Problem: Article: If you want a beautiful display bird and are less interested in companionship, choose your bird based primarily on appearance. If you are looking for a friendly companion bird, however, you will want to choose a bird based on its temperament and sociability more than how it looks.  When choosing a display bird, choose a healthy bird with plumage that you find attractive. When choosing a companion bird, look for a bird that seems curious and playful, makes noises, and is eager to be handled. Some shy cockatiels can eventually be made more tame, but some never get used to people. Don’t count on being able to completely tame a skittish bird. Healthy birds have bright, clear eyes.  They should have no discharge from their beaks, and no sneezing.  Make sure the bird has a smooth beak that closes evenly, and no missing feathers or toes.  Do not choose a bird with damaged, dirty or puffed up feathers. These are all signs of illness. It is ideal to choose a young bird that is fully weaned, and has been hand fed and hand raised.  When considering an adult bird, note that the darker the bird's beak, the older it probably is. Determining the sex of a cockatiel can be a tricky business, and in some cases requires DNA analysis to know for sure. Fortunately, both male and female cockatiels make wonderful pets.
Summary: Think about what you want from your cockatiel before you shop. Look for signs that the cockatiel is healthy. Ask about the age of the bird.

Problem: Article: Make sure the bell is within the dog's reach and is loud enough that you will hear it even if you are not in the same room. It's also important that it be durable enough that your dog won't break it.  You can also use a wireless doorbell, as long as your dog will be able to push to button.  If your dogs seems afraid of the sound of the bell, try dampening it with some tape to make it quieter. Then get your dog used to it by ringing it a lot and slowly removing the dampening device. Once the dog is no longer bothered by the sound, you can proceed with the training. Before you take your dog outside each time, gently lift his paw and help him ring the bell. Then let him out right away. Continue doing this for several weeks until your dog learns to ring the bell himself.  If your dog is not particularly motivated by the outdoors, give him a treat as you let him out to help reinforce the training.  If your dog is still learning to go to the bathroom outside, be sure to reward him when he does that too. Once your dog is trained to ring the bell, be sure to respond to him when he does by letting him outside. If you fail to let him out when he rings the bell, he will get confused and may stop doing it. Continue rewarding your dog with treats for ringing the bell for several weeks, if not longer.
Summary: Hang a bell by the door. Have your dog ring the bell. Be sure to respond.

Problem: Article: . There are plenty of safe, easy ways to decorate eggs. Hard boil the eggs in advance, then have the children use crayons, food coloring and sponges, or paint to decorate the eggs. Children might want to keep their eggs once they've decorated them, so you might want to hide a separate group of decorated eggs for the egg hunt. Instead of letting the kids loose to find all the eggs at once, give them clues to each egg in turn. For a real "treasure hunt" feel, write the next clue inside each egg, and have the last egg hold gold chocolate coins as "pirate treasure." The clue could be a riddle, a hidden reference to an object in another room, or a reference to something the kids did once. For instance, an egg hidden in "the jungle" could be in the center of some houseplants, while an egg hidden "in the land of birthday cakes" could be on a cake stand in the fridge. Make a ramp out of a wooden plank leaning on a stack of books. Cover the ramp and floor with a blanket in case of broken eggs, then have each person release their egg from the top of the ramp. The person whose egg makes it farthest wins a prize. Have the kids line up in two or more rows. Each of them holds a spoon. Place an egg in the spoon of each kid first in line. When you say "Go!" each line has to move its egg to the end of the line without the egg touching anything but the spoons.  If an egg falls, you can either put it back on the first spoon or let the kids try to pick it up with only the spoons. While the kids can literally race their Easter eggs by pushing them with their noses, hopping while holding them, or another method, this race is more suited to an indoor location.
Summary:
Have the kids decorate the Easter eggs Turn the Easter egg hunt into a treasure hunt. Roll the Easter eggs. Have the kids compete in an Easter egg spoon race.