Article Kindly Provided by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)

Many common household items can pose a threat to animal companions. Even some items specifically meant for pets could cause health problems. To protect your pet, simply use common sense and take the same precautions you would with a child. Although rodent poisons and insecticides are the most common sources of companion animal poisoning, the following list of less common but potentially toxic agents should be avoided if at all possible:

• Antifreeze that contains ethylene glycol has a sweet taste that attracts animals but is deadly if consumed in even small quantities; one teaspoon can kill a seven-pound cat. The HSUS recommends pet owners use safe antifreeze in their vehicles. Look for antifreeze that contains propylene glycol, which is safe for animals if ingested in small amounts. Ethylene glycol can also be found in common household products like snow globes, so be sure to keep these things out the reach of animals.
• Cocoa mulch contains ingredients that can be deadly to pets if ingested. The mulch, sold in garden supply stores, has a chocolate scent that is appetizing to some animals.
• Chemicals used on lawns and gardens, such as fertilizer and plant food, can be easily accessible and fatal to a pet allowed in the yard unsupervised.
• Cedar and other soft wood shavings, including pine, emit fumes that may be dangerous to small mammals like hamsters and gerbils.
• Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, cats, and ferrets.
• De-icing salts used to melt snow and ice are paw irritants that can be poisonous if licked off. Paws should be washed and dried as soon as the animal comes in from the snow. Other options include doggie boots with Velcro straps to protect Fido’s feet, and making cats indoor pets.
• Insect control products, such as the insecticides used in many over-the-counter flea and tick remedies, may be toxic to companion animals. Prescription flea and tick control products are much safer and more effective. Pet owners should never use any product without first consulting a veterinarian.
• Fumes from nonstick cooking surfaces and self-cleaning ovens can be deadly to birds. Always be cautious when using any pump or aerosol spray around birds.
• Human medications such as pain killers (including aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen), cold medicines, anti-cancer drugs, anti-depressants, vitamins, and diet pills can all be toxic to animals. Keep medication containers and tubes of ointments and creams away from pets that could chew through them, and be vigilant about finding and disposing of any dropped pills.

We’ve all been at the gym, riding the stationary bicycle, reading or watching TV in peace when along comes Mr. Grunt. Mr. Grunt gets on the bike next to you, proceeds to make the most horrible guttural noises and throws sweat all the way across the room. Pretty annoying and quite disgusting. Sure, Mr. Grunt might not know how much his enthusiasm for working out freaks out everyone else in the gym, but perhaps he’ll read the following and take some cues as to how to be a little more conscientious at the gym.

Stop it with the noises. Don’t grunt or wheeze or hum or sing along with your iPod. Be conscientious of other people and try to avoid loud and obnoxious conversations and laughing. This goes double for when you’re taking an exercise class. People are there to concentrate and work out, not to listen to you and your best friend talking about the game or that cute guy you met last night.

Turn the cell phone off for once why don’t ya? There’s really no need to keep your cell phone with you when you’re working out. If you’re expecting an important, emergency call, you probably don’t want to speak to that person when you’re in the process of lifting weights or taking a spinning class, so wait to take the class until after the call. Hey, there’s voicemail for a reason. No one wants to hear your annoying cell phone ring when they’re trying to concentrate. Just shut it off or leave it in the locker.

Did you ever get so excited that the leg press was free that you ran to it sat down and realized… yuck, your bum is wet from the sweat left over from the last user? It’s gross. Carry a towel with you, because if you’re working out, you’re going to sweat. Just make sure you don’t leave puddles for the next person, if you do, CLEAN IT UP!

Don’t be an equipment hog. If there are time limits posted, stick to them. Not only are they there to make sure that everyone in the gym has equal time, and an adequate chance of using the equipment they want, but extended use of certain machines can overextend your body. Don’t risk pulled or strained muscles, or having everyone in the gym call you “the Hog” behind your back. Take your time then move on.

