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.

So if you have the same worries about your puppy and the rain do not panic, the younger they are when they initially encounter the rain the better. The worst situation to find yourself in is to own a dog which absolutely refuses to go out for a walk in the rain as this could cause all sorts of issues not only with lack of exercise but with toilet problems. There is nothing worse than a bored canine to deal with either as generally their initial outlet concerns chewing and they will not be fussy about the items they chew, our dogs do not know the difference between an old slipper and an expensive, designer label shoe!

Therefore take your young puppy out in the rain as soon as you can, the important thing to remember is to not stay out too long initially, a quick stroll will suffice. When you return home always ensure you dry your puppy’s coat thoroughly and pay attention to underneath their body too and behind their front legs.

When your dog is an adult it is still vital to dry them properly after a walk in the rain this is especially true with older dogs as they can suffer from arthritis, again with an elderly dog I would advise their walk to not be too long either.

If you find there is thunder and lightning accompanying the rain then the safest course of action is to return home by the quickest route and to not panic. If you remain perfectly calm so will your canine chum.

The seasons will also make a difference with walking in the rain as during the summer months the air is naturally warmer so even in the rain the temperature will remain pleasant, in the winter the air will be a lot cooler therefore if your faithful friend is wet they will feel the cold fairly quickly. The best option is to keep your canine chum moving and to not stay out too long.

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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!

As with adult dogs puppies have different personalities from one another and being ‘let loose’ with others will show their true colours, good or bad!

Most of the puppy parties are held in veterinary surgeries or training schools and run by a dog trainer, veterinary nurse or similar. The puppies are placed on the floor and basically kept a close eye on whilst they ‘meet and greet,’ owners will have the opportunity to raise any concerns they might have regarding caring for their new puppy. There will be talks about feeding, exercising, socializing, vaccinations etc, etc.

If you are a complete novice when it comes to the canine world then I would highly recommend attending a puppy party with your new addition as you will find it very helpful, there will be handy tips on tasks such as grooming and bathing your puppy. You can learn about the best toys available for puppies and the best approach towards training along with the chance to speak with others going through the same thing as yourself. Whilst there you will gain the information you require for progressing onwards to puppy training classes and you can learn what sort of things your puppy will be taught.

A big part of the puppy party though is to be able to observe the puppies mixing with others; all their characters can be seen from the shy puppy hiding behind its owner’s legs to the brave one sitting in the middle of the room. If your pup chooses to be relatively quiet and you feel a little disappointed that he/she does not join in more do not worry or be alarmed as your young pup is probably just a little awestruck by the whole event, you can try and gently coax them to say ‘hello’ to the other puppies but do not force the issue. When they feel the time is right, be it at the puppy party or later, they will meet other canine chums.

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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?

The simple answer in a word is ‘no’ dogs are not all simply born with the ability to swim. Now if you own a dog with the word ‘water’ in its title such as the Water Spaniel the chances are extremely high that the dog will love the water and prove to be a natural swimmer. The problem owners’ face with this breed is not so much how to encourage their dog into the water but how exactly to encourage it back out again!

Particular breeds such as the more short-legged dogs like the Bulldog, Dachshund and Corgi find the art of swimming more difficult to their long legged companions. This does not automatically mean that they cannot swim but they may require a little persuasion to start them off.

Always ensure that your faithful friend views the water as fun, you can do this by popping your dog’s toys in the shallow water and enticing him/her in with some doggy treats. Just begin by standing in the water yourself and encouraging your pooch to simply join you paddling around in the shallow water, never rush this stage as instead of taking 2 steps forward you will end up taking 10 back if you upset your pooch now.

Never under any circumstances throw your dog in the water or force them to go in, allow them to make up their own mind and enter freely when they are ready.

If you wish to tempt your dog out further then move that way yourself and if your dog follows be there to support their body until you can see signs of them beginning to paddle for themselves. Then slowly and carefully release them but be ready to act quickly if required and grab them again, talk gently and calmly to your dog praising them constantly.

An important thing to think about is showing your dog how to exit the water safely, the worse thing to watch is a dog in the water struggling and panicking because it cannot find a suitable way out of it.

Never become complacent about your pooch in the water just because your dog likes the water and can swim does not make him/her invincible, accidents can and do occur. Strong swimmers may decide to go off and explore, as dogs are naturally curious but this curiosity can easily lead them into problems so always be vigilant.

Swimming is a wonderful form of exercise for both us and our faithful friends just ensure that your dog is within your sight at all times and able to enjoy the water safely.

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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.

The sooner you begin training your puppy the better though as this will allow time for your pup to ‘tune’ in to you and your way of training.

So what do you teach first? Well the most natural position for your puppy to adopt will be a sitting one so this is a good place to begin and whilst you are doing this you can also teach your puppy their name. Take a tasty, healthy doggy treat which is designed for puppies and ensure that your pup can clearly see it, now move the treat slowly back over the puppy’s head and repeat their name and the command ‘sit.’

