PAWFECT companions

The Dog House star SUE KETLAND takes TV Times behind the scenes at Woodgreen Pets Charity to share the secrets of the rehoming process...

- EMMA BULLIMORE

THE DOG HOUSE THURSDAY, 8PM, C4 FACTUAL

Since scampering onto our screens in 2019, C4's uplifting series The Dog House has captured hearts across the nation with stories of abandoned pooches hoping to be matched with their perfect owner. Keen to meet the stars of the show - both canine and human - and to experience the magic first-hand, TV Times travels to Woodgreen Pets Charity in Cambridgeshire, where the filming takes place. The sprawling site can accommodate between 40 and 70 dogs at any one time, and is run by passionate staff, who go above and beyond to help the residents swap their plush but lonely kennels for a loving home. Nothing is too much trouble, be it extra training to make the dogs more likely to be chosen, or regularly fostering the pooches.

Dog behaviour and training specialist Sue Ketland has worked at Woodgreen for more than 35 years. Her work includes helping owners correct difficult dog behaviours before they might consider giving up their pet, as part of a prevention programme to stop animals arriving at the shelter to start with.

Sue admits she was hesitant about turning her job into a TV programme. 'I didn't know how it would work - some of our dogs don't even like having a photo taken for the website, let alone having a filming crew here,' she shares. 'But they use fixed-rig cameras and you quickly forget they are there.'

As well as the cameras, the production team has brought in some particularly cosy-looking sets around the site, including the famous Meeting Pen, where would-be owners meet their potential companions for the first time. But aside from a bit of 'fairy dust' and some sprucing, the show captures the day-to-day reality of life at the centre.