In a similar vein, if someone is using a machine that you want to use, don’t stand there and stare at them while they’re trying to work out. Don’t make huffing and puffing noises either. The only thing that will do is make the person using the equipment mad, and odds are, you’re not going to get your turn any sooner. If you’re waiting for a machine and someone has gone over the time limit indicated, or if they’ve just been on it for way too long, politely ask them how much longer they intend to be. That is enough to usually do the trick. But, if you are going to ask someone how long they’re going to be… DON’T do it mid-set. Wait until they take a break to interrupt their routine.

Did you know that more than one million North Americans will be bitten by dogs this year, and about one million dog bites will go unreported?  It’s sad but most of the victims will be children.
Most of these dog bites will come from animals that they know. Unleashed dogs will account for most of the bites inflicted.

Pet owners that are not educated on pet safety and who are not committed to training their pet/s are what lead to most dog bites.  We must realize that dogs don’t normally become a part of our
families already trained.

 

Why Do Dogs Bite?

A dog will bite if scared, angry, or threatened. Even a dog that is friendly might bite.

If he feels he’s cornered or crowded.

They will protect what they think belongs to them, like their food, toys, etc.

Dogs will protect their space, including their sleeping area, yard, porch, cars and home.

Dogs are predatory by nature and love to chase and attack.

A stray dog may feel upset at being lost or might be hurt, in this situation, the dog may bite with less provocation.

A startled dog may lash out and bite.

 

How to Prevent Bites

Teach young children to be careful around pets. Don’t allow children to play rough with dogs and do not allow puppies to bite, not even play biting.

Teach your children never get close to strange dogs.

Do not touch items that belong to a dog, like their food, bones and toys.

Refrain from running past a dog. They love to chase. Avoid getting a dog excited or aggressive, by yelling and screaming.

You never want to pet a dog who is eating, sleeping or caring for its puppies.

Stay away from dogs that are tied up or in cars.

You should always ask permission from a pet owner to pet his dog. Even if he’s present and the dog is on a leash.

Refrain from swinging your arms or other things at a dog.  The dog might deem this play and see it as an invitation to bite.

You should never pet stray dogs or ones that are running loose.

 

Remember to teach your children how act around dogs, it will keep them safe.

 

About the Author - Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: Good Night Camping Equipment

You thought you were safe in your bed until you woke up with a giant red bump on your arm. Where’d that come from? Stumbling out of bed in your sleepiness, you misjudge the distance between yourself and the door frame and stub your toe. Before you can investigate the bump, you need your morning coffee. Reaching for a mug, you realize a second too late that your roommate piled the cups a little too precariously and one hits you squarely on the head on its way to the ceramic tile, where it shatters and causes a cut on your ankle. The bad news: You’re off to a really bad start today. The good news: Apartments.com has your injuries covered. Here’s a beginner’s guide to healing all those little “ouches!” before they get out of control.

Spider Bites

Most of the spiders found in the United States are harmless, with the exception of the black widow and brown recluse, which are only found in warm climates. If you have any reason to believe you have been bitten by one of these spiders, apply ice to the bite and head to the emergency room immediately. For all other bites:

-Wash the bite carefully with soap and water two to three times a day until the skin is healed.
-Apply cool compresses (washcloths or towels are fine).
-Take a pain reliever if the bite hurts.
-Apply an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.

Head Bumps

Unless you are experiencing severe bleeding, loss of consciousness, cessation of breathing, confusion, loss of balance, weakness in arms or legs, enlarged pupils, vomiting or slurred speech, you don’t need to seek medical help. If you (or someone you know) is having one of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 and keep the person still in a dark place until help arrives. There is no specific medical treatment for a minor bump to the head; in time, it will heal on its own.

Cuts/Scrapes

If the cut appears to be very deep and/or won’t stop bleeding, apply gentle pressure and go to the emergency room. For minor cuts and scrapes:

-Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth if the area is bleeding. Leave the cloth on for 20-30 minutes without removing it.
-Rinse the wound with water. Use tweezers cleaned with alcohol to remove any debris in the wound. Clean the area around the wound with soap and water, avoid getting soap in the wound itself.

