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Channel 4 looking for nation’s naughtiest pets for new series of Dog Academy
Hear one couple’s story of how they overcame their struggles with their anxious pet dog
Owners and their naughty dogs can now apply to join the second series of Channel 4’s Dog Academy to help them overcome their struggles.
The hit new show, which features struggling humans with misbehaving pooches, is on the hunt for potential new participants to apply for its second series, for which filming will start later this year.
The company behind the programme, Five Mile Films, are now taking applications for people and say they have compiled a list of trainers to help transform the behaviour of their dogs.
The show wants to hear from owners who are really struggling with their pet’s behaviour and how to train them, and they want people to express their interest now in preparation for filming.
The series will see a team of Britain’s top specialist trainers instruct beleaguered owners in dog management skills and dog psychology.
A flyer for the show reads: “Are you struggling with your dog’s behaviour? Would you like to overcome your dog’s issues?
“Our prime time Channel 4 series is back and looking for misbehaving dogs and their owners.”
From The Dog Academy series one, episode two, Kelly Lee, a nurse, and her partner Emilien Borne, a personal trainer, from Tyldesley in Greater Manchester, were struggling with the behaviour of their dalmatian, two-year-old Lupin.
Suffering from anxiety due to a traumatic start in life, Lupin was tearing up their home, chewing through sofas, cushions, floors, walls and even their washing machine. He’d drag the couple on walks, causing Kelly to fall out of the house and pull her arm out of its socket.
Their dog walker even refused to walk the young pet because of the dragging, and the last straw came when Kelly’s friend was also dragged to the floor while walking him.
It was Kelly’s friend who tagged her in an advertisement for Channel 4’s The Dog Academy, and the couple applied believing this was their last hope to help their beloved pet.
About Lupin’s behaviour, Kelly explained: “He shredded the couch to pieces. If we took him out for a walk, his anxiousness was just so apparent with him pulling at his lead.
“And obviously, the bigger that he got, the stronger he got. It got to a point where I couldn’t actually physically walk him because he was just dragging me over. He’d drag you into the road and leaving the house, he’d drag me out.
“On three occasions I actually fell out of the house and hurt my knee, and he yanked me so hard once that my shoulder popped out the socket.
“One of my friends lives around the corner and if me or Emilien were on shift, she’d pop by and walk him. She phoned me one day crying to say she can’t walk him anymore because he’d just pulled her ‘clean out of the house’.”
She continued: “We were like, ‘enough is enough’. It’s one thing it happening to us but when other people are getting injured, we knew we had to do something about it. And it turns out, it was all because he was traumatised.”
Kelly and Emilien saved Lupin, from potentially being euthanised because he is deaf and was struggling as the runt of the litter. The mum-of two drove four hours to urgently collect him.
They already had one dalmatian Ralph and now the two brothers live together with the couple at their home. However, while Lupin was still a puppy he contracted Parvovirus, which can be fatal in puppies, and spent a number of weeks in veterinary care ICU, where he almost died.
Not wanting to have him put down, the couple brought him back home so he could spend his last days with his family and brother Ralph.
Kelly and Emilien took it in turns being by his side around their work shifts and even slept on the sofa.
But with Kelly putting her nursing skills to good use, she fed him back to strength with egg yolks, liver and pureed chicken, and administered IV fluids, pain relief and penicillin suitable for dogs, following the advice of her veterinarian friend.
Surrounded by a loving family and given around the clock care, Lupin turned a corner and was nursed back to health.
But the traumatic experience left the friendly and lovable pet with anxiety and this is where his behaviour issues began.
About being on the show, Kelly said: “The day was broke down where we’d do some learning, and while we were learning without Lupin, Lupin would be with the other trainer learning stuff, and then we kept coming together.
“Then we’d put it together basically as a team and try and work together to do it. Honestly, I had no hope I was resigned to thinking, ‘yeah, right,’ I was really sceptical.
“But then the trainer brought him back into the courtyard and he just walked next to them on a lead and we were like, ‘oh my god’.”
Kelly said the trainers told them part of Lupin’s behaviour was also down to the couple mollycoddling him while he was ill and failing to discipline him where needed. They felt guilty for telling their pet off when he was ill and because he nearly died.
The couple are now following a plan they were given for Lupin, and The Dog House checks in with them regularly to follow up with their progress. Kelly’s told them he’s ‘like a different dog’.
She added: “Lupin is literally by your side on the lead and he’s not pulling. We’ve also not had any chewing episodes at home.”
Lupin now has his own Instagram page where you can follow his progress @lupinandus.
If you’re struggling with the behaviour of your pet dog, you can apply for The Dog Academy HERE. If you have any questions, send an email to dogacademy@fivemilefilms.co.uk.
Sit down, we’ve got something to tell you… Co-op Live has announced the artist James will be heading to the huge new music-first arena during its epic opening season next year.
James will be heading to the stage at the £365 million venue as part of their 40th anniversary UK arena tour.
Performing live for their hometown, the ‘Sit Down’ hitmakers will play in Manchester on Friday, June 14th 2024.
James will be joined by popular UK band Razorlight, who’ll be sure to get guests excited for a night of great music and nostalgia for all to enjoy.
The exciting news coincides with the release of James’ 17th studio album in April 2024, the first single of which will be announced in January – with further details to follow soon.
One of Britain’s most enduring success stories, James have released 16 studio albums, selling over 25 million copies with their recent run of Top 5 albums proving to be a golden era for the band.
