Make time for some fake trips to the vet. Drive some way towards the vets and park the car, get out and put the dog a lead. Now go for a walk rewarding your dog for good behaviour, do this several times.

After a few walks, extend the route so you go past the vet’s surgery, again rewarding good behaviour. It’s important to make the rewards special, maybe some chicken or other treat that your dog really enjoys but doesn’t get too often. The aim is to turn the dog’s perception around, to make the “bad place” into a “good place” hence the need for frequent rewards.

When your dog can comfortably walk past the surgery, try going in and just letting him or her just look into the waiting room (at this stage it might be better to inform the surgery of what you are doing).

Final stage, go into the waiting room and sit quietly and then leave and go home.

Each stage must be repeated until the dog is absolutely comfortable and showing no signs of distress. If at any point the dog is getting upset, go back to the previous stage for a little while.

All it takes is a little patience and a visit to the vets can be a lot less traumatic for your dog and you.

The average dog could live between ten and fifteen years, so this is a big commitment in terms of changing your life for the foreseeable future. Your dog will need your time and lots of your attention, so it could mean a real lifestyle and routine change. Additionally, think about the costs involved in keeping a dog. You may have saved the money to buy the breed of puppy that you want but the cost commitment will extend into vet’s fees, food and insurance over the coming years.

This is why it can be a big mistake to buy a dog as a present, at a birthday or Christmas time for instance, as the excitement of the event and the dog as a present can soon wear off when the reality of caring for a pet sets in.

This is not to say that you should not consider a dog as a pet. Treated right, a dog will become a very loyal and loving companion for you and your family. However, just make sure that you have researched and considered all eventualities involved in owning a dog before making that final decision.

One of the ways that you should avoid training your puppy is through punishment. Remember the dog is only young and your pet will not necessarily equate a punishment with the action that they have just done. Particularly if you find dog mess on the floor that you did not see the puppy make, it may not necessarily understand that a clip on the nose is as a result of their mistake. Follow the ’10 second rule’ – if you don’t respond within 10 seconds, then it’s too late; leave it.

A better way to train a puppy is through rewards either by spending time together, affection or with good old fashioned doggy treats. Of course, your dog may be naughty sometimes and you may feel like you should give a response but withholding treats or attention from your puppy when they have been naughty compared to the attention or treats you give when they are good, should be enough to demonstrate to your dog the kind of behaviour that you expect.

Whatever way you choose, it will take a lot of time, patience and self discipline to keep going with your training regime when your new little friend is running rings around you in your home. The time and effort will all pay off though when you are rewarded with a very special relationship with your dog as he or she grows up.

Your puppy’s training class should offer a fun and friendly atmosphere in a comfortable venue. The whole family can go and everybody can learn together the signals and commands for the pup.

Remember, your puppy has a lot to learn, it will be a lot easier if he or she is happy and stress free. Don’t worry if he or she misbehaves or has a little accident and leaves a puddle on the floor, mistakes will happen and your tutor will be on hand to tell you what to do.

What will you both be learning?

You will be learning how to give commands and what behaviour to expect. Your puppy will learn to recognise these commands and react accordingly. The extent of the commands taught will vary slightly from class to class but the basics are “come”, “sit”, “stand”, “walk”. The basic behaviour includes how to behave on a lead, to accept handling by humans in different situations and your puppy will learn how to socialise with humans, other dogs and puppies.

Expect some homework; the exercises that you learn in class will have to be practiced at home.

Puppy training classes, a learning curve for you and your puppy and great fun to be had by all.

Much like a child, your new puppy will need some incentives to learn to do the right thing and there are various ways that you can encourage your puppy to learn not to make a mess in your home. Dog treats are highly effective when combined with encouraging words such as “good boy” or “good girl”. Offering a treat will mean that the dog will associate their well trained behaviour with some positive outcome from you. Alternatively, you can treat the dog with lots of affection when they do the right thing. An enthusiastic rub on the head or on the belly, will be welcomed by your puppy and demonstrate that their efforts at potty training are rewarded.

Although potty training is essential, do remember your puppy is still a baby and there are bound to be mistakes. Remember not to scold when this happens but simply continue to reward every time your puppy gets it right.

Just because a dog is in a rescue shelter doesn’t necessarily mean that he or she is a problem dog, dogs are taken to shelters for any number of reasons, often to do with family breakdown, financial pressures, or death of the owner.

Rescue dogs in most cases, are used to being pets and know how to interact within the family.