Have you recently started playing the piano again after years of letting the ivories stay silent?  Or are you looking for a way to let out all that creative energy, never having been much of an artist?  Even though you’re not in the third grade anymore, you can take classes to help you start up a new hobby or improve your skills in an old one.  You never know what hidden talents you have until you get out there and start learning!   Here are some options that may be available in your community:

Ceramics
The art of turning clay into sculpture isn’t a new art form but you’ll be able to create completely original pieces after you learn the basics.  Ceramics lessons are a great option for people who have yet to find their artistic side.  You don’t need any prior experience but can create beautiful décor after just a few lessons.

Piano
If you have never played a musical instrument before and would like to learn how, the piano is the perfect place to start.  You’ll challenge your mind and surprise yourself with your ability to play songs after a month or so.  The more you are able to practice, the faster you’ll progress.

Ballroom Dance
The craze has swept the nation and you’re still not a part of it?  Get in the game with this exciting and fun activity.  Even if you’re on your own, most classes allow single registrants without a partner.  You’ll become more graceful and self-confident as you learn a variety of dance styles and techniques.  If your town doesn’t have a dance studio, check your local community center to see if it offers these classes.

Foreign Language
Did you excel at French in high school but gave it up after you graduated?  Learning a foreign language is a challenging hobby but can really pay off.  Besides learning about a new culture, knowing a foreign language can improve your career or even land you a new one. 

Painting/Art
Check out the class schedule at your local community college and see if any of the art classes catch your eye.  From painting to sculpture classes, you’ll have access to the equipment and instruction of a college-level curriculum.  Not only can you learn how to express yourself through art but you may also learn how to make gifts, from the heart, for your loved ones.

Cooking
If you’re a beginner, taking an introductory cooking class will help you with basic techniques, food preparation and recipe ideas.  The more seasoned chef can take an advanced class or one specializing in a certain type of food, like Indian or French cuisine.  Even if you never cook at home, you’ll have some great dishes to take home after class!

Your car takes you everywhere you want to go. It keeps on runnin’ (hopefully) through rain, snow, heat, fender benders AND puts up with your stereo blasting day after day. Are you taking care of your car in return? A well-maintained car can easily make the 200,000 mile-mark so it’s worth the time and money to properly care for your vehicle. While your maintenance schedule may vary based on your car model and usage, the following is a general guide to keep your car running year-round. Oh, and turn that stereo down too, will you?

Follow Your Manual
Your car’s manual should be read within the first few weeks after you buy a car. Most maintenance books have a “normal” maintenance schedule and a “severe” schedule. According to the AAA, it is best to follow the “severe” maintenance schedule in virtually all situations. By following this schedule, you will ensure that your car is getting the best possible care. Use your manual to help you locate two important gauges to your car’s health: the engine oil dipstick and the coolant reservoir. You will need to check these gauges most frequently and make sure the fluid level is between the “high” and “low” marks. Also make sure you know how to operate all your car’s controls, including the wiper blades, emergency flashers and high beams. If your car is equipped with any special features, familiarize yourself with them while your car is parked.

General Maintenance Schedule
Fill in your car’s maintenance log after you complete any of the following maintenance jobs. This will keep your warranty intact and/or be a useful record if you sell your car.

As needed- Inspect the air conditioning system for problems. This means watching out for signs of trouble, including wet carpeting on hot days, a vibration or abnormal noise when the fan is on, a reduced amount of air coming out of the vents or a musty or mildew-like odor when the fan is on. Any of these issues may be a sign that your air conditioner needs to be serviced.

Monthly - Inspect the lights and check the tire pressure. AAA advises that you buy your own gauge because the ones on gas station air pumps are often inaccurate. Check the pressure after the car has been turned off for several hours.

Every 3,000-5,000 miles or every 3-4 months - Get oil and filter changes and a belt and hose inspection. Oil changes are perhaps the most important thing you can do for vehicle maintenance since it will help your car perform longer.

