Mini schnauzers have favorite toys: socks!

HELOISE: Mini schnauzers have favorite toys: socks!

Dear Heloise: I’m a big fan! We have two mini schnauzers, Millie and Maggie, who sleep at my feet all day in my home office. Here are my two dog hints:

We don’t like the tinkling of dog tags because we are both light sleepers. I use fishing line to sew their tags to their harnesses in a conspicuous place. I put both home-phone and cell-phone numbers on the tags because we travel a lot.

Their favorite toys are socks! Because they were originally bred to hunt rodents, I think the socks resemble, uh, expired prey. I collect socks with holes, and when I have a few, I take one of the pairs without holes and stuff it full of the holey ones. Next, I split the elastic top of the stuffed sock lengthwise into four strips. I tie the strips together with several knots to close the “sock rat.” You might want to keep an eye on the toy to make sure they don’t shred or swallow the sock. When the toys wear out, no great loss, because they are essentially free! Diana from Leesburg, Ind.

How lucky you are to have two mini schnauzers in your life! Our Cabbie also rests wherever we are — office, kitchen, den or bed! She even has several pillows throughout the house to snuggle up on. Thankfully, she has not brought me a dead rat, like our departed Black Jack (a Lab/greyhound mix) used to do! Heloise

Dear Readers: Do you enjoy bird-watching? This is an inexpensive and fascinating hobby; all you really need is some binoculars and a book to help you identify the birds. A journal also is helpful to log the birds you’ve seen. (I have my list of birds I’ve seen written on the front inside cover of one bird book.)

My favorite spot is the South Texas coast near Rockport, where there is a whooping crane refuge. I’ve been honored to see these large, magnificent birds several times. It’s always a thrill! Heloise

Dear Readers: Tom and Maryanne Dubay of South Gardiner, Maine, sent a photo of their two dogs, Ana the Doberman and Eli the Dalmatian, sitting cozily by the fire. The Dubays say: “This is a peaceful moment in the household. Winters in Maine encourage stove hugging.”

To see Ana and Eli, visit www.Heloise.com. Heloise

Dear Readers: My miniature schnauzer, Cabbie, loves carrots and sometimes cucumbers as treats! I wondered if they were OK to give her, so I checked with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

They said that carrots and cucumbers are safe for dogs. They advise giving these veggies in small amounts first and watching for minor stomach upset. If so, discontinue, of course, but overall, the dog should enjoy the treat and have no problems with digestion. Heloise

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