INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You might think it cruel to pen a dog up in a crate for hours at a time. But dogs are instinctively den animals, so confined spaces are not as oppressive to them as they are to us. In fact, crate trained dogs will seek out their crates as a source of comfort. Crate training is a useful way to manage your dog's behavior when he's unsupervised for extended periods of time. For example, many owners crate their dogs when they go to sleep or leave the house. Although older dogs can be taught to enjoy their crates as well, it's easier to train a young dog. If your puppy is a large breed, don't train him in a large crate that you think he'll grow into. Dogs won't relieve themselves where they sleep or relax, so you need the crate to be appropriately sized. If you use a crate that's too large, he might urinate in the far corner of it because he has so much space. Don't isolate him in the crate immediately by locking the door the first time you get him to enter it. You want him to create a positive association with the crate, so that he enjoys his time in there. When you begin the crate training process, place the crate somewhere the household gathers. The idea is to make the crate part of the social scene rather than a place of isolation. Place a soft blanket and some of your dog's favorite toys inside the crate. Once you've made the crate an inviting space, use treats to lure him inside. At first, place some outside the door so he can explore the exterior of the crate. Then, place treats just inside the door, so he will poke his head in to retrieve them. As he grows more comfortable, place the treats further and further inside the crate. Do this until your dog enters the crate without hesitation. Always speak in your "happy voice" when acclimating your dog to the crate. Once he's comfortable entering the crate for treats, reinforce the positive association with mealtime. Place his dog bowl wherever he's comfortable eating. If he's still a little anxious, you might have to place it right by the door. As he grows more comfortable over time, place the dog bowl further back into the cage. With treats and feeding, you'll find that your dog is growing more acclimated to being in the crate. He still needs to learn how to cope with the door being closed. Begin closing the door at mealtime, when the dog too distracted by his food to notice what's going on at first. Close the door for very short periods, lengthening the time as the dog grows more comfortable. When a puppy whines, it may be adorable and heartbreaking, but when a grown dog whines, it can drive you nuts. If your puppy whines inconsolably, you may have left him inside the crate for too long. However, you cannot release him from the crate until the whining stops. Remember every reward you give reinforces the dog's last behavior, which was whining in this case. Instead, release the dog once he's stopped whining. The next time you close the door on the crate, leave him in for a shorter period of time. If your puppy cries when he's alone in the crate, bring the crate into your bedroom at night. Have a tick tock clock or white noise machine to help the puppy get to sleep. Make sure that they have already eliminated outside and don't need to urinate or defecate. Young puppies should be crated in your room at night so that you can hear them tell you they need to go out in the middle of the night. Otherwise, they will be forced to mess in the crate.

SUMMARY: Understand the value of crate training. Begin crate training young. Make the crate an inviting space. Encourage him to enter the crate. Feed the dog in his crate. Begin closing the door behind him. Don't reward the dog for whining. Comfort your dog during long crate sessions.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If your bag is pretty clean, use a dry microfiber cloth to wipe it down weekly. To remove minor dirt, mix a drop or two of mild soap and 8-12 ounces of warm water together. Lightly dampen the microfiber cloth with the solution and wipe the dirt off the leather. After using the mild soap solution, go back over the surface with a dry microfiber cloth to ensure no water is left standing on the leather's surface. Avoid using soggy paper towels for this. Microfiber is the ideal material because it won't crumble and wicks away moisture quickly. To avoid damaging the leather, always wipe the bag lightly. Wipe in the same direction as the grain of the leather. Use smooth, uniform strokes. Be sure to wipe the parts you touch the most, such as the handles, strap and clasp. These areas are easily soiled by the natural oils on your hands. Some commonly suggested "home remedies" involve using these substances. Don't use them. The chemicals in these products can damage the surface, dry out the leather and cause grease stain issues.

SUMMARY: Wipe down your bag once a week with a microfiber cloth. Dry the surface immediately after using a damp cloth. Wipe gently and with the grain of the leather. Avoid using bleach, vinegar and baby wipes.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: . Gain more practice with joking around and laughing by forcing yourself to tell jokes to others. This can help you to take yourself less seriously and show you are willing to be funny. You may want to look up some good jokes online and perform them in a mirror before you try them on others. You may also try out jokes on sympathetic friends before you tell them to a larger audience. It may also be fun to try an amateur comedy night at a local bar or pub and showcase your sense of humor to a room of sympathetic strangers. A good joke consists of a setup and punchline. The setup is the first half of the joke and usually contains the location and the key individuals. The punchline is usually one line and produces the laugh. For example, you may have the following set up: "A priest, a minister, and a rabbi walk into a bar." You may then have this punchline: "The bartender says: 'What is this, some kind of joke?'" . A funny story or anecdote can also help to lighten the mood and show you are willing to laugh with others. Telling a funny story is similar to telling a joke. You should combine timing and physical gestures and create a setup and a punchline for the story. You should also maintain eye contact with your audience as you tell the story and try to end the story on the line that will get the biggest laugh. When you are telling a joke or a story, you should try to be brief and to the point. Your audience has a limited attention span and you do not want them to lose interest in the story before you get to the punchline. Get a better sense of what is considered funny by watching television shows and films that are considered comedic. Professional comedy actors are often very good at using timing and physical gestures, as well as well placed jokes, to get the viewer to laugh. Note if you prefer certain styles of comedy over others, such as dark humor, dry humor, or slapstick humor. You may then be able to determine which jokes you may find funny in real life around your coworkers, friends, or family. If you respond to slapstick humor in film or television, you may respond well to it in your own life.

SUMMARY:
Tell your own jokes Practice telling funny stories to others Watch funny shows and films.