Dog Health by LowchensAustralia.com

HANDY HINTS
FOR THE DOG OWNER

Here is a list of "handy hints" that have been sent to me over the years, (probably off the net somewhere), that may (or may not) be useful in your everyday life. We cannot endorse the hints, although some we have tried with success. If you have any hints of your own, please email us and share with our readers.

Air Fresheners 
Cinnamon and Cloves: Boil these spices for a fragrant smell. For ease of cleaning, make a cheesecloth bag to contain these spices, and boil the cheesecloth bag. An excellent alternative when entertaining is to steep spiced tea or cider.
Potpourri: Buy or make your own potpourri from your favourite herbs and spices. Place the potpourri in a small basket or jar or in small sachet bags.
Vinegar: Distribute partially filled saucers of vinegar around the room or boil 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking odours.

Essential oils are ideal for creating effective, all-natural fresheners for the entire house. The air freshening qualities of lavender, eucalyptus and tea tree cleanse and freshen homes that are shut tight during colder winter months. Simply place one ounce of water in an atomizer and add 12 drops of your favourite aroma.
Shake well and spray into the room to mask unpleasant odours and introduce pleasant, enjoyable and healthy aromas. Make small batches frequently to ensure freshness.

Try these two room sprays which feature tea tree oil. Mix the oils in one ounce of water in a spray mist bottle. Shake well and spray fragrance in the air or in a specific area such as a bathroom or pet area.

Pet Blend
8 drops cedarwood oil
4 drops tea tree oil

Deodorizing Spray
6 drops bergamot oil
1 drop tea tree oil
5 drops lemon oil

Aloe Vera for pet first aid
Aloe Vera, also called the medicine plant or the burn plant, has long been recognized for its ability to sooth damaged skin. It makes a good choice for pets because it provides temporary relief on contact for hot spots, bites, clipper burns, and many other skin irritations that our pets may occasionally experience. Aloe Vera is also non-toxic, so we needn't worry about our pets ingesting it if they lick their sores.
Which brings us to the second reason why aloe is a good choice: it has a bitter taste. Thus, an application of Aloe Vera may discourage your pet from licking at the irritated skin. Licking can slow healing, so any easy ways to discourage licking are welcome.

Animal bites
Mix equal quantities of castor oil and lime juice. Massage the affected area with this mixture. Also drink 1 cup warm water mixed with lime juice and honey.

Ant Bait
¼ cup sugar 
¼ cup baking yeast 
½ cup molasses 
6 - 3x5 inch index cards 
Mix all ingredients together and then smear a thin layer on each of the index cards. Use a rubber spatula to spread the mixture on the cards. Put the index cards in places that you have seen ants. 

Ants and Roaches Killer
For roaches
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 tablespoon boric acid powder.
Mix thoroughly and add the white of one egg, mix into a paste, put on a cookie sheet etc. about 1/8" thick and cook in oven at the LOWEST temp (usually 200) until rubbery, cut into 1/2" squares and put them around the place, under cabinets, in cabinets, etc. Very low toxicity to people and pets. After a couple of weeks, roaches disappear. Do it twice a year and you won't ever have roaches again. 
For ants
Use sugar, boric acid, and flour to make a watery paste and put around in bottle caps, etc. It's effective on carpenter ant kill and pismires. For fire ants, cook boric acid into grits and dry, then spread around near mound. They take it to the queen and it kills the entire mound. Effective about 2/3 of the time

Ant Bait Recipe
Mix 12oz Karo's Clear Syrup with 2 Tablespoon of Borax or Boric Acid Powder. Put Mixture in a empty sqeeze Mustard Bottle. Put drops of mixture in areas where ants travel-OR-Mix 12oz of apple jelly with 2 Tablespoon of Boric Acid. (Boric Acid Powder can be found at most drug stores.) Add 2 tablespoons of peanut-butter for carpenter ant kill.

Ant Bait, Home-made
Dissolve 1 tsp. boric acid and 6 tablespoon sugar in 1 cup water. Soak some cotton balls in solution. Make bait dispensers from margarine containers by punching holes in container lids. Put cotton balls inside margarine containers and cover with lids so bait won't dry out. (I have also used berry containers with success). Place containers where you see ants. Ants may increase in number initially, but will disappear within days after worker ants carry boric acid back to nest. For long term control, reduce boric acid from 1 tsp. to ½ tsp.

Ant deterrent
Spray vinegar around door and window frames, under appliances, and along other known ant trails.

