The owner of a dog training centre near Ely will star on TV later this month as a show she co-presented with Chris Packham airs on BBC2.

'Me and My Dog: The Ultimate Contest', which stars Sian Ryan, who runs Developing Dogs, is being repeated on Saturday mornings starting March 20 at 10am.

“The show mixes physical activities with brain games and communication in a series of challenges which allow all dogs and their owners to show off their talents,” said Sian.

Cambs Times: The BBC2 show 'Me and My Dog' is co-presented by Sian Ryan, who runs Developing Dogs training centre near Ely.The BBC2 show 'Me and My Dog' is co-presented by Sian Ryan, who runs Developing Dogs training centre near Ely. (Image: DEVELOPING DOGS)

“It’s a celebration of everything dogs and owners can achieve together.

"It takes a look at some of the science behind up to date dog training, and seeks to help owners and dogs understand each other better while having a lot of fun along the way.

“There are tears, laughter, and an ultimate champion team.”

Alongside Chris Packham, Sian sets the challenges, supports the teams while they are learning their new skills, and hands out the points at the end of the day.

Set in the Lake District, it has been described by the Radio Times as the most heartwarming show on TV.

Sian has owned and run the award-winning Developing Dogs Training Centre and Holiday Cottages since 2014, as well as giving seminars and workshops nationally and internationally.

She gained her MSc in clinical animal behaviour from the University of Lincoln with distinction in 2011.

Whilst finishing her dissertation on self control in pet dogs, she worked as a behaviour counsellor and trainer in the Lincoln Animal Behaviour Clinic.

Sian went on to work as a researcher looking at novel ways of measuring emotions in dogs in 2012.

With several years of dog training experience, she was the first course tutor for ‘life skills for puppies’ training classes and helped create and develop the course.

Sian has been featured in many national newspapers and on local and national radio as a dog training expert.

Her book No Walks? No Worries! (with co-author Helen Zulch and photographer Peter Baumber) was published in October 2014.

Sian has also appeared as an animal training and behaviour expert for various BBC programmes before Me and My Dog, including Bang Goes the Theory (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Rl55wdMr8).

She was also consulted during the making of Inside the Animal Mind with Chris Packham.

Her second book, Older Dog? No Worries! was published in 2020.

“Sian was approached to become involved in the programme about six months before it was filmed, and was heavily involved in both the design of the different challenges, and in the selection of the teams taking part,” she said.

Sian was also the first fully-accredited dog trainer in the UK who is also an accredited stand-up paddleboarding instructor.

She also introduced the sport of dog parkour to the UK, and teams from Developing Dogs were the first in the country to be awarded their dog parkour certificates by the International Association of Dog Parkour.

Sian will be catching up with some of the teams, finding out how they are getting on, and offering ways to get involved via the Developing Dogs Facebook page.