Every 6,000 miles or every other oil change - Have your tires rotated, your wheels balanced and your hose inspected.

24,000-50,000 miles - Replace your air and fuel filters and have automatic transmissions serviced.

There may be no better way to impress your friends, neighbors and romantic interests than with your amazing cooking abilities. Whip up a scintillating spaghetti dish or a chicken a la delicious and suddenly you can’t get people to leave your apartment. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or hanging onto your cookbook for dear life, cooking can be a dangerous activity. The staff at Apartments.com wants your culinary adventures to be as tasty as they are safe so we’ve compiled a list of tips to make your kitchen the most popular room in the apartment. Being a safe chef, however, starts way before the kitchen…

At the Grocery Store

Don’t buy leaky or torn packages.
Don’t buy foods on or past their expiration dates, even if it will save you a few extra dimes.
Pick up refrigerated and frozen items just before heading to the check-out counter.
Raw meat and fish should not be packed into bags with vegetables or fruits or any cooked foods.
In warm weather, transport all perishable items in the car with the air-conditioning on. If you live 30 minutes or more away from the store, bring a cooler with ice.

When You get Home

Take perishable items into your apartment first and immediately put them away. Make sure the packages are securely wrapped and put items into their specified drawers, where the temperature is the coldest.
Check the temperature in your unit with an appliance thermometer. The refrigerator should be at 40 degrees and the freezer at 0 degrees.
Don’t wait forever to get cooking! Your foods will taste better if you use them sooner. Fresh poultry, fish and ground meats should be used (or frozen) within two days. Beef, veal, lamb and pork should be used in 3-5 days. Fruits and vegetables will quickly show their age if not used. Throw them out if they have lots of brown spots or are moldy or slimy.
Make cooking much easier by washing all your fruits and vegetables as soon as you get home. Use a sink sprayer or rinse them in a colander to wash them. Scrub hearty vegetables like potatoes and carrots. You may opt to buy a special spray for washing produce; these contain surfactants that can loosen surface substances and lift them off. Don’t use homemade cleaning solutions as they can change the flavor of your food.
Store washed produce and fresh herbs in zip-loc bags in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.

Pests are everywhere. Hopefully they won’t be in your apartment since they can quickly turn an amazing place into a nightmare. The staff at Apartments.com understands this issue and wants to help make sure that even if you do find yourself sharing a room with a gang of mice, you can get them out quickly and safely. Even if you’re positive you don’t have any bugs or rodents in your apartment, read on for how to continue to prevent their presence.

Preventing Infestation
The easiest way to prevent bugs and rodents is by keeping your apartment clean. This does NOT mean just keeping the clothes in the hamper and the dishes in the sink. While those are good ways to start, you also need to be sure to wash your dishes in a timely fashion, clean kitchen counters and floors, keep food stored in rodent-proof containers (they can eat through plastic bags and cardboard boxes), vacuum carpeting and rugs regularly and dust everything that is sitting out in your apartment. Your bathroom, while it may not contain food, can attract rodents if it is dirty. Wash and disinfect the floor, tub, sink and toilet often. All garbage cans should have tight-fitting lids and garbage bags should be taken to the dumpster immediately. Pet food should not be left out overnight.
Beat the rodents at their own game by placing spring-loaded traps around baseboards. By the time you see rodents in your apartment, you can be relatively sure that they are crawling in all the walls and have run out of room. Use an EPA-approved poison rat bait under the plastic or plywood shelter along baseboards. Be sure to follow the directions carefully as this is poison for pets and humans, too. Rodents can squeeze through holes as small as ÂĽ of an inch so make sure to seal any holes you find. You can do this with lath screen or lath metal, cement or wire screening. Your landlord should have already done this but may have missed any new holes that have formed.

