Our Furry Friends  

• Keep the new pup from crying all night.  In order to get your well needed sleep, just wrap an old clock, ticking, in a towel and then put it in the puppy's bed.  Another helpful tip is to use a heating pad or a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel; puppies are used to cuddling up to something warm, and they'll even think it's 'mom'..

• Does your grumpy dog refuse to eat? Here's an answer  Perk up your dog's appetite:  try some butter and sugar mixed with rice.  Pour a bit of beef broth over the mixture and she'll gulp it down!  (Of course, check with your dog's vet first to make sure that these foods are all right for your dog's diet, but this formula usually leads to a clean plate!).

• How can you keep your cat from jumping up on tables.  When the cat jumps up, spray a little bit of water in its face.  This won't hurt your cat in any way, but it won't be long before the cat stops and you'll have broken this bad habit.

• Does your cat keep clawing your good upholstery?  It's natural for all cats to 'claw', and the cat needs something to claw at.  Try nailing a scrap of carpet on a board or box.  If you rub catnip on the scratching post, that should help direct your cat to the preferred scratching place, and he'll leave the good furniture alone..

• Save your pets in case of fire!  Most local fire departments now supply a special sticker which you can place on the windows of the rooms where your pets usually stay.  That way, in case of a fire, the fireman will be able to easily identify the room and check it, thus increasing the chance that your pet will be saved..

• Here's a tip to keep your dog's food from drying up in it's plastic bag.  Just empty the extra dog food into a jar, large enough to hold the bag of food, then add some vegetable oil and close tightly.  The dog food will stay fresh and moist, and your dog will love it..

• Try this way to get a pill down a stubborn dog's throat. .  First, coat the pill with some butter.  Then turn your dog's neck upwards, as if he is looking at the ceiling.  Place the pill in his mouth as far back as you possibly can, and then hold his mouth shut, while you rub his neck.  He'll swallow automatically.. . Or ... If your dog refuses to take pills, just wrap the pill in some hamburger, cheese, or other good food.  Feed this to your dog and 'Presto!' -- the pill will be down in a flash

• Does your cat have an injured foot?.  If the vet tells you to soak your cat's injured foot several times a day, how do you do this without upsetting the cat?  Just put the medicine and the water into a small plastic bag.  Then, put the cat's foot into the bag and tape it shut.  While the foot is soaking, you can hold the cat and pet it so that it feels comfortable, and won't be so frightened.

• Want to keep your kitten from shedding so much.  Some animals just love being vacuumed, and this is one of the best ways to take care of shedding.  Start out a little at a time, so that your cat doesn't get scared by the noise of the vacuum, and before you know it, you'll be able to vacuum the entire cat and keep those shedding hairs under control.

• Here's an easy way to prevent your dog's dishes from sliding all over the kitchen floor.  The solution is simple:  just place the dog's dishes on a piece of foam rubber!  The dishes will 'magically' stay in place, and both you and Rover will be happier.

• Hint:  Here's a tip to help avoid the usual mess when you open your dog's food can.  Simply open both ends of the can with your can opener, then use one lid to push the food through.  You'll get the entire can of food out, clean as a whistle, no fuss no muss!

• Does your pet have trouble when rock salt gets inside his delicate paws?  Take 4 plastic sandwich bags and fasten them to your pet's paws with rubber bands. You'll have instant rainboots!

• Does the can of opened dog food 'stink' up the refrigerator?  The trick is to store the dog food inside an empty coffee can with a plastic lid.  That'll keep the dog food fresh, and keep the smell clean!

• What can you do if you just can't get up all the cat hairs when you vacuum?  Before you vacuum, take a damp broom and sweep over the whole area with it.  You'll be happily surprised at the results.

• What's the best way to get cat hairs off your chair?.  It's easy.  Take a dam sponge to them and they'll come right off.

• Toothless dog?  Here's a way to feed her.  Usually, when an animal has no teeth, the sight of dog food just turns her off.  One good solution is to put all kinds of scraps -- meet, vegetables, cheese, etc. -- into the blender and puree them.  Your dog will gum 'em down in no time.

• How can you keep ants out of your cat's dish?  Take a dish that's larger than the feeding dish.  Place a little water in it.  Set the feeding dish in this large dish, and that should do the trick!