MOO Doggy Soap Bars

Our dogs often become a part of our family, giving love and loyalty to us, and trusting us to care for them. We can feed them and make sure they are immunised, walk them and play with them and give them toys to play with.

And we bath them. Yes, our dogs need bathing regularly to maintain clean, healthy coats and skin. But did you know your dog can be as sensitive to chemicals in soaps and shampoos and end up with irritated and painful rashes, just like we can if the shampoo isn't right?

This Doggy Wash is gentle, safe and easy to make.  This soap includes tea tree oil as a natural antibacterial, vitamin E for skin healing and a gentle glycerine soap base.  Vegetable glycerine is easy to use (melt-and-pour), a natural vegetable product, very moisturizing, and extremely gentle on sensitive skin.

Doggy Soap Bars

You will need:
1 block Melt-and-Pour vegetable glycerine soap base
10ml liquid Vitamin E oil (found at pharmacies and natural health stores or squeeze from capsules)
5ml tea tree oil (do not be tempted to use more - this is the safe dose for dogs!)
Soap moulds (small yoghurt containers, silicone cake moulds etc.)
Cooking spray
Isopropyl alcohol

Step 1.  Fill your double boiler with water and bring it to the boil. Turn heat down so the water is just simmering.

Step 2. While the water is coming to the boil prepare your moulds. I use silicone cupcake moulds and spray them with a little cooking spray. Put them on a baking sheet so they have a stable base to cool on. You can use empty cartons, cans, muffin pans - anything that can withstand the heat of the melted soap base (it gets very hot).

Step 3. Cut your block of glycerine into chunks, about 2cm in size.

Step 4. Add the soap base to your double boiler. Pop the thermometer in the side and keep an eye on the temperature - you don't want it to go over 50 degrees Celsius. Stir the soap so it melts evenly. If the temperature goes up, take the pot off the heat and continue to stir until all the soap has melted.

Step 5. Take the soap off the heat and stir in the Vitamin E oil and the tea tree oil.

Step 6. Fill your moulds. I use a soup ladle, you can use a jug or a large spoon - anything that will hold the hot liquid.

Step 7. Spritz the top of each mould with the rubbing alcohol as soon as you fill it.

Step 8. Let the soaps harden. This will take at least a couple of hours. Turn them out of the moulds. Wrap in plastic wrap or store in a sealed plastic bag or container.  Glycerine will "sweat" during humid weather if not wrapped up, which doesn't affect its usefulness but is not so pretty. It's the same principle that draws moisture to your skin after using glycerine soap, so it's actually a good thing.

Everyday Ways to Live Like a Cheapskate - Part 4 Pets

1. Repel fleas on your pets by adding minced garlic to their food.

2. Deodorised kitty litter is great, but expensive. Add a box of bi-carb soda to the bag of litter to make your own deodorised kitty litter.

3. Litter tray liners are overpriced. Use kitchen bin liners, which cost half the price for twice the number, from a $2 or discount shop. Save time by layering 4 or 5 at a time. Then simply tie up the top one and the next one is ready to go.

4. Make your own dog food and save $250 a year. Dogs prefer it and you can adjust the recipes to suit your pet.

5. Bulk buy fish food blocks from pet supply wholesalers. You can save as much as 30% over buying the smaller, individual packets.

6. Save up to 40% by buying fish flakes by the kilogram. Store in a re-sealable, airtight container for up to a year.

7. Shop online for pet supplies. Even with postage the savings are around 25% of regular retail prices.

8. Give your caged birds a treat. Collect cuttlebone at the beach. Wash thoroughly, dry and give it to your pet birds as a great source of calcium.

MOO Monday: A Doggy Jumper Cheapskates Style

It's getting cold here in Ippy and my dog Furey is starting to feel it, so I've been looking in all the pet stores for dog jumpers for her.  The cheapest I could find was $35. OUCH! Then I remembered what my Mum used to do with our farm dogs. We'd cut the sleeves down on our old school jumpers and put them on the dogs, they keep nice and warm. Old jumpers only cost $2.00 - $5.00 at the local secondhand store - a huge saving and no waste either. Furey loves her warm jumpy and can't wait to get into it when it gets dark.
Contributed by Susan Sumison

Keep Your Cat Busy

If you have a cat that is home alone all day, avoid the boredom that encourages mischief and keep him (or her) busy with this very simple and inexpensive toy. Take an empty tissue box and remove the plastic film over the opening (if it's there, my current tissue box doesn't have it). The take two table tennis balls and drop them into the tissue box.  Leave the box on the floor for your curious kitty to find. He will spend hours trying to get the balls out of the box through the opening and you'll come home to a happy cat.

