Don't miss The Dog House at Christmas

Charlotte Desai, Commissioning Editor said: “We’re often told that Brits are dog-lovers but, with over 100,000 dogs currently homeless, The Dog House will be a fascinating insight into the rehoming process.

“We hope to reveal not only a great deal about these dogs but also the lives of those seeking to adopt, as well as those seeking to leave dogs at a shelter.”

The show follows the dedicated staff at Woodgreen, an animal charity in Cambridgeshire, which takes in hundreds of dogs each year. Some of them ave been abandoned or mistreated, and some are much-loved companions whose owners are no longer able to care for them and have made a difficult decision to give them up.

However, the goal is to find all of them a new, loving forever home.

The Dog House proved to a be a hit (there have now been four series), but it also turned out to be more topical than Channel 4 could have predicted.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, many people decided to get a dog, thinking it would provide them with some company and make their daily walks more enjoyable. For some though, the realities of pet ownership turned out to be more demanding than they expected, leading to a reported rise in abandoned pets.

Of course, unwanted dogs aren’t a new phenomenon, otherwise the phrase ‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’ wouldn’t have been burned into so many people’s brains.

Anyone who is considering adopting a four-legged friend in the not-too-distant future though could do worse than watching this Christmas special, as it not only provides us with some cute canine footage, but it also reminds us of the importance of finding the right home for the right dog.

As it begins, Christmas is coming to Woodgreen Pets Charity, and the staff are going the extra mile to make it a happy one for the abandoned dogs.

That means cuddles, presents and their very own special Christmas dinner. Still, the ultimate treat would be to find them a loving home where they can spend the season with a new owner.

So, the seasonal matchmaking begins as the team meet identical twins Noah and Toby, who aren’t keen on sharing. Luckily, Jeff, a spaniel cross puppy, has more than enough love and energy to go round, so will he be their perfect pet?

Nurse Lynne had been pinning her hopes on getting her favourite film star, Gerard Butler, for Christmas, but as that’s now looking unlikely, she’s hoping to spend it a dog – or two – instead.

Meanwhile, all 26-year-old Jazz wants for Christmas is to find a very cuddly canine companion for her dad Darran. Can the resident matchmakers make her dreams come true with a little help from the appropriately named Patterdale cross Crackers?