Are you a dog owner yourself, or know someone that could do with some tips about how to get the most out of their relationship with their favourite four-legged friend? Do you want to learn basic obedience tips and find out where to go in order to ensure that you are top-dog in the relationship? Or do you simply want to learn more about how you and your dog can get fit together and enjoy getting out and about in public places and the great outdoors? Perhaps you would really love to buy a dog but simply don't know where to start? If any of this rings true, then log onto this webchat to get some handy hints and tips from those in the know.

Dogs are great pets. Not least because they are fantastically loyal, offer companionship and of course can be a fantastic way of teaching children the art of responsibility, caring and ownership. Peter and Caroline will be able to give you advice about how to get the best from your dog; the kind of activities you can enjoy and places you can visit together, steps you can take to care for your dog and keep it safe and healthy and how to master basic obedience and pet etiquette so that your dog is under no illusions about what it is expected of it indoors or out in public! If you are thinking about buying a dog, but just can't decide which breed would suit your lifestyle or don't know who to buy from, then you can always go to The Kennel Club's Live 'Discover Dogs' event which is on at Earl's Court on 8th and 9th November to get some more top notch advice on all things dog related. 
Whether you own a dog, or are just interested in them log on and hear from our experts about how you can get the most fun and pleasure from your relationship with your dog .

TV star Peter Purves, dog expert Caroline Kisko from the Kennel Club and her dog Sam join us live online at www.webchats.tv on Monday 20th October at 2pm to show us some great training tips and answer all your dog related questions.

For more information visit www.discoverdogs.org.uk

H: Lis Speight, host
C: Caroline Kisko, The Kennel Club
P: Peter Purves, dog expert

H: Hello and welcome to the Petcare Show, I'm Lis Speight. Now then, are you a dog owner or do you know someone that could do with some tips on how to control their favourite four-legged friend? Maybe you're a cat person and need to be persuaded on the merits of adding a dog to the family, or maybe the kids are bugging you to get some pets. Well whatever your position, keep watching because I'm delighted to be joined by two people who are massive dog fans today, Peter Purves, broadcasting legend, welcome along Peter, lovely to see you today

P: Hi Lis

H: And also Caroline Kisko from the Kennel Club, welcome Caroline

C: Hi Lis

H: And not too forgetting of course our third special guest Sam, who is a Husky. Now we're told that Sam is very well behaved, but you know what they say about working with children and animals, so keep watching – anything could happen! Remember we are live today, so send in your questions and we'll try to tackle as many as we can during the next 15 minutes or so. But let's talk a little bit about Sam then Caroline – what sort of breed is he, and – he's your dog is he?

C: Yes he is, he's one of mine, I have 20 Huskies

H: 20, goodness!

C: Yes, he's a Siberian Husky and I have that number because we work them in harness otherwise I wouldn't have anything like that number

H: So you race with them on sleds?

C: Yes that's right. But they're a breed that actually unfortunately suffer for their good looks

H: Right

C: Because they are a very attractive breed and people imagine that they're going to behave as well as they look

H: Right

C: And of course Sam is actually now behaving like an absolute angel

H: Yes. Touch wood

C: Just to prove my words wrong, but they're not a breed that actually can be kept as a normal pet, or shouldn't be

H: Right

C: They are a working breed, they will kill cats, they will kill small dogs because they think that they're rabbits, and they can't ever go off the lead and there are odd ones obviously that are exceptional, but generally speaking as a breed they shouldn't be just sold as ordinary pets

H: And you're very well set up at your house

C: Yes exactly

H: We were talking earlier about – you've got a big log cabin for all the dogs

C: Yes. Yes, I mean if you –

P: Sounds bigger than my house

C: If you have them in sort of high security and keep them the way we do then they're fine, but as a normal family pet, yes there are exceptions of course, but the vast majority of them, unfortunately go to their new homes and very shortly afterwards the breeder's rescuing them and trying to find them a new home

H: Well we're going to be talking a lot about what sort of breeds are good for families etc, how to choose the perfect puppy for you, so stay watching. But Peter you're well known for having Petra in the Blue Peter days

P: Long time ago

H: Long time ago and she's obviously not with us any more, but was she your first dog?

