Puppy Potty Training: Little Drops of Wisdom for New Owners

Puppy Potty Training: Little Drops of Wisdom for New Owners

Puppy potty training is an action phrase that on thought alone could give new owners bouts of stomach pains and fits of frustration, or actually sway a nay decision for would-be dog owners. Yet, to think that way about puppy potty training is to be a “glass is half empty” type of person. A “glass is half full” person would see puppy potty training as a one-on-one, bonding experience with a new canine friend. That is exactly how we want you to look at potty training—a bonding experience, albeit a sometimes stinky and wet one. Will there be accidents? Yes. Will you, at times, feel your puppy will never grasp potty training? Yes. Will your puppy ever be trained? Yes, if you following the tips in this article.

Puppy Potty Training: The Challenges

If puppy potty training had a creed it would be that potty training gets worse just before its get better. For dog owners the most challenging part of puppy potty training is the period just before the puppy “gets it”, so please keep that in mind. One day you may think all is lost and see nothing is your future but the back aches of wiping up accidents, then one day you realize that your dog hasn’t peed in the house for three days. When that day comes, trust me, you’ll feel like you just inherited Bill Gates’ fortune. It will take a minute to sink in, but then you’ll rejoice and tell everyone who will listen.

Puppy Potty Training: You’re in it Together

Remember, you can’t expect your puppy to train himself, or to get the hang of things with a half-hearted training program on your part. This is a full-time commitment. This isn’t like that oath you made to work out five days a week, which is now actually two days a month (okay, that was my oath, but you get the picture.) Also, don’t forget to train yourself to read your puppy’s signs and when he’s making a plea to pee. Puppy potty training is not only for your dog (and your floors), but for you as well. It is an exhilarating feeling when your puppy runs to you with puppy dog eyes and in dog speak says, “I need to go out,” and you respond. It is a sign that you’re making progress. A puppy that knows he can rely on a dependable owner to respond to his signs is a happy, healthy, responsive puppy that is going to let you know. On the flip side, if you don’t respond, your puppy will know you’re not there for him, and he’ll go to someone who listens—the floor.

New Puppies: No Training Required

Some puppy potty training guides advise new owners to buy puppies that were already trained by a breeder or handler. We say, phooey—get whichever dog you like. Besides, anyone who has ever searched for a new pet knows that we don’t pick them, they pick us. Why should a puppy that wasn’t “bred” to sell, or dog from a shelter be deprived of a good home because his former owner didn’t train him? Dogs are smart and easily trained, so commit to whichever puppy or dog you want, and see how rewarding it is to train or retrain your new buddy.

The Difference Between Potty Training and Housebreaking

The term potty training is used today instead of housebreaking. You’ll notice this “term” when speaking with vets, trainers, or reading books. Housebreaking was often a process that involved scolding, sticking your dog’s face in accidents, and other animal cruelties. The old way of housebreaking was a mind set that the dog was going to do what the owner wanted, when the owner wanted him to do it. If the new puppy messed up he was punished in a way that would make him think twice before doing it again. That treatment is not acceptable today. If you are researching trainers, and he/she uses the term “housebreak” that can be a clue as to their methods and mindset. As it should, treatment of animals has evolved, and so a smarter more humane approach to training is used.

Let me give you a quick example of one aspect of puppy potty training. You walk into your kitchen and see a puddle on the floor. Your curious puppy is soon by your side to see what you’re up to. You point to the puddle while looking at your puppy and say, “no.” You’re not yelling, or touching your dog, you’re just showing your displeasure. Immediately take your puppy outside to the place you want him to pee. After he pees, praise him, give him a treat, pet him, and let him see how happy you are. Your puppy’s tail is probably up and wagging, meaning he is happy. This is just one part of the training process, but it gives you an example of how positive reinforcement works. Puppy potty training today is a combination of training your puppy, training yourself to read your puppy’s signs, establishing your rank in the “pack” without abuse or cruelty, using a crate at specific times, and feeding your puppy at specific times of the day to establish a regular schedule. Of course, rewarding your dog for his successes is a huge part of the program.

Congratulations on finding your new puppy, and good luck with potty training. Use the tips in this article to find the right puppy potty training routine or program for the both of you. Remember, there was a time when each and everyone one of us was “potty trained” and we all eventually got it.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White Access 2000 Pty Ltd

Make Your Own Christmas Cards

Are you tired of sending the same old Christmas cards depicting boring baubles and dreary bells year in and year out? Have you ever thought that you could design better Christmas cards yourself? Why not have a go this year?

The best time to begin collecting material for making Christmas cards is during the previous year’s yuletide season. Collect as many seasonal clippings, ribbons, bows and small decorations as possible from magazines, wrapping paper, gift tags, Christmas cards, advent calendars…the list is endless – you won’t have to look far for inspiration during the Christmas period.

Once you have amassed all of your material, store it in a special craft chest. You may wish to divide your material into different themes and put it into individual drawers in your craft chest.

You can then decide when to begin making cards for next Christmas. This will depend on how much time you have throughout the year and how many cards you wish to make – do you want to make a card for everyone on your Christmas card list or just a few for close friends and family?

Before starting to make the cards, you will need to buy either some card for cutting, folding and making your own card blanks or some ready-made card blanks with envelopes - this is the quickest and easiest way. Look in the crafts-paper crafts-card making section of eBay for good value packs of card blanks and matching envelopes or try your local craft store.

White or cream is a good background color as it enables you to use a variety of colors on top but you don’t have to restrict yourself to this color, you can be as creative as you like. Red and green also make good background colors for Christmas cards.