Ant invasion
Get rid of ants in pots by soaking them, lifting out the plants then removing any ant nests at the base. Now stick your pots on bricks which are wiped every month or so with eucalyptus oil, or some other sticky substance, to repel another invasion. A ring of white pepper around the pot may help, too.

Ants are about
Repel ants rather than kill them if you can. Sprinkle a mix of talcum powder and white pepper into paving crevices to make life uncomfortable for them ... it's also great sprinkled around the clothes line if ants are a problem there.

Backyard Bugs - Diatomaceous Earth.
This white powdery substance is actually the fossilized remains of diatoms, tiny little critters. To us it feels like talcum powder, but under a microscope you can see sharp jagged edges. The diatomaceous earth pierces soft bodied bugs (like flea larvae and snails) when they crawl across it, causing them to die. If you decide to use diatomaceous earth, be sure to buy the pure kind that isn't chemically treated. The type sold for use in swimming pool filters is treated with chemicals that you don't want. Sprinkle it on the ground on your lawn and in garden beds. Be sure the area you're treating is dry--wet diatomaceous earth has no effect on the bugs. Fence off the area to keep your pets out--it isn't poisonous, but it isn't wonderful if they inhale the powder. For the same reason, wear a dust mask as you apply it to the ground. After a few days, rake it around and water it in. At this point, the pets can have access to the treated area. We use DE each spring to control snails and other unwanted garden pests. 

Bitches in Season
If your bitch is in season, and you are not planning to mate her, you can give her liquid Chlorophyll (from the Health Shop).
Start with 5 mls and increase it daily to about 2 caps full daily for a medium size dog. Some handlers have succeeded in masking the oestrus odour by giving the female chlorophyll tablets at the first sign of the heat cycle. It is believed to take the stress off any male animals when the female oestrus odour is "masked". Chlorophyll has been found to be non-toxic, soothing to body tissues and safe for use by people of all ages and animals. 

Blood
Sponge fresh blood stains quickly with a mixture of one tablespoon of salt in two cups of cold water, then with an ammonia solution. Wash in cooler water than usual. Old stains should be soaked in a hydrogen peroxide or ammonia solution (one part to eight parts of water), then wash in detergent with a few drops of ammonia added. Carpet: For carpet or mattress, apply a thick paste of raw starch and water, allow to dry, then brush off.

Burrs in Coat 
Brushing out a burr is not always possible, but there is another way, as opposed to just hacking it out in a chunk. It still cuts it out, but in a less traumatic way for your dog's coat.
Take a sewing seam ripper, and pick the hairs around the burr until it can be pulled out.
To prevent burrs from becoming encased again, a spritz with mink-oil conditioner will keep his coat nice and slippery, and any burrs will brush out easily. You can buy mink-oil conditioner from most groomers.

Carpet Spills and Stains: 
For problem wet areas, blot up spill, sprinkle on Borax to cover area, let dry and vacuum.

Cedar Chips
Cedar chips are a great repellent for fleas, ants, mice, ticks. Use some around the outside of the house. Put some in dogs bedding, or cats bedding. Outside it helps keep away ants, mice, and ticks.
In the garden use it repels Japanese beetles, and some other insects. I use cedar chips around my roses bush. It wouldn't bloom for years. I used some chips and the next spring my rose bush was full of blooms!

Chewing Gum in Coat
For gum stuck just on top of the coat, use ice cubes to freeze it first, then you can either break it off, or lift it off gently.
If the gum has been rubbed right in, a good solvent will remove it better than anything. Peanut butter works for this rather well.
For gum stuck in the hairs between his toes, it is best to just cut it off carefully, and keep those hairs trimmed to avoid further mishaps.

Chlorophyll
If your bitch is in season, and you are not planning to mate her, you can give her liquid Chlorophyll (from the Health Shop).
Start with 5 mls and increase it daily to about 2 caps full daily for a medium size dog. Some handlers have succeeded in masking the oestrus odour by giving the female chlorophyll tablets at the first sign of the heat cycle. It is believed to take the stress off any male animals when the female oastrus odour is "masked". Chlorophyll has been found to be non-toxic, soothing to body tissues and safe for use by people of all ages and animals. 

Cockroaches - How to kill cockroaches in your home!
Mix equal parts powdered sugar and borax in a bowl.
Sprinkle in cracks along walls and under cupboards.
Keep away from children and pets. 
Repeat as necessary for one to two weeks until all roaches have died. 

