Both you and your pup have a lot to learn when it comes to good training. It’s best to get started the moment your puppy’s little paws touch the carpet otherwise it may end up picking up some very bad habits and breaking every rule in the book. Disciplining a puppy isn’t going to do it any harm. In fact it’s much likelier to be a happier dog in the long run if it learns what good behaviour is and what bad behaviour is at an early age. It’s very tempting to give in to that sweet, wrinkly face filled with such love and adoration that it seems cruel to deny it the chance to sleep on your lap, or that tid bit from the dinner table. The trouble is, dogs are far too clever for their own good and once you start, they’re going to learn to expect it in the future.

One of the most important things to do is ensure that anything you don’t want to be chewed to teeny tiny pieces is well out of harm’s way. Dogs, young or old, love to tear things apart no matter how many hundreds of pounds it cost you. Puppies have no concept of value. You have to establish the boundaries and most importantly you have to stick to them, otherwise the poor thing is going to get confused and you’re going to get angry when he or she doesn’t understand what they’re doing wrong.

Give your puppy plenty of toys to chew, a warm bed and of course, food and water. It’s also a good idea to place newspaper or any old paper on the floor until the puppy is well potty trained. Make it feel safe and secure. For the first few nights it’s probably going to whine and cry, but it will get used to the idea of being alone and learn that this is not something to be frightened about.

Patience and understanding are the most important things. Your pup might not get things straight away, but remember to keep trying. It will get it eventually!

There are also plenty of puppy books and accessories to make puppy training just a little bit easier.

There are always those questions that, no matter who you seem to ask, no one can give you an answer for. Things that go beyond ‘why is the sky blue?’ (nothing to do with reflecting the sea either, just so you know) or ‘what is a fly with no wings called?’ (the best answer we heard was ‘a cripple’). Fortunately the questions we’ve compiled we can offer you answers for, so over the next few weeks expect to learn something new and fascinating about our animal brethren to boggle brains at parties and gatherings!

By now you must be wondering what today’s question is! It’s one that many people have asked, but it’s rare to find someone who can actually answer it: Why are white cats so often deaf?

We know this is quite a scientific question to get us started off, but we’ll put this as simply as we can. Deafness in white cats is often caused by a specific pigmentation gene. This at least explains why not all white cats are deaf as different genes can be responsible for the white colouring. Research also suggests that cats that have blue eyes as opposed to orange, green or yellow have a greater chance of being deaf because of what is known as the ‘Dominant White’ gene. This particular gene has an affect on the development of the ear canal and more often than not is seen in cats that are white in colour and blue-eyed. In cats with odd-eyes, one blue and one green, for instance, there is a high chance that the cat will be deaf on the blue-eyed side.

It’s something to take into consideration if you’re thinking about getting a cat or kitten. Be sure to check out any health concerns you have for the cat with the breeder before making any long term commitments. All the same, though it may seem like a huge challenge taking care of any deaf animal, a cat with hearing difficulties will get by in life just fine by honing their many other finely tuned senses. Be aware that deaf cats can be easily frightened, will often ignore you, and will have slightly more difficulty hunting, but none of these things are taxing to deal with. Just remember a deaf cat needs just a little bit more love and attention than one that can hear.

Welcome to our new pet blog.  If you’re crazy about cats, doolally about dogs or maybe even a fan of fish, then this is the place for you.  On our pet blog, you’ll find the latest information, stories and updates on all things pet-related.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: is there really that much to write about pets?  Well, yes there is!  With nearly one in two homes in the UK owning at least one pet, and the pet industry being worth nearly ￡2 billion, pets are obviously a big part of our lives.  So, it’s a good thing that we’re here to tell you everything you need to know about pets.  Plus, to keep you entertained during life’s daily drudgery, we’ll even throw in a few interesting, yet completely useless nuggets of information for you.  We’re nice like that!

At the time of writing this, the blog is still being developed by our resident computer geeks.  But, there are already a veritable myriad of ideas for blog entries in the pipeline.  For example we’ll be getting the debate going about buying Christmas presents for your pets: is it an essential part of the Christmas shopping rigmarole, or should it be left to crazed cat ladies suffering from cabin fever?  You’ll also be treated to entries on hard-hitting topics such as cats versus dogs; the world’s weirdest pets; and is dressing your pets in clothes a do or a don’t?

But, if all this sounds a bit too intellectually challenging, don’t worry: we’ll have a few fun pieces on here too!  Why not follow the adventures of Dougal and Derek, the cheeky little dog and cat who are the best of friends and get up to all sorts together?  Given the ridiculous scrapes these two get into, it promises to be a great, entertaining read!

You’ll also be able to see the latest pet ads uploaded to adflyer in real time whilst browsing the pets blog.  So, when it comes to finding the perfect pet for you, you won’t miss a thing.