DIY Life

Stop a dog fight

Diane Rixon — 2008-05-07T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: recalls and safety, pets, health

I've witnessed many dog fights over the years. I've noticed that in a crowd situation such as a dog park, the response of the human observers is pretty predictable. Some stand and stare. Some scream at the dogs to stop... and the dogs ignore them completely. (Well, what did you expect?!) Then there are those -- usually the hapless owners -- who try to haul the dogs apart by the collars.

In fact, the worst thing you can do in a dog fight situation is to grab the dogs by the collars. You risk getting bitten really badly. Here's what you should do to stop a dog fight.

1. Get a volunteer to help you. Be warned: the other owner may not be the best choice. You will know that is the case if he/she stands there looking helpless. I had this happen to me once when a gianormous German Shepherd attacked my dog. It was very frightening. (Luckily I was armed with a baseball bat, so I was able to rescue my boy. Phew.)

2. Seize one dog's hind legs and lift 'em up off the ground. Your buddy will do the same with the other dog. If one dog is clearly the aggressor, grab that dog first. Grip the dogs hard to prevent them from wriggling free. Don't grab the feet, as they will find it pretty easy to kick loose again. Instead, get a hold of the lower leg just below the knee joint.

3. Holding the dogs' rear ends off the ground, haul them apart and back away. As you go, turn in circles. Circles? Yes. The movement forces the dogs to focus on keeping their balance--and hopefully prevent them from whirling around and attacking you or your companion in the heat of the moment!

4. Don't let go until the dogs are separated by a barrier or, preferably, removed from each other's presence entirely.

Tip: When There's No One Else to Help
If you're alone when a fight happens, stay calm. You will need two leashes or lengths of rope. First, restrain the dog you judge the aggressor: grab a leash and loop it tightly around the dog's belly. Drag him/her to something you can use as an anchor, such as a fence. Next, do the same with the second dog. Ending a fight this way is going to take a horribly long time to accomplish, but it's the safest method for you.

Tip: You Could Really Get Hurt
Be realistic: intervening in a dog fight could really get you hurt. Even a fairly minor puncture wound from a dog can be nasty, very painful, and will probably leave you with a permanent scar or two.

Tip: Silence is Golden
Yelling, shrieking, jumping up and down. Don't waste your energy with such displays of emotion. Trust me, you are not impressing the dogs one bit.

Tip: Tail vs. Legs
I've found a great alternative hold is to grab dogs by the base of the tail instead of the hind legs. The advantage being you don't have to bend down as close to the danger zone (teeth!) as you do to grab the hind legs. On the other hand, a large dog is difficult to control with only one arm and you might be more likely to lose your balance.

Tip: Post-fight Etiquette
Not that you would... but just in case let me say, don't get drawn into an argument about who is to blame with the other dog's owner. The polite thing to do is just apologize if your dog showed any aggression at all, even if he/she didn't actually start the fight. On the other hand, if your dog was getting the crap beaten out of it by the other dog, no apology is needed from you.

If the other owner fails to apologize to you, try to let it go. Yes, you will be boiling angry, but take a deep breath and keep the moral high ground. Realize the other party's failure to apologize is probably due to the fact that A) he/she's a jerk, (in which case, arguing will only produce more jerk-like behavior), or B) he/she's too embarrassed to react properly. Shoot them a pointed look (eyebrow arched, if you please) and leave it at that.

If you are in a public place like a park, leave. I don't care if your dog didn't start it. Your dog needs to cool down. Moreover, you need to show you are sensitive to other people's valid concerns about their or their dogs' safety.

Tip: Prepare to be Yelled At
If you intervene in a fight when neither dog belongs to you, don't expect either owner to thank you for your efforts. Strange but true: many dog owners are touchy about someone else correcting their dog. You may even get yelled at. Oh well.

Tip: Punishment Achieves Nothing
Don't try and punish your dog after the fact by yelling, hitting, kicking, or forcing the dog onto its back. Firstly, you risk being attacked if your pup is still in fight mode. Second, it is cruel because he/she will not understand what this punishment is for. If you are the owner, suppress your anger and channel your energies into training or socialization exercises that will help prevent future fights. A book I like is Good Owners, Great Dogs. Check it out!

