Guides
Guides worth reading slowly
Step by step plans for the big moments and the daily routines of life with a dog.
50 guides
- Health & everyday care
A dog dental care routine that sticks: brushing, chews and yearly checks
Two minutes of brushing a day, the right chews and a monthly mouth check will prevent most tartar build-up and help you spot dental pain long before it affects eating.
- Food & feeding
A hot weather hydration plan for dogs: how much water, where to put it and when to worry
Daily water targets by weight, a practical routine for heat waves, safer walk timing and the warning signs that mean a trip to the vet.
- Puppy care
Bringing home a rescue dog: settling in during the first three months
A calm plan for decompression, trust building and routine, from the first car ride home to the point your dog finally feels safe.
- Training & behaviour
Building confidence in a shy dog: a gradual plan for a dog who is nervous of the world
A patient, reward based approach to help a fearful or shy dog feel steadier around new people, places, and everyday sounds.
- Health & everyday care
Caring for an older dog: what actually changes and how to adjust
A practical plan for the years when joints stiffen, senses dull and routines need small, specific adjustments rather than a total overhaul.
- Puppy care
Choosing a puppy from a litter: what to look for beyond who runs to you first
Honest, practical signs of health and temperament to check on a litter visit, and the questions worth asking before you commit to a puppy.
- Puppy care
Crate training step by step: build a calm den in about two weeks
A day by day routine that turns the crate into a place your puppy walks into by choice, with clear limits on how long it should stay there.
- Health & everyday care
Dog first aid kit checklist: what to keep on hand and when to stop and call a vet
A specific list of supplies for minor scrapes and safe handling until you reach a vet, built around knowing the limits of what you should try at home.
- Life with a dog
Dogs and apartment living: making it genuinely work in a small space
Practical adjustments to exercise, noise, bathroom routines and shared spaces that let most dogs thrive in an apartment, regardless of size.
- Food & feeding
Feeding a puppy month by month: meals, portions and milestones from 8 weeks to adulthood
A stage by stage plan for how many meals to give, how to size each portion and when to change things, so your puppy grows steadily rather than quickly.
- Food & feeding
Feeding a senior dog: portions, texture and mealtime comfort for the later years
How to adjust calories, meal patterns, food texture and bowl setup as your dog ages, and which appetite changes are worth a vet visit.
- Food & feeding
Feeding two or more dogs: stations, schedules and an end to food stealing
Set up feeding stations, manage different diets and eating speeds, and spot early signs of tension so every dog gets the right amount in peace.
- Life with a dog
Fireworks and thunderstorm plan: helping a noise sensitive dog through the worst nights
A concrete before, during and after plan for the loud nights that genuinely frighten many dogs, built around preparation rather than reacting in the moment.
- Health & everyday care
Grooming routine by coat type: the right tools and schedule for the coat your dog actually has
Match your brushing, bathing and trimming to your dog's real coat type and you can keep mats, shedding and skin trouble under control in 10 to 20 minutes, a few times a week.
- Food & feeding
Helping your dog lose weight: a 16-week plan you can actually stick to
Score your dog's body condition, set a safe weekly target, find the hidden calories and build a routine that gets results without a hungry, miserable dog.
- Training & behaviour
Home alone training: a step by step plan for a dog who panics when you leave
A staged plan for building real comfort with solitude, from thirty seconds at the door to a full day of calm napping.
- Food & feeding
How to choose a dog food: a shortlist method that cuts through the marketing
Use four checks and a six-week trial to pick a food that suits your dog and your budget, without paying for buzzwords.
- Food & feeding
How to read a dog food label: what each panel really tells you
Decode product names, ingredient lists, analysis figures and calorie statements so you can compare any two foods in under five minutes.
- Health & everyday care
Indoor enrichment ideas: tiring out your dog's brain when the weather or your schedule keeps you home
Fifteen tested activities that work in a normal living room, organized by how much mess, time and setup each one takes.
- Training & behaviour
Introducing a dog to a cat: a safe, staged plan that protects both animals
Plan separate spaces, prevent chasing and progress at both animals’ pace. There is no fixed timetable or guarantee that every dog and cat can share a home safely.
- Training & behaviour
Introducing a second dog: a plan for a calm first meeting and a peaceful first month
A staged approach to bringing a new dog into a home with an existing dog, covering the first meeting, the first days, and the resource sharing that follows.
- Food & feeding
Keeping dog bowls clean: a daily and weekly routine that stops the slime
A realistic cleaning schedule for food and water bowls, the best method for each material, and signs a bowl should be replaced.
- Health & everyday care
Keeping dogs safe in summer heat: temperature thresholds, cooling tricks and the pavement test
Learn the exact temperatures that turn a normal walk risky, how to cool your dog down fast, and the seven second test that tells you if the pavement will burn their paws.
- Training & behaviour
Loose leash walking plan: teaching your dog to walk beside you without pulling
A step by step, reward based approach to a relaxed walk, from the right equipment to practicing in busier, more distracting places.
- Training & behaviour
Managing barking at home: figuring out why your dog barks and what actually helps
A practical guide to reading the different types of barking, teaching a reliable quiet cue, and managing the triggers that set it off.
