How to Use Walkie Talkies When You Travel

January 15, 2019 by Leave a Comment

travel with kids

Walkie Talikes—or two-way radios, if you want to be “technical”—offer a variety of uses when traveling. While many regard these little beauties as relics from the 90s, walkie talkies actually still possess great relevance for today. 

1. Children 

Do you remember being a kid? You didn’t have a cell phone. Maybe your parents were strict. Maybe it wasn’t in the budget. Maybe mobiles didn’t even exist! But for whatever reason, if your family was using the internet, you had only 3 methods of communicating with your friends. 

There was: the fake telephone, A.K.A. two cans on a string; running to their front door; and of course your handy dandy walkie talkies. 

Now obviously many kids today have cell phones, but what happens when your family is hiking in the woods and little Timmy takes a wrong turn? 10 times out of 10 there will be no service. Why? Because your service is spotty? No. Because service ALWAYS disappears whenever you need it most. Remember Murphy’s Law. 

The invariable solution to this potential issue is the walkie talkie. Not only are these items battery powered, but their functionality is not relegated to clear skies or corporate efficiency. Since walkie talkies are their own little entity, you have much more control over how you stay in contact with your children while you’re traveling—whether they forget their phone, you’re in the woods, or the labyrinth of a resort is just so stinking huge. 

2. Abroad 

The second greatest use for walkie talkies while traveling is if you’re going abroad. Whether you’re backpacking across Europe or lounging on the Japanese coastline, walkie talkies are the ideal way to avoid expensive roaming costs. 

Walkie talkies are an excellent way for you to stay in contact with your traveling partners. Keep in mind though, these little devices do not offer a way to stay in contact with authorities or other entities abroad. Walkies are best used in hiking or site seeing 

3. Road trips 

Lastly, walkie talkies are the perfect traveling companion for taking long-distance road trips with a caravan (or more than one car). Walkie Talkies provide a quick, easy access way to contact your traveling companions in the other car to coordinate directions, warn of accidents, ask questions, and of course, hold car-to-car competitions of the Alphabet game. Using walkie talkies also keeps you from fumbling with a touch screen on your phone while you’re driving. This promotes safety and security for you and your passengers. And of course, it sets a better example for your children. 


Walkie talkies offer a variety of influential ways to enhance your travel experience. While walkie talkies cannot replace cell phones entirely in their functionality, walkie talkies do provide several advantages to cell phones in short-range travel. The convenience of reliable service alone makes them the ideal addition to any travel pack. Ultimately, having walkie talkies in your travel arsenal provides you with safety, convenience and a fun way to stay in contact with your travel companions.

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Summer Fun In New York With the Family

August 8, 2018 by 1 Comment

There is a lot to do in New York with the kids this summer, no matter what your interests are. From waterparks to Broadway shows, indoor or outdoor activities, you and your crew will find much to do in the Empire State.

When it’s hot, but you still want want to be outdoors, why not consider a water park? Splish Splash Waterpark is a great place to spend the day as a family in the heat of the summer. Waterparks should be high on the summer “to do” list, and this is one of the best spots in the area.  There are lots of options for kids of all ages, with smaller splash or wade pools for smaller kids (scaled down pools and slides, little swings, spray parks, etc) in several varieties so that everyone can have fun and enjoy themselves. The bigger the kid, the more places they can play- but of they are too big, they can’t play in the small kid areas, so that the little ones don’t have to worry about being trampled.  Some favorites were Mutiny Bay, which puts your family in brightly colored boats, letting riders use water-spray “cannons” to blast other boats while those outside the ride can blast those inside the boats- and get sprayed themselves. Abyss Tube Slides were a favorite with all the kids, twisting and and turning your way down the enclosed slides. So was Bootleggers run, which holds up to four at a time in a tandem raft.  “Climb aboard a four-man raft that actually goes uphill with new generation hydromagnetic technology. It flies like a roller coaster without rails. So much fun, it just may be illegal!”says the park.  It really did seem as much like a roller coaster as it did like a tube ride, it was very cool. There are also favorites like wave pools and “lazy rivers”, and so much more.  Head over to SplishSplash.com and get your tickets soon, summer will be over before you know it.

luna park

 

