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!

Most kids want a pet, whether it is a cute kitten or an adorable puppy, a parakeet or a goldfish. Before dashing out to the nearest pet store or animal shelter, though, it is wise to think about some of the realities of pet ownership.

The first thing to remember is that the pet will be another member of the family. Don’t adopt a dog to be a watchdog, tied to a chain in the backyard or a kitten to be a come-and-go cat. Canaries are beautiful and may sing, but each bird has its own personality and even choosing a goldfish – or other fish – is not as easy as it seems.

Next, keep in mind that pets require care. If the kids aren’t old enough or responsible enough to see to the daily needs of the family pet, it’s a sure bet that Mom or Dad will be doing duty. Consider if you have time in your schedule to house-train a pup or litter box train that kitten. Is there a block of time for cleaning the aquarium or re-lining the bird cage each day? Pets of all types need food, water, and interaction on a daily basis. If a busy schedule doesn’t permit, it might be better to pass on a pet.

If you travel, remember that a pet will need to be taken along (which creates its own set of complications) or that care must be arranged. Whether it’s boarding the dog at a local facility or asking a neighbor to feed the fish, travelers with pets need to plan ahead.

Last but not least, consider if the child truly wants a pet or if he or she may tire of the pet after a few days (like toys in the closet).

Think first!