This was a mistake — no shaved Sherlock

Dear Heloise: We recently took our dog, Sherlock, to a groomer because he needed to be shaved. The groomer who performed the service had left for the day when we arrived to pick him up. My husband went in to get the dog while I paid the bill. I turned around and my husband was carrying the shaved dog out to the car.

The workers could not find the dog’s collar and leash. Upon arriving home, I carried the dog into the house. The dog started running around, sniffing everything. I thought that was a strange action for Sherlock. I tried to feed him his favorite food, but no takers. I then told my husband that something was wrong with the dog.

He started watching the dog and then suddenly said, “That isn’t our dog, because it’s female!” The groomers had given us the wrong dog! I called the groomer, and by the time we got there, Sherlock had been found, along with his collar and leash.

So, be careful — shaved dogs look alike! Nell Funk in Schertz, Texas

Dear Heloise: When my dog had surgery, I had to put salve on the stitches. When Bobby Lee would jump up on the couch, the salve would leave little grease marks where he usually lies. They were quite difficult to remove and required a lot of work.

So, I got several big beach towels and placed them on the couch and chairs. I can just throw them in the washer when dirty, and no more furniture spots. Michelle from Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas

Dear Readers: Dicksie Hoyt-Diakoff of Fair Haven, N.J., sent in a photo of her great-grandson Andrew B. Callen III with his constant companion, Lucy the black Lab. They are head to head and cute as can be. Dicksie says, “They are inseparable, and Lucy ‘cares’ for him, even stopping him from crying by consoling him.”

Visit www.Heloise.com to see them! Heloise

Dear Heloise: I put a small birdbath in my birds’ cage, and they did not use it at all! When I asked my veterinarian, she said that the birds might not be using it because they can’t tell how deep the water is. She suggested placing a small marble or pebble in the bottom of the bath to allow the birds to gauge the depth. Sure enough, the birds started using the bath. The water does get murky, so I change it daily. Mary Ann Smith, La Vernia, Texas

Thanks for sharing, Mary Ann. I want to share one more bird hint. Birds use their beaks to crack open and eat their seed, often leaving the hulls in the food dish. Take the dish outdoors and blow the empty hulls out of the dish, leaving only the whole seeds behind. Birds should have fresh food every day. Heloise

• Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to (210) HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

King Features Syndicate