Collaring fleas
To make an additional hole in a flea collar, heat a steel knitting needle over a flame and push it through.

Colloidal Silver uses
Colloidal silver reportedly kills bacteria, viruses, fungus and yeast and was used as an antibiotic as long ago as Roman times. Some references also state that Colloidal Silver may stimulate the body’s immune system or work in alliance with it. Colloidal Silver has become popular once more as people, worried about the ever growing use of antibiotics, seek an alternative. 

Take a look at the many different and varied uses for Colloidal Silver in everyday health and hygiene:

• Spray pet bedding and let dry

• Dab on cuts, grazes, rashes, sunburn and razor nicks 

• Mix a little into your pet's drinking water, birdbaths and cut flower vases 

• Help reduce tooth decay, mouth sores and bad breath. Colloidal Silver is said to work by eliminating bacteria deep in throat and on back of tongue. 

• Add to human and/or pet shampoos to gain disinfectant benefits

• Add to suspected drinking water when travelling or camping

• Spray onto burns for rapid healing without scarring. 

• Use to sterilise any household items like toothbrushes or washing up brushes 

• Spray on rubbish to prevent decay odours

• Use on kitchen cloths and sponges to wipe down worktops and cutting boards 

• Dab onto acne 

• Spray in shoes, between toes, on skin to give relief to skin itches, athletes foot, fungi etc. 

• Add to bath water, gargle and nasal spray. 

• Aids recovery from colds, flu, pneumonia, respiratory infections and viruses

• Eye and ear infections, warts and some moles vanish (put on plaster and wear overnight each night until gone)

• Use with cotton buds on fingernail, toenail, and ear fungi

• Spray refrigerator, freezer and food storage bin interiors

• Use routinely in laundry final rinse water and always before packing away seasonal clothes

• Spray plant foliage to help prevent plant diseases like mould and rot

• Wipe telephone mouthpieces, pipe stems, headphones, hearing aids, eyeglass frames, hairbrushes and combs

• Excellent for nappies and nappy rash.

• Wipe around toilet seats, bowls, tile floors, sinks, door knobs

• Kills persistent odours

• Rinse invalid's pillowcases, sheets, towels and bedclothes

Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, Colloidal Silver is said to never allow strain-resistant pathogens to evolve.

Cooking up a treat
Make your own dog biscuits by mixing 3 1/2 cups wholemeal flour, 1 cup white flour, 125g minced steak and 1 dessertspoon of salt with enough water to form a stiff dough. Roll to an appropriate size for an oven tray, cut into squares and in a slow oven.

Cool recycling idea
When cleaning your pet brush out, throw the fir outside. Some types of wild birds love animal fur to line their nest. What a neat way to recycle! 

Disinfectant: Homemade, Non-Toxic
Fill an empty spray bottle with a mixture of 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol and remainder with water. After the dogs finishing eating, pick up their bowls and water dish, and spray the area with this mixture. The small amount of alcohol dissipates quickly and the vinegar acts as a natural non-toxic disinfectant. Wipe with paper towel. Area is clean and non-toxic.

Dog dish
For a cheap dog dish that won't blow away, fill an ice-cream container with two centimetres of sand, then sit a second container the same size inside it. 

Drain strain
When your pet is moulting, it's a good idea to cover the drain-hole at bath-time with a strainer so the loose hairs won't clog the drains.

Damaged dry hair
A nourishing conditioner for dry or damaged hair which can be used for all hair types: Separate the white of an egg from the yolk, whip it to a peak. Add 1 Tablespoon of water to the yolk and blend until the mixture is creamy. Then mix the white and yolk together. Wet your hair with warm water, remove the excess moisture, and apply the mixture to your scalp with your fingertips. Massage gently until the froth is worked into your scalp, then rinse the hair with cool water. Keep applying the mixture until it is used up and then rinsed until all of the egg is washed away.

Dandruff
The vinegar is poured into the hair, massaged into the scalp, and left to dry for a few minutes. Then the hair is washed. The process is repeated daily until the dandruff disappears, usually within a few days.

Dogged dish
For a cheap dog dish that won't blow away, fill an ice-cream container with two centimetres of sand, then sit a second container the same size inside it.

Dry Skin
A simple way to treat dry skin is to add a complete oil to your pet's diet. Corn, safflower, peanut, and sunflower are examples of oils that contain all the essential fatty acids. Your cat can take about one-half teaspoon with each meal. Dogs can be given one to three teaspoons with each meal, depending on size. But remember that more is not better since oils are quite fattening.

