Hints from Heloise

Sat., Nov. 25, 2006

The Spokesman-Review

Dear Heloise: Ever since I got my dog as a young puppy, whenever I needed to give him a pill, I would take a fingerful of softened butter, tuck the pill into it and offer it as a treat. This has worked well for more than nine years. He still thinks his pill is a treat.

I was recently adopted by a cat who noticed the dog’s treat and demanded some for herself. Now she will come into the kitchen and beg for her treat. – Lucille Mockel, Florida

Dear Heloise: I enjoy feeding the wild birds in my area and often buy 10- or 20-pound bags of feed. I store the feed in emptied coffee cans to discourage rodents and insects in my garage. Also, it is a lot easier to fill the bird feeder from a 2- or 3-pound can than it is to pour the feed into it from a 10- or 20-pound bag. – Barbara of Texas

Barbara, instead of having 10 to 20 1-pound coffee cans, consider a small metal trash can with a tightfitting lid, or a clean metal popcorn tin. – Heloise

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.