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Turn your Nalgene bottle into a lantern

Bethany Sanders — 2008-04-30T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: recreation, staying green, health

Though environmental groups have been warning us about the dangers of bisphenol--A (BPA) for years, a recent study by the National Toxicology Program that confirmed those findings has manufacturers of plastic bottles finally sitting up and taking notice.

BPA, which is a known endocrine disrupter, can leach into food products. In lab studies, it's linked to precancerous tumors and early puberty. Because BPA is in everything from plastic bottles to dental sealants to baby bottles, it's hard to avoid.

When the news broke about the most recent government study, Nalgene, a popular maker of plastic reusable drinking bottles, announced that they'd be pulling their bottles made with BPA off the shelves and replacing them with BPA-free versions.
So let's say you're reading this and thinking, "Oh great. So what am I supposed to do with my old Nalgene bottles?" If you're too concerned about BPA to drink out of them, you could always turn them into a lantern.

SolLight sells the LightCap200, a solar powered cap that fits perfectly on many types of plastic reusable drinking bottles like Nalgene, Camelbak, and GSI. So instead of tossing or recycling that water bottle, you now have a fully functional lantern for camping or for eating out on your patio.

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Save the soap!

Kelly Smith — 2008-04-29T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: money, sewing, cleaning, health

OK, this is a trick that I used to use when I was really, really poor. You know how it is; your bar of soap gets so small that it's really hard to use? Or if you happen to use Ivory, it always seems to break into unusable chunks prematurely?

Well, here's a solution. I salvaged one of my old cotton socks. Whenever a bar of soap got into one of the afore mentioned conditions, I would pop the chunks or slivers into the sock. In fact, I would do it early. Once the sock had a decent content, I would wash with it.

It seemed to be a great solution because it turned out to be soap and washcloth all in one. Of course, if you're handy with a needle and thread, you could grind out something a little more elegant. I probably would have, but hey, I was just a wild young bachelor!

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Organic produce wash made with lemon and vinegar

Anna Sattler — 2008-04-25T18:30:00+00:00

Filed under: food, in the kitchen, staying green, health

My daughter loves strawberries. She opens up the refrigerator when I am busy and proceeds to eat them straight out of the container. I shudder to think what pesticides are going into her precious tummy because she chomped away before I could wash the berries.

Produce wash can be very expensive, especially if your family eats a lot of fruit and veggies. You can take the pain out of buying commercial produce wash by making your own organic fruit and veggie wash. All you need is a spray bottle, one tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 cup water. Put the ingredients in the spray bottle and shake well. Spritz on your produce, and rinse well.

The dollar store has inexpensive spray bottles, perfect for your new organic produce wash. If you happen to have an eager toddler like mine, who just happens to have an independent streak a mile wide, you can spray your produce as soon as you get it home, and no longer worry about what nasty pesticides might be ingested into their tender tummies.

[via:Curbly]

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DIY for Earth Day, part 2

Lisa Hoover — 2008-04-22T01:00:00+00:00

Filed under: fix-it, household hacks, miscellaneous, preventative maintenance, gardening and plants, staying green, cleaning, DIY Earth, health

Make spring cleaning a little less onerous this year by tossing out the harsh chemicals you usually use and cleaning up with essential oils instead. Find recipes for bathroom cleanser, dish soap, glass cleaner, and more.

Many people like to celebrate Earth Day each year by planting seeds and flowers in the yard. Before you haul out the hoe and shovel, consider making seed bombs. Let 'er rip!

Have you pledged to your family and your wallet to cut down on fuel consumption and pedal around on your bike instead? Pull that forlorn bicycle out from the corner of the garage, dust it off, and then use these handy tips to give it a tune-up.

Weed killer and other pesticides can be bad for the environment and terrible for your health. Try this approach that uses a common household ingredient that you probably have leftover from Easter.

