Mic Martin (www.micmartin.co.uk) is one of the dog trainers on the television programme Dog Borstal. Owners of dogs with problems of various natures endure the no nonsense approach of the show’s trainers, and emerge at the other side stronger, knowing more, and with a much better behaved dog.
Mic has trained dogs for many years, to perform many different behaviours, and is also the Patron of Support Dogs. At Crufts, in return for a donation to the charity, Mic will be trying to solve dog training problems.
This is one of the great aspects of Crufts – it’s a great platform for putting across the right message about dog ownership. It inspires owners to train and treat their dog as well as possible.
You can read more about Mic below, and here’s some information about Support Dogs:
Support Dogs is a founder member of Assistance Dogs UK and also a full voting member of Assistance Dogs International, an organisation that represents assistance dog training programmes around the world.
Every year Support Dogs receives in excess of fifty applications for dogs from each of its programmes, which means that there is currently a two-year waiting list. Without secure and regular funding the wait may be even longer and demand for dogs continues to increase every year.
Get your questions answered by top Dog Borstal trainer at Crufts and raise money for Support Dogs
NEC Birmingham, 5th-8th March 2009, Hall 2 – Stand 58
Support Dogs is pleased to announce that its newest patron and star trainer from BBC3’s Dog Borstal, Mic Martin, will be on hand at Crufts to answer all your training queries.
Fans of the BBC3 dog training show are encouraged to put down their remotes and get to the NEC Birmingham on 5th-8th March 2009 for this rare opportunity of some one-to-one advice from the programme’s most popular dog trainer.
Mic Martin’s no nonsense approach to training comes from a long career as a police dog handler and has earned him the reputation as being one of Britain’s toughest TV trainers.
However, underneath the tough guy exterior is a compassionate man who really understands the difficulties faced by disabled people and the huge influence dogs can have on our lives as he ended up in a wheelchair himself for a year in 1996.
Mic’s career in the police force came to an abrupt end when he sustained a serious injury to his knee while in pursuit of thugs who had burgled a pensioner. After 26 hospital appointments, two major operations and a year unable to walk, Mic found himself out of the job he loved, housebound and feeling sorry for himself.
Mic’s life was transformed when his wife suggested they rehome a rescue Border Collie. Zak pulled Mic out of his depression and the pair were soon training for working trials. Mic still has to wear a leg brace but this has never stopped him entering competitions or held him back when the BBC asked him to appear on Dog Borstal. Mic is incredibly passionate about his work and has been hugely successful on film sets all over the world as well as training working dogs.
“I’ve trained dogs to do amazing things like being able to detect explosives and drugs but I am truly in awe of the work Support Dogs does training assistance dogs to alert their owners to epileptic seizure, for example,” explained Mic. “Having been a bit of a action man myself I hated asking people to do things for me. I know how it feels to be unable to do the things I once took for granted and I am extremely lucky to have made a full recovery. With the assistance of a fully trained dog it is possible to give someone not as lucky as me a chance of independence.”
Support Dogs is a unique UK charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with physical disabilities, epilepsy and the families of autistic children. It currently trains three main types of assistance dog – Disability Assistance Dogs, Autism Assistance Dogs and Seizure Alert Dogs. The groundbreaking charity trained Britain’s first Seizure Alert Dog back in 1994 who, within three months, was giving his owner a 30-minute warning of every epileptic seizure.
Support dogs go through continuous training throughout their working careers, giving their owners increased confidence and self-esteem in addition to the extra independence that these special breeds of assistance dogs bring.
Each assistance dog costs in the region of £10,000 to train and care for throughout his working life so funds are always needed to help more people benefit from these highly specialist dogs.
Visit Mic Martin with your questions, queries and problems on the Support Dogs stand, Hall 2 – Stand 58, and make a small donation in return to the charity that has already trained more than 150 assistance dogs and transformed just as many lives.
For more information about Support Dogs, telephone 0114 261 7800 or visit www.support-dogs.org.uk.