The show pairs eight rescue dogs from The Dogs Trust’s West London rehoming centre with eight celebrities. Each week, the dogs and celebs undergo increasingly difficult obedience and agility tasks, with their performance rated both by a panel of expert judges and the viewers at home. Sadly, the pair with the lowest score is evicted from the show each week.

The first episode of The Underdog Show was great fun! Unlike Dog Borstal, which focuses on the failings of owners, and the somewhat cynical Help! My Dog’s as Fat as Me, it summed up what’s so great about living with dogs.

Each of the eight dogs displayed huge amounts of character, leaving the celebrities somewhat in the shade. Throughout the tasks, the dogs were clearly having fun, even if the celebrities were occasionally frustrated.

Julian Clary presents the show and is accompanied by his dog Valerie. It’s good to see a presenter who is well known for their love of dogs.

Overall, particularly thanks to the involvement of The Dogs Trust, The Underdog Show is a great way to show the wider public that rescue dogs make fantastic companions. Let’s hope one or two viewers give a home to a dog in need.

Chat about The Underdog Show in our new forums!

You Need a Dog follows Samira Akerbousse as she tries to improve her life by taking in Bob, a Cocker Spaniel who works as a therapy dog.

Bob lived with Samira, and her daughter, for three weeks, during which time she hoped he would help improve her social life and even lead to romance. After a quick training session – during which we saw a softer side of Dog Borstal’s Mic Martin – Bob gave Samira a chance to get out and about, with the programme’s highlight being the revelation that St Albans has a singles night for dog owners!

It was also interesting to see hear from an American dating expert – Wendy Diamond – who specialises in dog owners. Apparently, Samira was to check her potential beau’s coat, teeth, etc. Actually, my mind wandered a little at that point, so I’ve no idea what she actually advised.

You see, You Need a Dog isn’t a programme about dogs; it’s a self-improvement show in which a dog is used as a tool. Bob seemed like a happy chap and he did appear to have a genuinely positive effect on Samira’s life but it was all rather fleeting. Happy or not, poor old Bob was a lifestyle accessory for three weeks, then sent back off in his crate.

Making the most of its disused air base location – high wire fences, military-style tents for the owners and cages for the mutts – the show gives the owners a short, sharp shock.

The first episode introduced the trainers: Debbie Connolly, Rob Alleyne and Mic Martin. So far, Debbie and Rob seem like normal people; Mic seems to enjoy his position of power a touch too much, though.

As a former police dog trainer, and with tales of his military service never far from his lips, Mic likes to make it clear he’s a man’s man. Sadly, the producers thought it necessary to engineer a little conflict and placed him with Flake, a Jack Russell whose gay owners inspired a series of nervous, “what they do in the privacy of their own home is their business” style comments from tough-guy Mic.

The first show’s other two inmates were Henry – a Weimeraner whose main hobby was stopping his owner from putting a jumper on – and Maggie, a Staffie who was still terrorising her neighbourhood despite having mauled a smaller dog and killed two cats.

Although Mic’s hard-man act was somewhat tedious, the trainers quickly demonstrated their expertise. Henry’s boistrous behaviour and strong will were quickly brought under control and Maggie was able to resist sinking her teeth into any other animal that walked past.

It appears that Dog Borstal could be of more long-term interest than Channel 4’s It’s Me or The Dog. We’ve stopped watching Victoria Stillwell’s show, mainly because it has become a little samey now it’s in the second series. Dog Borstal, although contrived in places, is perhaps fresher.

Chat about Dog Borstal in our forums.

Gone to the Dogs stars veteran British actors Tony Booth and Dora Bryan as a couple who retire to one of England’s fading south coast resorts. Endless days of promenade walks and lunches in run-down caf

Britain’s Top Dog will use four regional auditions to find the most promising dogs and owners. The lucky group will then undergo six weeks of training, including intensive one-to-one sessions with experts in:

• agility
• scent-work
• heel-work to music (also called doggy dancing).

The winning dog will be crowned Britain’s Top Dog!

If you want the chance to show off with your dog, and have fun learning some new tricks, call Leila Warren at RDF Media on 020 7 013 4289.

Recincarnated as a scruffy dog, Jack goes on to be adopted by his unwitting widow, Rose. The film tells the story of Jack’s realisation of what makes a good husband; shame he’s now a dog.

The trailer makes the film look like good fun – plenty of dog thoughts voiced by actors and at least one scene featuring a pack of dogs racing down a narrow street. Starring classic British comedy actors Tony Booth – Cherie’s dad – and Dora Bryan, Gone to the Dogs is available to buy on DVD now.

We’ll have a review next week.