Dry Skin Shampoo
Several people have reported using this with great success on dogs with dry, scratchy skin and for other skin problems that required frequent baths. 
1/3 Cup Glycerin
1 Cup Lemon Liquid Joy
1 Cup White Vinegar
1 Quart of Water 
Mix in a bottle or an old large shampoo bottle. If you make up the solution in advance, be sure to shake it up before use to make sure the glycerin is mixed thoroughly.

Ear Mites
An oil and vitamin E mixture can help to smother the little buggers that have taken up residence in your pet's ears. Blend one-half ounce of almond or olive oil and 400 I.U. of vitamin E (from a capsule) in a dropper bottle and then warm the mixture to body temperature by immersing it in hot water. 
To administer the drops, hold your pet's ear flap up and put about half a dropperful in the ear. Then massage the ear canal well enough so that you hear a fluid sound. Once you've massaged the area for about a minute, you can let your pet shake her head. After she's finished, gently clean out just the opening of the ear with a cotton swab to remove any extra oil or debris. You should apply the oil in three treatments, once every other day during a six-day period. Make sure to store the mixture at room temperature with the lid tightly capped.

Ear Scratching
Keep dogs from scratching their ears - with a clean, soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar wipe around the area that is being scratched.

Easy Clean Up
Try zippered plastic sandwich bags to clean up after your dog. Turn inside out, pick up waste, turn outside out, zip shut and dispose.

Eliminate Ear Mites
All it takes is a few drops of wesson corn oil in your cat's ear. Massage it in, then clean with a cotton ball. Repeat daily for 3 days. The oil soothes the cat's skin, smothers the mites, and accelerates healing.

Fetching exercise
If your dog loves retrieving a ball but you find it hard to throw it far enough because of age, stiff joints or whatever, use an old tennis racquet to hit the ball. It goes much further than you could throw it and your dog gets plenty of exercise.

Flea control in pet beds
Cut up a new flea collar into four pieces and place under pet's bed or under furniture cushions. This will keep the fleas away from your pet's bed and your furniture. Replace flea collar pieces when expired.

Flea repellents
Try mixing some garlic into their food beginning early in the season. 
Make a simple lemon mixture by slicing a lemon into boiling water and letting it stand for a day. Spray the liquid onto the coat two or three times a week. 
Avon Skin-So-Soft works well mixed with water and used as a spray.

Fleas and mange
Add a little vinegar to your pet's drinking water to fight fleas and mange.

Fleas and Teas
Fleas HATE Stash Earl Grey. Tear open a few bags, scatter the tea about on your carpet and vacuum up in a few days. Fleas will flee. Other folks have noticed that their pets love to roll in Stash-perhaps that's why! 

Fleas in the home
For your house: be inhospitable. 
Try this recipe if your house has already been overrun with fleas. Mix 1-1/2 pounds of diatomaceous earth, 1-1/2 pounds of natural borax, and 1 cup of salt. Put some of this mixture in your vacuum cleaner bag and vacuum all carpets thoroughly. If needed, you can also sprinkle a little of the mix into any confined areas that your pet can't get at, such as closets or small crevices behind furniture. It may take weeks or even months of weekly treatments to get rid of all adult fleas, larvae, and eggs. 
Make sure to purchase the diatomaceous earth and natural borax at a garden store, not at a pool store. The type of diatomaceous earth sold at pool stores has a high crystalline silica content that is dangerous to humans and pets. Buy only diatomaceous earth with a crystalline silica content that is less than 3 percent.

Fly Repellent
2 cups vinegar, 1 cup Avon Skin So Soft, 1 cup water, 1 tbsp. Eucalyptus oil, 1 tbsp citronella oil - Put in a spray bottle and spray dog's coat.

Furniture
To discourage a dog from jumping on bed or couch when you are not home, put a few pennies in an empty soda can and place near edge of the furniture. Went Fido jumps up, can falls and the noise startles him. Be consistent and it won't take long to change behaviour.

Goodbye to ants
Banish ants from your pet's food dish by wiping the floor under and around it with a cloth dipped in kerosene. Then stand the food dish in a larger dish containing water.

Got fleas? Get rid of them!
If you have pets, salt your carpets. At the end of winter, salt your carpets liberally, let stand about 10 minutes and then vacuum up. You just might get the jump on fleas before they get the jump on you. Also, try crumbling dried peppermint over your carpets before vacuuming, smell great and most critters don't like it.

