This virus causes profuse vomiting and diarrhea, and it also suppresses the immune system making recovery very difficult. Puppies quickly become dehydrated and toxic. Unfortunately, it is a very common virus. Hundreds to thousands of dogs are treated annually in Ontario. Unprotected puppies and dogs become infected with the virus after being exposed to the feces of dogs shedding the virus. The virus can last over a year in the environment, even surviving freezing temperatures, so even if there is no evidence of feces on the ground, there could still be viral particles on the grass or sidewalks. Once exposed the virus incubates in the body for 5-10 days before symptoms appear. Symptoms include severe diarrhea, vomiting, listlessness, anorexia. Without hospitalization and intensive care the majority of dogs do not survive.

Canine distemper affects dogs and certain species of wildlife, such as raccoons, wolves, foxes, and skunks. In the Niagara Region distemper is common among racoons and skunks. The ferret is also a carrier of this virus. The virus is spread through the air from respiratory secretions or by direct or indirect contact with an infected animal. It attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary, and nervous systems. In the initial stages of Canine Distemper, the major symptoms include high fever, lethargy, reddened eyes, and a watery discharge from the nose and eyes. Persistent coughing, vomiting, and diarrhea may also occur. In the later stages of the disease, the virus starts attacking the other systems of the dog's body, particularly the nervous system. The dog may start having fits, seizures, paralysis, and attacks of hysteria. A dogs' chance for surviving canine distemper will depend on the strain of the virus and the strength of the dog's immune system.

This viral disease targets the liver, kidneys, eyes and blood vessels. The virus is shed into the feces and saliva. Severely affected dogs can die within hours. Acute infection will show symptoms of fever, anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, enlarged liver, abdominal pain, abdominal fluid, inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis), pinpoint red dots and bruising of skin (petechia), enlarged lymph nodes, and rarely, inflammation of the brain. Later stages of infection affect the eyes, and may progress to glaucoma and corneal ulceration.

This is a flu-like virus that is spread through respiratory secretions. It causes persistent dry hacking cough, loss of appetite, depression, runny nose and eyes. It is quite contagious especially among dogs in close quarters.

This disease is typically contracted through the bite of an infected animal. It is always fatal in non-vaccinated animals. It is also a ZOONOTIC disease and it is fatal to us as well. Common carriers of the disease include skunks, foxes, bats and racoons. It presents itself in one of two ways;

• Dumb Rabies: Affected animals may hide and become depressed, wild animals may seem friendly and readily approach humans. They may also have paralysis and difficulty swallowing.

• Furious Rabies: Animals are very aggressive or excited. They may bite or attack unprovoked. They are very restless and irritable and highly sensitive to noise.

There is no cure or treatment for Rabies. Prevention with vaccination is the only option.

This disease is passed through respiratory secretions and is highly contagious. It is a bacterial infection that affects the respiratory tract. It causes persistent coughing, sneezing and retching. It may be accompanied by a fever. Dogs at higher risk are those who come in contact with lots of different dogs. Dog parks, boarding kennels, grooming facilities, group training classes and doggie daycares are all places the disease can be contracted. Young puppies can suffer the most severe complications that can result from this disease, including pneumonia and chronic bronchitis, since they have an underdeveloped immune system.

"Lepto" is a serious infectious disease of animals and people. Dogs are particularly susceptible. The infection rate for domestic pets has been increasing in Canada, with infections occurring most commonly in the fall season. Dogs will typically contract the bacteria from swimming, drinking, or playing in water or mud, that has been contaminated with urine from an infected animal. Puddles, ditches, and slow moving streams are all environments that can harbour the bacteria. It quickly causes a blood infection and spreads through the entire body. The extent to which the bacteria damage the organs will depend on your dog's immune system. Infection of the liver or kidneys can be fatal, Younger animals with less developed immune systems are at the highest risk for severe complications. Symptoms include fever, stiffness, shivering, lack of appetite, lethargy, increased thirst and urination, vomiting and diarrhea, yellowing of skin and eyes, swollen lymph nodes, red spots (petechiation) on gums. Leptospirosis is a ZOONOTIC disease, meaning we can catch it from our pets through contact with urine. With hospitalization and intensive care prognosis is generally good, though long term organ damage can occur.

