Cornus sanguinea (common names: Common dogwood)

Which variety is it? They are generally easy and just need pruning when they get too large, if you are growing for stem colour prune hard early spring or late autumn but not for the first couple of years, let it get established first.

I would prune in early spring so as to have the coloured stems in winter;
I would also feed after pruning. If the pruning is done every year, it will weaken the plant so either do it no more than every other year or only cut back about one third of the stems each year

We have a Cornus, it was very overgrown when we came. Our tree surgeon dealt with it in the early spring this year and cut it really hard back. It has regrown to about 6 feet since. We won't be cutting it back next year, but probably every other year as Andrew says. Good advice from Wyeboy too - leave it alone for at least 2 years!

awww thanks guys! Knew you would be able to help. Will let you know how it goes