Rodney the chowhound gets his food without hassle

Dear Heloise: We have a big dog (Rodney, a mastiff) who is a chowhound! We buy his food in the largest bags available. I got tired of constantly struggling with these giant bags. Then I came up with the following idea:

We buy the large, 2-gallon plastic bags for freezing fresh veggies, etc. I measure out the dog food and fill the bags. Then I store them in the laundry room. They can be laid pretty flat, and I just reuse the bags when they are empty. Handling the food is a lot easier for me, and the kids, too! J.W., via e-mail

Another idea is to buy a large trash can with a tight-fitting lid. Fill with dry dog food, add a cup for easy dipping, and you are ready to go! Heloise

Dear Readers: Dot Clark of Frankston, Texas, sent a photo of her black-and-white cat, Furby, lying on a chair in front of a pillow that reads “If you want the best seat in the house, you’ll have to move the cat.”

Dot says: “I always enjoy the cute pet photos in your column, so I thought I would share this one of my Furby. No caption needed!”

To see Furby, visit www.Heloise.com. Heloise

Dear Heloise: My dentally challenged aged cat cannot chew packaged dry-food kibbles. To compensate for this problem, I place the required amount of food in a plastic zipper-top plastic bag and pound it on the concrete garage floor with a rubber mallet until pulverized. This works very quickly and much more efficiently than a food chopper or blender. Richard Venable, San Angelo, Texas

Richard, the many elderly cats and dogs out there thank you for this hint! Heloise

Dear Heloise: My dog is getting ready to have surgery this week. To keep his bed clean, I am going to remove the cushion cover, put the whole bed into a trash bag and then put the cushion cover back on. He can use his bed, and I’ll be able to wash the ointment out of the cover. When he is well, the cushion cover will go into the laundry and the bag will be used for trash. Carrie, via e-mail

Dear Readers: Want to make a free toy for your dog or cat? Use an empty plastic water bottle and put a small treat inside. It makes noise, and your pet will be entertained while chasing it. When the bottle gets smashed, it gets recycled. Our Cabbie, a mini schnauzer, gets the lid off in record time! Heloise

Dear Heloise: Partially opened cans of food could pose a danger to your pet.

If the lid is not removed, your dog or cat can get its nose and tongue stuck in the can.

Make it a point to remove the lids from cans. Betty, via e-mail

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