This bacterial blood infection is spread through the bite of an infected tick. It is the Ixodes tick, commonly called the "black-legged tick" or" deer tick" that spreads the disease. These ticks are present in the Niagara Region, especially closer to Lake Erie. Symptoms of Lyme disease in dogs include fever, intermittent or shifting leg lameness, swollen joints, inappetance, and lethargy. Some dogs can develop a highly damaging kidney infection. Tick control is very important to help prevent the disease.

Intestinal parasites are very common in puppies, they include worms and single-celled protozoan parasites. Puppies can even be born with some types of worms. We will check a sample of your puppy's stool under the microscope to look for worm eggs or other parasites. Sometimes the stool sample can be negative even though parasites are present. This is because the worms in puppies are often immature and not producing eggs. Parasites are eliminated with "deworming" medications. It is important to follow the deworming protocol set out by your veterinarian. Often multiple dewormings are prescribed, which allows us to eliminate parasites early before they start to produce eggs and contaminate the environment. Affected animals may have soft stool or diarrhea, but often the stool looks normal. As the infection worsens we start to see a variety of symptoms; your puppy may appear thin, smaller than normal, pot-bellied, have a dull, rough hair coat, seem more hungry, and may occasionally vomit. These signs can progress to coughing, pneumonia, anemia, intestinal obstruction, and sometimes death.

Many intestinal parasites are ZOONOTIC diseases, and can be passed to people. It is important to pick up all stool promptly, clean and disinfect any areas of your house where the puppy may defecate, and wash hands regularly. If your puppy has diarrhea or you see any worms in the stool contact your veterinarian right away.

These are probably the most common worms seen. They are transmitted through eggs in the stool. Puppies and kittens can also be affected by larvae crossing the placenta or through mother's milk. They can cause stunted growth, poor health, poor coat, and occasionally diarrhea, gas and vomiting. You will often see a potbellied appearance. Affected animal may have diarrhea but often the stool looks normal. These are ZOONOTIC, as larvae can migrate to our eyes, lungs, liver, and central nervous system causing extensive damage. Children are especially susceptible.

These are contracted by eating fleas, rodents or rabbits. Tapeworms are long segmented worms. They are not always present in the stool, but you may find the segments around the hind end or bedding. Segments look like grains of rice or sesame seeds and may be moving.

These tiny worms attach to the intestines and feed on blood. Severe anemia can result when a lot of worms are present. It can be transmitted through eggs passed in the stool and through mother's milk. These are ZOONOTIC, and the larvae can enter our body through the skin.

These are transmitted through eggs in the stool. They can embed in the intestinal lining and can cause diarrhea, sometimes with blood and mucus.

This is a single celled organism which causes diarrhea and occasionally vomiting in a wide variety of species, including humans, so it is a ZOONOTIC disease. These are more difficult to detect on fecal examination. Infection is transmitted through the stool or through contaminated drinking water.

Also a single celled organism. They can infect the intestinal lining and can cause diarrhea, often very severe illness in puppies and kittens. These are passed through the stool of infected animals of the same species.

Heartworms live in the heart and associated blood vessels. They are spread by the bite of a mosquito. Mosquitos spread heartworm larvae from the bloodstream of infected dogs, cats, foxes, wolves, and raccoons to our dogs. The Niagara region reports more cases of Heartworm disease each year than most other places in Canada. Last year alone over 100 cases were diagnosed in our area. This is likely an underestimation as many dogs are not tested to identify it. These dogs can carry the worms for years, acting as a source of infection for all dogs in the area. One of these dogs could live next door to you.