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Make your own 100 calorie snacks to go

Debra McDuffee — 2008-04-18T08:00:00+00:00

Filed under: food, kids, staying green, health

It is important for all of us to watch what we eat -- for our health and our waistlines. Studies have shown that an intake of less calories helps us live longer and the less that goes in, the less that stays on.

The big snack companies are capitalizing on this and packaging their snacks in 100 calorie bags. Convenient? Yes. Healthy? Debatable. A pretty cool idea? Sure. But if you do it yourself, you'll do it better than the big companies, for a slew of reasons.

You can make perishable snacks, thereby using fresh foods that are healthier.
By packing your snacks in reusable containers, you'll be saving waste and helping the environment.
Choosing your favorite snacks and counting them out into 100 calorie portions is an eye-opener: it really helps us think about what a portion should look like and how much we as a society really do overeat.

What do you mean you don't want to take out the time to count out the calories of your favorite snacks? Join me after the break as I do that part for you!

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OK, maybe these will be my favorite snacks, but they might give you some new snack ideas and also help you monitor your own snacks easier. Be sure to check the gallery to see what some of these snacks look like. You may be surprised by the ample portions.

The 100-Calorie Healthy Snacks

7 baby carrots (five calories each)
2 tsp. all-natural almond butter or peanut butter (about 66 calories)

1/2 c. strawberries (25 calories)
1/2 c. plain whole milk yogurt (75 calories)

small fruit salad
1 TB slivered almonds (33 calories)

2 TB hummus (50 calories)
5 baby carrots
as many cucumber and celery sticks as you'd like

1 medium apple (75 calories)
1 TB cheese chunks or slices (25 calories)

1/2 medium banana (55 calories)
1-2 TB shredded coconut (for dipping!) (30 calories)

1 TB grain-sweetened chocolate chips (35 calories)
10 spelt pretzels (60 calories)

Hey, how'd that snack get in there? Well, I guess it is semi-healthy.

1 rice cake (35 calories)
2 tsp. almond butter

nearly unlimited veggies sticks if they are green (cucumbers, peppers, celery)
1 TB Goddess dressing for dipping (basically Italian dressing with lemon and tahini)

I used Calorie Count to get the approximate amount of calories for these foods when I didn't have a package label to check. Don't forget to package these snacks in reusable containers instead of disposable plastic bags. You've now saved some money, saved the environment, and saved yourself a larger waistline. Go, DIY-ers!

If you share your 100-calorie snacks with us, we'll have more snacks to create ourselves, so add your faves to the comments.

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Homemade Shea butter soap to banish stretch marks

Francesca Clarke — 2008-04-14T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: soap-making, beauty and skin care, health

OK, so that title might be a bit misleading. If you have stretch marks, you know, they simply cannot be banished completely. You'll probably have those little war wounds for the rest of your life. The good news is that they don't have to be as noticeable as they are now.

As soon as something is branded as a stretch mark remedy, the price tag goes up. It just kills me that our insecurities can be so exploited as to have us pay considerably more for something in search of a magical cure.

What's the solution? Shea butter. It is a common remedy for stretch marks. While it won't give you the same results as dramatic dermatological procedures, with a bit more time, it will come awfully close. So, walk right past that expensive stretch mark cream and make your own organic Shea butter soap.

These soaps can be used daily in the shower to improve the health and elasticity of your skin. I'll share the ingredients after the break.

All-natural Castile olive oil soap
Distilled water
2 tbsp all-natural, unprocessed shea butter
1 tbsp finely ground almonds (optional)
Grater
Double boiler
Small Tupperware or molds
Mixing spoon
Drying rack

The instructions are very straightforward, even for a novice soap-maker like myself. If you enjoy making this Shea butter soap, check out some of our other soap-making posts, and gather some sweet inspiration from Debra's Scentual Life series.

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Taco seasoning from scratch

Debra McDuffee — 2008-04-10T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: food, in the kitchen, health

If you are buying taco seasoning from the store in kits, you can save your self a lot of money -- and a lot of unneeded sodium! -- by making your own at home.

