# Release the hounds



## Kivasmum (Aug 4, 2011)

Firstly I apologise if there's already a thread about this  
I have just been watching an episode of a programme called "release the hounds" and I'm gobsmacked!!! Basically the last challenge for the contestants is to outrun half a dozen GSD's that have been whipped into an excited frenzy and then they're released to chase the person trying to outrun them to the finishing line  now I'm sure they are highly trained and placid dogs, but they're still dogs! And they're being held back and wound up and then released to chase someone running away!? Is it just me, or does that sound like a really really stupid idea?


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## Dogless (Feb 26, 2010)

I haven't seen the programme but it doesn't sound like anything police / military working dogs don't do in training, although they'll bite and bring the person down. Having said that, the people being chased then are unlikely to panic, wheareas I would think it was more likely on a game show.

I'm sure the dogs have been thoroughly vetted for health and safety purposes.

That said it seems like a silly thing to show on TV in case folk start trying to copy!


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Seems like a really dumb idea to me 

Whatever next?


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## Guest (Nov 2, 2013)

It sounds like another programe thats going to encourage stupid people to purchase a perfectly good breed and end up giving it a bad name.


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## Leanne77 (Oct 18, 2011)

I actually enjoyed it and I believe that the contestants had protective clothing on when trying to outrun the dogs. They all had the same black, leather looking padded jacket on, and black trousers of some description. To release the dogs without a protective layer would be against the rules for a start.


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## spoiltmadam (May 21, 2013)

I saw this as well, and the guy who was commentating did say the dogs were trained for something to do with the money...the guys that the dogs caught, if you watched they were only after the cash filled backpacks they had on, they weren't interested in the person...or that's what i saw anyway, dogs jumping up at the backpacks and tugging on it.
I quite enjoyed it, quite scary, the guys were 1st class wimps lol, made me jump a few times.


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## Kivasmum (Aug 4, 2011)

I only really caught 20 minutes of it so suppose I should really before passing comment, I was just a bit shocked to see it? I know military and police dogs do this training all the time, but as you said dogless...it's with trainers, not members of the public? I just thought it was a bit risky really, we all know that as well trained a dog is, there's always room for error and this just seemed a bit irresponsible? And I definitely agree about the idiots watching it! "Ooo look that GSD looks fast and scary, I want one!" 
I'm sure I'm just being over sensitive lol but I didn't like it.


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## Moobli (Feb 20, 2012)

I saw some of it, and found it all very tongue in cheek and quite funny tbh. Interestingly, the dogs "guarding" the money chests were dark sable GSDs but the dogs who were released to "apprehend" the running contestants were Belgian Shepherds of the Tervuren variety. It looked to me as though the contestants did wear protective clothing, but that the dogs were actually trained to bite and hold the backpack containing the money.

I did find it quite unusual that H&S would allow this type of thing on a gameshow, but when they talked to the contestants afterwards they all seemed to have enjoyed themselves


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## tattoogirl73 (Jun 25, 2011)

i enjoyed it. thought it was amusing how wimpy the two guys were, though i supose they're braver than me. i wouldn't fancy trying to outrun strange dogs no matter how well trained they were to target a specific item


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## Chloe9604 (Nov 17, 2015)

I think the whole show is with trained dogs so the dogs are trained to aim for the backpacks. As on some series the dogs don't bark until the contestants enter near the money, whether their trained with the money or back packs. But once the contestants have climbed the ladder, the dogs do not attempt to bite the persons legs. They continue to jump up for the backpacks. So that being that this proved they are trained towards the backpacks, the colour red or the scent of the money. And I guess they get trained on a regular basis to make sure their are no defaults on the dogs part. Their is a kennel club post about this and they say it would not be allowed unless they have been cleared to do a programme or use these dogs.


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## Kayleigh cross (Feb 24, 2017)

Kivasmum said:


> Firstly I apologise if there's already a thread about this
> I have just been watching an episode of a programme called "release the hounds" and I'm gobsmacked!!! Basically the last challenge for the contestants is to outrun half a dozen GSD's that have been whipped into an excited frenzy and then they're released to chase the person trying to outrun them to the finishing line  now I'm sure they are highly trained and placid dogs, but they're still dogs! And they're being held back and wound up and then released to chase someone running away!? Is it just me, or does that sound like a really really stupid idea?


Hey!  I'm probably very late in saying this I watch the show and these dogs are highly trained and there is no harm to the contestants nor the dogs. There is experienced vets and handlers on scene at all times. The dogs are not showing any behaviour to show that they're are uncomfortable or abnormal behaviour you can see their tails wagging and they are just noisy because they're in a cage. Both participants of this game dog and humans are perfectly safe. The dogs themselves as I said prior are trained say for example a police dog is trained to take down people and are perfectly fine outside of work. I assume this issue the same thing.


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## K_at (Mar 9, 2017)

The backpacks they wear on there backs have treats in the small front pocket so when the dogs are released they go for the backpack not the person running and are only put in the cages a couple minutes before the runner arrives but I see were your coming from


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## foxiesummer (Feb 4, 2009)

Ok until someone gets bitten.


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## Muttly (Oct 1, 2014)

I watch this now and again, it's good. 
I noticed that that when the dogs caught someone, they only went for the backpack, it's not dangerous.


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