Heartworm infections can be fatal. As the worms grow to their adult size of 12 inches in length they obstruct the blood flow through the heart, leading to congestive heart failure and death. Unfortunately, there may not be any initial symptoms. Affected dogs may not appear sick until they enter heart failure, at which point treatment is often unsuccessful. For these reasons prevention and early identification of an infection are essential.

Preventive medications are extremely effective at killing the heartworm larvae before they develop into adults. Every dog should receive monthly heartworm prevention all year round. We have topical or oral formulations, and some of these medications also protect against fleas and intestinal parasites. Some examples of products include Revolution, Advantage Multi, Heartgard, Trifexis and Sentinel. These are prescription medications and only available through your veterinarian.

When your puppy is an adult he will have a blood test done once a year to check for heartworm infection. This test is important to do yearly, even when on monthly prevention, for a few reasons;

• No product is 100%, there are drug resistant strains developing in the southern U.S that may make their way up here

• People miss doses or neglect to continue through the colder months

• If a dog does have heartworm disease and has a lot of heartworm larvae in the blood stream, certain prevention products can cause a life-threatening reaction, sometimes death, due to the dying larvae.

Fleas are small parasitic insects that live in the fur of animals. They are reddish brown to black, about 2 mm long, and move quickly through the fur. They product a black "ground pepper" like material in the fur that is actually the digested blood they feed on. It turns red when water is applied to it. Dogs and cats share the same fleas. It is important that all pets in your home are on a flea preventive.

The life cycle of fleas has 4 stages: egg, larvae, pupa, and adult. Only the adult fleas live on the animals, the rest of the life stages are in the environment— your carpets, furniture, bedding, etc. It takes several months for a flea to complete its life cycle, so it is important to continue applying the monthly treatments even if you don't see evidence of fleas. We also have products to help with environmental control and eliminate the immature stages. Fleas can cause anemia, especially in young or debilitated dogs. In addition, fleas can carry several diseases and also act as vectors to spread one of the most common tapeworms of the dog and cat, Diplylidium caninum.

Treating your pet for fleas has never been easier. With the many choices we have today, we can provide you with the safest and most effective flea preventive for your pet's needs.

Revolution and Advantage are two commonly prescribed products.

Ticks are very common in the Niagara Region, being most prevalent in the spring.There are two types of ticks we commonly see; the Dermacentor or "AmericanDog Tick" and the Ixodes or "Deer tick". These ticks are found in the grass and forested areas. They will attach and feed on a blood meal for several days, getting bigger and bigger, before dropping off. They vary in size from a couple of mm to over a cm in length. Other than being unpleasant, ticks can spread disease. Several life-threatening bacterial infections can be transmitted by ticks, especially Ixodes scapularis the Ixodes tick. These include Lyme disease, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia.

When ticks are found attached to your puppy's skin it is important to pull them off right away, we can demonstrate how to do this. The tick can be identified by us to determine which species it is and which diseases it may be spreading. Tick prevention can be achieved by topical products such asAdvantix, which causes them to drop off before biting, and Revolution which kills ticks as they feed.

It is important to feed your puppy the right amount of food at proper intervals, but that can be tricky, as feeding requirements vary greatly from one puppy to another. The feeding guides on the food bag are just a starting point. It's critical to your puppy's health that his physical condition is monitored regularly and the feeding amount be adjusted as needed. Free choice feeding is generally not recommended, as it can contribute to digestive upset, difficulty house training, and obesity. The best approach is to feed your puppy's daily allotment of food in three or four equal measured meals a day.

If you feed regular adult food to your puppy, especially if they are overweight or you want to slow the growth rate of a large breed dog (some breeders will recommend this) you are putting them at risk. Adult diets often have calcium-phosphorus ratios, or absolute amounts of these minerals, which are inappropriate for growing breed dogs and can affect bone development. For example, some adult maintenance diets (especially those formulated as 'high protein' or 'grain free') tend to be energy-dense and may exceed the safe upper limit for calcium intake for growing puppies.