Hair Brushes: 
A refreshing bath for hair brushes consisting of a basin full of warm water, 1 tablespoon of soap or detergent and ½ cup of Borax will clean brushes and leave them smelling sweet and fresh. Swish brushes in the sudsy water, rinse and let dry. 

Healing oil
Anoint small cuts and abrasions on your pets with tea-tree oil - they will leave the wound alone while it heals. 

Hitting the bottle
When puppies are feeling the heat of summer, freeze small bottles of water and put them in the pet enclosure. The pups drape themselves over the bottles and seem much relieved by the coolness.

Homemade Topical Treatment
(use it when you go out once a day or if in the woods, more often).
Use a glycerine base and to it add, lemongrass oil, grape seed oil, eucalyptus oil, citronella oil, and a capsule or two of Vit E for preservation. All the ingredients can be obtained at the Health Food Store locally. Works on fleas, ticks, chiggers and black flies.

Hot dog, cool cap
To satisfy a thirsty dog when travelling or walking, carry a plastic shower cap in your pocket so you can fill it from any handy tap and give him a drink when he needs it.

Hot Spots
Hot spots can lead to serious illness in dogs. They can be caused by allergies to chemicals, food, fleas and other substances, but fleas seem to be a primary source. This recipe has proven effective for many dogs suffering from Hot Spots. 
3 capsules Sage
¼ teaspoon Epsom Salts
2 cups of Water
Combine all ingredients and bring this all to a boil.
Cool to room temperature and then strain out the powdered Sage.
Store in a 2-cup spray bottle or jar in the refrigerator to keep fresh.
Spray or wipe on hot spots, insect bites, or any other skin abrasions as many times a day as possible.
It heals in about 3 days, and you should begin to see some hair regrowth in a little over a week.

Houseflies
1/  Sprinkle dry soap into garbage cans after they have been washed and allowed to dry; it acts as a repellent. 
2/  Place tansy near your kitchen door or where flies tend to cluster. Other repellents include oil of cloves and mint springs. 
3/  Set a sponge in a saucer and soak it with oil of lavender to repel flies. 
4/  A pot of basil set on a window sill or table will help reduce the number of flies in the room.

Insect bites
Mix water with cornstarch into a paste and apply. This is effective in drawing out the poisons of most insect bites and is also an effective remedy for diaper rash.

Irritated Skin
500 ml Sorbolene, add 100 ml tea tree oil, mix well and apply as often as required. 

Keep carpets flea-free
To get ready for flea season, use borax spread thinly on carpets and let stand for one day and vacuum. The borax suffocates and kills fleas and eggs, leaving carpets flea free. It really works! 

Kill fleas inside the vacuum
Cut up excess pieces of your cat's flea collar and vacuum them up so they will kill fleas in the vacuum bag.

Kills fleas instantly
Dawn dishwashing liquid does the trick. Add a few drops to your dog's bath and shampoo the animal thoroughly. Rinse well to avoid skin irritations. Goodbye fleas.

Lint
Get rid of lint in clothes. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Marching millipedes
Keep millipedes out of your house this spring with a line of talcum power - they hate to cross it!

Meat juices
As with blood, they are harder to move when dry, so rinse or sponge with cold water quickly. Soak washable items in biological detergent, working the powder into the stain. If it's still visible, use white spirit or dry-cleaning fluid, rinse, then wash in lukewarm water. Non-washables: Use a dry-cleaning solvent.

Mice
Mice seem to prefer peanut butter, bacon, and nuts, and chocolate to cheese in mouse traps.
A pumpkin seed is a good cheap and effective bait for a mouse trap. Mice love seeds and the smell and the pumpkin seed will not be easily removed by the mouse if you put it on firmly. If you want to make the pumpkin seed even more alluring, rub a small amount of cheese over the upper surface of the seed before, setting the trigger on the trap. Make certain a pet cannot access the trap!!

Mint Border
Something for spring! Mint herbs are very prolific and grow just about anywhere. Separate mint herbs and plant them around dog kennels/ fences. Can be planted along edges of dog yards, as well. These not only smell good when brushed, but also act as an insect repellent.

Mobile home
Put your dog's kennel on wheels; it won't kill the grass and can be rolled under cover in wet weather.

Mosquito Bites
Apply lime juice diluted with water on bites with cotton ball.