P: She was the first one I had of my own.  As an actor it's very difficult keeping a dog, you know your lifestyle doesn't fit, and I think that's basic for anybody really, if you're going to be out all day then unless there's someone to look after the dog in the course of the dog, it's not really wise to keep them

H: No

P: People keep them in flats and they're out from 7 in the morning until 7 at night. That's no way to keep a dog, and my lifestyle didn't really allow it, because Blue Peter meant that I could take the dog home and she came with me, she lived with me, she filmed with me –

H: She was part of your job wasn't she really?

P: She was part of the job and I've kept dogs ever since, I've decided that there must be some way – my wife likes dogs and when I met her she had two Pekingese, rather she had one Pekingese then, we added to that, we've had as many as 3 Peeks but now we've got 6 dogs

H: Oh goodness

P: All as pets, two Pekingese, and 4 wire-haired Dachshunds, standard

H: Lovely and you bred from them as well haven't you?

P: We bred from the wires yes, they're lovely

H: Lovely. What is special about dogs then, I – why do you keep them?

P: Well I couldn't be without them, they – for a start the breeds that I've kept, and I'm fairly limited if I'm honest, but I've chosen breeds that work well together. Almost every Pekingese owner likes Newfoundland's and almost every NewFoundland owner has kept Pekingese, as far as I can see. So that's obviously a good combination, and that's why we got the NewFies to live with the Pekingese. The Dachsies, dachshunds, we were told they were very good with other dogs, and a friend of ours had a very nice wire-haired bitch, and we looked after her whilst they went on holiday, and said look if you breed with her we'll have a puppy because she's just perfection and her puppy was gorgeous and we got another dog which we bred with her, and we've kept two of the puppies. They're adorable, absolutely adorable. Dogs are – you're either a dog person or you're not

H: Yes

P: If you like dogs, you get so used to them you couldn't really be without them, they're something to – in the house they're peaceful, they're calm – even when they're frenetic sometimes and they're jumping around and barking in your ears – there is a peacefulness about them.  They keep me calm actually

H: They're very much part of the family as well aren't they Caroline?

C: Yes. Very much so, very much so, and that to me is how you should keep dogs

P: Yes

C: I don't see any point at all in keeping dogs that aren't part and parcel of your whole existence, and to me they shouldn't be something which you pick up and put down – they're not a set of golf clubs,

H: No

C: They have to be very much part of your life

H: And they're going to be with you for a few years as well aren't they?

C: Yes they are

P: Sadly not long enough. 

H: Well no, no not always

P: They have far shorter lives than we do and that's a shame

H: Yes but there we are. Let's get cracking with some of your questions – we've had loads coming in. so we'll have a look at the first one from Jessica, she says "I love dogs but worry that I won't be able to look after one properly as I live in a flat. Are there dogs that would be ok living without a garden?"  That's a good question isn't it? Caroline

P: Oh I think there are plenty aren't there?

C: Plenty

P: Yes and the good thing, if she's living in a flat, the best thing about that is you have to take it out

H: Yes

P: So you're going to have to take them for nice, long walks. Depends on where you live of course, but there are nice parks around, and mostly they're dog friendly providing you clean up after your dog, people don't mind you taking your dogs. Often, sadly, you can't let them off the lead but that's a reasonable thing as well. Dogs will irritate people that don't have dogs, don't like dogs, children can be frightened of dogs and so on

H: You've got to be responsible haven't you?

P: You have to be responsible with them, but yes I think that if you live in a flat and there's no garden, you must take the dog out. Absolutely perfect to keep a dog

H: So Caroline what sort of breed would you say are good for flats?