Talk to the staff at the dog’s home, sometimes they will have some knowledge of the dog’s background. Even if your chosen one came to the centre as a waif and stray, he or she will have been thoroughly assessed and the staff will know if he or she will fit into your home and your lifestyle.

When you take your new friend home, give him or her a few days to relax, show them round the house and make sure that they have a bit of space to call their own. Your vet or the staff at the rescue centre will advise you on feeding and healthcare. Keep things low key for a bit socially, let the dog settle before showing him or her off.

If problems do occur, don’t be worried about asking for advice.

All dogs deserve a happy home and there are many out there who don’t have one. Taking in a rescue dog is a big commitment but the rewards are huge, your dog may well turn out to be the most loving and faithful friend you could ever wish for.

Although it is important to give your dog a regular bath, do not think that a quick splash is enough to maintain your pet. Although your dog will smell nicer and their coat will be shinier, bathtime is a good time to check that your dog is healthy in other ways as it’s a good chance for you to give him a quick once over.

Clean your dog’s ears. There are special solutions to do this, which you may find at the pet shop or the vets. Cleaning dogs’ ears will help get rid of any ear mites that may have developed in your dog’s ears. Your pet may squirm a bit but it can be quick and painless and avoid them picking up any infections later on.

Brushing your dog’s teeth can be tricky but again, it can be essential for the dog’s hygiene and they may even learn to enjoy it! Again, a pet shop or vet’s practice should have toothpaste and toothbrushes especially for dogs.

Lastly, use bath time to check your dog for any fleas or ticks as these can carry diseases. Check though your dog’s fur, around the collar and their underbelly and if you see something suspicious, you can check with your vet as to what is the right treatment to rid your dog’s fur – and your home – of them.

The cage or crate should never be positioned as a punishment to the dog or else he will not accept the crate. Getting a dog to accept the crate whilst he is a puppy will also be easier, although not impossible, than teaching an adult dog who has never seen one. Entice the dog into the crate using a treat and encouraging words – repeating a phrase that you will later want to use to signify that you want the puppy to go into the crate. Let the dog folllow the treat into the crate and then close the door whilst praising the dog. Make sure that you put the dog in the crate when you are at home and being praised – otherwise the dog will only associate the crate with being left alone or being told off, and this may cause your pet some anxiety. Similarly the dog’s crate should not be in isolation in the house and should be placed somewhere where the dog can still feel part of the family environment when he’s inside.

When choosing a crate, ensure that your puppy has room to lie down and turn around but do not make the crate too roomy. Of course, you do not want to keep changing your crate as the dog grows so you might want to buy one big enough for him as an adult dog so that they can stand up or stretch out as they lie down. You can always use a divider to cordon an area off while your puppy is small.

One of the first commands that you should teach your puppy is to sit. If your dog is sitting, they are a lot more attentive than when running around. If your dog is taught to sit, you will be able to easily put the collar on when it is time for a walk or if you need to groom him; teaching them to sit will be invaluable. Not to mention when visitors come, if you can command your dog to sit, then your visitors can greet your dog themselves rather than having an enthusiastic pet throwing itself at them for attention, which many find offputting.

Teaching your puppy to sit will take a lot of perseverance and in the first instance, it can be an idea to put your puppy on a lead in order to stop him walking off. Use treats and put the treat above the puppy’s head so that they follow the treat whilst you place the puppy’s bottom into a sitting position. Repeat this several times until the puppy understands that you want him to assume the sitting position to get the treat. Then introduce the word sit as you give him the treat at the precise moment that he sits down so the puppy associates this sitting action with the word.

Owning a dog is a big responsibility and getting a dog is not a decision that should be taken lightly. Although it is hard when faced with a room full of cute puppies or at a rescue centre, when you just fall in love with a sad face, you should consider buying a dog as a rational decision and not just an emotional one.

When looking into what kind of dog to get, you should always with be honest with yourself. For instance, you may fall in love with a beautiful collie because of its gorgeous coat of fur, but to maintain such a dog will be hard work and are you going to have the time to brush his coat everyday? Think about the size of your home. Golden Retrievers are bright, intelligent dogs and require a lot of exercise. Will it be fair to house your Retriever in an apartment or a small house? It is important to be responsible if you are going to own a dog and ask of yourself some serious questions before deciding on a breed.

You should also ask some questions of breeders before you buy a dog or if you are buying from a rescue shelter, ask questions of the staff there. Will the temperament of the dog suit your current lifestyle? Can he or she be left alone for long periods of time or will they require too much exercise for you to cope? Good breeders and shelters will welcome the questions as they have an interest in their animals going to a good home and finding a situation that will work out for both the dog and his new owner.