You may also wish to buy peel-offs, which are stickers with such greetings as ‘Happy Christmas,’ ‘Season’s Greetings,’ etc. They are useful for giving your cards the finishing touch but are not essential, as you could write a greeting using a silver gel pen, for example, or not include a greeting on the front of the card at all.

Sticky pads are another useful addition to your Christmas card craft making kit. These small foam pads with adhesive on both sides give certain images a slightly raised effect, allowing them to stand out from card slightly. They are excellent for giving more prominence to centerpieces.

You could also buy other materials like handmade or mulberry paper but these are not necessary if you have amassed a lot of your own Christmas material.

Alternatively, if you do not have any materials for making the cards, you could buy a Christmas card making kit. This will include several card blanks as well as many bits and pieces that you can use to design and make cards. It may even have suggested designs and instructions, which are great if you lack a little inspiration.

As far as tools are concerned, the only essential tools are a pair of scissors, a ruler and some glue. A glue pen is very useful as it allows you to apply glue very finely to small decorations.

Now the fun begins…just sit down and let you imagination run wild. Try out different designs on the cards without sticking them down. If one design doesn’t work, discard it and begin again but don’t be too judgmental – the idea is to have fun. Some designs will be better than others but you won’t develop your own style if you don’t give your creativity full rein.

As a finishing touch, you could add a little sticker on the back saying ‘handmade by…’ These stickers are available to buy or you could print them yourself from your computer. If people like your cards, you could have orders coming in for next year’s cards and before you know it, you will have set up your own card making business. You could even sell your surplus cards to friends, at local groups and fairs or even on the Internet. eBay is a good place to start selling hand-crafted items online.

If you do begin selling your cards, bear in mind that you can only sell your original designs. If you have copied someone else’s design either from a book, magazine, website or another source, you cannot sell it as it would be a violation of copyright, unless it is explicitly stated that it is a copyright-free design.

So, sit down, relax and enjoy a creative pursuit in the run-up to Christmas. The rewards could be greater than you expect.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White Access 2000 Pty Ltd

Choice Magazine article on House Sitting (Australian Consumer Association)

Choice Magazine (Australian Consumer Association) has produced an objective report on house sitting. What to look out for from the home owner viewpoint.

See full article from Choice Magazine on House Sitting Agencies

Twenty Tips That Make Painting Easier

Twenty Tips That Make Painting Easier

Summary: A list of twenty tips and hints that will make painting easier. Tips include ways that will make clean up easier, how to protect surface, etc.
Key Words: painting, house painting, interior, hints, home improvement

Painting is a hard enough job without any extra labor. The following is a list of tips you should keep in mind before you start painting. They might not make you enjoy it, but they will make the job easier.

1. Make sure you have everything you need before you get started—especially enough paint. In general, a can of paint covers about 400 square feet.

2. Try to avoid painting on rainy days. The extra humidity in the air will cause the paint to dry slower. If this can't be avoided, use a dehumidifier to help speed the drying process.

3. If you are painting a large room, don't try and same money by purchasing the cheap rollers and brushes. The money you save will be minimal and won't make up for sore hands. Plus, better rollers and brushes will help you work quicker.

4. Have your primer tinted the same color as you intend to paint. This will ensure that the paint covers well and could cut down on the need for an additional coat.

5. Use a nail to tap about five or six holes in the retaining grove of the paint can. This will allow the paint to run back into the can. If you need to reseal the can, you can put the nails into the can or put a little play dough or clay over the holes.

6. Glue a large paper plate to the bottom of any open paint can you are using to catch any splatters or drips.

7. Flattened out corrugated boxes are perfect to cover the floors with when painting.

8. Have a wet rag and paper towels handy to wipe up any drips or mistakes. Most of them—including accidental dabs on the ceiling—can be removed this way.

9. Keep some patching compound and a spackle handy. You'll be surprised at all the little holes and marks you can find on your wall. They might not have been visible with the old color, but they can stand out with the new.

10. When stopping for short periods, seal your paintbrushes inside a Ziploc or plastic bag. This will keep them "fresh" without having to spend the time cleaning them. Plastic wrap and aluminum foil work almost as well.

11. Line the inside of your paint tray with aluminum foil or plastic. It will make the clean up easier.

12. To make cleaning your brushes easier, use an old baby-wipe container. Poor paint thinner into the container and push the handle of the brush through the hole in the lid. This will allow the brush to soak without bending the bristles. If you don't have any baby-wipe containers, try cutting a slot into the lid of a coffee can or similar container.

13. Wipe paint rollers on old newspapers before cleaning. Getting rid of any excess paint will make them easier to clean.

14. Rub hand lotion on your hands and arms before you begin. It will make the paint easier to wash off your hands when you're finished. Also, baby oil is sometime better at removing paint from your skin that soap.

15. If you have a steady hand, you might not need masking tape to cover the edges.

16. Wet newspaper can work great at protecting windows. You can use one-inch long strips of newspaper to protect the windowpanes around a window. Dip each strip into water. Pull the strip between your thumb and index finger to remove the excess water. Press the strips onto the glass close to the wood. Do only two at a time and remove them as soon as you're through.

17. If you're painting a bathroom, use wet newspaper to cover the bottom and sides of the tub. The newspaper will click and keep your tub paint-free.

18. Wrap hardware (doorknobs, hinges, pulls, etc.) in foil before painting.

19. Use old milk jugs to store paint. It will keep just as long and the paint is easier to access if you need to do some touch-ups.

20. Write the date, brand and color of paint used under the light switch for a handy reference.

Copyright © 2006, Ian White Access 2000 Pty Ltd