I saw a mouse!
If you have been keeping your apartment clean, call your landlord and inform them of the critters that have moved in. Landlords are required to keep apartments free from rodents and should do an inspection of the building for points of entry and block them. Additionally a professional exterminator may be called out. If your landlord does not respond within a few days, call your local health department and inform them. In the meantime, set spring-loaded traps and bait as described above. Continue to patch up any holes you find. Many animal-rights organizations take issue with sticky traps, which are just very sticky surfaces from which mice cannot escape. While spring-loaded traps kill mice immediately, sticky traps simply keep mice from moving and so they have to starve to death. This is a long and horrible death for the mice. You can also purchase no-kill traps, which house the mice in a container until you can let them outside.

Yikes!  The day has finally come when no one is around to do your laundry for you.  That’s one thing you should have been listening to mom about.  Oh, well, never fear—Apartments.com is here to make sure your whites come out white (not pink) and your shirts adult-sized.  We’ve broken it down step-by-step so that your first solo laundry experience isn’t your last (You can pay a Laundromat or dry cleaner to do your laundry but that will get very expensive, very fast).  Grab your hamper and hit the laundry room!

Step 1: Hopefully you didn’t wait until the dirty laundry had taken over your closets and floors.  If so, we see lots of loads in your future.  Most apartment buildings have coined-operated machines so be sure you have an ample supply of quarters before you get started.  You should also have a bottle of detergent, bleach and a stain remover if you have spots to treat.  Separate your clothes into whites, blacks and colors and make another separate pile for lint-producing fabrics (towels, sweatshirts, chenille and flannel).  If you only have one or two of these pieces, you can put them into your colors pile.  Wash like colors together.  Don’t put a light pink skirt in with a dark blue sweater or else you’ll have a light purple skirt.  Wash similar fabrics together.  This makes the biggest difference in the dryer cycle.  It takes much less time to dry a cotton t-shirt than a pair of jeans.  If your dryer works on a timer, loads with lighter-weight fabrics will be done quicker.  Be sure to close zippers and clean out pockets as you sort.  (My mom used to make out like a bandit when doing my laundry since I always had bills in my pockets.)  Check your clothing’s label for washing directions.  Although, most of these labels are accurate, some clothing manufacturers may indicate “dry clean only” when you really can machine or hand wash them.  This is often done to protect the manufacturer from returns because the item is washed the wrong way.  It’s easier to indicate that they should be dry cleaned and if the item is ruined, it’ll be the cleaner’s liability.  Silks, items that have linings (suits, skirts, dresses) and wools should always be dry cleaned.  Other delicate items (like fancy undies) can be washed separately in a delicate cycle but if you’re really attached to them it might be better to wash them by hand in the sink with a hand-wash detergent. 

Step 2: If you have heavy stains, use a pre-treater to help lift them.  Depending on the stain, you may apply the pre-treater up to 24 hours before washing.  Watch out for pre-treaters with bleach, as they will discolor darks and brights.  In the future, you can apply some versions of pre-treaters to stains before you put them in the laundry so that the stain doesn’t set in.  Use the recommended amount of detergent listed on the bottle, making use of the bottle cup as a measuring device.  Now it’s time to choose the water.  Follow the directions on your clothing but in general, you should use cold water to protect colors and darks and warm water for more durable fabrics and for whites.  Hot water uses the most energy and should be used only when absolutely needed.  If you want your whites whiter, use bleach AFTER the water has entered the machine and don’t pour it directly onto clothing.  If you like a strong smell of fabric softener, or plan to line or rack dry your clothing, use liquid in the wash cycle.  Make sure to ONLY use the amount indicated on the bottle for your size load.  Use more than the label indicates and you might get stuck with white residue on dark clothing.  

Step 3: When the cycle ends (in 30-45 minutes) read labels to check which items can go into the dryer.  Sweaters, bras and any delicate or ornate items (i.e. your glittery out-for-action blouse) should be laid out on a rack to dry.  If you didn’t use a liquid fabric softener, use a dryer sheet to prevent static.  Be sure the lint trap is empty before you begin, as many people forget to empty it.  A full lint trap will prevent your clothing from drying properly, as the air will not circulate.  If you’re paying for each cycle, you sure don’t want to have to run an extra one.