Healthy, low calorie treats are an important part of training, socializing, and just plain loving them. Training using food rewards is the easiest and most positive way to train a puppy. Human food should ideally be avoided from the start, especially during your mealtimes. This will reduce begging, the risk of obesity, and minimize the chance of dogs becoming picky eaters. Treats contain calories however, and too many treats may make your puppy overweight, or if he fills up on treats he may not want to eat his balanced puppy food.

A by-product is simply "anything produced in the course of making another thing." Examples include vegetable oils, vitamins, gelatin. By-products are common ingredients in both human and pet food. Basically, animal by-products are anything left over after certain portions have been removed for human consumption (eg. white meat of chicken breast).

They include the muscle meat, organs, and bones not intended for human consumption. Materials such as hair, horns, teeth, hooves and feathers are NOT considered by-products. Organ meats, such as liver, heart and kidney, have excellent nutritive value.

"Meals" are dehydated, ground, and rendered to remove fat. When comparing chicken meal and chicken by-product meal, for example, the differences can be nutritionally insignificant. It is important to ensure the byproducts are named however (eg. chicken, pork) and not some mystery meat when buying a food.

When an ingredient is listed first on a pet food label it is because of the "wet" weight before processing. Meat contains water and bone, making it heavier, but when it is dried and processed into the food the actual proportion is much lower on the ingredient list. When a "meal" is listed on a pet food label, it is actually higher nutrient content because it is already dried. It is impossible to tell the quality of the meats or by-products by looking at the label.

There are no reasons why the majority of dogs and puppies cannot have corn and grains. They are nutritious, highly digestible source of carbohydrates and proteins as well as beneficial fiber for digestive tract health. A very small percentage of dogs will be allergic to the "glutens", which are the protein components. This percentage is much smaller however than the percentage of dogs who are allergic to chicken and pork proteins. Dogs are omnivores like we are, and require carbohydrates, proteins and fats in their diets. Unbalanced diets can lead to nutritional deficiencies, poor growth or conversely obesity, and result in poor health.

Most raw diets have a large number of nutrient deficiencies. They do not have an energy, calcium or phosphorous concentration considered appropriate for growing dogs. This may put them at risk of abnormal bone development leading to brittle, easily broken bones. Raw food also carries a high risk of bacterial and parasitic contamination which can make your puppy, your children, or even you very sick! People who are immunosuppressed and pregnant women should avoid handling raw food at all costs. Bones should also be avoided, as dogs can break their teeth and any swallowed fragments can cause damage and possible intestinal obstruction.

Keeping active is a very important part of a puppy's development. Destructive behavior is often a result of boredom. A puppy who is not being stimulated enough will find his or her own means of stimulation, whether it be chewing on a shoe, digging up the carpet, or harassing the cat. Exercised puppies have better social development, are easier to train, and are in general healthier.

Large and giant breed puppies have special requirements. They have a rapid growth rate, which puts stress on developing bones and joints. Excessive activity can result in injuries, causing long term problems.

Ask your veterinary team to help develop a safe exercise plan for your puppy!

Repetition is necessary for training. Practice outside, inside, anywhere you go. Try to limit distractions at least at first, as your puppy will be less focused. The reward must immediately follow the behaviour or your puppy won't connect the two. As they begin to understand you can start giving the treatment rewards more intermittently. Always be patient and you can always go back to giving treats more frequently if needed to hold their attention.

• To teach a puppy to sit you can try holding a treat or toy over his nose and slowly moving it up over the head. When the head follows they will naturally sit down. When your puppy does sit his bum down say "sit", praise, and reward them with a treat.

• To teach a puppy to lie down, lower the treat between their front legs and back towards their chest. Reward your puppy when they begin to bow and get closer to the ground. You may need to reward at several stages between standing up and lying down to encourage them to lie down on the ground. When he does lay down say the word "down", praise him, and immediately give the treat.

