A DOG TRAINER is going to put misbehaving mongrels and playful puppies through their paces in a TV show. Lynne Davies, who lives in Collenswood Road, Stevenage, and works for Barking Mad Dog Training School, Graveley, will begin work next week with dogs w

A DOG TRAINER is going to put misbehaving mongrels and playful puppies through their paces in a TV show.

Lynne Davies, who lives in Collenswood Road, Stevenage, and works for Barking Mad Dog Training School, Graveley, will begin work next week with dogs who have behavioural problems for a BBC Three programme called Dog Borstal.

During a three-month stint at an ex-airbase camp in Suffolk Mrs Davies will work on a tough regime for the dogs and an even tougher regime for their owners.

Mrs Davies said: "We are pretty much going to have 12 dogs, one a week, which will have behavioural problems, i.e. aggression and unruly behaviour, and it's a matter of ironing those problems out for each dog.

"It's usually the owner or handler that needs to be trained to help the dogs.

"It's no good us instructing just the dogs because they won't be listening to their owners when they are at home with them."

The regime for dogs and trainers is tough, beginning with a 6am start for early morning exercise and kennel cleaning and finishing at 10pm with a final perimeter walk for the dogs and owners.

To graduate from the borstal each dog must pass a final test to convince the trainer that they've become a perfect pet.

"I'm really looking forward to doing it, it'll be a chance to pass on what I know to people," Mrs Davies said.

"Too many dogs are being re-homed as it is but if people put the effort in and realise there is help out there, that makes all the difference.

"We work really hard at Barking Mad and people come down, get a free session, and then decide whether they want to sign up for a full course. Most people do."

Mrs Davies starts working on the show on July 10 and the programme will be on BBC Three later this year.