Step 4:  Fold your clothing and put it away!  Clothing left lying in the basket will get wrinkly and collect dust.  If you remove your clothing from the dryer when it is still warm you will save yourself from too much ironing.  Some pieces will need to be ironed (sigh) so on to step 5.

Step 5: Your iron and board are set up and you’re ready to rock.  Fill the iron with water before plugging it in to avoid any tragic accidents.  Set the iron at the required temperature according to what you are ironing.  The iron is ready when water sizzles on its surface.  For very wrinkled items, use a spray bottle to spritz water on them before ironing.  Shirts should be unbuttoned and ironed on the back first, then the sleeves and front.  Iron pants from the waistband down.  Lay them parallel to the board and iron all the way down the legs.  Be sure to get the crotch, pockets and cuffs as well.  Hang your clothing on hangers and impress your friends and co-workers with the fruits of your labor.   

Okay, so maybe you’ve done it before, maybe you’ve never tried. But, to help you out with the Halloween “must have” decoration, here’s a quick how to:

Things you’ll need:

Pumpkin
Newspaper
Sharp knife/s or pumpkin cutting tool
Tablespoon
Water soluble marker
Candle
Any other decorations

And here’s what to do:

Number 1 – Only use fresh pumpkins. There should be no soft spots on the outside of the pumpkin. Cutting into a rotten pumpkin? Stinky.

Number 2 - Size doesn’t really matter. Pick one that you like. Short and fat, tall and skinny, it’s totally up to you. Keep in mind, however, that if you plan on making pumpkin seeds, the larger the pumpkin, the more meaty the seeds. Smaller pumpkins aren’t good at all for toasting pumpkin seeds.

Number 3 – Wash any dirt from the outside of your pumpkin.

Number 4 – Use your water soluble marker to trace a square or hexagonal shape around the stem on the top of the pumpkin. Straight lines are much easier to cut along on this part of the pumpkin as it’s the thickest and pretty tough to cut through. (Don’t use a permanent marker, if you don’t cut exactly on the line, your pumpkin will have a bunch of marks on it, not good for the most fashionable pumpkin on the block.)

Number 5 - Using a back and forth motion, cut out the top of the pumpkin. Angle your blade slightly so that when you’re done with all the carving and you put the top back on, it won’t slide back inside the pumpkin. You might want to use a longer, thicker knife on this part of the pumpkin and also have a smaller, sharper knife on hand for the detail of the face.

Number 6 – Slice the end (that has all the pumpkin guts attached) off the pumpkin top. Remove some of the pumpkin meat so that you avoid the smell of cooking pumpkin when you light your candle.

Number 7 – Use the spoon to gently scoop out the pumpkin guts. Make sure you remove all the fibers from the inside of the pumpkin. If you don’t, when you place your candle inside, the fibers can dry and catch fire.

Number 8 – Using your water soluble marker, draw the face on the front of the pumpkin. Be creative here. Look at the shape of the pumpkin. Does it have a weird bump? Would that make a good mouth? Do you want a happy, scary, frightened or surprised pumpkin? Would the flatter side be better to carve than the caved in side? Maybe you don’t want to carve a face at all, maybe you want to carve a black cat, or get a group of pumpkins and carve a letter in each one to spell a word. It’s entirely up to you and how you want your pumpkin to look. Keep in mind, the larger the features you carve, the easier it will be to remove those parts of the pumpkin. However, smaller features will have an eerier glow than larger holes.

Number 9 – With the smaller knife, carefully carve out the face you drew on your pumpkin.

Number 10 – Push the cut pieces out by manipulating them from the inside of the pumpkin.

Number 11 – You’re done. Pop a candle, glow stick, flashlight or other non-electrical light inside your pumpkin. Turn off all the lights in your apartment and watch it glow!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!