As Strictly Come Dancing returns, Dogs Trust is challenging dog owners to teach their dogs some new routines.
Dogs Trust say Strictly is double the fun this year as now our four-legged friends can get involved, from the Pawso Doble to the Chow Chow Chow, the new routines can bring some of that strictly sparkle into dog owner’s homes.
The charity began the challenge as a fun way of keeping the dogs in their rehoming centres mentally and physically stimulated, whilst they await loving new homes. 
But they are now encouraging dog owners to turn their homes into bow-wow ballrooms and have a go at the routines themselves with brand new videos to help them to become ‘pawfessionals’.
Dogs Trust’s expert training and behaviour team have choreographed ten fun and simple dance sequences for dogs and their owners and are challenging dog lovers to attempt them throughout the series.
Tamsin Durston, Canine Behaviour Officer at Dogs Trust, explains: “Our Dancing with Dogs challenge is strictly about both you and your dog having fun whilst training. The routines are so simple to do and such fantastic way of exercising your dog and teaching them new commands.
“Just spending a short time training your dog each day will mean they are much more likely to calmly settle down on the sofa and watch strictly with you after a fun day’s play. We think that dog owners will be really impressed at quite how talented their dogs are when they go toe to heel.”
The charity is also hoping that the new moves will help the dogs in their centres shine and catch the eyes of new owners.
Tamsin adds: “We have picked dogs from our Rehoming Centres to master the moves including the Rumbark for the more skilled to the more basic Rock and Roll over. Dogs of all shapes and sizes are quick-stepping across the dance floor in the hope of impressing a new owner and waltzing into a new home.”
The ’how to’ videos will be uploaded every week from now until December 15 and can be accessed here.
