Now the initial point to think about is the time you honestly have to look after your dog, whether you have opted for a puppy or an adult dog they will both require a lot of time and attention from you, especially in the beginning. Do not assume that simply because you are taking on an adult dog that it will not require the same amount of training as a puppy, in fact you could not be further from the truth with this thought to be honest. An adult dog can be harder to train as he/she would have developed some bad habits by now and if they have never had anyone to correct them they are going to take a lot of convincing that your way is indeed the right way!

Ideally when your new faithful friend joins your household you need to be there on a permanent basis at least in the beginning, your puppy/dog will appreciate you being around to guide them in the correct direction. It is in your best interest to be at home as you can then prevent any accidents happening instead of coming home to find it looking like a teenager’s bedroom!

Your four legged friend will need housetraining and obviously regular basic training such as sit, wait and walking on the lead. Everyone living in your household must have the same commitment towards your new dog as you and stick to their training as you are doing.

Consider the cost of owning a dog as many people only think about actually purchasing the dog and do not tend to see much further than this but you must think about the dog’s food, vet bills, insurance and sundries such as food bowls, collars, toys and leads.

One of the most important points to think hard about is which breed of dog to choose because they come in so many different shapes and sizes and not only that but they also possess varying personalities and breed specific traits. The Border collie for one is used to being busy and has countless amounts of energy so if you prefer to take a leisurely stroll with your dog steer clear of the working, energetic breeds.

Owning a dog does involve work and dedication and on the odd occasion you will look out of the window at the rain and wind and wish you had settled for a pet goldfish, but for all the wet walks and commitment from you your dog will reward you with unconditional love from the bottom of their heart and will always be there for you when you need that comforting paw the most.

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Now whilst running after a squirrel is not a great hobby for your dog, let alone the squirrel when your dog decides to move up the ladder and chase bigger running things such as joggers it can prove to be very awkward for you as their owner. You always seem to be apologising and making excuses for your pooch like, ‘he has never done this before I am sorry’ or ‘he is just protecting me and wished to scare you away’.

Dogs are naturally a predatory animal and this means they have an instinct to chase anything that runs away. Now in certain breeds this instinct is a lot stronger which in turn means it will be harder to break the habit, the herding dogs such as Border collies are one of the worse breeds for chasing. They believe they literally have to herd everything in the world from the postman to cars driving down the road, if it is moving it must be herded! Some dogs will never display a tendency to give chase, they might run after a ball but that will probably be about it and even that is just far too energetic for some breeds!

So if you own a dog which is showing its true colours when it comes to chasing then you must take the matter into your hands and offer your dog some training. The problem is even though it may seem quite funny at times when your dog chases things it can prove to be a danger to both your dog and the object it is chasing.

The training sessions need to be conducted in the dog’s home and at a time when there are unlikely to be any distractions. Place your dog on a lead and position him/her by your side then take a ball or any other doggy toy and throw it in front of you both, instruct your dog to ‘leave’ or ‘off’ whichever word you prefer to use. If your dog pulls after the thrown toy then say the word in a firmer voice and pull gently on the lead, this will simply remind your dog that he/she cannot give chase even if they want to.

It is imperative that your dog does not reach the toy otherwise you will be sending mixed messages, they will begin to think that ‘leave’ or ‘off’ actually means ‘fetch’ as they are being allowed to retrieve the toy.

Now when your dog ignores the toy you must reward with a tasty treat and once the command seems to be understood inside the house move outside to the garden and continue the training there, this is to ascertain how your dog responds to you.

When you feel he/she is ready to come off the lead and try the same command enlist the help of a friend and ask them to jog by you whilst you are out and about with your dog, for the moment keep your dog on the lead to see their reaction to the jogger. If they totally ignore them because they have heard your command of ‘leave’ then this is great however if they pull towards the jogger just pull them back on their lead and repeat your chosen word.

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Now there can be several reasons for an owner to tread this path regarding their dog’s training. One reason could be that they have tried and given 100% effort to train their dog but they simply do not seem to be achieving the positive results they were hoping for, some owners may have encountered problems with training and due to this fact it is taking much longer to train their dog. If the owner has not allowed for the extra time involved maybe they cannot dedicate the additional time to a training regime.

The reasons differ but the owner’s desire to collect a well trained dog does not alter from owner to owner.

These types of training programmes do possess advantages, the dogs are left in the very capable hands of an expert dog trainer meaning in turn that they should learn quickly. When the owner returns to collect their dog they are usually delighted with the progress made and are then much more motivated themselves to continue with their dog’s training at home.

