Dog licences are required by law in some countries, but not others. Check with your local authority to discover whether or not you need a licence for your pet.

All dog owners should, however, ensure that their pet wears an identity tag (in some countries it is a legal requirement), so that in the event of him getting lost or being involved in an accident he can be identified.

There are occasions when despite your best efforts, a partnership does not work. In these circumstances, it’s more beneficial for both parties if you rehome the dog rather than preserve, with both of you frustrated and miserable.

Finding your pet a home with someone who can offer the type of environment, attention and training he needs is not a failure on your part, and does not imply that you are a bad owner. Rather, it is a selfless act that offers the dog a chance to lead a happier life with someone who is able to fulfill his needs.

Just because you have had to rehome your pet does not mean that you will be unsuccessful with another – make sure you choose your next dog more carefully.

Veterinary surgeons are listed in local business telephone directories and also on the internet. Choose one who specializes in small animal care, specifically in dogs.

Word of mouth is a useful way of finding a good vet, as in contacting local breeders, dog training schools and/or dog rescue centres.

Take your pet for a check-up at least once a year. To save on costs, combine the visit with annual vaccination booster. Elderly dogs should be examined every 6 months.

It’s worth keeping a diary of your dog’s behavior, health and vaccinations, as this is useful in helping your vet treat your pet appropriately and swiftly when the need arises.

Towards the end of pregnancy, trim excess hair from her trousers, skirt (stomach) and very carefully from around the teats. The first two will aid hygiene and ease of delivery, and the last will make it easy for the puppies to find the nipples and to suckle.

Toy Values

Keep the low-value toys for all-time access, and the medium-value ones for shared play sessions and training to reward and reinforce desirable behavior. The high-value toys (‘supertoys’) should be kept as an ultimate enticement or reward for special achievement.

Inside each nail is a ‘quick’ – a tiny vein that appears pink in white nails, but is invisible in dark ones. It is nicked during trimming, this will prove extremely painful for the puppy; it will also bleed profusely. To reduce the risk of this happening, this procedure is best left to experts. As the pup matures, exercise on hand surfaces will wear down his nails naturally.

A good centre will:

• Only take dogs on veterinary referral.
• Have suitable accident and third party liability insurance.
• Have experienced staff trained in canine first aid.
• Provide a heated pool large enough to cater for all sizes of dog, which has swim jets to increase the water flow as necessary, a safety pet harness, and a means of getting the dog into the water easily.