Coney Island, a “must” for locals and tourists alike, is a great place to beat the summer heat, or at least lean into it somewhat gracefully. A go to spot for generations, each season changing slightly, adding more rides, keeping new and fresh while still appealing to the nostalgia of days past. Just steps from the boardwalk, there is a beach with a clean shore and big open ocean.  For the animal lovers, there is the New York Aquarium just a little ways down, which also has a wonderful seal show that should not be missed.  For the adventurous types, there are big thrill rides at Luna Park which include 7 roller coasters like the classic wooden Coney Island Cyclone.  For the littler park goers, there are tons of attractions and rides at Luna Park like the Happy Swing and Magic Bikes. This year, Luna Park has also opened new rides Cozmo Jet and Coney Clipper, so even if you have been before, there is a great excuse to go again.

coney island

The Cozmo Jet is a family friendly ride which uses virtual-reality, video, and an interactive gaming console. It looks like your child’s game system, but with a VR mask that you wear as you are on the ride. It was an odd sensation, moving with the “virtual” reality while trying to blast and keep count. You and your family (one or two per “Jet”) blast aliens, with the high score winning.
The Coney Clipper is a more classic “pirate ship” themed ride that rocks back and forth, lifting you off your feet a bit as you reach the top of the swing. Don’t worry, you are all buckled in.
Visit https://lunaparknyc.com or the park itself to get tickets.

Saw Avenue Q, a witty, silly, yet poignant musical on Broadway , tickets via TripAdvisor

For a variety of fun, you can go to TripAdvisor for booking ease. It is the world’s largest provider of tours, activities and attractions, with more than *56,000 bookable experiences in 2,500 destinations worldwide (according to the company). TripAdvisor Attractions has options for every kind of traveler,from walking tours, skip-the-line access, hotels, and more. You can find the best prices and values from more then 200 sites, which are updated in real time so you never miss a good bargain. Gift certificates only work for certain attractions, so be aware of that- most options will only work when you book directly from the site and using a credit card. However, if you are looking for a good deal, this is a site you should visit. Choose a restaurant, get a massage, go to a museum, and much more. Visit https://www.tripadvisor.com for more info and to choose your experience. 

Anastasia on Broadway, photo by Matthew Murphey

Looking for the iconic NYC “Broadway” experience, but don’t want to break the bank? Visit

 Broadway Inbound and The Broadway Collection to choose a show you and your family want to see, at a price you can afford to pay. These aren’t second rate shows, you can see performances of Wicked, The Book Of Mormon, Anastasia, more. No matter if you are taking a couples night out, taking the kids to see a show, or arranging a large group (the WHOLE family? A club, team, or committee that wants to go together, etc) you will be able to get discounted tickets to shows that you actually want to see. To us, bringing the kids to see live theater is very important, it gives them experiences that can’t be replicated elsewhere, as well as an appreciation for art and music. So what are you waiting for? It’s Broadway, baby- grab the family and head out.
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Get Outdoors And Play This Summer

July 11, 2018 by 2 Comments

It’s beautiful outside these days, and we are spending as much time outdoors as humanly possible. If you are looking to get outside and play, here are some fun options.

spinner swing

A fun twist on the tire tree swing, the Super Spinner® is a “UFO shaped” (according to my 10 year old) disk swing that lets one or more kids (and even a parent) take a ride. It comes with “adjustable double-braided ropes and weather-resistant clips are designed for a safer, more comfortable ride” according to the manufacturer. Super Spinner can be suspended to swing and spin from trees, play sets, a porch beam or a secure structural beam wherever works for your family.

There are two sizes of Super Spinner currently available. The original Super Spinner is sized one or two little kids, and can hold up to 200 pounds. It is available in green, blue, red, purple, pink or  yellow. If you want a larger size, the Super Duper Spinner lets more kids and adults ride, and can hold up to 650 pounds. That size is available in hunter green alone.  Get yours for $49.99 – $89.99 at stores like Amazon or Target.

pool float

Heading to the pool? Grab a fun float and head out. Intex makes a really fantastic assortment of floats your family is sure to love- my kids love the Intex Inflatable Mega Unicorn this year- they are, in fact, mildly obsessed. They have brought it to friends’ houses, and all the kids have had a fun time floating about the pool on the very colorful, very magical, large floating unicorn. You’d think this is mostly girls, right? Wrong. The boys love it as well, and so do mom and dad. My partner and I like to have our turn as well- although in all honesty, that rarely happens.Intex’s mega-sized, oversized pool floats are a lot of fun, more durable then many, and worth the price at $29.99.  Mega Unicorn and also the new Peacock design are newly available this year. You can also get Mega Swan, Mega Flamingo, and Mega Duck Island Floats. Tough choices- you might end up with more then one of these floaties.

