When I acquired my first puppy, a Border collie, I remember having doubts regarding taking her for a walk in the pouring rain for fear of her catching pneumonia. I also thought she might find the whole concept of the cold rain on her body a little scary, in reality my concerns could not have been further from the truth if they tried!

My little pup did not only enjoy the rain she thrived in it, splashing through every single puddle she came across and rolling in the glorious mud.
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You have probably read the title of this particular article and have now conjured up all these images of puppies wearing party hats and sitting around consuming jelly and ice-cream! The term ‘party’ is used loosely and is intended to mean more of a gathering than a literal party. Most vet surgeries will possess information regarding local puppy parties and if you enquire with a local dog training group they will generally know too.

They are designed as the initial stepping stone for puppies prior to training classes but even if you do not envisage your pup attending classes a party is still a good idea. The concept behind them is to introduce puppies of a similar age to each other in a safe and controlled environment, they are not going out for walks as of yet and will all be in the same position. It is nice for the ‘humans’ accompanying their little bundle of fluff because by this time they are normally going slightly stir-crazy prior to their puppy going out for walks!
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Many of the natural behaviours our canine chums exhibit on a daily basis we assume are just that, natural. From barking, sniffing and rolling in unmentionable items to rummaging around for scraps to swimming we simply take these canine actions for granted and think they are natural to all pooches, but are they?

We consider swimming to be so natural we have even named a stroke after it the ‘doggy paddle’ but do all dogs take to the water as easily as ducks do?
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Numerous puppy owners face the same dilemma when starting out with their first puppy, when exactly do they start their training? The simple answer is as soon as possible, the hard part is actually following this through!

As we all know puppies are cute, no matter what their breed and this cuteness leads to problems for most people. Training must include discipline, even a non-coercive method of dog training must have a level of discipline for your puppy to comprehend, the difficulty arises when the time comes to gaze upon those melting eyes and adopt a more serious tone.

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The long, hot days of summer are upon us and it is at this time of the year our thoughts turn toward a lovely relaxing holiday, whilst all the planning is taking place where exactly does the faithful canine chum of the family fit into the arrangements?

There are two basic options the way I look at it, the first is to place your dog into kennels or with a sitter the other is to allow your dog to join you and your family on your vacation.

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In today’s modern world the emphasis always seems to be on rushing everywhere and hurrying the tasks we have set ourselves. I think that this has become the case when it comes to dog and puppy training.

Sometimes our canine chums are asked an incredible amount when you think about it, we not only expect them to train relatively easily but then also to remember every individual command we have taught them. Then as if this was not enough we think our faithful friends should instantly be happy when requested and well-behaved on demand.
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Some dogs take to travelling in a car like ducks to water but then there are those canines that seem to suffer from numerous problems relating to car trips. The difficulties faced can range from car sickness to becoming over-excited.

The initial place to start is to ensure that your puppy/dog is not scared of the car; the easiest way to do this is to simply sit in the car with them without starting the engine. Just sit quietly and relax as this displays to your canine chum that there is nothing to fear and nothing to be concerned about. You can continue to do this on a daily basis for as long as you feel necessary and you can see that your dog is completely relaxed with the situation.
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When most of us paint a picture in our minds of dogs we think of them as courageous, brave individuals and not of meek and mild canines. This is probably because we are always reading and hearing of tales of bravery involving police, search and rescue or drug finding pooches.

It is a fact though that many dogs, if not most, are afraid of something whether it is loud bangs or people shouting. If you have adopted a rescue dog you may discover they have fears which display themselves in certain situations and although it can be tricky to ascertain the cause with patience and understanding problems can be solved.
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As a child I remember always wishing we could have a dog, I pestered my parents relentlessly and the only answer I ever seemed to hear was a firm ‘no’! The reasons given were always the same every single time, ‘we will end up looking after it and the novelty will fade’.

When you are younger you do not really comprehend the importance of owning a dog so my question is ‘can children learn how to look after a faithful friend?’ In my own opinion I think they can with help, advice and guidance.

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Some dogs just love to eat absolutely everything they come across and their noses always seem to be planted firmly on the ground making the dog resemble a hoover. This can be a funny trait to begin with and actually quite endearing but after awhile it can become frustrating.

You are forever telling your pooch to ‘leave it’ and ‘drop it’ when they look up at you with half a thrown away pasty sticking out their mouth and their tail wagging frantically with immense pride over their so called trophy!
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