Puppies are eager and willing to do the right thing. They love your happy face and the squealy noises you make when they have done something great. They will do ANYthing to please you because of the loving rewards they get from being a Good Dog. They just cannot get enough of your praises and cuddles.

Moving towards "What a good dog!" from "Bad Puppy!" is based on one thing. Your puppy does not know the English language, and the faster he learns it, the better for all, because the minute he knows what you want he will DO it. Make it faster and easier for him to learn by keeping these tips in mind:

1. Be consistent in the words you choose to teach him commands. If you say, "Wanna go potty?" in the morning, and "Have to go out?" two hours later, and "Wanna go pee?" two hours later, etc., then that is THREE phrases you have asked him to learn in one day instead of only one. Decide which words to use, and make sure everyone in your family uses the same ones.

2. Use his name in the command if you want action, do NOT use it if you want him restricted from action. This is very important. Hearing his own name makes a puppy leap into action by his very nature. When you want your puppy to come, say, "Puppy, Come!" [insert his name instead of the word Puppy, of course] When you want him to lie down, simply say, "Down".

3. Do not confuse your puppy with the same words for different commands. If you are teaching him basic obedience, the word "Down" means LIE down, usually followed by "Stay." If you don't want him on the couch, do not say "Down", say, "Off." This word can be used to keep him from jumping up into your lap, onto the couch, chair or bed because it is the ACTION of jumping up you are trying to restrict. Saying "Down" when he jumps onto the couch will just make him lie down on the couch! See the difference?

Do not ever hit your puppy, you dont need to. The worst punishment he ever needs to learn a lesson is your sad frown and walking away from him. One or two minutes is the limit though, do not overdo this. After a minute of ignoring him, give a command he knows well and praise praise praise, with a big smile.

These three tips, used with gentleness and consistency, will teach your puppy all the words he needs to know to be a happy and obedient companion in a matter of days.

About The Author

Dy Witt has shown, bred and trained standard poodles for 25 years. Vets and groomers of her pups send word back of how wonderfully happy and easy to handle they are. For more on her training techniques, more free articles and info on her new ebook on dog training, visit http://www.DogTraining15MinsADay.com.

Copyright 2006

You’re having the jitters. Your open house is tomorrow. And first impressions count!

Help your real estate agent make it a smashing open house. Help him clinch that sale. The rule of thumb is to prepare well in advance, and not 24 hours before. Twenty-four hours will not be sufficient time for the nitty-gritty that will make or break a public showing. You remember how it was during school. If we crammed, we most likely failed the exam the next day. But when we studied weeks in advance, we felt we knew the subject matter by heart. The same principle applies to open houses. The harder and longer you prepare, the better the results will be. It may even put a few extra thousand dollars in your pocket!

The fact that your house is located in Tampa Bay or in Pinellas County is already half the battle won, because these locations have a lot to offer people looking for a place to live in Florida. Think of the commercial and cultural diversity and other attractions that Tampa Bay and Pinellas County are famous for.

Make a Lasting First Impression – most real estate agents agree: a clean house is the #1 priority. The word clean, however, does not only mean a house that has been tidied up a few hours earlier, a walkway that was swept and hosed over, or windows that were cleared of dust and dirt. Clean means a lot more than that.

Studies have shown that dwellings painted in neutral colors convey a more pleasant and warmer welcome to visitors; they are able to visualize better about how their own personal effects can blend with the colors. Imagine having a wall that’s painted fire engine red or bedrooms that look more like an artist’s mural because too many psychedelic colors are flooding the eye. Re-painting your house may become a must, but do it a few weeks before, that way the fumes don’t linger.

The clutter, please – if you don’t want your potential buyers to trip just as they’re entering the house, eliminate unnecessary furniture and house accessories to allow for more breathing room. If visitors can’t move about freely because there are obstructions along the way, chances are they’re likely to go somewhere else.

Buyers will want to see the size of the closets, so eliminate the clutter. Leave the clothes and shoes neatly hung, but remove your grandmother’s old sewing machine. Remember, closets that look like storage rooms are unattractive. Don’t make your guests feel that there are real skeletons in the closet!

Be considerate – while dogs and other pets are adorable creatures, they have no place in an open house. One or two of your buyers might not be animal lovers or are allergic to animal hair. Some buyers also know of the damage and dirt these creatures leave on their tracks, so keep them out of the house (leave them with your mother-in-law if she agrees to baby sit them) until the open house is over.

Speaking of your mother-in-law who loves to cook exotic dishes that spew out strange smells, postpone the cooking until the prospective buyers have left. She’ll need to be out of the house and so do you. Leave your real estate agent to do what he does best. Potential buyers feel more comfortable when you are not there initially -- they are not ready to meet you yet!

And oh yes, how about some nice, delicate flowers that don’t give off a strong smell? This simple gesture will do wonders to liven up your home. Choose different pastel colors to serve as a contrast to the neutral background.

Bob Lipply is a top Real Estate Broker Associate in the Tampa Florida Real Estate area. He and his team have been helping families relocate to Florida and on the selling end get top dollar for their homes with great success. Lipply Real Estate also specializes in Clearwater Real Estate, visit his website where you can search the MLS for up to date available homes for sale.

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