C: I think really it makes sense to have a breed which isn't too big

H: Yes

C: Because obviously if you're wandering up and down stairs all the time and you have limited space then better probably not to have one of the giant breeds, but having said that, pretty much any other breed, providing it fits with your – the rest of your lifestyle.  I don't think the flat is the limiting factor, it's what else you're doing

H: So if you're an active person and you're out and about

C: Yes exactly

H: Pretty much sky's the limit

P: And particularly I think Blue Peter was responsible in some ways for popularising people keeping border collies in the house

H: Yes

P: As pets, and actually I don't think that's the ideal dog to keep in a flat

H: They're real outdoor dogs aren't they?

P: They need to be able to run for 6 miles a day –

H: Rounding up sheep and –

P: They're happy – it's not really the ideal one, but of course they're such intelligent dogs, you can take them to agility classes, you can take them to obedience classes, if the dog's with you all the time, it gets its exercise, gets its socialising and all the rest of it. If you're prepared to do that then it's the perfect dog for you. It's horses for courses always

H: So you need to do a bit of homework then really don't you?

P: You do

C: It's about making sure that the dog actually has – particularly something like the Border collie, even Labradors especially, you know when you've got these dogs that have got very good brains, it's about making sure that you do something with them

H: Yes so they don't go stir crazy

C: So they're not sat at home –

H: Don't they?

C: Yes, yes

H: But do you think our lives these days fit in with dogs, because I mean people are so busy, they work very long hours, don't they?

P: They shouldn't

C: I think it's – I think it's less so, I think that we are seeing a change, we're seeing fewer people owning dogs and more people owning cats. But having said that, cats need company too, so it isn't just about whether you've got time, it's about whether or not you have the lifestyle that supports having a dog, and we as the Kennel Club are trying to encourage more businesses to allow dogs to go to work with their owners

H: Yes, good idea

C: And more businesses to allow dogs in at the weekends – the campaign's called Open for Dogs, and it's about making sure that dogs are no longer excluded, because more and more now people are saying oh you can't bring a dog, well why not? I mean Sam's come in from the middle of, you know deepest Suffolk, and the train didn't mind him come in with me, the taxi driver, as long as I forewarned him didn't mind him coming, it's about making sure that the opportunities are there, that people can take their dogs with them, and if you can do that then there's no limit

H: Well let's crack on with some more questions. There's good tips there, but let's get through a few more. George has written in, he says "I'm thinking of getting a dog for my kids, but they are very young. Are there types that I should steer clear of?"

P: Do you want to take that one?

C: Again I think it's a question of introducing properly, so it's again it's not so much about the breed itself, it's more about making sure that you do the training properly, that you introduce the puppy, and I would suggest you either go for an adult rescue dog which the welfare organisation will tell you is used to kids and therefore is suitable, or go for a puppy where the puppy then is going to grow up around the children – you're doing it the right way round because it means that the children are already there, the dog has to get used to the children, and – but if you come along to Discover Dogs and talk to people in the breed booths then you get a good – you can get a very good feel for the breeds which are best suited, and you know these breed people are very much experts in their breeds, and they will give you the honest truth about whether the dog is suited

H: So Earl's Court is where the Discover Dogs show is –

C: Yes

H: Tell us a little bit about that Peter, what's that all about?

P: Well several elements – the important one I think is the Discover Dogs booths which was an idea that was first muted 15 years ago, something like that?

C: Yes thereabouts

P: And it's been done at Crufts and also Discover Dogs moved to London – and that's just excellent. All the – there is at least one representative of every breed

H: Wow, that's amazing

P: Or just about every breed recognised by the Kennel Club. Occasionally we miss the odd one that's not there for some reason, but mostly they're there, and it means you can go along, you can talk to the owners, you can find the dogs that fit your template, there's a whole section on working dogs, a whole section on pastoral dogs, toy dogs, terriers, gun dogs - every breed is represented, and you can find out as Caroline says, all about if you talk to the breeders they will tell you the truth about –

H: That's a fantastic opportunity isn't it?