• Calm your dog before a trip with some exercise or play.

• The best time to start traveling with a puppy is when she is young, allowing them to get used to travel gradually.

• It is best to start with short rides before any long trips.

• Always keep your dog on a leash when in a new environment, as it is easy for a puppy to be spooked in an unfamiliar place.

• •Take an adequate supply of their regular food, bowls, water, and bags for clean up.

• Dogs should not be allowed to ride with their head out of the window as particles of dirt can enter their eyes, ears and nose causing infection.

• Some puppies get car sick, ask us about medications that can help prevent this.

Until your puppy is 3-4 months old they have limited bladder and bowel control. Following these guidelines can help limit the number of accidents:

• Don't wait for a puppy to signal his or her need to go outside, take them out on a regular schedule

• Have regularly scheduled feeding and walk times, take them out first thing in the morning, after naps and meals, and before bed. You may need to carry them if it is first thing in the morning.

• Providing direct supervision when they are in the house is vital. Keep the puppy on a leash indoors with you at all times, this is called the "umbilical method". This will allow you to monitor them closely and watch for any signs that they are needing to go to the bathroom (whining, agitation, sniffing, circling, crouching). This way you will catch them before an accident occurs. Having this control over them also prevents them from getting into things they shouldn't and makes for easier training.

• Confine your puppy to a crate or small area if you cannot provide direct supervision

• Reward your puppy for eliminating outside, always go outside with your puppy so you can reward good behaviour. Give 2-3 treats every time they eliminate.

• Don't bring them inside as soon as they go to the bathroom, this teaches the dogs to "hold it" so they can stay outside longer, Instead, allow some off-leash play time.

• If he goes in front of you in the house you must ignore it. If you scold him, it will teach him not to go in front of you.

• Never punish a puppy that has an accident! They don't understand what they did wrong and punishing after the fact will only confuse and scare them.

Having a puppy in a crate overnight and when you cannot directly supervise him keeps your puppy safe and secure. Also if they can help it they don't want to urinate or defecate where they sleep and eat, so crate training can be a vital part of house training.

The idea of using a crate goes back to the evolutionary origin of dogs. They are descended from wolves and other wild canines that live in dens. Dens are small, cozy enclosed spaces where they feel safe. Being in a crate should always be a positive experience, so they are comfortable going inside. It should never be used for punishment!

Some tips for getting started:

• They can have food and water in their crate, some toys, and a cozy bed.

• A crate should be big enough that they can stand and turn around comfortably, about 1.5 times the length of your dog. Too small and they will be uncomfortable, too large and they may use one end for a bathroom.

• It is important that your puppy loves his crate. Try stuffing a Kong with his food, some peanut butter or cheese whiz and put it in his crate with the door shut. Freezing it will make it last longer! You can also try a "CET" chew (Please ask the Staff for a sample). He will stand outside the crate wanting to get at it. After a few minutes open the crate door and he will probably run in. Also try throwing treats into the crate and leaving the door open so that he can find them. Try not to force him into his crate but rather lure him.

• Always carry the puppy outside after he's been crated — he may not be able to make the walk to the back door without peeing

• Never open the crate door if he is barking or whining. Wait for a few seconds of quiet before you open the door. Don't even look at him if he is making noise.

• Work up to a maximum of 4 hours in the crate (at one time). This excludes overnight.

• Always give him 3 small treats as soon as he finishes a pee or a poop

Biting and chewing are a normal part of puppy development. It is how they play. It is not related to adult aggression. Chewing is how puppies explore the world. They do need to learn though that certain things are ok to chew (like toys), and certain things are not (like your furniture, shoes or fingers!).

Here are some tips to minimize damage from those sharp little teeth:

• A tired dog is a happy dog. Exercise is key! Leash walks, while mentally stimulating, are not exercise. Puppies need lots of running around, ball fetching and chasing (avoid tug of war, rough play).