Some dogs will not adapt to being away from their home and owner easily though and will sulk, if your dog happens to have a ‘softer’ personality and character there is a high chance that he/she will pine for you. When a dog pines or sulks their initial action is to cease eating and even the best qualified dog trainers out there cannot stop a dog from missing their owner, the bond between some dogs and their humans is especially strong.

Prior to leaving your faithful friend with a trainer always check out references and take a tour of the location. Look at the other dogs staying there at the time and ensure that they appear to be happy and well cared for.

One point to consider is the possibility that you may collect your dog and attempt to continue the training at home only to discover that you cannot adapt to the training regime, if this happens then you will need to visit the trainer with your dog and they will attempt to integrate you and your dog.

For training to be successful the owner must be committed to continuing the training when their dog returns home and you need to own the kind of dog which is not too sensitive or ‘clingy’ to you.

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Both the owner and the dog are put through a series of tests by an evaluator; this is a person who has never been seen before by the dog or the owner. The initial test is to ascertain the dog’s behaviour when the evaluator approaches their owner, remember this person is a complete stranger. They will talk to the owner whilst totally ignoring the dog as this will allow them to observe the dog’s acceptance towards a friendly stranger.

The next part shows how the dog reacts when petted by a stranger because if he/she will be working around the public they should be able to accept a stranger talking to them and petting them.

Now the evaluator will groom the dog and also carry out an examination, the dog needs to become accustomed to this sensation as vets, groomers and show judges will all wish to examine the dog. The evaluator will observe the dog’s general appearance to check if they are clean and well groomed, they should also look healthy and happy.

The paws will be lifted one at a time and the length of the claws will be noted, then the dog will be groomed by the evaluator and the ears will be thoroughly checked over.

How well can you control your dog on a loose lead? Most dog owners feel more in control of their dogs when they are on a short lead as they are positioned naturally closer to them, for an owner to demonstrate control whilst the dog is on a loose lead is a testament to their hard work and training as it is no easy task.

The evaluator will be looking for the dog to be responsive and attentive to any commands given by the owner, they will be asked to complete numerous changes of direction during the assessment to observe the response time of the dog. The owner is permitted to speak to and praise their dog during this test. Next comes the ‘crowd’ test, this is designed to display that the dog can remain perfectly calm even when walking through a large crowd of people there should be no signs of excitement, worry or aggression from the dog.

As previously mentioned these tests are primarily designed for dog’s entering into the world of dog shows or some kind of work in the community but they are also a good way of owners ascertaining their own dog’s personality.

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Whether you have a puppy or an adult dog the moment is always slightly daunting and it is one not to be rushed. You must be as certain as you can be that your dog will return to you when you want him/her to and not when they choose is the right time.

Now you must complete some vital preparation with your dog before letting them off the lead for the first time, they must have mastered their basic obedience training such as sit, stay and lie down. The obedience training is important but it is imperative that your dog has also learnt the recall command as without this knowledge they cannot be offered the luxury of being let off their lead.

You must trust your dog implicitly to return to you in a heartbeat if required and you must also believe in yourself and that you can control your dog no matter what might occur.

If you see danger ahead which your dog has not spotted can you recall your dog quickly? I experienced a case when I was walking my dogs the other day on some moorland, there was a group of approximately a dozen moorland ponies running at full speed in the direction of my dogs! I called them and they both arrived at my feet in less than a couple of minutes and skidded to a halt. It takes a lot of hard work and training to perfect the recall command but you must ensure you put in the effort with your dog prior to releasing him/her off the lead.

You can master the technique and your dog can perform the perfect recall but how does your faithful friend cope when distracted?

Whilst completing your recall training with your dog on the training lead/line ensure that you visit a public park or any location where there are numerous distractions such as other dogs, children playing, cyclists and joggers. The idea of this visit is to assess your dog’s behaviour whilst there are other things happening around him/her, make sure you call your dog to you when they seem to be intently observing something else and see what happens.

If your dog still returns to your side then this action deserves the highest praise and reward, if he/she takes a little longer but eventually you win over the distraction then this is still good behaviour but if your dog completely ignores you in favour of the distraction then you both need to work much harder before your dog can come off the lead.

Only let your dog have the freedom he/she wishes for when you are 100% certain that you are in control and that your dog will always return to your side in a second if needed. This is vital to ensure your dog’s safety and to ensure that they do not cause any trouble by running out of control.

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Now thankfully the wonderful invention of the digital camera means that we are not spending a small fortune on camera films and the whole process of developing pictures which are short of useless. We can now snap as many pictures as we like until we obtain the perfect one and we do not have to inform anyone how long it actually took to do it!

