Me and My Dog: The Ultimate Contest

In episode one the challenges are all designed to test their human/canine communication skills. The eight pairs are split into two groups - the Reds and the Yellows - and it's the Reds who have the first chance to score points. Owners must encourage dogs through a series of gates using three key modes of communication - verbal, body language and eye contact. For the Yellows it's a Ghyll Scramble through fast flowing water where dogs need to collect tennis balls along the way but some don't want to get their feet wet.

The ultimate test of communication is a tethered biking challenge. The final scores are revealed - but who has triumphed in the first stage of the contest?

Chris Packham hosts a physical and mental competition in the Lake District, where eight owners and their dogs compete together in a series of challenges, all in a bid to make it to the grand final. Programme two's challenges are all designed to test the levels of trust between the owners and their dogs.

This episode's challenges are all designed to test the owners' ability to immerse themselves in their dog's world.

It is the final stage of the contest and the Reds have one last challenge to determine which pairs go through to the final. It all comes down to a fiendishly difficult canine intelligence test which involves Lake Windermere and some dog toys. One pair prove just how far they have come and Toni is finally convinced that Flapjack is actually quite clever. Then it is the final - a human-dog triathlon involving a two kilometre bike race over rugged terrain, a 100 metre open water swim and a one and a half kilometre cross country run. It is a race to the finish and the Me and My Dog Champions are unveiled. It is a chance for everyone to reflect on what they have learned and it is a celebration of a very special species many of us choose to share our lives with.