I'll be posting this on Facebook too but I wanted to see what everyone thinks Benji is! This is Benji who's mam is in here. Benji is 5 months old and a cross breed, but can you guess what he is....?

You’ve probably heard people say dogs can “tell the time” and know when you’re coming home because they can smell how much your scent has faded during the day. Interestingly, there actually is some science behind the idea, although not quite in the way the internet often presents it as absolute fact. Researchers know dogs can detect incredibly tiny changes in scent strength and can even tell how “fresh” a scent trail is. Because of that, some scientists believe dogs may learn that when your scent in the house fades to a certain level, it usually means you’ll be home soon. So your dog probably isn’t sat there thinking “it’s 5 o’clock”, but they may be using scent as a kind of timer. That said, there’s currently no definitive study proving dogs mainly track time this way. Most scientists think dogs are probably using a combination of: • scent changes • daily routines • light levels • sounds in the environment • their internal body clock So the “dogs smell time” idea is currently more of a fascinating scientific theory than a fully proven fact. Either way, dogs are far more incredible than most people realise.

Good morning - happy weekend! One question that pops up frequently is.... 'How long should I be walking my young puppy for?' If you've googled this, you would have probably come across the rule of '5 minutes per month of age up to twice a day' And even though this is sensible advice to stop some people from over doing it with their pups while they are young, it's actually inaccurate and outdated advice from a 1970s study on hip dysplacia. There is no real modern science backing up this advice. So, if this is the case, what is the right amount of time to walk your dog for...? Well, the answer really is IT DEPENDS! It totally depends on the individual dog in front of us, as well as breed and age. My advice would be: It's totally fine to take your puppy out to the park, on the beach - but starting with shorter, gentler walks, and then building over time. - 'Sniffy' explorative walks are a fantastic way of introducing your pup to the world and keeping things on the 'calmer' side. - Take them to a park to practice small bursts of recall on the grass. - Avoidlong walks, runs and jumping on hard, concrete surfaces. - No 10 mile hikes up a mountain - just yet! - Your puppy will usually tell you when they've had enough by flat out refusing to walk any more OR some will get overwhelmed and start jumping, biting or spinning on the lead (time to go home!) - Drive your puppy to the park or local field rather than walking them intially so they don't get exhausted before getting there. How long do you walk your pup for? Do you have any questions about this? Comment below!

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Over the next 5 days I will be posting my top tips for building a calmer dog. Follow these tips and you will begin to notice a gradual improvements in overall behaviour leading to a harmonious household! Tip #1 Reward calm behaviours throughout the day! This is one of the easiest ways to building calmer behaviour over time! Keep some of your dogs own food or some treats in your pocket through the day. If you notice your dog naturally calming down, gently place a treat inbetween your dogs paws. Over time you will start seeing your dog relaxing quicker and offering more calm behaviours.