident Janet Durrant and her Canine Partner Xanthus. Lorraine Lotan who will be running the satellite comments, “We need as much help as we can get from willing volunteers, in order for us to really get things up and running in Bedford. If anyone is interested in becoming a Puppy Parent and help to look after a puppy whilst it is in training for approximately six months to a year, then please get in touch. We are also looking for donations, fundraisers and anyone interested in helping out with this amazing charity.”
Representatives from Canine Partners are available for demonstrations and speaker opportunities in the local area. For further information on this or volunteering your services, please contact 01234 365601.