Want to run away? Do it in the Brooks PureFlow 7. These sneakers didn’t need any “wearing in” or breaking in, they were good to go right out of the gate, which you know is rare. They are comfortable, great for running or long walks (even trails) and molded right to my feet. Super comfortable with lots of cushioning. Not only that, but the shoes are lightwight, agile, and moved with me. I love the way these feel on my feet. Brooks refers to the fit as “sock like, the stretch-woven upper and soft internal bootie allow your feet to feel comfortable and unrestricted”. I don’t disagree- these are some of my favorites, feel wise. They are equally nice for the gym or outdoor use.  Anyone who love to run or be active will be happy with these sneakers. Available in 6 colors for women and 5 for men, you will find the one that best matches your taste and wardrobe. Choose yours at https://www.brooksrunning.com for $100.

hat for summer

Cover up from all that sun while you run! Or run about. Or laze. Whatever. You will need to keep your skin safe from the sun’s harmful rays while you are outside, and Seirus Innovation has Summer Protection Covered no matter what your personal tastes and style. Their products are not only fast wicking and drying with UPF protection, but also have elements to help cool you off- that’s a huge bonus when it’s steamy hot out. There are a lot of items to choose from, including the The Litewave50™ Neck-Up, which covers the vulnerable neck area from burns while offering airflow, and heat diffusion to keep you cool. There are quite a few colors and prints available. I’ve yanked it up to use it to keep my hair back as well, as a headwrap (which is super useful). This is also useful for winter activities, and will keep you from getting windburn and sunburn on the slopes, as well.

For even more shade, the Quick Shade Caster or Floppy hat are ideal. I use this one for my son and partner, both of whom are very fair skinned and burn easily. The Caster not only shelters your face with it’s broad rim, but also your neck using an attached bandanna type covering that stays securely attached to your shirt collar with a built in clip and tether. The Floppy hat shades your face and neck, and is built to keep its form all summer long. Machine wash, hang to dry. Measure your head before ordering for sizes. Prices vary, visit https://www.seirus.com to choose what best suits your needs. 

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Create a Family Holiday Tale of Two Cities – Birmingham to Andalusia

April 16, 2018 by Leave a Comment

It’s always fun to travel abroad with little ones, however it can be just as challenging as it is exciting. Whether you live in Birmingham or this is just the first leg of your holiday, the one thing you may want to make easier on yourself is getting the kids safely to the airport. If you are encumbered with luggage and kids, parking far from your concourse makes it almost too stressful to make it worth taking such an extended holiday.

Make Travelling Easy with Birmingham Airport Park and Fly

Perhaps you should take advantage of the hotel park and fly Birmingham Airport service that makes it easy for you to get everyone and everything to the flight safely. According to birminghamparking.com, you should arrive the day before your flight, stay at a Birmingham Airport hotel and leave the rest to the park and fly service. It’s amazing just how easy they make it for families travelling with children!

What to Do in Family Friendly Andalusia

When visiting the autonomous community in the South of Spain, it isn’t so much what to do but rather where to go. Spain is known for its fun-loving atmosphere and so you’ll find the historical region as the perfect part of the country to enjoy a family friendly holiday. Whether you choose to stay in the area’s capital of Seville or one of the other amazing cities such as Cordoba or Granada, you will find an amazing number of things to do and see that are truly family friendly.

Fun in the Sun – Seville

What parents love most about Seville are the sunny beaches and beautiful parks to enjoy with their children. Not only is this the birthplace of the flamenco and bullfighting, but Seville sports some of the loveliest architecture in the nation. If you are looking to see more of the region, hire a car in Seville and then take a road trip with the family. Plan your day well so that you know where to stop to enjoy a picnic, explore some of the whitewashed towns and village off-grid, and then hike the numerous footbridges seemingly suspended in mid-air. You must also make time to take the kids to the olive groves and olive oil farms because it’s thrilling to see how this heart-healthy oil is produced.

And Then There Was Food…

While you may think that Spanish food is a bit too spicy for the sensitive tastes of children, that isn’t quite accurate – spicy maybe, but not necessarily hot. It is rare to find a café, restaurant or even a bar in which children are not welcome. Don’t be put off by the fact that few restaurants in Andalusia sport children’s menus. It is rare to find one that does have separate offerings for kids. However, most restaurants will cater to children with smaller appetites and if you ask, they will delight you with plates especially prepared for those little people with little stomachs.

