Flea bites are irritating to pets, which causes pets to scratch the locations in which they're being bitten by fleas. If you notice your dog or cat scratching or biting at their fur frequently, it is a good sign that they're covered in fleas. It's natural for animals to scratch themselves occasionally under normal circumstances. Animals with fleas, though, will scratch frequently, for long periods of time. If you've noticed an animal scratching constantly, take a look at their skin and hair. The skin of animals infested with fleas is often reddened and raised. Many animals with fleas itch and bite at themselves so forcefully that they pull out small patches of hair. On animals with heavy coats, you'll need to manually part the hairs so you can see down to their skin. If you do part the hairs, be sure to wash your hands immediately afterwards. If your pet has red, raised patches of skin or missing hair clumps, look for the fleas themselves. To do this most effectively, roll your pet over onto their back. Then look in the pet's armpit and groin areasthe pet's coat will be thinner here, giving the fleas less dense fur to hide themselves in. It's best to wear a pair of gloves (e.g. latex gloves) when you inspect your pet and handle their fut. Fleas can transfer from dogs to humans, so take precaution to make sure this doesn't happen. Fleas are tinyranging from 18 inch (0.32cm) to 116 inch (0.16cm)which makes them often hard to spot. The body of a flea has 6 legs, and they are typically black or dark brown in color. Flea bodies are shaped approximately like an avocado, and have a scaly appearance. Fleas are tremendous jumpersthey can leap fast and high, and you may spot them jumping from one part of your pet to another. The close-set teeth of a flea comb are specifically designed to trap fleas. If you spot many small, black or brown dots in the teeth of the comb after running it through your pet's coat, it's a sure sign they're infested with fleas. When combing your pet, make sure to comb deep enough to catch any fleas hiding near the pet's skin. You can purchase a flea comb at your veterinarian's office, at a pet-supply store, or in the pet section of a supermarket.

Summary: Watch for signs of itching. Look for reddened skin and patchy hair. Inspect the pet for fleas. Identify fleas when you see them. Run a flea comb through your pet's coat.

Open your hands and clap your palms against each other, with the fingers held up towards the sky. Do it hard enough to get a good loud smacking sound out of it, but not so hard you turn your hand red. Some people clap more by clapping the fingers of one hand against the palm of the other. Do whatever feels most comfortable for you. You know when the Queen comes out of the castle and deigns to applaud her loyal subjects with a brief applause? That's what you're going for. A demure clap can be done just by clapping with the first two fingers, tapping them into your palm. It should make very little noise, giving the impression that you're clapping more than actually contributing to the group. Not all cultures or situations call for hand on hand clapping. Learn to use other types of claps so you'll be prepared to celebrate in all situations. Stomping your feet is a common way of applauding at some camps and in some sporting events. It makes more of a thunderous rumble that can be quite intimidating and fun. Rapping your knuckles on the table after a lecture used to be common in some boarding schools, as opposed to clapping. To snap or not to snap? The cliche that beret-wearing hipsters snap at each others poems at jazzy cafes is a cliche based on an out-of-date 1940s stereotype. If you snap your fingers at a poetry reading, you'll probably be the only one. It's like yelling "Freebird" at a rock concert. In situations in which it's inappropriate to made noise, or when the audience is primarily hearing-impaired or deaf, the general way of clapping is to raise your hands with your palms facing away from you, and to wiggle your fingers. Sometimes called "sparkling," this is also used to agree or to support a speaker during meetings of consensus, Quaker meetings, or other events during which speaking out is not allowed. A slow clap starts and builds gradually into a roar of applause. To start a slow clap, begin clapping no more than once every two seconds and gradually wait for others to build and join in with you. Gradually, speed up. Slow clapping can often mean a variety of things. Traditionally, a slow clap was considered a kind of heckle instead of a celebration, though now it's considered a kind of winking or ironic celebration of something dramatic "epic." You might slow clap your little brother after he finally cleans his bedroom, for instance.

Summary: Do the basic clap. Do the royalty clap. Clap without your hands. Clap silently. Do the slow clap.

for a simple solution. Changing the color of your walls can make a dramatic impact on the way your room looks. Choose a color you love that complements items you know you're going to keep and display, such as a dresser or favorite piece of artwork. Start by moving everything away from the walls and masking the baseboards and ceiling. Apply a coat or 2 of primer and let it dry fully. Then, paint the walls with a roller using long, even strokes. To make your room look more airy and open, choose a light color such as white, gray, or yellow. For a more dramatic effect, you can paint one wall a bold color and the rest a subtle hue. There are tons of cool paints to try, like chalkboard paint or magnetic paint. If you have the time and don't mind putting in the effort, hanging wallpaper adds texture and drama to your walls. Pick a color or pattern you truly love since wallpaper is more difficult to remove or redo than simply painting the walls. Measure your room before purchasing wallpaper and be sure to get a little extra in case of any issues. If your wallpaper is patterned, take care to line up the pattern when you add a new strip! You can use removable wallpaper if you don't want to commit to the print or color permanently. If you want something a little less common, you could cover your walls in shiplap, which is a type of siding composed on horizontal boards. You can use interlocking shiplap boards or even simple 1 by 6in (2.5 by 15.2cm) boards cut to the length of your walls. Work your way from the bottom of the wall to the top. You can do all your walls for a cohesive look or even install shiplap on a single accent wall. Paint the shiplap white for a clean, nautical feel or simply stain the wood for a more natural look.
Summary: Paint your walls Hang wallpaper to instantly transform your space. Install shiplap to create a fun, nautical feel.