All The Colours Of You released in 2021 was their most critically acclaimed in years, preceded by Living in Extraordinary Times and Girl at the End of the World which narrowly missed out on the top spot in 2016 to Adele.
Iconic Manchester band James have now entered into a golden era, and will continue to do so in 2024 and for many more years to come.
Band members; Tim Booth, Jim Glennie, Saul Davies, Adrian Oxaal, David Baynton-Power, Mark Hunter, Andy Diagram, Chloe Alper, Deborah Knox-Hewson, are all looking forward to coming to the brand-new Co-op Live to perform for fans next year.
Singer Tim Booth says: “Deeply proud to announce that we are touring next year to coincide with the release of a rather wonderful new album that we are mixing this week.
“The new songs sound belting, and will fit this arena tour. Really looking forward to celebrating with you. Expect a mixture of the expected and unexpected – just like life. Nothing but love”.
Jim Glennie, says: “We are delighted to announce our 2024 Arena Tour, supported by the wonderful ‘Razorlight’. Come and share a night of biggies, rarities and a sizeable chunk of our exciting, next NEW album! See you there folks. With love, Jim from James”.
Co-op members will gain first-in-line access to tickets to see James at Co-op Live in Manchester through a designated presale from 9.30am on October 4th, 2023. General sale will then go live from 9.30am on Friday, October 6th.
Download the Co-op App now to become a member and receive some fantastic and exclusive benefits.
To become a member and enjoy access to presale tickets, click HERE.
What's On
Sample the world’s ‘most unusual’ wines and spirits at special tasting event
Sounds like my kind of ‘spirit journey’
Tipples invites you to grab a glass and sip away on a variety of wines and spirits at its celebratory event in Manchester.
Tipples are hosting a celebration of the ‘world of drinks’ at Albert Hall on Saturday, November 4th.
The winter showcase will see a wide variety of the ‘most unusual’ and ‘interesting’ wines and spirits across the globe, as well as being the perfect opportunity to purchase Christmas presents for loved ones in the run up to the big day.
The event will be split into two sessions, kicking off at 12.00pm and 5.00pm, featuring some of the newest wines and spirits, along with some of Tipples’ long-time favourites.
Upon arrival guests will be given a tasting glass, a bottle of water, and a floorplan as they go on a ‘spirit journey’.
They can then make their way around the space and approach any of the stands they like the look of and ask for a sample. It will be a great opportunity to learn a little more about the brands, and the brand reps will take care of the rest.
Guests will join the owners of Tipples, Greg and Tom, at their very first showcase to explore their range of some of the finest sips from over 40 brands covering over 300 products from here, there and everywhere.
Local Manchester based brands will also feature at the event including the likes of Manchester Gin and Pod Pea vodka.
And with all that sipping, guests are likely to get a little peckish. You’ll be delighted to know that a hot dog stand provided by Albert’s Schloss will be available for anyone who gets the munchies.
Bottles of fine wines and spirits will be available to purchase at the event, and will make an excellent Christmas present for the wine or spirit connoisseurs in your life.
Tipples is an independent city centre spirits shop and gin specialist stocking a wide range of spirits and liqueurs, including over 75 gins, which they pride themselves on.
They have a wide range of suppliers to ensure that their selection is as broad and comprehensive as possible, with over 500 products for customers to choose from.
Tickets for Tipples of Manchester’s ‘world of drinks’ showcase are £27.07. To find out more or purchase tickets, click HERE.
What's On
Chester Zoo launches new ‘mystical’ Halloween trail with ‘enchanted river boat ride’
Mind the hanging bats!
Chester Zoo has announced it is launching a new ‘mystical’ Halloween trail which features an ‘enchanted river boat ride’, just in time for October half term.
Luna’s Legendary Creature Halloween Trail will run throughout the whole of October, including half term and Halloween.
Event organisers say the ‘spellbinding route will see visitors encounter five magical species’ such as the majestic crowned pigeon, the super agile Sulawesi macaque and the strong Sunda gharial crocodile.
The ‘spooktastic’ journey will highlight deforestation and the importance of protecting the rainforest.
Visitors to the trail will go on a quest to collect key words about the unique qualities of each animal before helping Luna the witch discover a legendary creature living deep inside the charity zoo’s Monsoon Forest habitat – the UK’s biggest indoor zoological building.
Guests who unlock the secrets of the rainforest will receive a spooky Halloween treat – no tricks!
Newly added to the trail this year, will see guests able to hop onto Halloween-themed boats and take a ride on the Lazy River Boats where they can see hanging bats, skeletons and pumpkins along the way.
Ellie Trigg, Chester Zoo’s customer development manager, said: “There’s a special mystical quest across South East Asia to discover at the zoo this October. We need visitors to help us find ‘Luna’s Legendary Creature’ which holds the secret to protecting the rainforest.
“This new trail will take guests through our huge Monsoon Forest habitat, where visitors will be challenged with collecting a number of key words from five locations to complete their log book and help us discover Luna’s Legendary Creature.”
She added: “Halloween provides us with a great opportunity to highlight some of the world’s rarest animals, especially those that can sometimes be a little misunderstood or which often fly under the radar.
“This new trail will also show visitors how small actions, such as swapping a few items in their weekly shop to sustainable alternatives, can help the species found on the trail to thrive in the wild.”
The trail is free to all zoo visitors who purchase normal zoo tickets and no time slot booking needed. Visitors of the zoo can go on the trail at any time throughout the day – which takes around 90 minutes to complete.
To book tickets, costing from £22.72 for children and from £29.99 for adults, visit the website by clicking HERE. Children aged two and under go free.
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