All cameras, even the modern digital ones, make some sort of noise along the way. It may simply be a small noise to you and I but do not forget your canine chum’s hearing is much more sensitive and tuned in than ours.

The initial step is to ensure your dog is used to the camera, so just start by switching it on a few times throughout the day and not taking any pictures just so your dog can become accustomed to the noise it makes when it starts up. Do nothing else with the camera except switching it on and then off again within five to ten minutes. Then simply place it down somewhere and pay it no more attention for awhile as though it is not at all important to you.

When you have repeated this procedure for a few days move to the next step which is the flash, your dog will probably not be too pleased with you if you flash a bright light in his/her eyes whilst telling him/her to ‘smile’ at the camera!
So you need to allow your dog to observe the flash in action. Just take some pictures in the same area as your dog with the use of the flash, do not make a fuss of your dog as this will only succeed in you making your dog panic even more.

Simply snap away with your camera and if your dog seems to be absolutely fine and is showing no real interest in the camera try and take some shots nearer to him/her. Do not point the camera directly at your dog and take a picture but just take a picture of an object close to your dog so that he/she can see the flash going off.

Now comes the ‘professional photography studio’ bit! Set your background up, by this I mean to make sure you will not be taking a picture of your beautiful dog sat next to your kitchen bin or your mud splattered wall, yes most dog owners possess those gorgeously unique splattered in mud walls! Select a nice spot for your photo and also ensure that your dog will not look as though a plant stand or similar is protruding from his/her head because it is behind them in the shot.

Entice your faithful friend into the prepared position and ask them to sit and wait and then snap away to your heart’s content. It goes without saying that your delightfully patient dog will deserve a tasty reward once you have finished your David Bailey impersonation.

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Now I know dogs use their mouths to carry out normal daily functions such as barking, eating and drinking but some dogs seem to lick everything in sight and are always trying to put everything in their mouths to taste. Generally if this problem is observed in an adult dog it signifies that they were not fully taught how to inhibit their ‘bite’ as a puppy.

Bite inhibition is usually taught to a puppy by its mother and a litter of puppies will also learn from one another but sometimes if a puppy is the only one born the mother dog may not choose to teach her one and only puppy how to inhibit its bite, this is not true in all cases but it has been observed occasionally when a single puppy has been born.

If you study a pack of wolves you will notice that they show affection to each other via mouthing, they mouth the necks, paws and muzzles of the other pack members. The ‘Omega’ wolf is always the underdog of any wolf pack and is bullied by the other wolves, this wolf can often be observed trying to move up a rung on the hierarchy ladder by attempting to mouth the more senior ranking wolves as a sign of affection.

So you can see that when your dog grabs your hand he/she is only trying to be loving towards you but all the same it is not always the best way to show you that he/she adores you! Your hand ends up covered in slobber and soaking wet, lovely!

There are a couple of tips which you can try with your dog, you can use a bitter tasting spray on your hands to put your dog off. Many owners recommend bitter apple which comes in either a spray or a cream, this will not harm your pooch but because most dogs do not enjoy the flavour they will not choose to taste it again.

You can turn to stone when your dog next takes your hand, show no emotion or reaction to your dog. The total lack of feedback will completely throw your dog because even if you reprimand him/her for the behaviour you are still acknowledging them therefore they are receiving the attention they desire. If they receive no attention from you they are likely to not wish to repeat the behaviour in a hurry.

Mouthing can also be an indication of insecurity in dogs and is often seen in those dogs which suffer from separation anxiety. Do not fuss your dog too much if you think he/she might be feeling insecure, the best approach is to continue as normal and build on your canine chum’s security issues prior to beginning work on the mouthing problem.

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This is a common item which is overlooked, strange as this might seem it is true. Potential owners plan everything else to the finest little detail but forget about the utensil used to place their new canine chum’s dinner in!

It is simple though, is it not just a case of finding a bowl and popping their food in it? No, not quite. If you walk into any pet store you will see an array of different bowls in all shapes, sizes and colours. What you envisage as being a simple task can actually prove to be a fairly complex and tricky task. The bowls these days even come produced in different materials from plastic and ceramic to stainless steel.

Now you need to have a bowl for your faithful friend which is easy to clean because ideally you should adopt the routine of washing your dog’s food bowl on a daily basis in clear hot water. A food bowl made from plastic is not the ideal choice for a puppy as they adore chewing and it will only take a young pup a matter of minutes whilst your back is turned to commence the chewing process on their bowl. So for a puppy always select a more durable type of material such as ceramic or stainless steel.

