Play’s the thing. The importance of play for puppies cannot be over-estimated as they learn manners and gain co-ordination. Finding a suitable play mate for Travis has not been easy. He is quite a big puppy and dwarfs a lot of the puppies – and adult dogs – that we see on our daily walks. […]

Pick of the litter? Well yes, I did have that, and the dog that I picked has his own understanding of it! Puppies explore their world with their mouths and, although it may not seem like it, have a natural sense of disgust. Of course their idea of disgusting is most definitely not the same […]

Medication matters for your dog and animals can be hard to medicate. They don’t understand why they need medication or the consequences attached to getting better. All they know is that they need to engage in battle as they evade the unpleasantness of the medication. Owners are often not able to adopt the appropriate technique […]

Travis had a bee in his bonnet today – well in his mouth and fortunately for both, briefly. It was a lovely morning, blue skies and sun after a day of grey skies and rain and we had had a very pleasant walk. On the way out of the park Travis stopped to nose amongst […]

Pride and groom: not just a matter of vanity. While some people primp and preen their dogs to within an inch of their life – or worse, shave them for their own convenience, all dogs need regular grooming to keep them healthy. All dogs lose hair, even the so-called non-shedding breeds. Removing dirt and dead […]

The Whole Tooth and Nothing But – biting is undoubtedly the thing I have disliked most about my puppy. He is particularly keen on using his mouth quite hard at times which can quickly dispel the sweetness and light exterior that most people notice. Re-directing him using a chew toy or  playing with a long […]

Look, don’t touch (or for that matter, bark) has been my watchword this week. I don’t often get the chance to ride or drive horses these days but I do come across horses a lot, whether that is working horses, competition horses at shows or just happy hackers in local parks. It is therefore very […]

Trains and boats and ‘planes – well OK, trains and buses so far. We will add boats at some point, ‘planes, probably not, as he will hopefully be a blood donor, although living ten miles from Heathrow we see and hear our fair share. As a non-driver, it was important for me to accustom my […]

Travis was ready for the world – but was the world ready for him? We were about to find out, rather sooner than we expected as Travis said “Hello world”. Quarantine was hard for both of us. My lively puppy was getting very frustrated at his enforced confinement and just wanted to be on his […]