Mosquito Control
1/  Dispose of unwanted tin cans and tires. 
2/  Clean clogged roof gutters and drain flat roofs. 
3/  Flush sump-pump pits weekly. 
4/  Stock ornamental pools with fish. 
5/  Change water in birdbaths, fountains, and troughs twice a week. 
6/  Clean and chlorinate swimming pools; when not regularly used, they should be emptied. 
7/  Turn over unused wading pools and other containers that tend to collect rainwater. 
8/  Cover containers tightly with window screen or plastic when storing rainwater for garden use during drought periods. 

Mosquitos: Plant to Keep Mosquitos Away!
The castor bean plant. Seeds available from any nursery. Plant in pots within the house; replant outdoors. Decorative and they grow like weeds!

Mosquitos Won't Bite
Four parts glycerine, 4 parts alcohol, 1 part eucalyptus oil. Or make a solution of equal parts of isopropyl alcohol and methyl phthalate.

No more tangles
For dogs whose hair tangles easily, try using a gentle conditioning rinse at bath time. This should help to make grooming less troublesome.

Out, damned spot
Treat spots on carpets with half a cup of white vinegar mixed with one-and-a-half cups of lukewarm water. Squeeze on spot, let stand a few minutes and blot with a damp cloth. Apply clear water and blot with a clean, dry cloth. Repeat till clean.

Paint in Fur 
Water soluble paints like latex should be washed out of the fur immediately using warm, soapy water. Do NOT use turpentine or varsol, and do not allow your dog to chew it out.

Paw solution
If your dog has to wear a bandage on a paw and keeps chewing the fabric off, spread soap on it and he'll leave it alone.

Pests - Snail cemetery
Keep snail pellets away from dogs, lizards and children by putting them in an old ice-cream container and taping the lid down. Cut two small "snail doors" in either side. The snails will shelter inside, eat the pellets - and die tidily in the container.

Pet bed odours
Eliminate odours from pets beds by liberally sprinkling with Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda), wait 15 minutes (or longer for stronger odours), then vacuum up. Baking Soda is non-toxic and safe to use around pets.

Pet hair removal solution
To remove pet hair from carpet or furniture: mix 1 part fabric softener to 3 parts water in spray bottle and spray on carpets and furniture. Wait 2 or more hours, then vacuum. Hair will pick up much easier.

Pet Urine & Sour Spilled Milk Odors:
Neutralize urine and sour spilled milk odors from mattresses and mattress covers by dampening the spot and sprinkling 20 Mule Team® Borax over it. Rub the 20 Mule Team® Borax into the areas and let dry. Brush or vacuum to remove the dry Borax. 

Pet Urine on Carpet
First, blot up what you can with paper towels. Mix one teaspoon mild dish-washing detergent in one cup warm water, dip a clean towel in the liquid and, working from outside in, dab at stain. Do not overwet. Rinse with fresh water and blot dry. Next, add on-third cup white vinegar with two-thirds cup water and dab on stain. Rinse with water; blot until dry. Once area is totally dry (after at least 24 hours), sprinkle entire carpet with baking soda or rug deodorizer. Vacuum after a few hours.

Poop Eating
A definite solution to this problem, and in order to break the habit, is to sprinkle a teaspoon of MSG over their food. They will not touch !any droppings and it doesn't hurt the dog

Puppy chewing no more
Puppies don't like the smell of oil of cloves, so dab a little onto legs of precious furniture you don't want chewed.

Rainy day cure for dog odour
Next time your dog comes in from the rain, simply wipe down the animal with Bounce or any dryer sheet, instantly making your dog smell springtime fresh.

Removing Pet Hair from Clothing
Just put the item in the dryer with a damp towel and run it for about 20 minutes. The dryer will pull the fur off and the lint trap will catch the pet fur for you.

Save some money
Cheap cleaning solution to take care of pet odours from accident, mix baking soda in water and saturate the area messed by pet urine. Let sit for a few minute and then blot dry and allow to air dry. The odour is gone!

Scorched Skin
If skin is slightly scorched by burning water or hot stove, try to rinse with cold water and apply soap. This will prevent blisters from developing.

Shaving cream to remove stains
On pet stains try foaming shave cream. Spray on, rub in gently, let dry, vacuum. 

Sifting out smells
Bicarbonate of soda is a cheap deodorant for carpets and upholstery and works especially well on pet smells. Sprinkle it on with a flour sifter, then vacuum it off after 15 minutes or so.

