A labrador, a cocker spaniel and a dachsund are among the latest puppies to sign up for classes at a West Cumbrian dog school.

Owners will embark on a six week training programme at Solway Dog Training Centre, in Whitehaven.

They will learn how to train their puppies to come when called, walk on the lead, leave, sit, and lie down on command, and many other valuable life skills.

June Lambie, who runs the centre in Hensingham, says the weekly classes are all about "building a connection with the puppy".

And she believes there is no such thing as a dog that can't be trained.

"They're all trainable - we get people saying their puppies are too stubborn to train, but they're just motivated by different things.

"I don't train the dogs - I train the owners. If you get them on side they trust you and if they see success, it goes from there."

The emphasis of the course is on the prevention of problems in later life, but can also help manage the usual puppy problems like play biting, chewing and house training.

June said: "Typically people get in touch when puppies are at the adolescence stage - at six to seven months when problems have already started.

"A young puppy will not run off but if it hasn't been taught to recall and this hasn't been reinforced, in adolescence they will find other things more rewarding, like chasing other dogs.

"At six months they may look like adult dogs but mentally and emotionally they are not mature."

The classes teach training techniques to ensure that puppies learn to be calm in the home, in new places, and when meeting people, dogs and other animals.

Zoe Richardson, of Cleator Moor, has enrolled on the course with her daughter, Daisy, and their spaniel puppy, Rosie.

She said: "I've trained dogs with June over 20 years. The classes are really good for all the family and the kids learn how to behave around the dogs."

Over the years June has trained hundreds of dogs and their owners.

She said: "I absolutely love what I do. Sometimes I think I could just do with putting my feet up tonight but I get such a buzz watching the relationship build between puppy and owner.

"I've done the job for so long but I still get a kick out of it."