• Your puppy should have time in her crate with appropriate stuffed toys. Even when you are home! She needs to burn off some of that normal need to chew. Stuffed Kongs are great for this (red ones are best for pups) and also CET chews.

• The nipping exercise: Place your hand in pup's mouth. If he nips hard, growl 'ouch' at him in a low voice or yelp in a high voice. DO NOT MOVE YOUR HAND. Wait for him to stop and praise very quietly.

• Do this 3 or 4 times a day. Adults to practice this only please.

• Try leaving the leash on and if pup starts biting, take the end of the leash, go into another room and close the door. Pup will be on one side and you will be on the other. Wait 15 seconds and open the door. If he is still biting, leave again for 30 seconds. Work up to 60 seconds and praise good behaviour.

• He will soon learn that he loses you if he behaves badly.

• Children are seen as giant squeaky toys. Teach kids to 'make a tree' when your puppy jumps up and uses her teeth. They should ignore the puppy completely - tuck hands under their arms, turn their back, stand still and look at the ceiling. If children don't run and scream, puppies will not Chase and nip. Ignore the puppy when it starts to nip and praise for good behaviour. Children may also leave the room if the biting continues.

• Put your puppy in a tummy rub periodically through each day. He must lie on your lap with his belly exposed for a few minutes several times each day. Any nipping you growl/yelp ouch/off". Adults only first, then other family members once the puppy is used to the exercise.

• Hand-feeding your puppy is one of the most effective ways of teaching your puppy to take things gently. It also reduces nipping and biting. Hold a few bits of your puppy's food in your fingertips. If he doesn't take the food gently, say "Ouch" and put the food back in the bowl, put the bowl on the counter, turn away and look up at the ceiling for about 10 seconds and then try again. Say "Gentle" as you present the food again in your fingertips. Adults only for the first few days and then children may join in.

• Try to use "Oops" instead of "No" as the marker that he is doing something wrong. We use "No" a lot in everyday life "Oops that's not your chewy, here's your chewy" gives him more information so that he can learn what is right.

Some dogs can be possessive about their food, treats or toys. This can lead to aggressive behaviour when someone tries to take those things away from them. Preventing this from happening can be taught at a young age.

• Food Bowl: Sit next to pup at feeding time. Put your hand in the bowl while holding special treats (i.e. cheese or liver). Then open your hand and offer the special treats to reward him for allowing your hand in the bowl. Next, hold the bowl in your lap, and pet him while he is eating. When he is calm and relaxed with you around his bowl (looking mostly at the bowl, not at you), it is time for children to place a hand in the bowl and reveal a very special treat.

• Food Bowl Bonuses: While your puppy is eating, approach and add a bonus of something better than the food in his bowl (meat, cheese, peanut butter, liver treat, etc). Try just dumping the bonus in the bowl. Also try removing the bowl, adding the bonus and returning the bowl to your pup. Family and friends should participate.

• Chew Toy Sharing: Sit on the floor and pretend to eat or lick one of pup's toys or bones. Then offer the toy or bone to your pup and hold on to it while he chews it. Touch him all over while he is chewing. Don't let go of the toy or bone as long as he is interested in chewing it. Involve others in this exercise.

• Object exchanges: Never try to pull anything out of your pup's mouth — simply try to trade something (a piece of cheese, a tennis ball etc.) for whatever he has in his mouth. It is important that you trump his item. After he takes the treat give him back the item. It is critical that your pup always gets the item back — he needs to learn to trust that you will not just take things away from him if he gives them to you. Family and friends should do this exercise.

This is also normal puppy behaviour, they are trying to get attention, say "play with me" and give you affection. It may be cute when they are a small puppy, but no one wants a large dog jumping up and possibly injuring someone.

• When your dog jumps— say "off", turn your back, fold your arms and look up at the ceiling.

• Ignore him until he is calm and then praise quietly (high voices may make him jump again).

• Kids can leave the room if he doesn't settle down.

• Try asking for a "Sit" just before he jumps up. A dog cannot jump up and sit at the same time.

