Dogs - a live webchat with Michele Hanson - Tues 10 Sep 1-2pm

this will be brilliant, a good topic and im looking forward to it thank you

When I was a toddler, my parents had an elderly daschund who would get out of her basket for me to crawl in and then stand guard - very cute!

What great dog stories here, Brabant, Pamaga and When. My very lively young labradoodle was (and occasionally still can be) one of those pesky dogs with poor manners who bounce around too much when the house is full of people.
The noticeable exception was her behaviour if my mum was part of the group of visitors. Mum was in her late 80's, her sight/hearing/mobility were not good and she was increasingly tiny and frail. The doodle would sit or lie at mum's side, and just not move. If mum got up the dog would stay by her side, but so careful not to get under her feet. Getting under the feet was usually this dog's prime aim in life. She was the same around small children, despite us having no small children in the family at that time. I do accept that not everyone loves dogs but I can't imagine life without some dogs sharing it with me.

I am a Beddlington Terrier person: indeed my pseudonym is the name of my 4th Beddlington, now I share my life with Cassis.

Brabant was the brother of Hektor and we lived happily together with my partner and his daughter who had a Patterdale called Buzz. Hektor liked to sleep in front of the aga: Brabant preferred the chair in the corner of the kitchen, Buzz was all over the place. One cold winter's day Buzz managed to get himself shut out in the garden: none of us noticed. Except Hektor that is. A bark - ignored by us, well Buzz was always barking. Hektor raised his head and looked towards the glass door that led to the garden: he then turned his head and looked at me, I caught his eye but was busy so ignored Buzz again. Hektor sighed (and I mean sighed), stood up, shook himself, walked overr to the door, opened it by putting both front paws on the handle and pulling it down. He then turned and went back to the aga, regaining his pole position just before Buzz came bouncing in with the very same sitting intentions. Hektor sighed again and went back to sleep. Pity he forgot to close the door.

And then there was Hinney, my second Beddlington. I came home one day to find her curled up on the curtains which together with the curtain pole had been forced off the wall and were lying at the foot of the windows. Noticing me, quick as a flash she lept up ran to the other side of the room and stared at the curtains on the floor. Turning her head she stared at her sister Boya and then at me. I swear she shrugged her shoulders as if to imply "not me, I didn't pull the curtains down" and strolled back across the room pausing to stretch en route as though she had just woken up from another position. And they say dogs don't think!!!

I always had 2 dogs together, until Cassis that is: my life partner says one is enough: but two together are so much easier to take care of, don't you think?

Pamaga, that's a lovely story. Dogs have amazing intuition, don't they, and they always seem to be able to sense when something is wrong. The most amazing thing, though, is that they somehow know what they need to do to try to help. Definitely man's best friend!

Dogs are our helpful companions, and your story is wonderful, Pamaga. Our long-haired German Shepherd Dog was nanny and nurse to my four children when they were growing up, and would fuss around them when they didn't feel well or were upset. He would watch over them in the garden and come running to me if he decided I needed to check what they were up to. I always knew if a child was up in the apple tree - he would sit in front of me till I followed him! Such a great dog.

We still miss our lovely LabXRetriever, Nina, who was a failed guide dog. We believe she saved our grand-daughter's life. We were staying with our daughter and son-in-law and were all asleep in bed when our daughter was awakened by a very unsettled Nina panting around the bedroom and refusing to calm down. She then heard her little girl, Sophie, coughing. When she went into the kiddy's bedroom she found her choking. Nina was still running around her and panting until she tipped Sophie upside down and managed to dislodge the mucus blockage. Once this was clear, Nina relaxed.
Nina wasn't allowed upstairs as a rule so it was very unusual for her to climb the stairs in the first place and it was amazing how she headed straight for Sophie's Mum and not us when she knew Sophie was in trouble. We used to call her "Nina the Wonder Dog" after this incident!

I love dogs and the funny things they do. I also love books about dogs so this sounds right up my street

dear Michelle I love your columns. Where do you stand on clothing for dogs. I've seen bits here but in Paris came across a whole "hip" boutique with high fashion for dogs. I do think the world has gone a bit mad

Hello Michele

My partner discovered your column recently and is now talking about getting a boxer himself. He asked me to ask you what would be the one thing you wish you'd known when you got your first dog?

Most barking trend you've come across? I think it has to be dyeing dogs' fur to make them look like different animals...

I'm afraid I'm uneasy around dogs, and my pet peeve is when dog owners allow their dogs to leap up all over people despite their obvious distress, and - almost without exception - say "he's just friendly" and do nothing about it.

As a dog lover, what do you think about this?

I love your columns, so am wondering if it's a topic you've covered?

Well, I have to confess I'm not a dog lover in general, but am now having to fall in love with two small Patterdale terriers belonging to the grandchildren (is there an abbreviation for this?) I also love Michele Hanson and her column and no doubt might bump into her on Hampstead Heath among the "dog people". I sympathise with everything she writes and I will join the discussion simply in the hope that she might reply!

So does my Yorkie/poodle... .

I admit to not having seen your columns before, Michele, but I've started reading them now and thoroughly enjoying them.

As a very novice puppy owner, I wondered if you had any tips on toilet training?

Yep all three of my boxers have had selective hearing...

I do love Michele Hanson's columns I wonder if her boxers have selective hearing like our old Charlie and his daughter Cleo,we had them when the children where babies and they taught the children to stand up and walk with them two absolute treasure's but they had a mindset of their own when they wanted to ignore you date put in my diary.

Oh dear. Already I'm feeling slightly bristly at the thought if all you dog lovers having a cosy chat. My friends will sometimes say to others, "she doesn't like dogs". But I do, I am just very scared of them. However, sometimes dogs lovers desire to let their lets get away with poor behaviour, for example, in other people's homes drives me mad. And as a walker my friends and I always know when our footpath is leading us towards village as the path becomes noticeably more fouled.
Of course like all situations in life it is probably the few giving the majority a bad name BUT I just needed to get this out of my system. And in my defence my son's first dog was a Doberman and some other 'big dog' cross so you see I didn't poison my children against dogs!!!!!

Great, really look forward to Michele Hansons webchat... I just love Boxer dogs, my Prudence is 8 years old , she is the third boxer dog that has graced our lives.

I also love Michele Hanson's columns and look forward to the live webchat.

Great. I always enjoy Michele Hanson's columns and I am a go lover, have put it in my diary (so I won't forget......)

Oh, thank you! This webchat is right up my street. Looking forward to it