How to House-Train a Puppy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dog Leashes
• New Puppy Kits
• Pet Stain Removers
• Dog Beds
• Dog Dishes
• Puppy Treats
• Alarm Clocks
• Leather Dog Collars
• General Cleaning Supplies
• Pet Crates
• Dog Blankets
• Dog Pillows

1. Watch your puppy's behavior while relieving himself outdoors so you can detect the warning signs and intercept him when indoors.

2. Stay outside as often as possible during nice weather so your puppy can develop a preference for eliminating outdoors. Help him develop a liking for surfaces like dirt and gravel by taking him outdoors to eliminate after eating, playing and sleeping, or, ideally, every 15 minutes.

3. When it's time, go straight to a predesignated area and don't leave until the puppy urinates.

4. Tuck your puppy into a cozy crate in your bedroom at night. Dogs are den animals and don't like to soil the area where they sleep.

5. Carry the puppy outdoors when he becomes restless in the middle of the night, and wait until he's finished relieving himself.

6. Supply a litter box (filled with sand or kitty litter) during the night, unless you plan on getting up every couple of hours to take him outside. If you do want to take him outside, set your alarm if you sleep too deeply to notice that your puppy has started fidgeting, and carry him outside at those times.

7. Carry the puppy outside first thing in the morning so he won't soil the floors as he walks outside.

8. Be consistent with training. Consult a pet behaviorist if you have problems.

9. Reward your dog with puppy treats and praise every time he successfully eliminates outdoors.

How to Make Homemade Dog Food

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garlic
• Dog Food Bowls
• Eggs
• Meat Grinders
• Meats
• Vegetables
• Starches

1. Know that it is wise to check with your vet before switching to homemade dog food.

2. Understand that dogs need a diet that consists of 40 percent meat, 30 percent vegetables and 30 percent starch. Follow this formula to ensure that your dog has a well-balanced diet.

3. Consider the fact that many experts believe commercial dog food is actually unhealthy for dogs. Often the meat that is used in dog food is of a quality considered unfit for humans.

4. Try making a mixture of ground turkey, rice and carrot for your own dog food. Meals made of ground beef, brown rice, brewer's yeast and carrots are also popular.

5. Rotate the foods you feed your dog so that the dog gets a variety of foods.

6. Use oatmeal, pasta, rice or potatoes for your dog's starch requirement.

7. Keep cooked dog food in the refrigerator no longer than three days.

How to Format a Hard Drive With Windows XP

Instructions

Preparation

1. 1

   When you format a computer hard drive you will lose everything that is on the drive. Therefore, it is very important to back up anything you might want later. Additionally, if you are going to be formatting and installing XP you need to make sure you have the discs for any applications or third party hardware you use since you will need to re-install your programs and drivers after re-installing Windows.

2. 2

   Take a moment to think of anything that you have on the computer that you wouldn't want to lose. Generally, you probably want everything in your My Documents folder, and you also want to save things like your favorites or bookmarks from your Web browser. Remember that each user on the computer has his or her own My Documents folder, Desktop items and Favorites/Bookmarks.

3. 3

   Save everything to a CD, DVD or a hard drive that you won't be formatting.

Formatting a Secondary Hard Drive

4. 1

   Right-Click on the "My Computer" icon either on your desktop or in the Start Menu and select "Manage."

5. 2

   A new window titled "Computer Management" comes up. Select "Storage" from the left hand side by clicking it once, then select "Disk Management(local)" from the right side by double-clicking it.

6. 3

   Now in the lower part of the main frame (right side) of the window you should see a nice visual of all your hard drives. Each line is a different drive. Each box on a line (with a colored bar at the top and a size displayed in MB or GB) is a partition on the drive. Partitions are separations of space on a drive. Unless you are doing something specific that requires multiple partitions, you only want one partition per drive.

7. 4

   First you must delete any existing partitions on the drive you are going to format. Do this by right-clicking on the partition's box and selecting "Delete Partition..." Since you already know that you will be deleting everything on the drive, and have already backed everything up, you can safely say yes to any warning the computer presents you with.

8. 5
   

   If there are multiple partitions make sure you have saved everything off them since they might each have different drive letters (i.e. "D:" or "F:"). Then repeat the above step for each of them. If you only want to format one partition that is OK and you can continue to the next step without deleting the other partitions.

