The easiest dog obedience command to teach your dog is ‘sit’, so it might be a good idea to start there. Grab a treat and hold it close to your dog’s nose. When you move your hand upwards, its back will automatically lower. Once it sits, say ‘sit’ and give him/she the treat and a pat on his head.

‘Come’ and ‘Down’ Commands

After you’ve successfully mastered the first step, you can start teaching your dog to come to you. This will help you to avoid sticky situations should your dog slip out of the leash. Put a collar and leash on your dog and kneel down to their level. Pull the leash and say ‘come’. When your dog successfully obeys the command, give it a treat and affection.

The ‘down’ command is the most difficult one to teach your dog because it’s a submissive position. Put a treat in your fist and let your dog smell it, then slowly move your hand downwards. When your dog’s nose follows your hand, slowly move your hand along the ground. Your dog will follow and, when it is down, say ‘down’ and provide a treat.

‘Stay’ and ‘Leave It’ Commands

Your dog should be a expert at the ‘sit’ command before you attempt the ‘stay’ command. Grab the treat, get your dog to sit and then open your hand and tell it to stay. When your dog has noticed the treat, take a few steps back and wait a few seconds. If your dog successfully stays, reward it with a treat.

Dogs, especially pups, are curious but the key to the ‘leave it’ command is to reward your pup with something better if it ignores the other item. Put a treat in both hands and let your dog lick and sniff one hand, but ignore it. Say ‘leave it’ and if your dog obeys, give it the treat in the other hand.

From the 16th – 17th centuries, dog paintings such as those by John Wootton and Alexandre-François Desportes depicted dogs as majestic companions to lords and ladies. Even today, many stately homes feature walled murals or paintings depicting their owners with dogs; think, for instance, of the famous Queen Elizabeth II portrait by Michael Leonard (1985-1986), which features the Queen with a beloved corgi. Whether depicting dogs as useful for hunting or as pets, dogs have been the subject of art since their first domestication. Here we look at some of the most famous depictions of dogs in art and popular culture.

When we think of dogs in paintings aside from their popular depictions as hunting tools throughout the Middle Ages and onward, one painting series seems to remain in the popular imagination: “Dogs Playing Poker”. This ever-popular series of kitsch paintings by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge drew upon very popular compositions by Caravaggio and Cézanne, outlandishly twisting them with anthropomorphised dogs instead of humans. These images of dogs enthralled in a poker game around the table have been reproduced as postcards and prints, each seemingly drawing on different aspects of the game that players recognise, such as camaraderie, skill and even cheating. This kitsch take on dogs through art can also be seen in Jeff Koons’ “Balloon Dog” sculpture.

Other very popular depictions of dogs can be found in many of the art world’s greatest painters, including Picasso and the Dachshund Lump, featured in many of Picasso’s “Meninas” paintings. What is clear is that dogs have inspired many great artworks through history and will continue to do so long into the future.

Choosing Your Pet

This will be the most important decision you will need to make when thinking about getting a pet. The information that you will find on this site will help you decide what pet will be right for you. Worldwide, the animals most commonly kept as pets (in terms of numbers) are freshwater fish such as goldfish, cats, dogs, birds and small mammals such as hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits. You will find all you need to know about how to select the right one for you on this site.

Where to Start When Choosing My Pet

There are many things to think about when choosing your new pet. How much time will it take to look after your new friend? How much space do you have for your pet? Will they need expensive equipment and/or specialised diets to care for them properly? What about vaccinations and visits to the vet? What if you are away, how easy will it be for someone else to care for your pet? You will be able to find the answers to all these questions and more, right here.