Silverfish
If you are troubled with silverfish try placing whole cloves in the closets and drawers

Skunk Smell Removal
Go to our Skunk page

Slugs and Snails - Home Remedy
Stale beer placed about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep in pie pans or similar containers is very attractive to slugs. They will apparently fall into the container and drown. Pans should be placed about 10 feet apart throughout the garden and emptied and refilled as slugs accumulate, as rain dilutes or as evaporation removes the beer.

Smelly carpet
To deodorise the carpet, mix two parts of cornflour with one part borax. Sprinkle liberally on carpet, leave one hour, then vacuum.

Stains & smells
If your cat/dog couldn't make it to the loo, dry it up and pour white vinegar on the spot. Leave and forget it. Vinegar doesn't stain, and the cat/dog will not do it over and over on the same spot, thanks to the vinegar smell.
For red wine stains: Pour any white wine over the red wine stain, immediately after you have spilled the red wine. Leave to soak.

Stains on decking
Scrub with laundry bleach - wear gloves and follow directions on the container. This should remove most stains, including algae. If you end up with a "clean patch" as noticeable as the original stain, you could bleach all the wood to match!

Stickers, Decals, and Glue
To remove them from furniture, glass, plastic, etc. saturate with vegetable oil and rub off. 

Stocking up for the holiday
Tie a piece of your sock or stocking onto your pet's collar if it is being boarded at kennels while you are away. Your scent will stop your cat or dog fretting so much in your absence. 

Tackling tar
Tar stuck on your dog's coat can be removed by rubbing eucalyptus oil into it, leaving it for an hour, then thoroughly shampooing out.

Teething toys
Discourage a puppy from chewing the furniture by giving him his own toy box. It could contain socks, thongs, slippers, a ball, a skipping rope, an old gardening glove or anything else you think might interest him as much as the furniture. 

Ticks & Flea Natural Repellents
Tick Spritzer Blend:
2 drops of Lavender, Basil, Lemon, Opponax, Eucalyptus 
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 
1 teaspoon vodka 
1 cup of dried marjoram, eucalyptus, rosemary 
1-2 cups of water 

Flea Spritzer Blend: 
2 drops of cedarwood, lemongrass, rose geranium 
1 teaspoon AVC (apple cider vinegar) 
1 teaspoon vodka 
1 cup of dried peppermint, eucalyptus, bay leaf herbs 
1-2 cups of water 

Add the essential oils and vodka in a bottle, tighten the lid and shake well. Once the mixture blended (should turn white), add apple cider vinegar. If you have some herbs mentioned above you can make an herbal tea to use in your spritzer. 

Boil 2-4 cups of water and remove from heat. Add your dried herbs in the water and let is simmer for 30 minutes. Once cool, drain and use instead of plain water in your spritzer. If you are using an herbal tea, this mixture must be kept in the refrigerator as the herbal teas have the tendency to go bad faster. 

Once you have your spritzer you can use this by gently spraying it in to your dogs coat, legs, tummy and back. Rub it in well and apply it as necessary. Do not use any of the essential oils on your dogs face or around nose, ears and eyes. Respect the sensitive nose he/she has and go easy when using aromatic substances such as essential oils.

Sevi Kay, Certified Aromatherapist, Botanical Dog Products Formulator
http://www.holistichealthtools.com/fleas.html

Tonsillitis
For dogs suffering from Tonsillitis, try putting a drop of Lugols Iodine in a little milk, and feeding that every day to the dog for a week.

Try static guard
When trying to get rid of pesky pet hair on the furniture, spray the area with static guard before vacuuming it up. It comes up much easier that way.

Urine
Fresh stains on washable articles can be rinsed in cold, salty water, then washed. Soak dried stains in biological detergent and use hydrogen peroxide and ammonia solution if necessary. Non-washable articles: Sponge fresh stain with cold water, then white vinegar solution. For dried stains, you may need a drycleaner. 

Urine Odors
Urine odors on mattresses and mattress covers may be neutralized by dampening the spot and sprinkling borax over it. Rub the borax into the areas and let dry. Brush or vacuum to remove the dry borax. Pet urine and sour milk odors can be neutralized using the same process.

Vomit
Remove excess. Run washable article under cold tap, soak in biological detergent, rinse, then wash as usual. Non-washable articles: Sponge with cold water. Then sponge with mix of two and a half cups warm water and one tablespoon of borax. A wipe with eucalyptus oil helps cover odour. 

