Malti-poo needs help keeping eye area clean

heloise

Dear Heloise: I love your Pet of the Week photos. I have a 6-month-old white Malti-poo, Chula, and I am having lots of trouble keeping the area around her eyes clean and stain-free. Can you provide a simple hint for keeping it clean? Alma Sepulveda, via e-mail

Alma, this is a common problem, especially on light-colored dogs. Here’s an easy hint: Use a solution of one part plain baby shampoo to 10 parts warm water. Mix the solution and, using a cotton ball, gently wipe the area until the stain is gone. Then wipe with warm tap water. If the dog has an excessive amount of eye discharge, you should have your vet check it out to make sure there is not a more serious issue going on. Heloise

P.S.: We clean our Cabbie’s eyes with this solution. Of course, she always gets a treat afterward!

Dear Heloise: My golden retrievers seem to have a really serious shedding problem. I love my dogs dearly, but is there anything I can do or buy to minimize the shedding all over my house? Sue, via e-mail

Well, these big, beautiful dogs do shed. We had a lovable one named J.D. who adopted us. When I would brush him outside, the birds were happy with all of the “fluff” to put in their nest. You can buy a special brush called an undercoat rake, sold at pet-supply and feed stores. Go outside in your back yard or on a patio and brush the rake deeply through your dogs’ coats. You will be amazed at how much hair comes off. Heloise

Dear Readers: Donald Tuttle of Augusta, Maine, sent a photo of his white cat, Virus, eating corn on the cob. Donald says: “Virus just loves corn on the cob. She holds the cob down with her paws and pulls the kernels out of the cob. It is so funny to watch her, and she’ll eat a whole ear of corn!”

To see this cat on the cob, visit www.Heloise.com. Heloise

Dear Heloise: Here is how I keep birds from flying into windows: I take a piece of metallic ribbon, gold or silver, and tack one end to the top of the window frame, outside the glass. Twist the ribbon a few times and tack the other end to the bottom of the window frame. I now have an almost constantly moving signal, which birds will see. Edie in Washington

You are right. I just taped some multicolored metallic ribbon on our sliding door, and it seems to be working. Heloise

Dear Heloise: I have two fleece pads for our dogs, and washing alone was never enough to get them clean. I brush them with the dog brush before I wash them. Barbara M., San Antonio

SBlt 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