- Life with a dog
Moving house with a dog: a plan for moving day and the weeks after
A step by step approach to keeping your dog safe and settled through packing, moving day chaos, and adjusting to an unfamiliar home.
- Puppy care
New puppy shopping list: what to actually buy before you bring your puppy home
A practical, uncluttered list split into what you need on day one and what can safely wait, plus a quick sizing guide for bowls and crates.
- Puppy care
Potty training plan: the schedule, signals and cleanup that get most puppies reliable
A clear daily timetable, a simple routine at the toilet spot and a calm way to handle accidents, so your puppy learns where to go without fear or setbacks.
- Life with a dog
Preparing your dog for a new baby: a plan that starts before the birth
Specific steps in each trimester and the first weeks home that help a dog adjust calmly to a new family member and a very different household rhythm.
- Training & behaviour
Puppy biting: safer play, redirection and when to get help
A practical household plan for mouthy puppy play, without punishment, hand-biting games or promises about a fixed age when it will stop.
- Puppy care
Puppy exercise limits: how much activity is safe while joints are still growing
Plan walks, play and rest around the individual puppy. Learn why a fixed minutes-per-month rule cannot establish a safe exercise allowance.
- Puppy care
Puppy sleep schedule: how to fit 18 to 20 hours of rest into a busy household
Sample timetables by age, the signs of an overtired puppy, and a bedtime routine that leads to longer, quieter nights.
- Puppy care
Puppy socialization plan: a week by week schedule from 8 to 16 weeks
How to introduce your puppy to people, dogs, sounds, surfaces and handling in short, pleasant doses during the weeks when it counts most.
- Puppy care
Puppy teething survival guide: from needle teeth to a full adult set
What happens in your puppy's mouth between 3 and 7 months, which chews genuinely help, and how to protect your hands, shoes and furniture along the way.
- Puppy care
Puppy-proofing your home: a room by room safety sweep before day one
Get down to puppy height, find the hazards a curious 10-week-old will reach first, and fix them with gates, lidded bins and a few household habits.
- Food & feeding
Raised dog bowls: individual needs, GDV concerns and choosing a setup
Separate product dimensions from health advice before changing your dog’s feeding position.
- Training & behaviour
Reading dog body language: the everyday signals that tell you how your dog feels
A practical guide to the postures, expressions, and movements dogs use to communicate, so you can catch stress or discomfort before it escalates.
- Training & behaviour
Reward based training basics: how to teach any dog using rewards instead of corrections
The core principles behind force free training, explained clearly enough to use on your very first session tonight.
- Life with a dog
Road trips with your dog: planning stops, safety and a calmer ride
A practical plan for the drive itself, from restraint and stop frequency to what actually helps a dog that gets carsick.
- Food & feeding
Slow feeding for fast eaters: how to turn a 30-second gulp into a five-minute meal
Time your dog's meals, pick the right slowing method for your dog's face and temperament, and introduce it in a week without frustration.
- Food & feeding
Switching dog food step by step: a 7 to 14 day plan for a settled stomach
A day by day mixing schedule, a quick way to recalculate portions for the new food, and clear signs for when to slow down or call the vet.
- Training & behaviour
Teaching a reliable recall: building a comeback cue your dog never ignores
A stage by stage plan for turning an unreliable name response into a recall you can trust off lead, using rewards instead of pressure.
- Training & behaviour
Teaching your dog to settle: building an off switch for a busy household
Help your dog practise relaxed behaviour in a comfortable place, then build up everyday distractions at their pace.
- Food & feeding
Treats and training rewards: a calorie plan that keeps training generous and your dog lean
Work out a daily treat budget, learn the calorie cost of common rewards, and plan training sessions so you can reward often without weight creeping up.
- Training & behaviour
Trick training for beginners: start with a nose target
Build one useful, low-pressure skill first: voluntarily touching a hand target. Then change the setting gradually without deadlines or physically demanding poses.
- Health & everyday care
Trimming your dog's nails at home: a calm, quick-safe method for any dog
Learn to read the nail, choose the right clipper and build your dog's tolerance over two weeks, so a full trim becomes a five-minute routine instead of a wrestling match.
- Health & everyday care
Winter care for dogs: cold thresholds, coats, paws and when it is too cold to walk
Know the specific temperatures where risk starts to climb for different dogs, how to protect paws and skin, and how to read your own dog rather than the calendar.
- Life with a dog
Yearly cost of owning a dog: realistic ranges for food, vet care and everything else
Honest cost ranges in EUR and GBP for a first year and an ongoing year, broken down by category so you can budget with real numbers instead of guesses.
- Puppy care
Your puppy's first vet visit: what happens, what to bring and what to ask
A clear picture of the first health check, how the vaccination course generally works, and simple ways to make your puppy enjoy the clinic.
- Puppy care
Your puppy's first week at home: a day by day plan for calm nights and a steady routine
A seven day plan for the drive home, the first nights, meals, toilet trips and gentle handling, so your puppy settles quickly and you still get some sleep.