That time of year is here again. A few weeks until New Year's Eve, boxes of fireworks are already stacked in shops, and I'm starting to brace for the wave of phone calls that floods in during the second half of December. The topic is always the same, dogs and fireworks, and an owner who was convinced everything was fine.

If you're standing over a puddle on your hardwood floor right now, wondering whether your puppy will ever learn — take a breath. What you're going through isn't the result of your mistakes, and it isn't a sign that your dog is "stubborn." It's simply a normal part of puppy development. The question isn't whether your dog will learn to go outside, but how fast and with how much stress — both yours and his.