P: About whether it suits you, your children can see whether it's the kind of dog that they would like

H: And how big they're going to grow as well

P: I mean one of the most attractive dogs in the world is a NewFoundland puppy, and you go oh, and then they grow to this height, and so for many people it would be absolutely absurd to have them. Also there we have the companion dog club show, there are – 4 or 5 different classes on each day, one day for dogs, one day for bitches, and they both do all sorts of things – handsomest dog, prettiest bitch – the best tricks

H: Yes there's lots to see

P: There are all sorts of novelty things, and of course there's the final of Scrufts, and Scrufts has been going on – I think they've judged 5 heats of that around the country in different places.  There've been something like 16 / 17 heats that have taken place, and the winners will be at Discover Dogs and they'll be judged in the main ring, so that –

H: That's fantastic

P: Goes on. There are demonstrations, there are – there's product that you can buy, there are various trade stands and so on, there are various rescue groups. There's an awful lot going on, it's a wonderful show and it's got bigger and bigger each year

H: Well if you're thinking of having a dog, definitely worth going along isn't it?

P: You'd be crazy not to actually

C: Yes yes – it's a good opportunity

H: We'll move on and answer some more of your questions, we've had loads coming in, but send us some more if need any answered. We've got one from Shelley, she said "my granddad recently died and my grandma is obviously lonely. She is fit and active and I wonder what sort of dog might suit her." She's is fit and active but she obviously is not a spring chicken so –

C: No but I think again what might be a very good idea is to go down the route of a rescue dog, and that could be one of the breeds or it might be a crossbreed

P: A mongrel, yes

C: But an older dog might well suit somebody in those circumstances

H: Yes

C: Rather than a puppy, because puppies can be you know, quite –

H: Bit boisterous

C: Quite high maintenance, but for an older person that's still very active then any breed really, and again just fit the circumstances around the breed, around the children

H: Yes and if you go to a rescue centre, how do you go about choosing them, do you ask the staff? Is that a good place to start?

C: Yes you'll find that in all of the big rescue centres and the small ones, they know very, very much about each dog, you know they do know

H: Yes

C: And they can tell you. They can tell you what will suit you best as well so –

P: They can also tell why the dog is in rescue, you know some of them are strays that have been rescued off the street by dog wardens and so on, but some have been brought in because people – you know might have been a divorce or whatever, for some reason they can't keep the dog any more, it's just grown too big, which you know we warn about – and they do know the history of these dogs and they know –

H: And they carefully vet the people before letting them go as well?

C: They do –

P: Oh yes, they check the house, they'll check you out

C: I think the other thing that's important again you know if you know what breed you want then every single breed club has its own rescue service,

H: Oh that's interesting

C: So actually if you go onto the Kennel Club website or ring the Kennel Club, if there's a particular breed that you like and you know that you want to have, then go to through breed rescue, you don't have to go through the main rescues, simply because if you know the breed you want then it's a shorter route, and again you get the people who really know about that particular breed to talk to

P: And then of course if you did want a pedigree dog then the accredited breeder's scheme at the Kennel Club is well worth knowing about because they're – you know everything is controlled. The Kennel Club has no authority, it just has – it's advisory in many ways but it's an organisation which tries desperately hard to make sure breeders follow certain simple guidelines, the health of the dog is absolutely paramount all the way through, and if you want a pedigree dog then you need to have a look at the accredited breeder's of the breed that you're interested in

H: But if you don't want a pedigree dog, we've had a question in on that actually, and Jill says "my dog is not a pedigree, but he's so beautiful. I'd love to show him. Are there dog shows for mongrels, or are there just pedigree breeds?"

C: No –

P: No

C: No that's what Peter was talking about earlier

H: That's what Peter was talking about wasn't it?

