Colin and Mitch - Dartmoor, Devon

• Colin– Landscape Gardener and Game Keeper
• Mitch (3) – Lurcher X Bedlington X Collie

Why makes your bond so special?
When I was 19, I had a serious motorcycle accident. After years of multiple operations and chronic pain I became an elective amputee, losing my leg below my right knee in my 40s. Before the accident I used to run cross country for Devon, box for the South West region and play rugby for my local club. At the time of the operation I was farming and the work caused a lot of sores, not to mention the times I left my leg behind in the mud! But with advances in prosthetics I have been able to embark on lots of physical adventures: I ran the 630-mile South West Coastal path, climbed to Base Camp Everest as well as taking part in The Grizzly, a 20 mile off-road running competition.

I live in the Teign Valley where I work as a game keeper and landscape gardener on the edge of Dartmoor. I have three dogs who are my family while my son and daughter are away at University. Mitch is considered a working dog and the only contest he has taken part in is terrier racing at a local village fete, which he excelled at. Many of the tasks were new ground for us both.

Why did you want to be involved?
I’m the old dog who wanted to learn new tricks! I’m fairly traditional when it comes to training Mitch so I really wanted to learn a more modern approach to communicate with my dogs and acquire a better understanding of all of my pets.

What was your favourite and least favourite exercise/challenge?
My favourite challenge was the paddle boarding. The challenge I didn't enjoy as much was the swimming with Mitch.

What did you get out of the programme?
A great deal! A new way of looking at Mitch, a better appreciation of him (and my other dogs) and how to approach training with Mitch’s son, Perry, who is already proving an excellent canicross dog.

Do you have any funny stories from filming?
Oh, all ten days!
 

Biography

Naturalist and broadcaster Chris Packham has had a long and successful career on TV, beginning with The Really Wild Show in 1986 and more recently Springwatch, Autumnwatch, and Winterwatch, Nature’s Weirdest Events, World’s Weirdest Events, Inside the Animal Mind, Operation Iceberg and Secrets Of Our Living Planet.

In 2010 Chris was awarded the Dilys Breese BTO Medal for his outstanding work in promoting science to new audiences. He was voted Conservation Hero Of The Year (2014) in the Birders’ Choice Awards (Birdwatch magazine). In 2015 he reached second place in The Wildlife Power List featured in the BBC Wildlife Magazine. In October 2016 Chris earned the top honour at the Wildscreen Panda Awards - The Christopher Parsons Award for Outstanding Achievement - in recognition of his significant contribution to wildlife filmmaking, conservation and the public’s understanding of the environment.

Earlier in 2016 he was made honorary Doctor of Science by the University of Southampton, where he had graduated 30 years before.

Programme Information

• Episode one
• Episode two