On one of the many wet and windy days in December, we set off to visit the National Animal Welfare Trust (NAWT) in (Watford). As we were given a guided tour, it certainly made us very aware of the dedication of these people who are out in all weather conditions, smiling and undaunted, as they go about taking care of the needs of a large range of dogs.

We were made to feel very welcome and were particularly impressed by the inventiveness of the centre in creating a range of facilities to provide opportunities for agility, play, training and even somewhere to just give the dogs a cuddle.

Then it was just 20 minutes down to the road to Pinner where Medivet veterinary Surgeon, Reena Patel, kindly opened the doors of her practise again to give us an opportunity to film what happens during a castration. Watching an operation may not be everyone's cup of tea but it is reassuring to see how much care goes into ensuring the well-being of the dogs there and is a fascinating look at what goes on behind closed doors.

We finished the day back in Stevenage with a visit from Jenny Youdan from K9 Elements Massage Therapy (www.k9elements.co.uk) who demonstrated some massage therapy with the help of office dog Sandy. Sandy looked like she was thoroughly enjoying it, even nodding off to sleep at times. Jenny explained an overview of canine massage, the possible benefits and also some signs that you can look out for in your own dog that might suggest they would benefit from some massage therapy.