WE are sure that some people will have received puppies for Christmas this year, despite all the usual festive warnings.

So we would ask people to help their new dog by booking him some training. There is a lifetime of joy and companionship to be had from owning a dog but he needs to learn right from wrong.

The Easter holidays are quite often the worst for animal welfare organisations, like Dogs Trust, when that puppy bought at Christmas time - and not trained - starts to become a nuisance.

CLARISSA BALDWIN,

Dogs Trust chief executive.