HINTS AND TIPS

Mix the oils in two ounces of water in a spray-mist bottle. Shake well and spray the fragrance in the air or in a specific area such as a bathroom or pet area.

Pet Blend
16 drops cedarwood oil
8 drops tea tree oil

Deodorising Spray
10 drops bergamot oil
30 drops tea tree oil
12 drops lemon oil

A few drops of Zoflora in your washing-up bowl: boil the kettle and tip boiling water into the bowl over the Zoflora, and the smell will waft through the house. Ensure you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines when using Zoflora where dogs walk.

Ant bait
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup baking yeast
½ cup molasses
6 pieces of card, approximately 3 inches square

Mix all the ingredients together, then smear a thin layer onto each piece of card and place them in the area where you have seen the ants.

Ant deterrent
Spray white vinegar around your doors and windows and anywhere there is a known ant trail.

If your bitch is in season and you are not planning to mate her, liquid chlorophyll is available from health-food shops, or Dorwest Herbs sells tablets designed to help mask the smell.

Start with 5 ml and increase it daily to approximately two capfuls for a medium-sized dog. Chlorophyll is non-toxic, soothing to body tissues and suitable for dogs of all ages.

Dogs do not like the smell of oil of cloves. Dabbed onto furniture, it may deter even a persistent chewer.

Non-toxic disinfectant: Fill a spray bottle with a mixture of ½ cup of white vinegar and ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol, then top up with tap water. Use on wipeable surfaces. The alcohol dissipates quickly and the vinegar acts as a natural disinfectant.

Old cot mattresses make excellent dog beds and are usually covered in waterproof fabric, so they can be wiped down and kept clean easily.

Apparently, tomato ketchup can help remove the smell. Cowboy Magic Greenspot Remover can be used for removing smelly substances, including horse manure. There are also several fox-poo shampoos available, or you can use a 50/50 mixture of water and apple-cider vinegar.

An easy way to remove fur from furniture, curtains, cushions and other fabrics is with rubber gloves. Put on a pair, dampen them slightly, then sweep your hands over the hairy areas. Use your fingers to reach awkward areas; the hair should stick to the rubber.

Baby wipes can also work well for removing hair from fabrics.

Benzyl benzoate emulsion can be applied to the area with cotton wool. Ensure the dog cannot lick the emulsion.

For hotspots and insect bites:
3 capsules of sage
¼ teaspoon of Epsom salts
2 cups of water

Combine all the ingredients and bring to the boil. Cool to room temperature and strain out the powdered sage. Store in a spray bottle in the refrigerator. Spray or wipe onto hotspots, insect bites or other skin abrasions as required.

Use a rinse of calendula to clean the wound, followed by calendula ointment.

Colloidal silver can be used on wounds.

Cut Heal provides a protective wound covering without the need for a bandage.

If the paint is water-based and has not dried, use baby or dog shampoo, avoiding shampoos containing harsh chemicals.

A different approach is required if the paint has dried or is oil-based. Massage salad oil, petroleum jelly or peanut butter into the coat to break down the paint, then try pulling it out carefully with your fingers. Remove excess oil with a paper towel.

Avon Skin So Soft may also help remove oil-based paint and tar.

Baby socks make useful coverings for sore paws that need to be kept clean and dry.

Salt used on roads and pavements during winter can damage a dog’s pads. Musher’s Secret Paw Protection may help and can also reduce the build-up of snowballs in heavy snow.

Dog paw and pad-care products

Dogs can also develop sore pads during summer from hot pavements. Minor burns can be washed and protected with a loose-fitting bandage. More serious burns require veterinary advice.

Cracked pads can be moisturised with bag balm, while soft pads may be hardened using surgical spirit or Tuf-Foot.

To remove pet hair from furniture and car upholstery, put a rubber glove on your hand and wipe it over the seats.

Bounce tumble-dryer sheets may also help collect dog hair.

For dogs with dry or itchy skin and other skin problems requiring frequent baths:

⅓ cup glycerine
1 cup puppy shampoo
1 cup white vinegar
3 cups water

Mix everything in a plastic bottle. Shampoo as normal and rinse well. Shake the stored mixture thoroughly before use to ensure the glycerine is mixed properly.

Dry, flaky skin can be treated with oatmeal. Oatmeal contains substances that may help relieve itching, inflammation and irritation.

Place a handful of oats inside a nylon sock and slide the open end over the bath tap. Fill the bath with lukewarm water filtered through the oats and soak the dog for approximately 15 minutes.

Oatmeal shampoos are also available. Plain, cooked and unsweetened oats can be added to a dog’s diet, but avoid artificially flavoured varieties.

Mix four parts self-raising flour with one part bicarbonate of soda and rub it into the stain. Leave for five to ten minutes, then shampoo it out.

Rub eucalyptus oil into the affected area, leave for approximately one hour, then shampoo it out.

To remove burrs or sticky substances such as paint or tar, soak the tangles or dirty fur with vegetable oil. The tangles can then be combed out and the oil removed with shampoo.

To clean a dog’s teeth, put a plaster over your finger, dip it into bicarbonate of soda and rub it gently onto the teeth.

Alternatively, use a specialist canine dental gel or spray.

How to trim your dog’s nails without using nail clippers: click here.

Acidophilus is available from health-food shops. It is similar to natural yoghurt in capsule form and helps restore friendly bacteria, particularly when dogs are taking antibiotics.

From personal experience, I have found Protect from Dog Health to be excellent for an upset or gurgling stomach. Only a very small amount is required.

Mix 16 oz of hydrogen peroxide, one tablespoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of washing-up liquid in a plastic spray bottle. Shake until dissolved and allow the solution to stand for one hour before use.

Test it first on a small, hidden part of the carpet or fabric, as some non-colourfast materials may fade. Saturate the stain and allow it to soak in. Do not blot, scrub or walk on the area. Allow it to air-dry, then vacuum away any baking-soda residue.

Alternatively: Mix half a bottle of white vinegar with water and add four heaped teaspoons of baking soda. Keep it in a spray bottle. Blot the stain, spray the mixture liberally over it, leave for ten minutes, then blot again.

A 50/50 mixture of water and apple-cider vinegar can also be used as a wash.