Try to ascertain the correct size of food bowl for your dog; do not over face a puppy with a massive bowl as they do not require a huge amount of food at a young age and on the larger scale of owning a dog the cost of another bigger food bowl as your pup grows is minimal. If you have an adult dog obviously the same works in reverse do not buy a bowl which is too small for them to use comfortably.

The depth of the bowl is another key factor and this is dependable on your dog’s face size, some dogs possess very short muzzles therefore requiring a shallow bowl to feed from and the long muzzled breeds can afford to eat from a deeper bowl. If you own spaniels there are specific bowls available for them which cater for their adorable pendant styled ears.

Dogs also enjoy shoving their food bowls around the floor so opting for a heavier ceramic bowl is also an advantage when it comes to your canine playing musical food bowls!

The larger breeds also appreciate eating from an elevated food bowl as this prevents them from stooping over and having to swallow their food whilst bending; these types of bowls are known as ergonomic feeders.

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If this is your first experience of a puppy then your initial task will be to complete some research regarding the training side of things. Now although this is obviously the best option as you will be looking for guidance the world of dog training can be a nightmare to negotiate. There are numerous television programmes on the topic, books, classes and of course there are the opinions of other dog owners.

The downside to having all of this information readily available is the confusion factor, by the time you have watched some of the programmes and read some of the literature you are completely bewildered and terrified about even looking your puppy’s way for fear of communicating the wrong message to him/her!

You cannot categorically state that every puppy will learn the same way from using the same training method as each and every puppy is an individual, their personalities and characters usually differ greatly from one another even if they are siblings. Some puppies learn extremely quickly whilst others take longer to digest the information and act on the instruction given.

During your research you will undoubtedly come across terms such as ‘clicker training’ and ‘non-coercive’ and be totally bemused by their meanings. Clicker training simply refers to puppy training through the use of a clicker which is a small plastic box with a device to press to make a clicking sound. This method of dog training is known as a non-coercive method of training because it is non forceful, it is based on a praise and reward theory which means that the puppy or dog will want to please to receive the praise and ultimately the reward. They are not being bullied into completing a command.

Whichever route you follow for training your puppy you will find that they all have one thing in common with each other and that is the importance of communication between you and your puppy. If you do not ask a command clearly and transfer the correct message to your puppy how can he/she be expected to comprehend you? It is also vital that you stop all training if you find yourself becoming impatient with your puppy as he/she will sense your change of mood and this will cause them to feel unsettled.

The best way to ascertain the right training method for both you and your puppy is to go ahead and teach your puppy a basic command such as ‘sit’ and observe how quickly your puppy learns and work out what seems to work best. The keys are timing and consistency with all methods of puppy and dog training.

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Many puppies go away with their new family from the place they were born and this will be their first experience of a car. When you collect your new puppy always be prepared for them to not travel well and be armed with towels, tissues and newspapers. The best item to transport your puppy in is a cardboard box with the front cut out as an entrance point. You can line this with newspapers and towels and a nice touch is to also pop a soft, puppy safe toy in the box which will act as a source of comfort. Your puppy can cuddle up close to the toy if he/she is feeling lonely because do not forget that they have just left the comfort of their mum and siblings.

Carry some water with you and a suitable drinking container. The best place for your puppy is beside you or a friend on the backseat of the car, never be tempted to drive to collect your puppy by yourself and just assume that he/she will be fine left unsupervised in the back of the car.

The aim is to ensure you make it home safely and as directly as you can, do not make lots of stops simply carry on and make it home. The shorter time your puppy is in the car the better as he/she will probably be fairly stressed out by the day’s events.

Now once you are home and after a few days have passed take your puppy out to the car and just sit in it with them, do not even switch the engine on at this stage. Ensure that your puppy does not become too excited and that you show him/her that you are not playing a game and that sitting or lying still is the only acceptable behaviour whilst they are in the car. Keep talking in a quiet manner to your puppy and relax, if you become anxious your little chum will pick up on your mood and also begin to feel anxious.

When you are convinced that your puppy is happy being in the vehicle, make sure you are situated in a well ventilated location and start the car’s engine. Now if your puppy jumps and appears to be alarmed by the noise do not worry, simply relax and remain sitting beside him/her. Once they observe that you are perfectly calm they will relax and when you feel that they have been calm for long enough you can drive slowly around the block and return home whilst everything is fine and your puppy is happy.

After you have repeated driving around the block you can progress to travelling to a destination with your pup and leaving the vehicle, for this next step you could visit the local park or a place where your puppy can have a small walk whilst remaining safely on the lead. You are teaching your puppy that trips in the car can equal pleasant experiences.

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