Education
Standing outside in driving rain at 4 am, I’m reminded of something I already know well: teaching someone to manage his bowel and bladder habits represents a significant investment. Eight-week old puppy Davy came to live at my house recently. While we’re quickly falling in love with this little guy, teaching him to potty outside has been a challenge. The whole experience puts me in solidarity with parents who are working to achieve that same sort of control with their toddlers. Training a puppy or a toddler offers many parallels. First, you look for signs of readiness. In a child, that might be the ability to pull down pants and express needs to others. With Davy, it’s been his determination to keep his crate clean. Next you have to set up the environment. With a toddler, you might buy a small potty chair. With a pup, it’s helpful to have a safe place outdoors. With puppies or children, you have to plan for the time commitment involved, watching for signs of the need to eliminate and