What is the most important thing to teach your dog? Come? Down? It’s name? Toilet training? There are so many things a dog needs to know, but perhaps the most important lessons are in trust and respect. Without this, teaching everything else is so much more difficult.

I like to handle puppies a lot – stroking and examining them, teaching them that I won’t harm them. I sit on the floor with them and play so they know I’m fun. When they get too rough I correct them quite firmly, but then carry on the game as soon as they have steadied. That way they learn how to play safely – they learn to respect. Once I’ve got a dog that likes cuddles, stroking and play I can use these to help teach other things. A toy eased over a dog’s head will move it into a sit and its reward is the throw of the toy. Whilst stroking the dog I can move is into a down and reward it with a tickle on the tum.

Older dogs need more thought – they might not know how to play or not like being handled. You can never be certain of a rescue dog’s history, so I would concentrate on calming touch rather than play. Respect for the house rules may need to be taught quite quickly, especially with a boisterous adult. However, it also needs to be done carefully to avoid direct confrontation. Make it difficult to break the rules – for example fitting a stair gate to stop it going upstairs, or only letting the dog in the lounge when you’re in there, in order to keep it off the furniture.

© Jo Belsten

This article was first published in the Great Yarmouth Mercury, 31 March 2006

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