C: Scrufts

P: Scrufts yes, it's the perfect show.  They get big entries you know for these, I've heard sort of 20, 25 dogs in the class in small dog shows, so there's one in Norwich – I got bitten there!

C: Oh that's a lovely recommendation!

P: That's a recommendation!

H: Won't be going back there!

P: No I'll tell you something about that, the point about dogs, if you work with dogs at some point you're going to get bitten, it happens

H: Well of course, yes

P: If you work with lots of dogs – that does not mean dogs are vicious

H: It's not the dog's fault is it?

P: Almost 99 times

H: You probably stood on its foot or something!

P: Out of 100 it's an accident, but occasionally you'll get one that snaps for no reason

H: Well that's it, you're dealing with hundreds and hundreds of dogs so yes...

P: First time I've been bitten in 25 years

C: Certainly should show the dogs. And there are lots of novelty classes as well at local dog shows as well so –

H: Waggies Tails and what have you

C: Absolutely, absolutely. Lots of opportunities

H: Often in the summer those are, those sort of dog shows I think –

C: Yes there are – again as Peter said, Scrufts and all the way through the year and with the final being held at Discover Dogs as well so –

P: It's seriously prestigious, I mean –

C: Yes

P: The people who get through they are really, really –

C: Oh yes, yes

P: Really thrilled

H: Best of luck with that, it's worth getting in your entry form now I think. Now we've had another one in from Joey and he says "my dog is a one year old cocker spaniel and he's possibly the laziest dog you've ever met! I really want to teach him tricks but he never responds – what simple tricks can I teach him?"

P: Sounds worse than usual, that

H: Very odd

P: Yes it is isn't it

C: I would actually –

P: Cockers are very, very – incredibly lively dogs

C: Yes I would wonder a little bit if there was a problem

H: So you think he might not be very well?

C: Well – I'm sure the owner knows his stuff but I think it might just be worth getting him checked out at the vet because that is rather odd for a one-year old –

P: They are very lively, yes – the cockers are – my mother-in-law's got two and they haven't calmed down yet and they're 6 years old

H: Yes well maybe

C: I would just start that route

H: Yes exactly

C: Check first

P: Get it checked first

H: Yes

P: And then after that, whatever you can persuade him to do –

H: Get him out there, run him up and down!

P: Yes – does he show no interest in –

H: No tricks

C: Does seem odd

H: But maybe he doesn't want to do tricks

C: Yes, doesn't fancy tricks

H: Yes – maybe get him out walking, get him to the vet's – get him checked out. That's the best tip. Okey doke – right we've got another one in from Julia, she says "I'm a cat person, my boyfriend is a dog person." – they still got together! "We've just moved in together and I'm not sure if we can have cats and dogs without them killing each other."

C: Course you can

P: Hell yes

C: Course you can, course you can.  Again it's just about doing it sensibly, if you – if you know that your dog is actually going to be anti-cat then that's more difficult, protect the cat and you do need to protect the dog as well because cats can give some nasty scratches, but that's the most damaging thing.  But obviously dog is much more capable of actually finishing a cat off – so if you're introducing kitten and puppy that's probably the safest route

H: So get them at the same time

C: Get them at the same time, get them young, but if you have an established pet, I mean for anybody else that's got a dog, if you've got an established dog then make sure that the cat can get away

H: Right, yes

C: So can jump up high, and the real problem with cats obviously is the fact that they run, and that is where the chase instinct comes in

H: They can't help themselves can they –

C: Exactly and I think that I know there was another question from a lady who was worried about the fact that she's got a large dog living next door. I think making sure that the fence is secure is very important actually in those circumstances

H: Protect the cat

C: Because it's outside that the cats are most at risk, rather than in the house

H: Right. Yes ok, good tips there.  But you've had dogs and cats together though haven't you?