9. 6

   The box for the drive to be formatted should now have a black bar at the top of it and should say "Unallocated" under its size (see picture). Right click on it and select "New Partition..." The New Partition Wizard comes up.

10. 7

    In the New Partition Wizard click next. On the next page make sure "Primary Partition" is selected and click next. Now make the size equal to the maximum (it should already be set to it), and click next again. On the next page the computer will automatically choose the first available drive letter for the new drive. However, if you like you can choose another drive letter from the drop-down menu, and then click next.

11. 8

    Finally the New Partition Wizard asks if you would like to format the new partition and if so what format. Choose "NTFS" as it is faster and more secure. Leave the "Allocation unit size" as "Default." In the "Volume label" field enter whatever name you want the drive to have. Simple is better. Avoid using spaces. Lastly, if the drive is brand new and has never been used before check the "Perform a quick format" box. If the drive has been used before leave this box unchecked. Leave the "Enable file and folder compression" box unchecked and click next. Then on the next page click finish.

12. 9

    The wizard will now spend a little while formatting the drive. On old or large drives this may take a while. Do not close the "Computer Management" window until it finishes. You will know it is done when the word under the size of the drive changes from "Formatting" to "Healthy" and the name and drive letter you chose for the new drive show up. After it is finished you can proceed to use your newly formatted drive.

Formatting and Installing from the Windows XP CD

13. 1

    This section explains how to reformat a drive from the Windows XP installation CD. This can be used when installing a fresh copy of Windows onto a computer. Here it is especially important to backup all of your important information because upon formatting you will lose EVERYTHING that used to be on the drive. This includes all applications and device drivers, so you must back up everything you can.

14. 2

    Insert your Windows XP installation disc into your CD drive (Home or Pro--it does not matter).

15. 3

    Now as you computer boots a little more it will say "Press any key to boot from CD.." press a key to do so.

16. 4

    The CD will load up a blue screen and then spend a while loading files it needs. When it is finished it will list a few options, mainly "Press ENTER to set up Windows XP." Press Enter or Return.

17. 5

    Now you will be at a screen to select where to install Windows to. This is where you can delete old partitions and format drives. The box in the bottom half of the screen shows all your drives and the partitions that exist on them. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to highlight your "C:" partition and press the 'D' key (if all that shows up is "Unpartitioned space" and you have no C: or D: partitions, skip this step). On the next screen press the 'L' key to finalize deleting the partition.

18. 6

    Now you are back on the screen to choose where to install Windows. The box on the lower half of the screen should no longer show a partition but simply have an entry "Unpartitioned space xxxxxMB." Select this with the arrow keys and press the 'C' key to create a partition on the drive. The next screen tells you the minimum and maximum sizes the partition can be and lets you pick the size. The default size is the maximum, but double check that the number entered is the maximum and hit enter.

19. 7

    Now you will again be back at the choose where to install Windows screen. But this time you will have a partition that looks something like this "C: Partition1 [New (Raw)]xxxxxxMB." Highlight this entry and press enter.

20. 8

    The next screen lets you choose which file system to format the drive with. Choose NTFS as it is faster and more secure. If the drive is brand new and has never been used before then use one of the options that ends in "(Quick)." Or, choose one of the lower down options. Use the arrow keys to select the proper one and press Enter or Return.

21. 9

    From here you are all set and the installation of Windows will proceed starting with a format of your drive. This will take a while (over half an hour) so you can take a little break.

Mosquito Repellent in a Garden

Foliage Sprays

Mosquitoes usually rest on foliage during the day and only come out during the night. Professional pest control companies can spray the foliage in the garden with a residual insecticide to prevent mosquitoes from using your garden as a resting area. This treatment lasts for four to six weeks.

Candles

Candles that contain citronella oil can produce a smoke that keeps mosquito away. However, these candles only protect areas where the smoke wafts, and wind can reduce their protection zone size and effectiveness.

Devices

Sonic, electronic and ultrasonic devices plug into electrical outlets and emit sounds like those of male mosquitoes and dragonflies that purportedly keep mosquitoes away. However, despite manufacturers' claims, these devices cannot repel mosquitoes effectively.

