Our behind-the-scenes look at what happens at a veterinary practice this month offers the first of a three part series on castration and spaying. The first is an overview of the two procedures and Reena Patel explains the pros and cons of each so that we can make an informed decision about what is right for our dog.

If it's activities you're after, there are more videos on IPO Schutzhund, this time looking at the obedience element, and on teaching walkarounds for TD Rally.

If we want to put our pets through their paces, it's important to be mindful of the impact on their bodies but, fortunately, there are a range of things we can do. This month we have an introduction to the subject of canine massage and also learn how hydrotherapy can be used to support agility dogs.

Most dogs can be very active without any encouragement, however, and there may be times we don't want them to be. In this month's issue we learn how to stop a dog from jumping up with the help of an irrepressibly bouncy Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

We also take a look at the valuable work of the National Animal Welfare Trust.

Finally, have you ever wondered about the ancestry of your lovable crossbreed? Black Dog DNA do DNA profiling of dogs to find out just that. We were very interested to discover the ingredients of our very own office dog Sandy.