VICTORIA STILWELL RESTORES CANINE CONTROL AND DISCIPLINES INDULGENT PET PARENTS ON THE THIRD SEASON OF ANIMAL PLANET'S "IT'S ME OR THE DOG"

Manhattan Housewife Jill Zarin to Appear on Season Premiere, Airing Saturday, January 8, at 8 PM (ET/PT)

Silver Spring, MD) - World-renowned dog expert and trainer Victoria Stilwell is back and facing her biggest challenge yet - the New York Tri-State area's most problematic pooches and their out-of-control owners. Premiering Saturday, January 8, at 8 PM (ET/PT), the third season of IT'S ME OR THE DOG is about more than just the dogs. Behind each bite, growl and bark is a family crumbling under the pressure to turn man's best fiend into man's best friend. Victoria finds herself in the middle of family spats-- playing the role of therapist or referee to tame these chaotic households before it is too late.

"This is more than just a job for me," says Stilwell. "With some of these families on the brink of collapse, it's critical that I tackle the owner's problems before I can begin to work on changing the dog's behavior. It can be a messy and difficult process, but, ultimately, a stable home is the best place for these dogs."

Over the course of the season, Victoria puts her positive training techniques and her patience to the test as she tries to help Manhattan housewife Jill Zarin reign in her cantankerous chihuahua, Ginger; tackles a bunch of pampered poodles that live in a Long Island castle; and squares off against a wannabe tough guy who is in way over his head with his Presa Canario. In a season full of surprises, Victoria steps outside of her comfort zone by even training a micro-pig! From using doggie yoga to blindfolded boating, she pulls out all the stops to transform these animals and their owners.

IT'S ME OR THE DOG is produced in partnership with Shed Media U.S. Nick Emmerson, Dan Peirson and Jennifer O'Connell are the executive producers and Brian Gibson is co-executive producer for Shed Media U.S. Dawn Sinsel is executive producer for Animal Planet.

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 97 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.