Wasps and Yellow Jackets 
Homemade wasp/yellowjacket trap
Cut the top off a 2 litre plastic pop bottle. Make the cut just at the top of the straight sides.
Invert the cut off top into the bottom portion and staple in place. 
Pour a sweet smelling liquid into the funnel top you have made. About 2 inches of liquid in the bottom of the trap is enough. Carbonated pop (cream soda) seems to work well but try something different in each one to determine what your wasps prefer. 
Place your traps in a wide circle 30 to 50 feet away from the area you want to be "wasp free". Try to place some of them in the flight path. 
If you smack a few with a fly swatter, put them in the top of the trap. The dead ones give off an alarm scent that will attract others

Water with a twist
Keep your pet's drinking water fresh by tossing a few crushed mint leaves into it. This also helps to keep down the formation of algae on the container.

More urine removal tips
To Clean Washable Items
Machine wash as usual, adding a one pound box of baking soda to your regular detergent. If possible, it’s best to air dry these items. 
If you can still see the stain or smell the urine, machine wash the item again and add an enzymatic cleaner. Be sure to follow the directions carefully. 
During the re-training period, a good way to discourage your pet from using the bedding is to cover the bed with a vinyl, flannel-backed tablecloth. They’re machine washable, inexpensive and unattractive to your pet. 
To Clean Carpeted Areas and Upholstery
Soak up as much of the urine as possible with a combination of newspaper and paper towels. The more fresh urine you can remove before it dries, especially from carpet, the simpler it will be to remove the odour. Place a thick layer of paper towels on the wet spot and cover that with a thick layer of newspaper. Stand on this padding for about a minute. Remove the padding and repeat the process until the area is barely damp. 
If possible, take the fresh, urine-soaked paper towel to the area where it belongs -- your cat’s litter box or your dog’s designated outdoor "bathroom area" -- and let your pet see you do it. Don’t act angry when you do this, but try to project a "happy" attitude to your pet. This will help to remind your pet that eliminating isn’t a "bad" behaviour as long as it’s done in the right place. 
Rinse the "accident zone" thoroughly with clean, cool water. After rinsing, remove as much of the water as possible by blotting or by using a "wet-vac," "shop-vac" or "extractor." 
If you’ve previously used cleaners or chemicals of any kind on the area, then neutralizing cleaners won’t be effective until you’ve rinsed every trace of the old cleaner from the carpet. Even if you haven’t used chemicals recently, any trace of a non-protein-based substance will weaken the effect of the enzymatic cleaner. The cleaner will use up its "energy" on the old cleaners instead of on the protein stains you want removed. 
To remove all traces of old chemicals and clean old or heavy stains in carpeting, consider renting an extractor or wet-vac from a local hardware store. This machine operates much like a vacuum cleaner and is efficient and economical. Extracting/wet-vac machines do the best job of forcing clean water through your carpet and then forcing the dirty water back out again. When using these machines or cleaners, be sure to follow the instructions carefully. Don’t use any chemicals with these machines – they work much more effectively with plain water. 
Once the area is really clean, you should use a high-quality pet odour neutralizer available at pet supply stores. Test the affected surface for staining first, and read and follow the instructions. 
If the area still looks stained after it’s completely dry from extracting and neutralizing, try any good carpet stain remover. 
If urine has soaked down into the padding underneath your carpet, your job will be more difficult. You may need to remove and replace that portion of the carpet and padding. 
Using the suggestions in our positive reinforcement and housetraining handouts, make the "accident zone" unattractive, the appropriate "bathroom" area attractive, and teach your pet where you want him to eliminate, instead. The re-training period may take a week or more. Remember, it took time to build the bad habit, and it will take time to replace that habit with a new, more acceptable behaviour. Treat your pet with patience and give him a lot of encouragement! 
To Clean Floors and Walls
If the wood on your furniture, walls, baseboard or floor is discoloured, the varnish or paint has been affected by the acid in the urine. You may need to remove and replace the layer of varnish or paint. Employees at your local hardware or building supply store can help you identify and match your needs with appropriate removers and replacements. Washable enamel paints and some washable wallpapers, may respond favourably to enzymatic cleaners. Read the instructions carefully before using these products and test them in an invisible area.
Removing Stains: 
An equal mixture of salt and white vinegar will clean coffee and tea stains from china cups.
Loosen tough stains: 
To loosen hard-to-clean stains in glass, aluminium or porcelain pots or pans, boil 1/4-cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water. Wash in hot, soapy water.

Go HERE to our 30 Old Fashioned Home Remedies page!

HERE is a site with great STAIN REMOVAL tips!