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How to get your dog to walk to heel: Six tips from top dog-trainer Ben Randall
Teaching your dog to stop pulling on the lead takes work, but it’s an important step in training that will transform daily walks from laborious battles of will to enjoyable strolls — and your shoulder socket will thank you. Expert dog trainer Ben Randall explains how to teach your dog to walk to heel.
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Fell ponies: Resilient, surefooted, sensible — and absolutely adorable
A royal favourite, the hardy and hairy little Fell pony can pull a sledge, emerge alive after weeks in a snowdrift and win hearts with a glance. Julie Harding celebrates the breed society’s 100th anniversary.
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The ten worst things your dog can do in the office
As the nation starts to head back to desktop computers and ten minute tea breaks, Alexandra Fraser lives in fear of Wilfred disgracing himself at her new job.
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How to stop your dog jumping up, by expert trainer Ben Randall
It’s easy to dismiss our dogs’ love of jumping up on us — and other people — as friendly boisterousness, but it's a sign that all is not well. Ben Randall explains how to ensure your dog keeps all paws firmly on the ground.
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Bloodhounds, the brilliant, unique dogs as strong as horses: 'It’s like having a toddler — but one that can eat iPads'
Far from snoozing on a porch all day, bloodhounds are highly active pack-hunting dogs that require ‘slobber cloths’ when in company, discovers Katy Birchall.
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Poodles: Bright, questioning and surprisingly hardy — and 'once you're an owner, you won't switch'
Originally known as ‘pudels’ or ‘puddles’, curly-coated standard poodles raise both smiles and eyebrows, not least with their distinctive pom-pom trim. Matthew Dennison discovers more, with photographs by Sarah Farnsworth.
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How to stop resource guarding in dogs, by Ben Randall
Resource guarding is common in dogs — but it can be solved. Award-winning dog trainer Ben Randall explains how as he tackles this unusual canine dilemma.
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Clicker training – The fastest way to teach a new spaniel new tricks
Alexandra Fraser uses her working from home lunch breaks to expand on Wilf’s repertoire of commands and tricks. This week she talks through clicker training, and how to teach everything from ‘sit’ to the slightly more complicated ‘tidy up’.
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Walking a new puppy - How long to walk for, where to go and how to recover from inevitable setbacks
Alexandra Fraser discusses the ups and downs of puppy walking, and why you shouldn’t let a small setback throw your confidence.
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Basset hounds: Incorrigible and exasperating, vocal and entertaining... and seemingly almost human
The basset hound is a force of nature, says devotee Flora Watkins.
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Five things that your puppy shouldn't eat - and what to do when they eat them
Five visits to the vets later, Alexandra Fraser reflects on the dangers faced by a hungry puppy and the benefits of pet insurance.
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Country Life's 10 best dog stories of 2021
From Border Terriers to the unwritten rules of walking your dog, here are the highlights of a year's worth of dog tales.
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Five reasons why you shouldn't get a dog for Christmas
‘A dog is not for Christmas’ is a well-known saying that encapsulates what it means to be a dog owner – it’s not just one day, or the good days, or the days you actually want to go for a walk in the rain. Alexandra Fraser does away with the sugar coating and explains why a furry friend might not be the most appropriate gift this year.
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The ten unwritten rules of walking your dog - and how to follow them
Being a responsible dog owner is more than just picking up after your pup and stopping them from stealing sandwiches at the picnic.
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Top tips for taking your puppy on holiday
Hot off his vaccinations, Wilf heads down to Devon for his first glimpse of sand and sea.
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The Puppy Diaries: 'The first night wasn't too bad. The second night was… different. We were up and down more than the Grand Old Duke of York'
Alexandra Fraser — who recently bought a cocker spaniel called Wilf — details the ins and outs of sleep-training a new puppy, from where to place your puppy in your home to why you dearly need a dressing gown.
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Jason Goodwin: 'The collie would come to the shed door for the smallest scrap of affection or touch. After a few months in the village we felt rather the same'
Our columnist Jason Goodwin on telepathic dogs, Pyrenean dialects and animal authors.
