As a born-and-bred Northern Hemispherer (not sure if that is a word), it is still strange to see Christmas decorations - especially the sight of a big plastic snowman grinning back at me from a garden down the road - while the temperatures are up in the 30s and the sun is beating down.

If it were my garden I would just place a carrot and two pieces of coal out there as a more accurate interpretation.

The other thing I have noticed are the adverts outside pet shops about puppies for sale. It seems all too easy to simply pop in and buy a cute bundle of fluff, and I imagine that Panic Saturday – the last Saturday before Christmas, traditionally a time when men rush out last minute and buy anything for their loved ones, often with not much thought put into it (I heard of one man who bought jars of mustard for everyone last year!) – will encourage a flurry of visits to these pet shops.

However, if there are people who are considering buying a cute puppy this Christmas, here are 5 Top Tips to avoid big problems in the future:

1.    Avoid Pet Shops – the problem with them is you have no idea where the pups come from, and far too often the suppliers are less than reputable puppy mills or farms, who mass-produce pups using the same blood line. We all know the problems that can arise “when cousins marry”, and the number of dogs from puppy mills that have medical issues that can run to thousands of dollars is as long as your arm.

2.    Ask questions – do not be afraid to ask to see the mother, for example. You will get a good idea of whether the breeder is of good quality or not by the state of their premises and animals. If they refuse, ring those Christmas alarm bells.

3.    Do not get pressured – often the more unscrupulous dealers will back you into a corner, either by making you choose on the spot, or even sometimes threatening that they will have to “get rid” of the pups if they are not sold. Emotional blackmail + cute puppy eyes = trouble later on.

4.    What about getting a rescue dog? Contrary to popular misconception, these dogs are not more problematic than others. In fact, what better heart-warming story at this time of year than a lovable doggie finding a loving family? You could even make it a special day out for the family where they get to join in with choosing the new family member.

5.    To ensure that the happiness continues after the decorations have come down, learn to be able to show the dog that you are the kind of leaders that they can trust.

There are many ways to train dogs, some which are better than others, but the best way to ensure a happy household is to remember that a dog is a dog, and it sees the world differently to us.

Just as you would put a goldfish in water without thinking about it, take a little bit of time to understand what makes your dog tick, and more importantly, what you can do to avoid problems such as pulling on the lead, barking non-stop, selective hearing etc.

Merry Christmas, however hot or cold it is!

Cheers, Tony Knight
Dog Listener Training

Glossing over the fact that some footballers will be flying to England from South Africa, and probably not to a good reception. Here's the latest progress of a Dog Listener's story of a far happier flight from South Africa to England.

For those of you who remember the story of Cerberus, the rescue dog that was on Death Row and not only was saved, but flown to freedom with his new owner Sam, above is the latest film to show his progress.

Even though as a dog listener I've been helping people and dogs all over the world for over a decade now, it's still a great thrill to see this kind of thing happening.

WARNING! As usual with a video from Sam there may be some tear-inducing moments, so have some tissues handy.
Cheers, Tony Knight