Who's a good dog?

When dogs go bad, there can be dismaying results – but the good news is that such incidents are rare.

And the positives in dog ownership are numerous – especially when the animal has been brought up appropriately and knows the sort of behaviour that is expected.

Happy and well-adjusted dogs need good, early socialisation, as they learn how to interact with people and other animals.

Many local veterinary clinics offer regular "puppy preschool" and other dog obedience-type classes. Nelson Mail chief photographer Martin de Ruyter thought they offered good opportunities to get creative with his camera.

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For those wanting a free e-book written by Dr Ian Dunbar Before you Get your Puppy and After you Get your Puppy books, check out the resource on the School of the Naked Dog in Christchurch