• If he jumps on visitors, keep his leash on and step on it so that he can only sit or lie down but cannot jump up. Ask him to sit. If he sits to greet the visitor politely, he may get a cookie from the visitor.

• Make sure that he is always sitting or lying down when greeting people (on the street or at your house). He should not be petted unless all four of his feet are on the ground. Remember to use his leash - stepping on his leash will give you total control of his jumping and if you are consistent, he will eventually learn that he has to have all his paws on the ground in order to get love, attention or treats.

• It takes a lot of repetition for a dog to learn not to jump up — they are just trying to be friendly. The key is to be consistent so that he never has the opportunity to jump up on people and never gets rewarded for jumping up (even hands pushing him away can be rewarding to a dog).

Never reward your dog for a "Sit" after he has just jumped up on someone. So if your dog jumps up and you say "Sit", you can say "Yes" and softly praise him but do not give him a treat. Dogs learn flow charts really quickly so— "Jump Up, Off, Sit, Treat" becomes a sequence that they will anticipate and they will jump up in order to eventually receive that treat.

It is very important for your puppy's safety that he comes when he is called. This training takes time and patience. Make your recall request word very special and save it for occasions when it is absolutely vital that your puppy comes to you.

• This behaviour should be heavily rewarded with a novel treat used only for this exercise (i.e.

• roast beef, peanut butter, etc.)

• The word signal that you use should be clear, should carry a long distance, and should not be used for anything else. Some effective words are "Here, Front, Pronto". Use the dog's name first, followed by the word. Speak with a confident, pleasant voice.

• Say the word ONE TIME ONLY! As your dog turns to come to you, say "Yes" immediately.

• Praise him as he comes to you but don't repeat your special word.

• Never use your special word for anything negative or even neutral until he is well trained. Think of what might be negative to your dog...going in his crate, cutting his nails, coming inside after playing in the backyard etc.

• When your dog comes to you, reward him when he is in front of you and close enough that you don't have to reach for him.

• Prolong your reward...so your pup will be in no hurry to leave.

• Then release him by telling him to go play.

• In the beginning, save your special word for times when you are more interesting than the environment. Don't call unless you are absolutely positive he is going to come to you even if it means you need to be only 3 steps away. Make sure he is heavily rewarded every time.

• Progress to attaching a long line to your pup's harness or flat collar (15 to 20 feet). Make sure there are no knots or wrist loops and let your dog drag it while he plays. If you need to, you can step on this line to stop him.

• Gradually begin to add mild distractions, making sure that you can control the consequences. If he turns or starts toward you, say "Yes", praise until he gets to you, and reward him enthusiastically. Then release him and send him to the distraction.

• Increase the level of distraction and plan the consequences. If he doesn't come to you after one signal, have a friend step on his line and you go play with another dog, feed his treats to another dog or do anything you can think of to help him realize that coming to you would have been a better choice. If you are alone, you can say "Too bad" to let him know he has made the wrong choice.

Before your puppy is 18 weeks old, he must be exposed to the world around him. He is at a very sensitive period during this time, and new experiences are important for him to learn not be fearful. Try taking his kibble or some treats out on walks and give him a treat every time a person or another dog passes. Offer a liver treat or a piece of kibble every time he sees one of the following: child, truck, bicycle, motorcycle, roller bladder, skateboarder, cat etc. Have strangers feed him treats if he sits and behaves. Repeat this procedure on busier streets, near a playground, etc. Make sure he spends time exploring staircases, elevators, and slippery floors.

You will have to be very careful not to use soothing tones or coddle your puppy when he is showing fear. Soothing tones will reinforce the fearful behaviour. A fearful puppy may lead to a very fearful adult dog. Also they will pick up on our own apprehensions, so it is important to stay calm when your puppy is showing fear.

Fear and aggression are two sides of the same coin, and fear-aggressive dogs pose a danger to your family, other people and animals.