DIY Life

I have two dogs, and although neither of them could fit into a sock, I just had to share this cute tutorial for all of you pet-lovers everywhere. And although I don't necessarily promote the act of dressing your animals as if they were human, I suppose the cooler weather could cause a tiny sock-sized dog to shiver:



Adorable, right? And sooo easy to do! If you're looking for a cute sock to use for this project, might I suggest Sock Army (everything is 50% off at the moment!)? I'd love to tackle the tutorial with this cute pattern, or perhaps this design for the preppiest of dogs.

And if you're looking for a few other fun pet-inspired projects, check out How to Sew a Dog-Collar Pouch, and of course, Help Your Dog Rise to the Occasion with a New Tie! OK, I now officially draw the line at dog-friendly formal wear...

Face it -- when Fido's gotta go, he's gotta go. So where do you stash your keys when you're out for a run? Make Fido work for his fun with this handy DIY dog collar pouch.

Here's what you need:

• Fabric (3" x 8") swatch
• Needle and thread (or sewing machine if you have one!)
• Straight pins
• Scissors
• 2 inches of 1" wide velcro

With a bit of sewing skills and about an hour, you'll have a lovely accessory that's both functional and lovely on the eyes. And were money no object, I would make my pouch with this lovely Wengman fabric that's super durable and crisp. Of course, I don't think I can quite justify a $50 dog accessory, so I'll more than likely be using this cutie fabric.

Other uses for your newly-acquired pooch pouch? Try toting around plastic bags for clean-up duty, or you can use the pouch for cash when you're off to lunch with your pup. Whatever the use, Fido will be the talk of the dog park with his new handmade accessory.

Lately, I've been coming across beautiful vintage TV and stereo cabinetry while making my weekly thrift shop rounds.

Most have beautiful wood finishes, and the designs are unusual and very retro, but I haven't been able to bring myself to buy a heavy cabinet filled with a dead Magnavox just for the cabinet. I continue to rack my brain to come up with a practical purpose for such a behemoth. What could possibly justify the time and trouble to lug this thing home?

Moxie, over on Craftster, came up with a clever and functional use for an old 1950s-style TV cabinet. Read more about it after the break.

Hurricane season has been in full swing for a few weeks now, but thankfully it's been very quiet so far. Don't let the lack of named hurricanes lull you into a false sense of security. The season stretches all the way to November 30th, and the peak of it -- August to October -- is yet to come.

Don't assume you'll have time to make preparations "if the needs arises." Of course, we all remember the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. And in 2004, Hurricane Charley was expected to head into the Gulf of Mexico and collide with Tampa. At the last minute, it made a sharp right turn and landed substantially farther south, obliterating entire neighborhoods and barrier islands.

If you live in a hurricane-prone area, and haven't yet made preparations in case one heads your way, here are a few of the most important steps you can take to keep you and your family safe this summer. You may never need to activate the plans you have in place, but it's good to know they're there.

Every spring, I have to get my long haired Black Lab shaved. If I don't, he spends his days in absolute misery, due to ticks and fleas constantly biting him. I try to keep up with the ticks as best I can, but his fur is so thick that I miss many of them.

It is still pretty cold at night, and the days haven't warmed up past 70 yet, but I know that fleas will be making their rounds soon, and that once again Jake will be scratching up a storm. When the ticks let up, the fleas will come knocking at his door, looking for a home. I can stop them by making my own herbal flea powder.

Using Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Lavender, Fennel, Yellow Dock, and Pennyroyal, you can make your own herbal flea powder for your treasured pet too. All you have to do is mix as many of the ingredients as you can find in a shaker-top jar, and then apply sparingly to your pet.

Be sure to read through the comments, as there seems to be some confusion as to whether or not Pennyroyal is acceptable to use on cats and dogs. It would seem that using powder is okay, whereas Pennyroyal oil is toxic to animals.

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.

Recently, Unclutterer posted some useful information for those of us who drown in piles of pet hair. In response to a post about speedy house-cleaning, a reader asked what to do about piles of fur shed by their Chocolate Lab. The question came up because most "Clean your house really quickly!" plans don't take pet ownership into account.

Erin from Unclutterer responded with a number of tips for dog and cat owners. In summary, and with a few parenthetical comments from me, they are:

• Pick up pet-hair dust-bunnies with damp paper towels daily.
• Bathe pets as frequently as you can: a lot of excess fur will go down the drain with the water. (Bathing a dog more often than every few weeks can really dry out their skin, so be careful with this one. Also, it can clog your drains.)
• Brush pets regularly. (A shedding loop/blade may be more helpful for longer-haired or double-coated dogs.)

