HELOISE Right code word finally worked for Meg

Dear Heloise: As you often have tips about pets, I thought I would pass on one of my own.
After 50 years' experience with dogs -- my own and rescued, abused and abandoned ones -- I thought I was fairly well-versed in canine lore, but you can always learn!
A 3-year-old Australian cattle dog, abandoned in the country, came to live with me a year ago. I tried various names and found that she responded best to "Meg."
The code word for my own dogs is "here," followed by their name. When I called, "Here, Meg," she would sit or stand without moving, which I interpreted as stubbornness after several weeks. One day I was so frustrated that I yelled "come," and like a bullet, she flew to my side, circled behind me and sat straight as an arrow by my left heel.
All this time I had been using the wrong code words. So please, if you get an adult dog, try to find out what it understands from previous training by using different words and phrases.
And remember, the dog will take a while to get used to your own individual way of speaking, even with words it has previously been taught! M.K., Colorado Springs, Colo.
Thank you for adopting an abandoned four-legged friend -- or, should I say, allowing the dog to adopt you! I am so glad you found those magic words for Meg. It sounds like she had some previous training and is eager to please. Heloise
P.S. Folks, dogs are never too old to learn to sit.
Dear Readers: V. Kirkland of Cleveland, Tenn., sent in a wonderful photo of a fat raccoon lounging after a satisfying meal. Her attached caption, "Relaxing after lunch," really fits the bill. Visit my Web site, www.Heloise.com, to see this truly cute photo! Heloise
Dear Heloise: Living in the country on a farm, we use small coffee cans to dip feed for livestock. They are a good way to measure.
In addition, we punch holes in the bottoms of other coffee cans, fill them with powdered bug chemicals, replace the plastic lids and "powder" the cabbage and other plants. This is also a good way to put lime on your plants. Pat Armstrong, Churchville, Va.
Pat, I like your hints. Indeed, my friends Bill and Jane of Anniston, Ala., use coffee cans to feed their horses, too, as I observed on a recent visit. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Here's a hint that I've used for years:
Opening cat-food boxes without breaking a nail has always been a challenge for me. One day, I decided to use a simple punch-type can opener.
I just punched a hole at the opening site and tore back the top lid. Since I store the cat food in an airtight container, it doesn't matter what happens to the box itself. This really speeds up the process and makes it less painful for me. C.O., via e-mail
Dear Heloise: My hamster is always climbing on the water bottle in his cage, so I put petroleum jelly on the bottle. It works like a dream, because the bottle is too slippery for him to climb on it. Karen Stephenson, Arlington, Va.
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