Though I don’t like to think of my cats as people, I do like to get them something for Christmas, even if it’s just some homemade cat treats (which explains why I stayed up late one snowy December 23rd, Googling recipes for these things). No, they don’t expect anything, they don’t understand why they get presents, but they’re glad to have them.

This Christmas, though, I’m wondering if some of the gifts I’m thinking of getting them aren’t really gifts for myself.

As I’ve written before, a pet supply store has plenty of things that would make good gifts for humans. But that’s not really what I mean. What I mean is, if I get my cats a battery-powered toy, is it for them, or is it to spare me the time it would take to play with them? And is that really good, for them or for me?

Then there are those gadgets that automatically dispense food and water for days at a time. Actually, the cats would probably love having a water bowl that never runs low (food, they take for granted). But we humans would love the idea of being able to go away overnight without having to ask our neighbor to come in every day. Yet, that’s one of the ways we build community.

(Oh, wait – someone would still have to come in every day to clean the litter box. They haven’t invented an automatic version of that yet. Though when they do, we’ll be very interested.)

I do know one thing: I draw the line at buying the cats a video of birds, fish, and small animals. Yes, they do make these things, and they can run all day. But I think the cats would just get frustrated, and our TV would get severely scratched.

Not much of a present for them or us.

Watch your puppy carefully, and plan on spending some time with her. Let her stiff around and when she begins to go, say your potty word that will tell her when she needs to go outside. Praise and treat your puppy after she potties. Soon your puppy will be understand that she won’t get a treat if she potties in the house but will get a treat if she potties outside in her potty spot. She will want to get her reward! Since your puppy can’t tell you when she wants to go outside, you must learn to recognize her signal and then take her out.

It is a good idea to put the puppy in a crate or a fenced in area with newspapers on the floor at night or during the day when you are out. Some people like to keep their new puppy with them at night, so they can hear her and then take her outside.

Accidents do happen, so try to remain calm. If you are lucky, you will catch her before she finishes, and you can put her nose gently in the mess. Say, “Bad girl,” and take her outside immediately. If she potties outside, praise and reward her with a treat. If she doesn’t potty outside, try later.

If you understand when your puppy needs to go out, you will eliminate many accidents. These tips will help your puppy succeed in her potty training.
Watch your puppy carefully, and know the signs for when she wants to go outside. Always take her outside after feeding, drinking water, taking a nap, playing, or any kind of excitement, waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night. She will be trained in no time at all!