Find the rest of the tips, more ideas about how you can put them into action, and information about equipment that might help you, all after the break!

Moving is tough. Moving with pets is even tougher. They are so much a part of your family, but movers, hotel personnel, and airline staff may not share your affection. Caring for pets properly during a move isn't overly complicated, but it does take lots of planning.

Here are 9 crucial things to do in order to ensure a successful move with your pet. The list covers everything from how to make arrangements with airlines, to managing the transfer of vet records. You'll also want to map out driving routes, and note the places where you can stop for food and exercise. Having this worked out ahead of time will make sure that your pet gets what he needs but will also take a load of stress off of you.

Don't forget to spoil your pet a little during this time. Transitions are hard for the best of us, imagine going through all of that without really understanding what's going on or what to expect next. When you get to the new home, let your pet explore their new surroundings. Take the time to play together in the new space, but make sure you have current ID tags in case they try to venture home to your old house without you.

If you're planning renovations on your new home, we've got tips for that too. Check out Taking care of pets during home improvement projects.

Does your puppy linger under the children as they open their advent calendar, hoping some chubby little hands will drop a piece of chocolate? I never would have thought of including the pets in this, but if you're looking for a way to give your pet his own advent calender, this is a great project for you. It only takes about an hour and you probably have most of the materials around the house. Here's what you'll need:

1. Green poster board (or another color with a green cellophane overlay)
2. pen or pencil and marker
3. Scissors
4. Tape
5. Glue gun or stapler
6. 26 foil cupcake liners
7. 25 Dog or cat treats

The full instructions and pictures will guide you through crafting this treat tree. I think it's a cute idea to make an advent wreath for your pet, but I don't see that this design has to be for an animal. you could use all the same ideas and fold chocolate or other candy into the cupcake liners. Better yet, make your children and the family pet matching calenders. The countdown started Saturday so you better get crafting!

Nothing's worse than being the most under-dressed dog in the dog park. All the other dogs stand in a corner talking about you, and no one will sniff your butt. Help your dog avoid this public humiliation by following this doggie tie tutorial by CorgiPants. All you need is an old tie, needle and thread (or a sewing machine), scissors, and a willing pooch.

I don't own a dog (the scooping of the poop is where I draw the line), but I'm intrigued. I'm picturing Halloween costumes and doggie dress-up clothes for the couples who wouldn't even think of having a dinner party (or a wedding even) without their pooches present. I must admit, I'm also picturing our cat's reaction if we even tried to get a tie on her, and it is HI-LA-RIOUS.

Nearly all pet owners have a dirty little secret that we all desperately want to keep under wraps: sometimes our perfectly trained, dander & body function free little people actually poop and pee other than in their prescribed locations ...only occasionally of course. Unfortunately, the tell-tale smell from these occasional mishaps can linger, well, forever.

Even after using various pet odor removing products that caution you against using them around animals a faint scent always remains to remind you and spill the beans to your guests that your cat or dog isn't perfect. I learned a simple, 100% effective, and all natural solution to even the foulest of pet odors by applying a little kitchen knowledge.

A few months ago, a reply to an Ask Metafilter post about goldfish (mildly salty language warning!) blatantly stated an upsetting fact: the majority of pet goldfish die by drowning in their own... er... urine. Mistakes made by even well-meaning pet owners include overfeeding, feeding the wrong kind of food, putting the fish in a bowl that's too small (goldfish do better in a filtered tank), and not letting water de-ionize for at least a day or two before putting the fish in it (without this waiting period, the goldfish are likely to suffocate). It seems like most goldfish -- even ones loved by the kids who own them -- live short, unhappy lives.

I had goldfish as a kid: since I lived in a small apartment, and my mom hated rodents, goldfish were pretty much the only pet I could have. There was Frank (named after Anastasia Krupnik's goldfish) and, eventually, Spike, who each lived for about a year or two. We thought we did pretty well by Frank and Spike, both won from school carnivals, but as it turns out, the poor little fellas went to an unnecessarily early grave.

The Ask MeFi link is a sad one, but fortunately, I can balance it with a happy one. It turns out that, when given proper care, goldfish can live for at least a decade! Some of the suggestions at WikiHow's wonderful How To Make A Goldfish Live For Decades page include feeding food made just for goldfish (not generic "fish food"), making sure that the tank has at least 10 gallons of water per fish, and making sure that the tank stays "interesting" for the fish by giving them lots of places to explore that change every month or so.

With these instructions, you can have happy, healthy goldfish for years to come!