There are scads of recipes all over the internet, but over the last few years I have refined my DIY taco seasoning to be the perfect amount for one pound of meat and to suit my family's tastes. Here is what you'll need:

2 tsp. chili powder
1.5 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. unrefined sea salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
dash of ground cayenne pepper
freshly ground black pepper to taste

If you like it spicy, add more cayenne; we are catering to the needs of a three-year-old.

I mix the spices in a small custard cup, and once I have begun browning the meat (I used ground turkey for the pictures in the gallery) and have broken it up, I add the seasonings. This meat works great for tacos, taco salad and anywhere else you would like taco meat. I suppose you could stuff a burrito, too.

So save the money on the kit: add just a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, and you'll have your own healthy taco seasoning.

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Make carrot juice

Francesca Clarke — 2008-04-09T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: food, in the kitchen, health

A new juice bar just opened in our neighborhood. They serve any blend of fruit and veggie juice that you could imagine. They use fresh, organic ingredients, and present the drink in a trendy, branded cup.

For this, you'll pay $5.50. Seriously, for blended carrots, I just can't.

Vegetable juices are popular on health detox and other cleanses, but they taste great too, and can be a healthy part of an everyday diet.

To make this carrot juice, you don't need a juicing machine; any food processor or blender will do just fine. You'll find more information after the break.

The directions are straightforward: blend the carrots, add hot water, strain the mixture, and let it stand. Optional steps include adding sugar or fresh orange juice. The orange juice adds great flavor, and, in my opinion, renders the sugar unnecessary.

Carrot is one of my favorites, but I don't see myself drinking it daily. If you're looking for a drink that's a bit more adventurous, here are some other great recipes:

As the weather gets nicer, I know I'll enjoy experimenting with homemade fruit and veggie juices on my back deck, instead of shelling out $5.50 per cup at the local juice bar.

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Fire extinguishers - which kind do you need?

Kelly Smith — 2008-04-07T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: in the kitchen, recalls and safety, health

One of the worst fates to befall family and home is a raging fire. The result can be a small as a nuisance clean-up job to the worst of all - the death of one or more family members. Having fire extinguishers close at hand can make the difference. But not all extinguishers are the same. Let's have a look...

Type A: for use on paper, plastics, and wood.
Type B: for use on gasoline, paint thinner, or other flammable liquid.
Type C: for use on electrical fires.
Type D: for use on flammable metals.
Multi-class types: These are a combination of two or more of the above types. Often, these are the most handy to have around the home.

The key to using an extinguisher effectively is summed up as PASS.

Pull the pin.
Aim the nozzle.
Squeeze the handle.
Sweep the spray at the base of the fire.

Be sure all members of the family know how to do this. As cheap as fire extinguishers are, it wouldn't hurt to buy a few and practice so the reaction in an emergency will not be confusion and panic.

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Healthy hair can be yours

Debra McDuffee — 2008-03-28T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: health and wellness, beauty and skin care, health

Do-it-yourself healthy hair? What do you mean, you thought hair had to do with genetics?

To an extent, it does. You can't change your hair's thickness, for instance. But with the right diet you can have do-it-yourself healthy hair.

Web MD has published a list of the top ten foods to eat for healthy hair. If you are health-conscious, the good news is that you are probably already eating many of these foods. So have you looked in the mirror lately? If your hair has great body and shine, your diet may be to thank.

For example, if you eat lots of salmon or other sources of omega-3 fatty acids, you will combat dry scalp and hair. Dark green veggies contain vitamins that help make sebum, you body's natural hair conditioner.

Check the Web MD article for all ten foods and you'll be on your way to healthy, beautiful hair.

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Create a blissful bath

Debra McDuffee — 2008-03-28T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: beauty and skin care, health

The quiet stirrings of the water with every slight movement, the all-over soothing warmth, the big wet water hug. Can you tell I enjoy a good bath (as does my son in the picture!)?