Don’t forget to join your kids for a traditional siesta before hitting the streets again for a bit of shopping and sightseeing. This may be the one time of the year where parents don’t need to feel guilty taking a nap in midday. It’s a way of life here, so enjoy it while you can.

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In a New York State of Mind

April 5, 2018 by 3 Comments

Looking to spend some time in The Big Apple with the family? Here are some great places to visit while you are there.

LEGO’s are fun for kids of all ages, and the LEGOLAND Discovery Center in NY is a great place to spend the day for LEGO lovers of all ages.  The adventure begins by learning how Lego bricks are made and a kiddie-version of the history of  little plastic bricks. After this interesting introduction, its time to ride some rides and visit some attractions. The first ride (one that brings you into the main area) is a sit down guided laser shooting tour, where you save the castle by defeating tons of baddies. After your victory, you head into a mini-brick version of New York City and the LEGOLAND area. Push buttons for lights and sounds, and well as mini-animations. The details are pretty amazing, and the spoofs will keep everyone giggling. Fans will find quite a few “Easter Eggs” as they walk around the town.

There are also a bunch of other attractions to check out, like the racing course where you build your own racecar to pit against everyone else- there are several tracks to choose from. There is also a magic couch ride where you jaunt around on a flying couch. Really.  You move it up and down by pedaling, and it goes around in a circle. Make sure you check out the 4D movie, a must for all LEGO Movie fans. Of course, there are tons of LEGO to build, Masterclasses to take (and you can take your creations with you for a fee), and obstacle courses to try out. LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester is located at 39 Fitzgerald Street, Yonkers, NY 10710

No visit to NYC would be complete without visiting the Statue of Liberty. Statue Cruises, the National Park Service providing ferry and related services to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. You can get there both from Battery Park in lower Manhattan and Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. This is the best ways to see the statue in my opinion. Cruises begin at 8:30 am (instead of 9:30 am), with the last boat departing Battery Park and Liberty State Park at 3:30 pm daily- last leaving the statue and Ellis Island at 4:30. Tickets to the crown and pedestal can be booked at the same time, or just the grounds of the statue.  It is both an incredibly moving and educational experience, to see the statue and Ellis Island- for Americans and tourists alike. I’d recommend this experience for absolutely everyone- and leave the entire day for it, this is not one you should rush through.

Tickets to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island can be purchased online atwww.statuecruises.com, by visiting the Statue Cruises ticket office inside Castle Clinton at Battery Park, or by calling (877) LADY-TIX.

For more information on Statue Cruises, including schedules or reservations to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, please visit http://www.statuecruises.com or follow Statue Cruises on Twitter – https://twitter.com/statuecruises, Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/statuecruises/ or Instagram –https://www.instagram.com/statuecruises/.

And of course, there is Madison Square Garden. A New York City institution, you can see all sorts of shows and sporting events here. No matter the ages or preferences of your family, there is a show (or shows) that you are sure to enjoy.  We recently saw WWE’s Road to Wrestlemania while in NYC, and the kids and my partner had a great time- the crowd was a lot of fun, and the show was fast paced and exciting. There are a wide variety of shows to choose from- rock shows like Pink or Billy Joel, comedy acts like Kevin Hart, favorites come to the stage such as Sesame Street Live or Peppa Pig Live for the little kids, and tons of sporting events like the New York Knicks, WWE, UFC, and Monster Jam. MSG has a ton to choose from, head to http://garden-ny.com/madisonsquare/index.php to see the full lineup.

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Ways to involve your family in your exercise routine

February 26, 2018 by Leave a Comment

As parents, we all intrinsically know how important daily exercise is. After all, for many of us, we’ve been hearing about exercise’s importance for nearly all of our lives. Despite knowing how important it is, many parents will admit that their daily exercise routine is the first thing to fall to the wayside when life gets busy, tough, and challenging, and as parents, we can all relate that life is rarely not tough.

Isn’t that wild? We all know how important exercise is to our health, but at the end of the day, we’d rather do things for our families and homes than do something positive for our health and livelihood. It often isn’t until we have a major health scare or emergency that we get our acts together and try to reverse years, if not decades, of neglected health.

