So may times, puppy parents have said to me... 'You must have the MOST WELL BEHAVED DOG EVER!' But The truth is... My dog can be a bit of a pain in the arse too! Today, Prince, my 13 year old staffy x lab is just having A DAY! He's decided to just be a bit of a dick today and is FAR from perfect! He's been woofing for no apparent reason, attention seeking by throwing shoes in the air while I'm cooking, and even jumped on the sofa and took a lick of my partners Baileys drink out of the glass! He's absolutely NEVER done this before and I feel totally embarrassed at his behaviour! I decided to give him some entertainment by playing a game of 'find it' along with some training to keep his mind occupied. He should be sleeping by now! I wanted to tell you this to show you the reality of bringing up animals... and not robots. Even dog trainers have dogs and not robots - anyone telling you different are lying! Your dog WILL test you - no matter what age they are! I love my dog no matter what, and I know there will be a day where I miss his mischief. Has your dog tested your patience today? Share a pic on the wall of shame!

This time of year, you might need to make some adjustments while having a puppy! Have you managed to put a tree up without chaos, or is your tree puppy proofed with a playpen or on a table? I've seen some creative ways of puppy proofing a tree over the years - let's see yours!

Please post a photo of your puppy, and tell me what puppy stage they are in at the moment - land shark or terrible teens... or a bit of both!?

Puppy parenthood isn’t always sunshine and snuggles. It can be loud, messy, emotional and exhausting. You’re not just looking after a baby dog — you’re learning to understand a whole new species. Their body language, their needs, their way of seeing the world. And honestly? You’re doing brilliantly! Every bit of advice I share, you take it on board with open minds and open hearts. You put it into practice, day in and day out — even when it’s hard, even when progress feels slow. And because of that, you're seeing real results. It’s not easy, but you’re sticking with it. That says everything! Your dogs are growing in confidence because you are growing in confidence. You’re building relationships based on trust, communication and understanding. That’s not just training — that’s something really special. So here’s to you — for showing up, learning, listening, and loving your dogs through every stage. I’m proud of you. And you should be proud of yourselves too. 💛

The first pic is the original photo, the second an unflattering photo that looks nothinglike us! thanks to chat GPT, the third from Gemini (my fave so far!) Have a play around with AI of you and your dog and share the results!