UNDERSTAND YOUR DOG

Your dog is an individual with his own likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. Whether your dog is a pure breed or a cross breed, there will also be breed characteristics to take into consideration. What your dog experienced as a puppy and before he came to live with you will also be part of his ‘memory’.

This does not mean that you have to accept all of your dog’s behaviour and adjust your life around them. Certainly whenever the safety of humans or animals or the dog’s emotional state is concerned, you owe it to your dog to do everything in your power to improve the situation.

Understanding your dog means that sometimes you need to accept some of your dog’s “special personality”. Most hounds will have their nose on the ground for a good part of the day because that is what hounds do. Unfortunately not every dog is going to end up in the movies or as your next Champion.