Your pup will naturally sit down without even realizing it as their gaze will automatically follow the treat passing over their head.

There are numerous training exercises which can be carried out indoors prior to your puppy venturing outside and these are commands that should be mastered by your puppy before they are eventually let off their lead. You can teach them how to ‘wait’ which is a massive advantage when they are off lead and they can learn how to ‘fetch’ in the comfort of their home and garden.

The initial training exercise when you and your puppy move outside is the ‘recall’ command, for this you will require a training line as this saves letting your pup off the lead, you can save this ‘heart in mouth’ moment until later! Then there are the joys of teaching your puppy to walk to heal but that will also come later. To begin with you need to use the time that your puppy cannot go out and about and begin valuable training exercises from the start indoors.

A big part of the time spent with your new pup should be about your relationship together and bonding with one another, the time you take now in the early days will pay off when your cute puppy has become an adult dog.

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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.

The first option always used to be viewed as the cold choice to simply pop your dog in kennels whilst you swanned off on your holidays but these days the whole kennels concept has considerably altered. A firm favourite now throughout the world of dog owners is to leave their faithful friend with a doggy sitter; the nice point here is that your dog is in a home environment and very often with other canine chums for company.

A friend of mine leaves her dog with the same family a few times throughout the year and the sitter has sent her pictures of her dog lying in the sunshine with the family’s guinea pigs! Now this is a Greyhound we are talking about here who is usually more interested in hunting small critters down than languishing in their company.

The secret is to allow your dog the opportunity to grow accustomed to the sitter and their family prior to your holiday, perhaps leaving them with the sitter for the odd morning and then building this up to a day and then eventually overnight stays. If your pooch is not particularly keen on other dogs sharing his/her space than most sitters will arrange for them to be the only dog present at the time, this is not usually a problem as the sitter themselves would much rather avoid any doggy conflict situations.

If you go for the second option and take your chum with you then there are plenty of holidays available out there for both you and your doggy companion. Numerous holiday parks accept well behaved dogs on their sites and this can include camping in a tent or staying in a caravan or chalet. The campsites generally have a good selection of amenities available and usually include areas for safe dog walking.

Many guest houses and hotels throughout the UK accept dogs and even offer your canine chum a comfy bed and a tasty breakfast. These can be a great option as they are normally located within close proximity of local walks for you and your dog to enjoy.

Then of course there is always the option of travelling throughout Europe with your dog as long as they are in possession of a current pet passport. So as you can see there are plenty of choices to be made when it comes to taking your summer vacation.

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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.

So are we asking too much from our dogs? The problem is that as a society we have grown to expect tasks and challenges to be carried out quickly purely because there is simply no time these days for the word ‘slow’ in many a person’s vocabulary. Puppies and dogs learn through repetition and consistency and if you read any dog training books or articles you will discover that the key attribute from the owner is always patience.

Dogs deserve a gentle, kind and simple approach when it comes to their training regime and not a hurried session with no time to spare. The mood the owner happens to be in at the time will be sensed by the dog being trained, if it is one of anxiety due to feeling pressured by time then this will be picked up on and the dog will also become anxious. For them to learn well they need to be in a relaxed and fun environment, this is why many people will recommend keeping any sessions of training down to a maximum of 10 minutes. Dogs possess short spans of attention and puppies are even worse so they learn better during shorter but more frequent training sessions.

Do not automatically expect your pooch to comprehend your commands; they need to be shown what you wish from them. Keep a calm approach and stay happy and upbeat, with your attitude being positive you will display this to your dog and they will remain happy and in turn learn quicker.

You must be prepared to put in the effort and also the time to train your puppy or dog and if at times it feels as though they are just not understanding you, stop for the day and return to the training session the following day.

Your dog will be only too thrilled to please you and will try his/her best to make sure you are happy but this does mean patience and understanding on your part, do not come across as the big bad ogre as if your dog is afraid of you they will only be carrying out instructions given through fear. Your dog should wish to do things asked through enjoyment and a genuine desire to please you as, at the end of the day, you are your faithful friend’s best friend just as much as he/she is yours.

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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.

Now move on to the following stage which is just turning the engine on do not actually drive anywhere simply sit with the engine running for a little while and then turn it off and go back indoors. Repeat this for a couple of days and then progress to the next stage which is taking a short trip, just drive around the block or even just up your street and back again. The idea is to let your dog become accustomed to the movement of the vehicle without being in it too long.

Another area you are working on by not leaving the car for a walk is your dog’s level of excitement; you are displaying that simply because you are in the car it does not automatically mean that you are going for some doggy exercise.

Eventually introduce your dog to longer trips and then you can alter the length of the journey and the times the trip is combined with a walk.

