Head & Paws

The Dog Guide Practical help for real life

Start with what
your dog needs.

Choose, care, understand and explore through straightforward guidance that respects individual dogs and is clear about uncertainty.

01 · Choose

Make a decision that works beyond day one.

Consider the individual dog, your household and the years ahead—not appearance or a breed label alone.

Before a dog comes home

Buying or adopting responsibly

Test whether the timing is right, recognise responsible breeders and rescues, check the paperwork and understand the commitment.

Make a careful choice →

Finding the right fit

Choosing a dog breed

Compare real-world adult size, typical tendencies and likely care needs without treating breed characteristics as guarantees.

Explore the breed guide →

Getting started

New puppy care

Prepare the home, establish gentle routines and help a young puppy learn, rest and grow in confidence.

Start the guide →

02 · Care

Support health without guessing.

Use everyday guidance confidently, recognise its limits and know when professional veterinary help should take over.

Everyday care

Feeding & nutrition

Complete foods, portions, treats, hydration and making safer changes to your dog’s diet.

Read the guide →

Food & household safety

What can harm a dog?

Know which foods, medicines and everyday substances to keep away—and what to do after a suspected poisoning.

Check the hazards →

Health

When to call the vet

Recognise warning signs that mean professional veterinary advice should not wait.

Check the signs →

Urgent care

Emergency & 24-hour vets

Understand UK out-of-hours cover and use live finders to locate an appropriate veterinary service.

Find urgent care →

Grooming

Coat-care foundations

Build a calmer, more comfortable washing, brushing and grooming routine.

Learn the basics →

03 · Understand

Work with the dog in front of you.

Build useful skills and confidence through kind, practical support—not labels, punishment or invented certainty.

Learning through everyday life

Puppy training & enrichment

Use rewards to teach useful first skills, support teething and mouthing, and balance safe games with the rest a growing puppy needs.

Train, play and settle →

Behaviour & wellbeing

Fireworks & noise anxiety

Prepare a safe space, reduce risk and support a dog who finds sudden or loud noises frightening.

Plan ahead →

04 · Explore

Plan for the world beyond home.

Make safer choices for weather, exercise and days out, with travel and secure-exercise guidance joining this section as it is verified.

Seasonal care

Hot-weather care

Reduce heat risk and make safer decisions about walks, cars, cooling and hydration.

Read the guide →

Seasonal care

Cold-weather care

Plan for wet coats, ice, road salt and dogs that feel the cold more quickly.

Read the guide →

Need wider support?

Trusted welfare resources

Find selected UK and international organisations offering reliable information and practical support.

Open the directory →

Welfare in action

Good news for dogs

Read concise, original summaries of rescue work and welfare progress, with clear links to each primary source.

Read the latest →

Follow the decision, not a rigid pathway.

Start anywhere. A new puppy may take you from choosing into care and training; a nervous adult dog may take you from understanding into quieter ways to explore. Each guide connects to the next useful decision.

New guidance is added only when it can be written clearly, checked against credible sources and kept under review. We would rather leave a gap than fill it with a claim we cannot support.

See how Head & Paws researches and reviews guidance →

Important

Information, not diagnosis.

Head & Paws is run by dog owners, not veterinary professionals. These guides provide general information and signpost trusted sources; they are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment from your vet. If you are concerned about your dog’s health, contact your veterinary practice. In an emergency, seek veterinary assistance immediately.

The Dog Guide · Updated 15 September 2026

Not sure where to begin?

Check when to call a vet