Dear Heloise: I allow my dog to sniff a lot while we walk along. That's OK, right? - Angela in Texas
Angela, not only is it OK, it's recommended! Experts agree that a dog's sense of smell is more than 10,000 times as sharp as a human's. So let them explore all the scents of their neighborhood.
A dog's nose is designed differently than a human's nose; a dog can sniff over and over uninterrupted while breathing at the same time.
So, walk slowly with your dog, and literally stop and smell the roses.
It's a great stimulus for your dog, and it's actually good for them. - Heloise
Pet Pal
Dear Readers: Meet Teddy. Teddy is a beautiful, short-haired orange cat, perfectly at home on his mom's bed. Incidentally, the majority of orange cats are male, and most calico (tri-colored) cats are female.
To see Teddy and our other Pet Pals, visit my new website, Heloise.com. - Heloise
Text of Assurance
Dear Heloise: I am a senior citizen (age 77) who now lives alone and was concerned that something could happen to me and I would not be found for an unknown amount of time.
My son and I came up with a solution to assure he would know to actually check on me. When I get up in the morning, I text him a message. For example: "I am up now and am fine." At bedtime, the message would be: "Going to bed now." If he failed to get one of these messages, he would know something was wrong. - Carolyn N., Elizabethtown, Ky.
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