Training

The six things that actually matter in a puppy's first eight weeks at home, in the order they matter, with the reps, the timings and the criteria.

The everyday behaviours that make living with a dog pleasant: settling on a mat, four on the floor, clear counters, calm doors, and a doorbell that no longer means chaos.

Turn the daily tug of war into a walk you both enjoy. Six lessons that teach your dog to keep the line slack — and teach you to stop paying for pulling.

Teach your dog that being alone is safe, starting in seconds rather than hours: a crate or safe space they choose for themselves, and absences that stay calm.

Retire the poisoned old word, build a fresh cue on a long line, pay it like a jackpot, and work a written distraction ladder until it holds.

For dogs who bark and lunge on the lead. Find your dog's real threshold, manage the environment honestly, and change how he feels about what frightens him.

Yes, cats train. In two-to-three-minute sessions, once or twice a day, teach your cat to touch a target, walk into its carrier and accept nail care without a fight.

Train an older, deaf, blind or less mobile dog or cat. Short sessions, signals they can perceive, an adapted home — and knowing when the problem is medical, not behavioural.

The three skills that turn a nervous new parrot into a confident companion — reading body language, a willing step-up, and the foraging that keeps a clever bird sane.

A gentle, four-week plan to win the trust of a rat, guinea pig or hamster — on the animal's clock, at the animal's height, with food doing the talking.