Planning for a puppy is like planning for a baby (okay, it doesn’t take nine months!). You need to get your home ready to bring in this little bundle of joy and mischief. First and foremost, but naturally, you need to visit a pet shop and buy all the stuff that your puppy needs – bowls for water and food, a leash and a collar (though these can be bought later after your dog has been immunized and you start taking him out for walks).

• If you live in an independent house, ensure that the house is fenced off properly – you don’t want your puppy slipping out of some hole in the wall and getting lost. If you plan on keeping your dog outside and not letting him into the house, then do ensure that you provide for him adequately. He needs a proper, spacious kennel. A bowl of clean water should be there for him at all times. One point I need to add – if you plan to confine the dog to the kennel all day, or keep him chained outside – please DON”T keep a dog. It’s downright cruel to confine a dog all day.

• If you are exposing your puppy to the outdoors and you have a garden, do check with your vet about plants that are poisonous for dogs and have them removed or enclose them so that your puppy has no access to them.