Question: Q: Because your puppy is so small, you can easily bathe him in either the utility sink (if you have one) or the bathtub. Whichever location you choose, be sure to place either a towel or slip-proof mat on the bottom surface to keep your puppy from slipping or falling during his bath.  In addition, it is important for puppies to be warm. A small space heater may be useful in keeping the room warm. Organize all of your supplies in the bathing area. This will keep you organized and efficient, as well as lessen the chance that you will have to turn your back on your puppy during the bathing process. Place some of your puppy's toys in the sink or bathtub. This will help keep him entertained during the bath and will make the experience more fun for him.  Plastic toys and toys inside which you can hide a treat are good to have your puppy play with during bath time.  Consider diluting the shampoo (1 part shampoo to 10 parts water) and conditioner (1 part conditioner to 8 parts water). Diluting each product may be necessary if your puppy has particularly sensitive skin. It would be helpful to keep some treats nearby to feed to your puppy while you are bathing him. Rather than calling him to come to you, you should go to him, pick him up, and carry him to the sink or tub. If your puppy is extremely young, he may not yet know how to respond consistently to his name being called—this is another reason to go to him rather than call him to come to you.  Walk slowly with your puppy and talk to him in a quiet and soothing voice to keep him calm before bath time. His first bath may be an unsettling experience for him, so you will want to make him feel as comfortable as possible. You can also offer him some treats as you are carrying him. Use a bristle brush to smooth out your puppy's coat and remove mats (areas of clumped fur) before bathing him. These mats can become nearly impossible to comb or brush through when the fur becomes wet, so it is preferable to get the hair as smooth as possible before getting your puppy wet.  Shih Tzus have long hair, which can make brushing a challenge. Detangling sprays are available that could help you brush through knots and mats in your puppy's fur. Detangling products are available at your local pet store. Spraying water on your puppy's coat while you are brushing him can also brush through knots.  Brush down your puppy and toward his back. It is very important to test the temperature of the water before getting your puppy wet. The water should be no warmer than  lukewarm.  If you are bathing him in your bathtub, try using a handheld showerhead to get him wet. If he is frightened by the showerhead, you can fill a pitcher with water and pour the water over him.  Gently hold his head up to avoid getting his face and eyes wet.  Make sure that you place cotton balls in his ears before getting him wet. Follow the instructions on the shampoo bottle to determine how much shampoo to use. Starting from the back of your puppy's head and working your way back to his tail, use your hands to gently work the shampoo into his coat and skin. As mentioned previously, you could use a canine bath brush rather than your hands to bathe your puppy.  Pay particular attention to your puppy's belly and the area between his back legs. These areas tend to get very dirty, so you want to make sure you don't miss these places when you bathe your puppy. Gently position your puppy's head upward when shampooing him to avoid getting shampoo in your puppy's eyes, ears, and mouth. Residue from the shampoo can make your puppy's skin itchy and uncomfortable, so you will need to rinse his coat thoroughly to remove all of the shampoo. Because dogs' coats tend to be thicker than human hair, several rinses may be necessary to get all of the shampoo out. You will know when you have rinsed out all of the shampoo when you no longer see suds in your puppy's coat or in the water in the bottom of the sink or tub. Apply the conditioner in the same way that you applied the shampoo. This is a crucial step to moisturize your puppy's coat, replenish his skin's essential oils, prevent hair breakage, and seal the hair shaft. Follow the instructions on the conditioner bottle to determine how much conditioner to use and how long you should leave it in before rinsing it out. Dampen a clean washcloth and gently wipe your puppy's face. Be sure to wipe in the corners of his eyes, and around his eyes, to remove tear stain and excess goo. Make sure to clean around the corners of his mouth as well.  Shih Tzus have shallow eye sockets, which makes them prone to excessive tearing and subsequent reddish-brown tear stains.  You can use a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, applied to a cotton ball or small washcloth, to remove the tear stains. First, use a few towels to pat him dry. It is important to pat him dry, since using a rubbing motion can cause split ends to develop in his coat. Once you have patted him dry, use the blow dryer to finish drying him off. Use one hand to work through and lift the hair while you are using the blow dryer. This will ensure that all layers of his coat are fully dried.  To prevent thermal damage to your puppy's skin, use the lowest possible heat setting on the blow dryer and do not keep the heat in any one area for a long period of time.  Make sure to keep the blow dryer's nozzle at least a few inches (about five to eight centimeters) away from your pet's coat.  Keep in mind that your puppy will probably have the urge to shake off as soon as you finish rinsing out the conditioner. Remember to remove the cotton balls from his ears after you have finished drying him off.
A: Prepare the bathing area. Bring your puppy to the bathing area. Brush your puppy. Get your puppy wet. Apply shampoo to your puppy's coat. Rinse out the shampoo. Apply conditioner to your puppy's coat. Clean your puppy's face. Dry off your puppy.

Q: Some cats will have an allergic skin reaction to fleas. This reaction can cause rodent ulcers to develop. If your vet suspects that fleas may have caused the development of the ulcers, you will need to treat the fleas and prevent future infestations. Talk with your vet about the best treatment and prevention option for your cat. For example, your vet may prescribe Advantage or Frontline Plus which are given monthly and treat and prevent fleas. Some cats have food allergies that could contribute to the formation of rodent ulcers. Your vet can help conduct a food allergy trial to determine if food is causing the ulcers. Once you have discovered the cause, change your cat’s food to prevent future outbreaks. The rodent ulcers may be caused by an allergic reaction to plastic or rubber. For example, if your cat eats and drinks from plastic or rubber bowls, you should consider switching to stainless steel bowls. Stainless steel is less likely to cause an allergic reaction.
A: Give your cat flea prevention medicine. Change the cat’s food. Use stainless steel food bowls.

Q: Stuffing only needs to be done when you're weathering an object that may lose shape, such as a shoe or bag. Fill the item completely with old newspaper. Lay other leather objects flat on a table. Get some rubbing alcohol from the self-care section at a drugstore or general store. Load the alcohol into a spray bottle and lightly coat the leather. The leather should be damp, not soaked.  If you don't have a spray bottle, use an old toothbrush to spread the rubbing alcohol. Acetone also works. It may help remove dye, but acetone can be dangerous and you may need a lot of it. Once the rubbing alcohol is dry, apply shoe wax to give the leather protection  You can use your finger, a cloth, or an old toothbrush to spread the wax over the leather. Work in as much wax as possible and wipe off the excess. Finish by buffing the leather with a brush.
A: Stuff the leather with newspaper. Spray the leather with rubbing alcohol. Seal the weathered surface with shoe wax.

Q: Two easy medals to work on are the Veteran and the Pet Academy Attendance badges. The former goes up monthly every time you log in, and the latter improves every time you check in at the pet school.
A:
Answer: Log in frequently, as this will help you to gain and level up particular medals (for example, there are often different monthly events going on, some of which have exclusive medals you get for attending).