P: I have yes. We had one Newfoundland, two Pekingese and two Persian cats and that worked fine. That was ok.  They tend to ignore each other.  Mind you, Pekingese are rather cat-like anyway, they're not going to be charging around fighting each other.  They were fine, I can't remember any problem at all, and the Newfies just thought they were interesting – sniff that and walk away. No problem

C: But it's about getting it right in the first place

H: Yes

C: And if you've got adult cats and you're introducing a puppy, then make sure that the puppy's got somewhere to get away to –

H: Yes because the cat's top dog as it were  –

C: And crates are really really useful for that –

H: Oh crates, yes

C: So just having a wire mesh crate that the puppy can dive into and just get out of the way is very useful

H: Good tips, ok well good luck with that, good luck with moving in with your boyfriend as well – ah! Well we've had one in from the website actually which is www.age-net.co.uk, it says "how long should you go on giving treats as rewards? My own dog is long past the age of training but still looks to get something if and when he does as he's told."

C: Ah, why not?

P: Why not, absolutely

C: I think the only thing that – I was talking the other day to a vet who was saying you do need to be careful about treats because there can be- you can create health problems by continually giving odd treats, because –

H: In between their meals

C: Because their digestive system is actually being told, you know, there's food coming, and actually only a tiny bit arrives. But there – certainly the odd treat as a result of having done something right, I don't see why not

P: No, quite

H: The odd one here and there,

C: Exactly

H: Then they're never quite sure when they're going to get one are they?

C: But there is quite a nice tip that if you – if people are suffering because – oh if the dog is overweight, then weigh out the amount of food that the dog should have each day, put that out in the morning on the side, out of reach, feed the first meal from that amount.  Treats during the day from that amount – last meal at night from that amount

H: Oh that's a good tip

C: Whatever's leftover, because then you can't overdo it

H: Yes you know how much – it's controlled

C: So that way you're a bit more controlled

H: Yes ok

P: But there used to be – a lot of people used to train dogs and say it was really bad to reward them with food.  It's absolute nonsense

H: Moved on since then

P: You really – it makes total sense that you reward them with something they like and if they like a little – one of these little treats – there's some very good training treats on the market, the dog does something you want – any time it does something that you like, by giving them a treat you reinforce that behaviour

H: Yes yes

P: And that's all training is. I mean I'm one to talk, my dogs - I mean wire haired dachshunds they run amuck, I mean – they're probably untrainable, they might not be, they are absolutely adorable, they're lovely dogs but I mean they're not easy to train. But I mean that's the way to do it and you reward the dog will do it again

C: Positive training

H: Yes. So nothing wrong with a few treats now and again, we all like treats don't we? Now we're almost out of time actually but we've got one last question in from Dazza. You wait till you hear this one – "what dogs work best when it comes to walking in the park and attracting female attention?" I presume that doesn't mean female dogs – I think he meant humans

C: All dogs

H: All dogs

P: Yes. A friend of mine, years ago, had a king Charles and that was his pulling animal

H: Careful what you say!

P: He used to go into the pub, take her into the pub and sit at a bar stool with the dog there. Instantly he was in conversation  

C: There you are

P: Absolute babe magnet!

H: But do think carefully before you get a dog because you've got it forever not forever long your girlfriend lasts

C: Exactly, I don't think that's a good reason actually

H: No maybe not. We're almost out of time actually so thanks very much to you

C: Thank you

H: Peter and Caroline for coming in to join us, and also to Sam whose been absolutely fantastic – we haven't heard a peep out of him

C: He's gone to sleep now

H: Thanks very much for joining us as well at home. For more information about owning a dog and to learn more about the upcoming event at Earl's Court you can check out the website which is discoverdogs.org.uk and it's on at Earl's Court from 8th and 9th of November, and if you're thinking of buying a puppy do go along because you can have a bit of a shop around before you make that big decision. So if you are thinking of buying a puppy, good luck and we'll see you next time. Bye bye