Feed the Birds

At this time of year birds can really do with a bit of extra sustenance. This bird seed cake is easy to make and can be frozen in small blocks and brought out as required.

Melt a packet (about 250g) of dripping or lard in a pan. Remove from the heat and pour in 1/2 cup each of rolled oats, bran and wild bird seed mix (available with the pet food at the supermarket). Stir and let cool slightly before pouring into plastic moulds, such as recycled yoghurt or sour cream containers or the small round takeaway containers. Let cool on the bench then set in the fridge until hard. Pop the seed cake out of the mould and place in an onion bag (or similar).

Hang in a nearby tree and watch the birds feast.  You can buy dripping from the supermarket or you can do what Grandma did and drain the fat from the frying pan, baking dish and grill tray into a container and let it set.

Grandma had a dripping dish, I'm guessing that's not something that's in many kitchens these days so use a clean, empty 800g fruit tin to store your dripping. Keep it in the fridge until you have enough to make your seed cake.

A simple, economical flea shampoo that works

Keep fleas away and your dog healthy and comfortable with this dog wash mix. Mix one part Dettol, two parts dishwashing liquid and three parts water together. Store in a labelled bottle for future use. To use, thoroughly wet your dog's coat and then use enough of the mixture to get a good lather. Massage in well, and rinse off thoroughly.

Paw it forward

If your beloved pet is a rescued, former pound puppy or kitten, occasionally buy an extra bag of treats or a toy or bed and donate it to the shelter where you found your pet. If you're not sure what to get, give them a call and ask, they will have a list of things they need. Old blankets and quilts and sheeting are also always needed. Just remember, if it's already full of holes and you think it's useless, then it probably is just good for rags. Don't use donating as a way to dump rubbish. It's a nice way to help other animals and their carers, and it doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming.

Keep Kitty healthy and happy with this homemade dinner

I am often asked for a recipe for cat food so when you feel like spoiling your kitty a little, try this feline delight.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/3 cup raw brown rice
2 tsp vegetable oil
2/3 cup ground turkey* or chicken
2 tbsp chopped liver (lambs fry)

Method:
Bring the water to the boil in a medium sized saucepan. Stir in the rice and oil and reduce the heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.  Add the ground turkey and chopped liver and continue to cook for another 20 minutes. Cool before dishing up to your cat.


*Turkey is becoming more and more readily available in most supermarkets. Look for the purple trays in the poultry/meat cabinet. Also ask at the deli counter for any scraps, sometimes they will sell them in bags for around $2 each.

Make a Cage Skirt and Keep the Seed In the Cage

Tip of the Day

I love to hear the beautiful whistle of canaries throughout the day but hate the mess they make by scattering their seed everywhere. After some thought about the problem – I decided to use an old terylene shower curtain I no longer needed after our bathroom was revamped. Before I put the birds in the cage - I fitted the curtain around it and secured it with pins. I then sewed up the sides and cut off the excess material. Then I sewed wide elastic around the top on the inside. It is very important to remove all loose threads which the birds could get tangled in or pull at. It works a treat – looks tidy and keeps the seed inside the cage - off the floor. It is also machine washable and dries quickly. If you don’t have an old shower curtain – you will find one at the op. shops anytime. The covers sell for around $15 on eBay –mine cost me nothing except a little thought and time.  

Contributed by Janet, Morphett Vale

Tip of the Day 26 November 2009

Easily pick pet hair from carpet

Keeping carpets free of pet hair is a back breaking and seemingly never ending job. Instead of struggling with the vacuum cleaner, run the brush you use to groom your dog or cat lightly over the carpet. It's like magic - the hair is picked up and trapped, no extra sweat or muscle needed.