Probably the singular reason that more parents cite than any other, regarding why they don’t regularly participate in an exercise routine more days than not, is time. We all have the same number of hours available to us in any given day — 24 — yet many of us can’t seem to manage to “find the time” to exercise, even when we know it can make a huge difference for our health.

What’s a parent to do, then?

My solution, I think, is the best one I’ve encountered and one that will benefit everyone in your family, not just you.

What is it, you may be wondering? It’s simple, really: exercise with your family. Involve your partner and children in your exercise routine more often than not. Doing so will not only confer health benefits for you, but it’ll also do the same for the rest of your family, and exercise — in whatever manifestation it takes — can be an excellent way to secure some quality time with your family.

Below, I’ll describe in more detail some additional guidelines that can help you involve your family in your exercise routine. Really, it’s a win-win solution, if you think about it: not only will you finally be able to actually take care of yourself and your own health, but you’ll still be spending quality time with your family and, in the process, model for them positive and healthy behaviors that they can later emulate.

Some tips to involve your family in your exercise routine include the following:

Keep it simple. When you’re exercising with your family, don’t overthink it. In fact, don’t even think of it as exercise, per se. Instead, think of it as “play.” Think back to your own childhood and all the games you used to play with your friends or on the playground at school. Easy, pick-up games like basketball, soccer, tag, or simply playing on the monkey bars or climbing on the playground equipment can be a great workout. Your kids will love that you’re actually playing with them and aren’t simply scrolling mindlessly on your phone, and as an added bonus, you’ll be doing something positive for your health.

Teach your kids something new. Depending on the ages of your children, you may be able to teach them a new game or sport and involve them more in your exercise routine. For example, if your children are old enough to ride bikes, with or without training wheels, you may find that you have a companion for some leisurely bike rides! Similarly, if your children like to go on walks, consider taking them to an area forest preserve or park to go on a nature hike. Again, you don’t have to worry about going fast or traveling far, particularly if your children are little, but if they are old enough and sufficiently mature to handle a challenge, you may want to consider teaching them something new — like learning how to ride a bike or go roller-skating, for example — that can be a great catalyst for parent-family “playtime.”

Train for an event together. There are plenty of kids’ triathlons and running races out there, and it can be a lot of fun to train alongside your child for the same event: the child for the youth event and yourself for the adult version. While there are differing opinions on the appropriate age that children should be before completing such arduous events like 10ks or half marathons, most physicians would agree that children can benefit tremendously — physically, emotionally, and psychologically — from participating in a youth-focused event. Come race day, you will be each other’s loudest and most ardent cheerleaders, just as you were in the weeks and days leading up to the event. It can be an amazing way to bond with your child.

Do something accessible at home, like yoga. Finally, depending on the age of your children, many parents enjoy doing at-home yoga routines with their kids. There are tons of yoga options available for free online, and many of them are catered to families, children, or even pregnant women. The nice thing, of course, with doing something at home is that it will take very little time or energy to prepare in advance, and provided you have a reliable internet connection, you and your family can do it whenever you want — even if it’s late at night and everyone’s in their underwear.

What’s most important to remember when it comes to involving your family in your exercise routine is being patient and being flexible. Things can change in an instant, and sometimes, as parents, we have to go with the flow and adapt. It’s certainly important for your health to develop an exercise routine that you can complete more days than not, but sometimes, even with your best-laid plans and best of intentions, life will intervene and preclude you from hitting your workout goal for the day. That’s ok. Don’t get down on yourself if you can’t do everything that you’d like to in any given day, and hope for the best for the next day. Ultimately, do what’s best for your family and for you, and in time, I’m confident that you’ll be able to develop a routine — and put systems in place — that will allow you to better address your health needs.

AUTHOR’S BIO: JANE GRATES

Hiker and a sports enthusiast. Performing at the sweet spot between beauty and intellectual purity to craft delightful brand experiences. I sometimes make random things with friends.

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When Your Kid is Having a Public Meltdown #GroceryHero #ad @Walmart

February 20, 2018 by 3 Comments

This might seem like a strange photo- but he wouldn’t stop crying until I gave him this carrot and that potato. We’ve all had those moments where our children are little beasties in public- and where we will do ANYTHING to make it stop and just get out of wherever we are in one piece.  What can we do to make shopping easier with little kids?

