Behaviour & Training

Are you in the mood for some pawesome dog fun? We put together a list of hilarious dog jokes and puns about our favourite furry friends. They’re not only fun, but also easy to remember and easy to tell. One thing we can all agree on is that our dogs are fun to be around. They somehow know how to make us laugh with their hilarious reactions and never fail to put a smile on our faces with their silly antics. It’s no surprise that many owners suspect their pup must have a ‘funny bone’ to be able to pull all this off. So, to match the playful spirit of our canine friends, we put together a list of dog-approved zingers. If you love dogs and don’t mind silly play on words, we’ve got the dog jokes and dog puns that will brighten up your day.

We’ve heard a lot about ‘lockdown puppies’ - dogs that have been bought during the pandemic when people have been at home rather than out at work - but amazingly there are now 3.5 million more dogs in the UK than there were before the pandemic started. This puts the total number of dogs in the UK to around 12.5 million, and this means lots of new dogs are out and about enjoying the summer - and with this increase in dogs, there are more chances for canine interactions to go wrong!  We’ve put together this guide to dog walking etiquette to teach you the basics on safe dog walking to keep everyone happy when out on their adventures.  

Do you find yourself having to refill your dog’s water bowl more often than usual? It could be that your dog is drinking excessively, which could be a sign of a health issue. Dogs can end up drinking more water than usual for many different reasons. Just like humans reaching for their water bottle more often on hot summer days or after a salty snack, our dogs could also become thirsty more quickly depending on how hot they are or what food they eat. However, there are certain underlying health problems that could also lead to extra trips to the water bowl. A visit to the vet is the best next step to take when you notice unexplained or puzzling changes in your dog’s drinking. If you are able to quantify how much your pet drinks each day by using a measuring jug each time you top up the bowl and keeping a tally, that can be very helpful information for your vet – although with how often they are urinating. Here is what you need to know about causes of excessive drinking in dogs.

Most owners would love to spend every moment possible with their dogs but, unfortunately, this often just isn’t practical. For many of us, it’s inevitable that at some stage you’ll need to leave your dog alone and, at this point, you may be wondering, ‘how long can you leave a dog alone?’ Can they manage a full working day? Or will they need you to pop back at lunch to let them out to the toilet? At Purina, we’ve got all the answers you’re looking for! Keep reading to find out all you need to know about how to leave your dog alone safely, and discover our top tips for making sure your pup is happy when you’re out.

Just like us humans, dogs need enough space in their home to feel happy and comfortable. But not all dogs and not all owners - are the same, making the question ‘how much space does a dog need?’ quite difficult to answer. And some dogs are smaller than others so, whilea Pug can live happily in an apartment with surrounding outdoor space, a Golden Retriever will enjoy a proper back garden. There are a few insights into a dog’s needs that will help you navigate the ‘pet – living space’ conundrum easily. Keep reading to find out how much space a dog will need both indoors and outdoors.

We all need to wee, that’s a fact of life. However, whereas we can just pop off to the toilet to relieve ourselves as and when we need, it’s not that simple for our dogs. They can’t tell us when the time is nigh, and so have to rely on us to know when to let them out to do their business to avoid accidents in the house. But, how often do dogs need to pee? Should you be letting your four-legged friend out more often than you already do? And what about puppies? Keep reading to find out how often you should take your dog or puppy out to pee.

Dogs love to sniff and explore the world around them – and it is fascinating to watch them figuring stuff out! It can be great to encourage this behaviour as it is a great form of canine enrichment and also allows them an outlet for their natural sniffing and foraging instincts. A great way to do this is using a snuffle mat – which can be as simple or as challenging as you like. Read on to find out how they might benefit your dog!

It’s only natural for your puppy to jump up when they’re excited or pleased to see you but this is something you should discourage before they grow up and this becomes a habit. So even though it might seem cute now, when your pup comes home with you, start to teach them the behaviours you’d like to see straight away. Find out more about how to stop a puppy from jumping up – and why they do it - by reading on.

When it comes to training dogs, the mantra always is ‘any behaviour that is reinforced will be repeated’. In other words if you are training your dog to sit, and when they do, you give them a yummy treat, they are more likely to sit when you ask in the future. Giving a treat as a reward for doing something you want is called positive reinforcement – and it is how we can train our dogs to do all the behaviours, exercises and tricks that we want to teach them. It’s also a great way to build a strong bond with your dog while you are working together. Training however is far easier if the dog knows exactly what bit of what they did you are so happy about and are rewarding – as by the time you get a treat out and given it to your dog, they have probably forgotten what it was they did that made you so happy. You can use a ‘marker word’ (like “good”) to pinpoint the specific thing you want them to repeat – or you can use a specific sound, such as a clicker.

Teaching your dog new behaviours and tricks is a good way to keep them active and mentally stimulated, as well as a great bonding opportunity for the two of you. If your dog has already mastered ‘sit’ and ‘down’, you can teach them how to roll over. Regardless of whether they’re pups or adult dogs, rolling over or at least lying on their side is a fun and easy trick for them to learn and can be extra helpful in certain situations likevet examinations. Not to mention the cuteness of it all! So, are you ready to learn how to teach a dog to roll over? Check out these easy and straightforward steps that you can follow to teach your little (or big) goofball some rolling skills!

If you find your dog is regularly losing their cool when seeing other pups, it’s time to look at this behaviour and work to make some changes. In this article, we’re going to go over some quick tips and advice on how to teach your dog to be able to ignore other canines so that you can both enjoy your walks together. Having a social butterfly as a furry companion can be great and all but what happens if your pup is overly social, perhaps going off the rails with excitement whenever they see another dog? Or if they are fearful and so reactive to canines they meet when out and about? Those occurrences can definitely put a dampener on a nice walk in the park, not to mention your dog’s safety. To learn how to teach your dog to be able to ignore other dogs, it’s important to understand the reasons that might be motivating their behaviour. With dog ownership numbers increasing, your dog is bound to meet other dogs when out and about, so it is more important than ever to teach them how to navigate these social encounters appropriately – and this starts right back at puppyhood.

Whether you’re looking to add another cool party trick to your pup’s collection or just strengthen your bond, learning how to teach a dog to give paw is a great way to achieve both. For most dogs is also an easy trick for them to learn so you’re sure to have a great time doing it, all while your pup gets to show off his ‘pawesome’ skills! In this article, we’re going to go through the process of teaching your dog how to give you their paw, and help you teach your pup how to master it in no time. Read on to find out all there is to know about this cool party trick.