Do not forget safety when you travel via a car as accidents can easily happen, an excited dog can quickly end up in the front of the car with the driver if they are not restricted. There are safety harnesses available on the market produced especially for dogs or more and more owners are now using dog crates in their cars these days. Now to some these might seem a little cruel but to be honest they keep your dog contained which is an advantage for both you and your faithful friend.

If you have a companion travelling with you then life will be made a little easier as they can keep a watchful eye on your dog for you, I would still advise the use of a safety harness even if there is someone in the car with you as this will keep everyone safe.

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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.

A fearful dog will show its anguish in several different ways including flattened ears, lowered tail, a cowering body position, whimpering and possibly barking.

So what is the best way for us to help our little cowardly canines? The best thing you can do initially is to simply ignore their fear, do not make a huge fuss and begin cuddling them as you will only succeed in heightening their sense of fear. You will be displaying that your dog was right to show their fear as obviously there is something to be scared of or else why would you be trying to make them feel better?

The next thing to work on is distracting your dog and keeping their mind occupied with nice, happy thoughts. You could start a game with them or perhaps groom them, anything which will help them forget what they were scared of in the first instance.

Now if you are aware that your dog is terrified of a certain thing like fireworks then always ensure that you keep them in on bonfire night, walk them nice and early and then lock the doors, put some music on and stay in with them. If there is a thunderstorm do the same and if you are unlucky enough to be caught on a walk in a storm calmly call your dog to your side and place them on their lead, the best option here is to return home and continue your walk once the storm has subsided.

If your pooch is scared and discovers a little hiding place somewhere safe do not be tempted to encourage them to leave it, simply leave them alone and quiet and you will soon see your dog slowly emerging from their secret location when they can sense it is calm.

There are certain doggy based medications which claim to have a calming effect on your dog but I think it is better to try a more natural approach first and if that does not seem to be working then have a chat with your vet.

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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.

One of the initial lessons to teach is the fact that your new canine addition deserves to be treated with nothing but respect and love at all times, no grabbing the tail, ears or legs. The younger your children the rougher they tend to be as they do not understand what they are doing as fun is actually hurting their new found friend.

Show them how to be gentle and lead by example, let them see how to stroke the dog nicely and talk softly to him or her.

Another important factor to teach children is the basic care a dog requires such as feeding and exercise. Obviously I am not saying to give your young child the full sole responsibility of caring for the new family member, with your assistance they can learn how much food and what kind of food their canine chum eats.

You can measure their food and permit your child to pour it into their bowl for them or if your dog is eating canned food then pop it into the bowl yourself but encourage your child to mix it around for them with a fork/spoon allocated for your dog’s food.

The idea is just to let them see and make them aware regarding the responsibility of feeding the dog, tell them about their drinking water and how fresh it must be at all times. It will probably work better if you change the water unless you wish to have an incredibly wet floor! Play sessions between children and dogs can be a bit of worry especially if you have a particularly excited puppy/dog and child all mixed in together. Ensure that they are all monitored and join in with them as there is nothing quite like everyone, including the family’s faithful friend all joining in and having fun.

Walking can be great fun with everyone involved, take a hike through the local woods or a trip to a dog friendly beach. If your child is very young they can still be involved in their pushchair on a dog walk and this is a great way of introducing them to the world of doggy exercising.

So my own personal thoughts are that yes children can be taught about the responsibility of looking after their new canine chum with guidance and there is nothing quite like the true bond which is formed between a child and their dog through the years.

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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!

The problem worsens when you discover that your dog becomes ill due to consuming something rotten or poisonous. One of my dogs was rescued from the streets and through surviving by herself she had learnt how to scavenge around for food, this habit has not left her even though she now receives regular meals. A few weeks ago she was extremely poorly due to her stomach containing poison from something she had eaten; the difficulty arises when you wish to combat this problem.

So what can be done? The approach to this particular issue is to achieve prevention rather than cure, the plan is to stop your dog rooting around for all the lovely things to munch whilst out on a walk with you.

Distraction is the key here, I have found that keeping my dog’s interest with a ball and some low-fat doggy treats in my pocket works wonders. Do not allow your pooch to wander off anymore when you are out and about, always ensure they remain in your sight I know this might seem impossible but it can be done.

The alternative is not to let your dog off the lead and this seems a shame or to put a muzzle on your dog so they cannot possibly consume anything that they should not. These should be last resorts though as working with your dog and keeping a closer eye on them on your walk should be your first option. If your pooch is occupied they will not be rooting around, another way is to only let them off lead in big open spaces where you can actually observe them at all times.

Woodland walks should perhaps be avoided until you feel your dog is more tuned into you and not the tasty leftovers on the ground. All those trees and hiding places in woods are not a great idea if you are trying to keep an eye on your canine chum.

If it really does become a major issue and your dog keeps becoming poorly from scrounging around then consult your vet, they should be able to recommend a trainer who can offer you some advice on the best route to follow.

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