Summer Tips for Pets and People
Flea-Be-Gone Dog Treats
Frugal dog owners can make a batch of homemade biscuits as treats. They will keep for weeks, are cheaper than store-bought varieties, and can even help control fleas. A batch of these would make a great gift for any dog lover.
Stir 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon garlic powder together in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, mix 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup wheat germ, 1/2 cup brewer's yeast, and 1 teaspoon salt. Slowly add oil and garlic mixture to dry ingredients, and stir in 1 cup chicken broth when mixture gets too dry. Mix thoroughly until you get a doughy consistency. Roll dough onto a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Use knife to cut dough into squares, or, for a special treat, use cookie cutters to make dough shapes. Place shapes onto a large, greased baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are brown. Allow to cool 2 hours, then store in plastic bags in a location dogs can't reach.
When Your Pets Meet a SKUNK!
GNLD's Green Cleaner is ideal to use either as a dip or as a shampoo to COMPLETELY eliminate the odor of skunk on your pets -- and your clothes and skin and anything else that is washable! Replace doggie shampoos with gentle Green! GNLD's biodegradable Green is pH balanced and will not strip natural oils from the skin, leaving the hair clean & shiny. Does not leave the usual soap residue on the hair and skin that attracts dirt or causes "hot spots" even if you miss some and don't get it all rinsed out. Experiment -- use it for dogs who smell "skunky" (instead of using that messy tomato mixture). It will leave them smelling fresh!
I wash my Pekes in the kitchen sink since they fit into it so well and it has a spray hose so that I can rinse them well underneath. I fill the sink about 3/4 full with water, then add about a 1/4 cup of GNLD's Green Cleaner and use it as a dip. I then put some in my hand and work it into the thick areas of their fur, under their chin and up around their heads. I take a wash cloth (squeeze it out) and work around their face, being careful not to get it in their eyes. It works well for around the folds on their little flat faces. After I am done rinsing and drying them, they smell like little flowers!
Bee Sting Relief for Pets
After making sure the stinger is removed, cover a bee sting on your pet with a baking soda paste.
Or, you can also use distilled vinegar mixed with cornstarch to make a paste. Apply paste to a bee sting or bug bite, and let it dry.
Poison Ivy and Poison Oak
Soothe the rash by using a vinegar compress. Mix 1/2 cup distilled vinegar in a 1-pint container, then add enough water to fill. Chill container in the refrigerator. When cool, dampen a cloth or gauze with solution, and apply to rash.
Sunburn
Distilled vinegar has a cooling effect on sunburn. Splash it over sunburned area, then lightly rub into skin. Or simply cool sunburn with diluted vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray on affected area.
Fiber Dog Treats
The bran in this doggie treat recipe will provide your pet with much-needed fiber.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine 2 tablespoon wheat germ, 1/4 cut crushed bran flakes, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1/8 cup corn meal, 1/8 cup white flour, 1 tablespoon molasses, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 teaspoon sage, 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1/3 cup warm water, and 1 teaspoon salt.
Pour small batches of mixture into food processor and blend, adding water as mixture balls up. When it becomes 1 ball of dough, flatten and roll it onto a bread board. Cut shapes out of dough with a cookie cutter or knife. Lightly grease a cookie sheet, and bake treats for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Cool, and store in an airtight container.
Fleas in Carpeting
If you've had a flea infestation in your home, sprinkle carpet or rugs with salt to help kill any remaining flea eggs. Let stand a few hours, then vacuum. Repeat weekly for 6 weeks. Put salt in your vacuum cleaner bag to help kill flea eggs that may have been vacuuned.