Baths can be therapeutic as well as relaxing, and have been for years. Herbs and essential oils can intensify the healing properties of a bath.

Third Age has some great tips on how to create your own amazing bathing experience. They suggest dry brushing before a bath to stimulate blood flow to help release toxins more efficiently.

Some other tips they mention:

Brew herbs in a tea pot and add the "tea" to your bath water. No messy herbs in the tub!
Drink water or herbal tea while bathing to keep hydrated.
Add Epsom salts to restore the body's balance of magnesium, a mineral most of us lack.

They also list herbal blends for muscle pain, skin problems, circulation and colds, and essential oil blends for insomnia and detoxification, among others.

My favorite bath depends on my mood, but you can't go wrong with lavender or rose otto for a relaxing, therapeutic tub. Off to soak now....

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Your briefcase: home away from home

Kelly Smith — 2008-03-25T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: cars and transportation, organization and storage, electronics, health

Everybody's on the go today. Nobody sits still to do anything; things have really changed in the past decade. From the moment the alarm clock goes off, life is just one big multitasking episode. And any time you step out your front door and turn the key, any number of things could conspire to prevent you from returning that night.

No, I'm not talking kidnapping (although that might not be beyond doubt). I am talking massive traffic jams, delayed or canceled flights, a rush deadline. But those necessities that you inevitably need are at home - in the medicine cabinet, in the closet, or on the bedside table. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Make your briefcase or backpack your home away from home for all those unexpected situations. Kevin Connolly has done the homework for you and lists the eleven essential things to pack for your daily adventure in Businessland. He covers medical must-haves, tech requirements (cell phone charger), emergency food, and more.

Check out the above link for the whole scoop. It's not only Boy Scouts that are "always prepared." It can be your motto too!

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Make your own toothpaste

Francesca Clarke — 2008-03-21T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: staying green, health

We all have our own DIY thresholds. Some of you are fabulous mechanics, but leave the gardening to somebody else. Others might love electronics, but wouldn't dare take on the simplest sewing project. I'll make my own cleaners and spa products, but I head straight for the store when our tube of toothpaste is low.

I don't think I could ever really wrap my head around making my own toothpaste, but if you're ready to take that extra step into greener DIY living, then be my guest. You probably already have these ingredients in the house, or can get them easily enough. Here's what you'll need:

Baking Soda
Table Salt
Water
Peppermint oil for taste
Gylcerine

Check out the full post for the recipe and mixing instructions. Spread some of this green goodness on your homemade electric toothbrush and polish those pearly whites.

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DIY health detox

Francesca Clarke — 2008-03-19T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: food, health and wellness, health

All the trendy spas offer health detox and body cleansing packages. If you're somebody who indulges in these little luxuries, good for you. I'm sure you're happy, healthy, thin, and energetic. You may not be one of the lucky ones, jet-setting off to a private island for your renewal, but that doesn't mean you can't get the same benefits at home (minus the pretentious attitude and sky-high price tag).

Home detox 101: 4 easy tips for detoxing at home lets us in on 4 simple secrets for purging those damaging elements and renewing our bodies the DIY way. I was shocked to learn that starting your day with lemon water, then keeping a bottle of water boiled with ginger and black pepper can alleviate fatigue and cure chronic headaches. It will also cleanse your liver.

This is just the beginning, the benefit of skin and tongue scraping will regulate digestion and cleanse toxins. Stressing the importance of a brisk walk, they recommend taking a 20 minute walk to improve circulation, cleanse the colon and give your lungs a healthy dose of fresh air. The article closes with suggestions on detoxifying food and drinks.

If you want to spoil yourself even further, check out Debra's Scentual Life series.

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Simple steps to the perfect bath

Bethany Sanders — 2008-03-19T09:00:00+00:00

Filed under: health and wellness, beauty and skin care, health

Sure, spring is just around the corner. But that doesn't mean the there aren't a few chilly nights left in the season. A warm bath tops my list of ways to unwind when it's cold outside. Done correctly, a warm bath can be the perfect stress-reducer.

