Every summer, the flies eat right through the skin on her ears, leaving sore spots as big as a 50-cent piece. We have tried all kinds of salves and ointments, but nothing is working. As soon as we put something on the dog, she promptly rolls on her back and rubs everything off. The intense irritation can cause the dog to shake its head so violently that the blood vessels rupture in the ear, causing a massive hematoma or blood blister. Spread oil of citronella or other safe insect repellent on a piece of silk stocking and tie it around your dog's head when she goes outdoors for any length of time.
Parakeets are very sociable birds.
For that reason, I urge people to keep more than one parakeet in a cage. Keeping a young bird isolated from contact with her own kind will make her more dependent on the human caretaker and more likely to learn to mimic various words. If you think it is OK, then I suggest you get a stuffed toy containing a digital recorder that you can activate to mimic whatever you would like your bird to say. Chances are the birds will learn a few words. This column runs Saturdays in Homestyle.