New dog owners learn how to navigate puppy parenthood, with the help of experts Oli Juste, Katie Patmore and Hannah Molloy
Expert dog handlers give puppy owners paws for thought…
Getting a new puppy for the first time isn’t always a walk in the park.
Luckily, help is at hand in C4’s new four-part Puppy School, set in the grounds of Chatsworth House, with dog experts Oli Juste, Hannah Molloy and Katie Patmore.
Tonight, young couple Hannah and Jack hope Labrador pup Reuben will help them prepare for being parents one day, and Laura has her hands full with 44lb Newfoundland puppy Athena.
Meanwhile, couple Dave and Deepti need adorable Dachshund Jerry to get used to being left alone, as Deepti is undergoing cancer treatment and needs to be able to leave him for vital hospital appointments.
TV Times rating: ****
Trainer Oli Juste, 43, tells TV Times about this week’s puppy pupils…
Labrador Reuben, owned by young couple Hannah and Jack
‘Jack is away quite a bit working on an oil rig,’ says Oli. ‘So Reuben is a brilliant way for them to find out if they’d be able to bring up a child.
And this young couple are naturally great. We set them an interesting challenge, to get Reuben to settle while they’re busy.
It’s brilliant fun, and you can imagine how it could be with a baby!’
Newfoundland Athena, owned by newly divorced Laura
‘Laura is sensational,’ says Oli. ‘She has two daughters, lives on a farm and is juggling a busy career. We help her see sometimes dogs need a little time at home to know they’re all right on their own.
We set a challenge in Chatsworth’s maze to help Laura realise she has separation issues as much as Athena has.’
Dachshund Jerry, owned by Deepti and Dave
‘Deepti is inspirational – she’s a doctor and didn’t have to be told that she had cancer – she realised as soon as she saw her scans,’ says Oli.
‘Deepti always wanted a puppy and cracked the joke, “Now I have cancer, can I get one?” Dave and Deepti love Jerry so much. It’s a special relationship.’