So what makes a perfect bath? A few facts:

Ambiance is important. Turn off those harsh overhead lights, and turn on a small lamp or light candles instead.
Conventional tubs are good, big tubs are better, jet tubs are ideal.
Though hot water may feel good, it can dry out your skin. Aim for a bath that's no warmer than 104 degrees, and plan on soaking for less than a half hour.
Soaps can be drying, but plant and herbal extracts are an excellent way to make your bath more "scents-ual."
Your morning shower is for getting clean, use your bath to relax and unwind.
A cool water rinse -- if you can stand it -- will close pores opened by the warm water.
After your bath, moisturize. Wrap yourself in something big and fluffy.
Finally, get yourself to bed. The temperature rise and fall that you get from a warm bath can lull you to sleep, an easy trick for insomniacs.

There...don't you feel better already?

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Avant Yard: poisonous plants 101

Diane Rixon — 2008-03-07T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: kids, preventative maintenance, weekend projects, gardening and plants, landscaping, recalls and safety, pets, health

When it comes to protecting our families from poisonous plants, we go about things wrong, all wrong. Backwards, in fact.

Yes, you are probably already aware that a great many common garden and container plants are poisonous to humans and/or family pets. But if I asked you to identify the ones posing the greatest risk to you and your family, chances are you'd be stumped, or perhaps hard pressed to name more than one or two.

Why? Because we learn about poisonous plants from our teachers at school, from books, and from television. We see pages and pages of photographs of toxic leaves and berries. We scan ultra-long lists of poisonous plant names. The nerdier among us (Ooh! Me! Me!) have tried and failed to memorize some of this mass of information.

Silly thing is, your own yard is the best starting point for learning. Once you feel confident in your own landscape, it will be much easier to branch out and learn about less well-known species, which I'll discuss after the jump. And check out my gallery below if you'd like to see some of the common poisonous plants growing in my yard.

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First, get out in the yard and get your hands dirty. If you have little nippers, get them out, too. Take the time to learn the names of all the plants you have, whether in the garden or in containers. Then check 'em out in your gardening books or online to discover which ones are hazardous to people or your furry family members.

Second, realize that you don't necessarily need to eradicate all toxic plants from your yard. In fact, toxic plants are so common that our yards and lives would be pretty barren if we did remove them all. Here are some examples of plants we'd be loath to live without: geranium, daffodils, lilies, buttercup, privet, and rhododendron. Yet all of them are poisonous to varying degrees.

Okay, I totally recommend ridding yourself of anything that causes extreme irritation or pain on contact, such as poison ivy or my own personal arch-nemesis, Dieffenbachia. However, if a plant is not poisonous unless ingested, you can leave it be. Just be sure to educate your family members about the dangers posed by a toxic plant, and ensure little ones and pets don't try to munch on any part of it. Mother Earth News has an excellent article on poisonous plant safety.

Bottom line: teach your children which plants are dangerous and don't let them touch, pick, rub, chew, lick, jump on or climb any part of them. Naturally, younger kids will need lots of old-fashioned supervision.

Third, let's bust a common myth about poisoning: it is no longer recommended that poison victims be given syrup of ipecac. So ignore that unsolicited advice from well-meaning relatives or from websites (even including the otherwise-excellent Mother Earth News article mentioned above). You don't need a bottle of this concoction in your medicine cabinet "just in case."

Fourth, a reassuring thought for parents: poisonous leaves and berries frequently (although not always) taste nasty. This acts as a natural deterrent against children and pets who are tempted to ingest them.

So what should you do if you or someone else is poisoned?

Simple. If the person has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911. If it is not urgent, call the American Association of Poison Control Centers hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

If your pet is poisoned and it's an emergency, rush your pup or kitty to your vet immediately. Call ahead to let the staff know you're on your way. If it's after hours, find your nearest emergency veterinary clinic. For more advice, call the ASPCA's poison hotline at 1-888-426-4435, but be aware they may charge you a hefty fee for this service.

Previous Avant Yard post: 30 uses for a dead tree

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