When I first started taking Pebbles out and about, I wasn’t particularly concerned about whether she could walk nicely on a lead. I know that might sound strange coming from a dog trainer, but I think it’s really important to remember that loose lead walking is a skill we teach — it isn’t something a puppy is born knowing how to do. Before expecting Pebbles to walk beautifully around distractions, I wanted her to have time to experience the world around her. We spent lots of time around our...

This week’s focus has been recall. A few times now, Pebbles has got to the end of the long line, looked at something more interesting than me, and come back anyway. I would like to say that is down to skill. It is mostly down to timing, management and a lot of repetition — which is what I actually want to talk about, rather than just telling you we “worked on it.” Pebbles is 17 weeks old now, which puts us right before adolescence usually hits — and that is why I am really building on this...

This week has definitely felt like we’ve entered the teething stage… and wow, Pebbles has let us know about it! At around three months old, puppies start losing their baby teeth, with their adult teeth gradually coming through over the next few months. It’s completely normal for them to suddenly want to chew everything they can find. Pebbles has started giving the corners of the sofa and the skirting boards some very thoughtful looks… as if she’s deciding whether they’re in need of a good...