When you mention the word grooming many people instantly just think about the brushing side but a full ‘groom’ should actually include nail clipping, teeth cleaning and bathing.

Young puppies are often not bathed by their owners for fear of hurting or upsetting them too much and they often wait until their pup is 6 months or even older, the truth is that puppies under the age of 6 months should be groomed and given the opportunity to grow accustomed to the sensation. Puppies love to wriggle and whilst it will undoubtedly prove to be a bit awkward to groom them it will prove even more awkward when confronted with a fully grown adult dog which has not been groomed very much at all! The secret, as with all puppy training and handling, is an abundance of patience and a sense of humour.
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New puppies love attention and it goes without saying that new owners love to offer their new bundle of fluff heaps of attention and love, now the problem arises when the pup begins to demand this affection all of the time.

Puppies are skilful at numerous things and one of these happens to be having the ability to be vocal when required! They enjoy nothing more than whining, squeaking and even howling for the attention they desire until you, their dear owner, will relent and smother them with hugs and kisses.
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There is nothing quite like the bond between a child and their dog, it can be a wonderful relationship to observe as they both grow together. More and more families are welcoming dogs into their lives these days which is great and usually in a ‘typical’ family environment the children will spend the greater amount of time with the new dog.

So how do you teach them about their new friend’s care? The best method is to allow them to become involved in the dog’s routine, let them watch you feed your new puppy or dog and then let them do it the following day. Offering your children responsibility in this way will teach them the importance of caring for their new pal properly and how they must adhere to a firm routine of feeding times.
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A dog’s natural instinct will always tell him/her that they should guard their food; if you think about wolves in the wild they have a specific pack order when it comes to eating and whilst they each eat they also guard their food from other members of the pack.

Now dogs will guard their food from other canine companions and from us but as their owner you should still maintain complete control over the feeding time situation. Most issues with food guarding are also associated with dominance. Your dog needs to learn that you are the ‘dominant dog’ and you will see this when he/she allows you to pick their food bowl up.
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There is a new breed of dog available called the ‘Perfect Pooch’ you know the dog which never misbehaves, feels no desire to chew or nip throughout the teething stage of its life, never has any accidents inside the house and never barks unless requested.

Interested? I thought you might be, well I am afraid that this type of dog does not exist and if it did I am sure most dog owners would wish to own one.
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If you have a dog which seems to gulp its food down as though it will never eat a meal again then you will know how worrying it is watching them consume their food, you are always holding your breath and praying that they do not choke.

There is a huge difference between the speeds in which my own dogs eat, one is always miles ahead then sits and waits for the others to finish she then kindly checks their bowls to ensure they have eaten all of theirs up! The trait of eating food too quickly is not restricted to any particular breed of dog in particular as it is observed in dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages.
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Do puppies and older dogs make friends with one another easily? Well the answer to this question really depends on both the pups and the older dog’s personality and character, so the initial question to ask prior to the introduction of a puppy to your older dog is, ‘what temperament does my dog have?’

Now if your dog is one of the ‘grumpy’ types, you know the sort I mean they always appear to have an opinion on just about everything in life. They do not generally take kindly to other dogs when out and about, not necessarily being aggressive as such but just letting them know not to come too close to them and invade their space. The ‘grumpy ones’ tend to growl if they are unsure and simply mutter and moan but never mean any harm!
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There has always been a debate regarding the ‘tug-of-war’ game played with puppies and adult dogs, some say it is a really bad idea and some say it is fine. Now in my own opinion I think it is okay but there are certain rules to be followed.

One comment you will often hear concerning the game is that it can produce a dominant or aggressive dog, now whilst this can be true it is also very dependable upon the method in which you play tug-of-war with your canine chum. If you insist on always letting your dog ‘win’ the game then you are simply going to inform your dog that he/she is top dog, your actions will be observed as giving up and your dog will think that they now have full control over you. You gave up the ‘fight’ first as far as your dog is concerned so the best solution is to teach your dog how to leave the toy on command.
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Just like humans have different personalities and characters so do dogs, some are brave and fearless whilst others prefer to hide in the shadows, or behind their owner, until the potential danger has gone!

Then there are the clowns of the canine world always doing something funny to raise a laugh and the sensible and logical dogs, the ones which prefer to stay in when it is raining outside.
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