Unconditional love was what I was looking for and so I purchased a cocker spaniel puppy and named him Walter. Over the subsequent months I followed my vet's instructions and kept him indoors during the time I was at work, and we went to puppy school. Walter's behaviour didn't get better, it got worse. Not only was he still stealing my clothes, chewing the furniture, doors etc, jumping all over my visitors and trying to escape from the house through the carpeted concrete slab, he now didn't like other dogs.

Then my vet told me that life would change if I had Walter desexed because he was just a ''highly spirited'' dog.

Life did not improve.

Walter was obviously not happy, I certainly wasn't and the damage to my house was getting worse so I arranged for a dog trainer and that was Ian The Dog Trainer. Oh how I wish I'd done so earlier.

Ian showed great patience with Walter and I and explained why Walter was the way he was and how my behaviour needed to change to ensure Walter's behaviour changed. I'd done pretty much everything wrong from the time I brought the puppy home.

So Walter became a well behaved dog, I was able to have people over without stressing out. I could walk him without having to cross the street because another dog was coming towards me. Life was fantastic again and I was rewarded with the unconditional love of my dog without all the anxiety.

And Ian The Dog Trainer and I discovered that we had more than Walter in common and we married some 5 months later. Now that can't happen for everyone, the marriage part I mean, but to have a happy, well behaved dog who wasn't going to be a fruit loop 24/7 was just a dream come true.

Kris, Richmond