Impatient leg swinging from the shopping cart seat is often followed by a litany of Mom, Mommy, and MOM! Even when I respond there are times that my little one just doesn’t stop. Then there are the forceful kicks to emphasize his impatience. Maybe you avoid those dangerous little feet, maybe you wind up with a dirty shoe scuffing up your white shirt. Or maybe you share my experience… a day when those scuff marks were more than just dirt.

I confess that I don’t love all things poop related and blown out diapers and clothing. What, you know someone who does? Diaper days were not my favorite. So that day between the tantrum throwing toddler in a store I visit regularly, what I can only figure was dog poop (please?) transferred from his shoe all over my embroidered white shirt, and an otherwise too stressful week- there was a scene of epic proportions. I was almost in tears myself by the end of the shopping trip. And of course- THE LOOKS you get from other shoppers, ugh.

When I discovered Walmart’s Online Grocery Pickup I was elated. I get to stay in the car, cut my errand time by 80%, and save myself from the grocery store drama. I have always loved shopping, but that is one thing my munchkin did not inherit. Now I can browse from the comfort of my home, get everything my family needs, and just drive by and pick everything up. Someone looked at my life and found a solution for one of my biggest stressors. Now first time users can use promo code WOWFRESH for $10 off and find the bliss I have discovered with Walmart’s Online Grocery Pickup.

Once you and your child have bawled your eyes out in a shopping aisle it is hard to go back to traditional shopping and now there are other options to save me from my shopping terror.

Next time you shop? Use promo code WOWFRESH for $10 off your first Walmart Online Grocery order, and save yourself some cash and hopefully some sanity.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.

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5 Easy Steps to Potty Training Your Puppy

February 20, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Are you one of the many people who perceive puppy potty training difficult—or even impossible? It’s actually easier than you think.

Today we’re going to give you advice straight from a professional puppy trainer on how to potty train a puppy from as young as 6 weeks old. So whether you’re a breeder who wants to sell ready-trained puppies, or a new dog owner; these tips will help you and your puppy succeed.

Develop a Routine

Routine is by far the most important factor in getting your puppy trained fast. There are three routine steps to take into consideration:

  • A feeding routine
  • A potty routine
  • A sleeping routine

Let’s look at each one more closely.

A Feeding Routine

Ensure that you feed your puppy at the same time every day. Your puppy will start expecting to be fed at that time each day, which will automatically prompt a potty routine.

Avoid leaving food out for your puppy for it to eat whenever it feels like it. If it isn’t hungry, take the food up and feed it again at the next interval. A great way to create a feeding routine is to feed your puppy once in the morning and once in the afternoon.

Take your puppy outside about 15 – 20 minutes after its meals to do its business outside. With repetition your puppy will be potty trained within a matter of days.

A Potty Routine

Apart from its normal feeding & sleeping routine, take your puppy outside at the same time each day. You’ll soon start learning how often your puppy needs to go outside to potty, so set designated times for it to do so. three or four times in the middle of each day should be sufficient—depending on how much it eats and drinks.

A Sleeping Routine

Your puppy’s sleep routine ties into its potty routine too. It’s important to let your puppy go outside just before it’s being put to sleep. Your puppy will quickly learn that potty before bedtime is the norm, and this will reinforce the habit of doing its business outside.

Read the Signals

There will be times outside of feeding and bedtime when your puppy will need to potty. It will give you signals that it is about to go by one or more of the following:

  • Circling around
  • Sniffing the ground
  • Folding its body

Dedicate yourself to watching your puppy. If it shows these signs or any other characteristic sighs of wanting to potty, pick it up and take it outside quickly. It will quickly learn that doing its business inside is unacceptable.

Establish a Designated Potty Area

Throughout your puppy potty training, always direct your puppy to generally the same outside area every time. The smells of previous potty sessions will trigger its memory, and with repetition it will learn where it needs to go for a comfortable wee or pool.

Deal with Accidents Effectively

When accidents happen, see this as a training opportunity rather than a failure. Punishing your puppy won’t do much good in the long run. A stern “No!” is all your puppy needs to know that what it has done is not acceptable.

If it’s a poo take it outside to its designated area and show your puppy that next time this is where you want it to do its business. If it’s a wee, pick your puppy up and put it outside for a few minutes.

Also be sure to clean up the mess with something that takes away the smell completely.

Use Positive Reinforcement

Be patient and calm while training your puppy and you’ll be amazed at how quickly it responds to your training efforts. Before you know it your puppy will be potty trained and automatically go outside when it needs to.

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