How to Do a Three Color Checkerboard Pattern With Tile Read more: How to Do a Three Color Checkerboard Pattern With Tile

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tile (three different colors)

1. Lay out the main "checkerboard" pattern using a single color, whichever one you prefer to be dominant. Set out a single tile, then place one auxiliary tile at each of the tile's four corners, ensuring that each tile's vertical edges are perpendicular--in other words, one goes straight up and down, the other straight left to right--to the main tile's horizontal ones and that the horizontal ones are perpendicular to the vertical ones. If you've done this correctly, you should have a large three-by-three square on your floor, the first row of which will have (in order) a tile, an empty space and a tile; the second row an empty space, a tile and another empty; the third identical to the first.

2. Add the second color of tile, either in the empty spaces just above and below the original tile or to the left and the right of it. If you want to maintain a checkerboard look, it's important that like colors be opposite one another (rather than adjacent or nearby), lest the pattern look messy rather than put-together.

3. Insert the third color of tile into the two spaces that remain. For example, if your main color is black and you put white tiles above and below the original tile square, you should put your red tiles to its left and right.

4. Expand upon your main tri-color checkerboard by placing new tiles of the main color at the corners of the original tiles and repeating the pattern you made with the auxiliary colors. Continue expanding until you reach the furthest edges of the room. 5

5. Adhere your tile to your prepared and primed floor as you usually would once you have set the pattern you want. Double-check this pattern before you prepare mortar, as it will be troublesome to remove any tile you lay improperly.

Insect Deterrent Ground Cover Plants

Vegetable gardens draw a range of insect pests.

Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Vegetable gardens can be green, thriving and fruiting affairs, but they also draw a number of pests with their green growth and sweet blooms. While some gardeners turn to commercial pesticides to solve the problem, others keep their garden organic with companion planting.

Companion Planting

1. 
   Companion planting refers to pairings that include fruiting vegetables and "protector" plants, or fruiting vegetables that grow well in the same space. Pest-control companion plants are natural insect deterrents.
   


HERBS


2. 
   Many herbs are natural pest-control plants in the garden. Gardeners use basil, thyme, oregano, catnip, mint, basil and sage to control different insects in the garden. These herbs also flavor certain vegetables as they grow and add valuable ingredients to kitchen dishes.
   

Vegetables

3. 
   While some vegetables, like tomatoes and peppers, are vulnerable to pests, others grow along the ground as shields against bugs. Garlic and onions are two notable examples, followed by radishes and even green beans.
   



Flowers


4. 
   Some low-growing flowers also serve to drive away bugs. These pest-control flowers include nasturtiums, marigolds, petunias and mums.
   

How to Design Shoe Storage

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sheet of medium-density fiberboard
  
• Towel bars
  
• High-gloss interior paint
  
• Carpenter's level
  
• Drill
  
• Short bolts and nuts
  
• Small spotlight (optional)
  

1. Calculate the number of pairs of shoes to be displayed, and measure a few typical pairs to gauge their average width. Boots will go in the hall or entry under a convenient narrow bench or on a boot tray. But the glitzy party shoes, classic day pumps, wing-tips, leather loafers, summer sandals and sporty sneakers can have their moment in the sun. Buy a sheet of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) large enough for the collection, and make it wide enough to handle a wide towel bar.
2. Select towel bars that fit your style and that are almost as wide as the MDF backing. Use your calculations to determine the number of towel bars for the storage display.
   
3. Paint the MDF sheet with several coats of white high-gloss interior paint. The finish will make the shoe rack easier to wipe down. If your walls are not white and you want the rack to match, use the same shade of paint but select the glossy finish.
   
4. Attach the towel bars horizontally to the painted and dried MDF backing. You'll need to measure again to be sure you leave enough space between rows so it is simple to insert and remove shoes. The spacing depends on the size of the shoes, so use your shoes as a guide.
   
5. Mark the holes for the screws to attach the towel bars with a pencil. Use a carpenter's level to get the bars straight. In a minimalist design, the lines are important. Drill through each hole with an electric drill.
   
6. Attach the towel bars using short bolts and nuts. This is a secure way to fasten the bars to the board and allows you to disassemble the contraption quickly for a move.
   
7. Prop the display against the gallery -- bedroom -- wall at a slight angle and arrange your most fabulous shoes in pairs. If you're really into the collection, aim a low footlight up at the footgear and use it as a focal point of the room.
   
8. Install shelving when art is not the answer. If your shoes are shabby, place open shelving along one wall or in a corner, cover mismatched shoe boxes in one color craft paper, and glue on a photo of the shoes that are inside so you can find a pair in a hurry.