Victoria Stilwell with troublesome canine Lottie and owners Jason and Sarah Keith, of Ringwood, after the filming of an episode of It's Me or the Dog. DB1178P3

Leath-clad host of hit TV show It's Me or the Dog struts stuff on Carvers

LEATHER-clad "doggie dominatrix" Victoria Stilwell, of Channel 4's popular television show It's Me or the Dog unleashed her canine coaching skills on little Lottie, a naughty terrier from Ringwood, on Monday.

Onlookers gathered to watch the modern-day answer to Barbara Woodhouse bring the Patterdale terrier to heel for the third series of the hit show on Carvers Field.

Jason and Sarah Keith, of Ringwood, called on the TV animal behaviourist in despair following the pathological behaviour shown by their beloved one-year-old puppy.

The couple rescued the terrier from a "puppy farm" and Sarah nursed it back to full health.

However, as Lottie grew older, Sarah realised the damage was more than just physical.

Lottie was the canine's equivalent to Houdini - vanishing at every opportunity. When she did decide to stay at home she would dig to excess in the garden.

Finally, as their patience began to wain, Sarah and Jason sought professional help and called in Victoria.

She stepped out from a sporty little open-top number, clad in black from head to toe and clutching a bag of tricks designed to tame even the most difficult dog.

Yet Victoria is not the dominant dog trainer one might like to believe. She rejects the old style of taming - using leash and collar jerks.

Instead, she builds respect and understanding from her charge.

Victoria is an actress-turned-dog-trainer whose expertise has seen her found new dog training schools in both Britain and the United States.

It was her dedication to training as well as good looks that helped her to secure the job as host and behaviourist in It's Me or the Dog.

Victoria admits that she "stumbled" into her current vocation because of the capricious nature of acting.

"I trained to be an actor and that was all I wanted to do," she said.

"But I was unemployed, so my sister, a veterinary nurse, suggested that I do some dog walking.

"I took it up out of necessity. I started off walking with one dog a day and within a month I had about twenty a day."

It was a chance meeting with dog trainer Ken Cochrane on Wimbledon Common that changed her life forever.

She said: "Ken has a real way with dogs and I became interested in the way he trained."

From there, the fires of curiosity were stoked. She began to read heavily on the subject and attended seminars by top animal behaviourists who had written extensively about the new style of positive training.

"Then I started doing a little training myself," she said.

"To begin with, it was just a hobby. I was still going to be an actor. But slowly, I became more interested in dog training.

"Training is 80 per cent owners and 20 per cent dog in my book. Dogs are eager to learn while humans can be a lot harder to deal with."

And how did Lottie and her owners do? Victoria says you will have to stay tuned to the show to find out.

The third series of It's Me or the Dog screens Tuesdays at 8pm on Channel 4.

4:04pm Thursday 12th October 2006

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