It seems intuitive that your dog’s coat will make the summer unbearable. Actually, its fur acts as insulation, cooling it down and protecting it from the sun. For this reason, the ASPCA has issued a blanket proclamation that owners should not shave their dogs.  In addition to cooling it, the dog’s fur coat protects it from the sun. Without it, a dog is liable to get sunburn, and is more susceptible to skin cancer.  Some – not all – experts suggest that certain dogs that were bred for extreme cold weather climates do have coats that are too thick for warm summers. Consult with your veterinarian and ask if your dog might be a bit too hairy for its own good. Even in cases where your dog might need a bit of grooming, don’t overdo it. You should leave at least an inch of hair to protect it from the sun. If there is a good reason to shave your dog, it might not be the sun, but rather the rain. Dogs can develop a condition called myiasis – an invasion of maggots into the fur – when exposed to too much moisture. This might be a concern if your dog has a thick, matted coat of fur and is outside in the rain often. Ask your veterinarian if myiasis is a serious concern for your dog. Even if your dog does have the previously mentioned risk factors, the condition can typically be prevented if you keep your dog clean and are attentive to open wounds. A double coat is an undercoat of fine, fluffy hair. It might not be readily visible under the heavier coat above, but many popular breeds have it, including the German Shepherd, Pomeranian, Chow, Husky, Malamute, and Samoyed. As these dogs get older, the likelihood increases that some of their hair will not regenerate after a shave, leaving them with a patchy, scruffy coat. Dog grooming typically costs somewhere from $30 to $90. This includes the price of trimming the dog’s hair, but also maintaining its nails and a variety of other important hygienic functions.  For some people this might be a difficult sum to raise, but generally your dog can do – and might even be better of – without the trim. Therefore, if the choice is between shaving it yourself and not shaving it at all, usually not shaving it is the better option. When shaving your dog, there is a risk that you will injure it. When this is considered, it is quite likely that a professional grooming is the cheaper option; a vet bill will cost more than any bath and shave.
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One-sentence summary -- Don’t fear the heat. Think about moisture. Avoid shaving a dog with a double coat. Consider a professional shave.


Next, with the jelly still on it, toss your garment into the washing machine with a load of laundry. Set the washer to the normal settings for your garment (check the care label if you have any concerns) and let the wash run as normal. When you take your garment out of the wash, the stain should have improved noticeably. If some lipstick still remains, consider repeating this method or using one of the other cleaning suggestions in this article to finish it off.
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One-sentence summary -- Launder as normal. If needed, follow with another stain removal method.


If your grass is close-clipped, every stick has been picked up, and there's not a muddy spot to be found, bees will have trouble finding a home in your yard, no matter how many wildflowers you plant. Bees are wild creatures who need a wild habitat to thrive. If you want them to take up residence in your yard, do the following:  Allow for some open, meadow-like spaces in your yard and garden. Leave an area un-mowed and let wild clover grow. If you don't have clover in your yard, scatter some white clover seed over the area in the fall. Leave a small brush pile and some leaves lying where they fell. Bees will use them to make a home. Leave patches of exposed dirt that turn to mud when it rains. Some bees live underground and will thank you for access to the mud they need. Bees have trouble using birdbaths, because they aren't able to land in deep water. They need an island to land on so they can walk to the edge and take a drink or a bath without drowning. To make a bee bath, take a wide, shallow dish or tray and line the edges with flat rocks. Pour water over the rocks and into the bottom of the tray. Place it in your garden near the flowers that attract the most bees. The bees will be able to land on the rocks and access the water. Rotting vegetation and stumps are great shelters for bees. More and more backyard gardeners are installing hives and other bee shelters to provide nesting spots for bees. If you're serious about attracting bees to your yard and helping them thrive, this option might be something to consider. You can start by building a small bee "house" using the following method:  Take a small wooden box and paint it a bright color, preferably white, yellow, bright blue or purple. Use organic paint so the bees won't get sick.  Layer the box with nesting tubes, standing them upright. You can buy them from a garden store or make your own by rolling brown craft paper around a pencil, pinching off the end and holding it together with tape, leaving the ends open. Fill the box to the top with these tubes standing upright, so that the exposed holes are open for the bees to climb in. Turn the box on its side. Be sure you've used enough tubes so that they don't slip out when you move the box. Hang from a tree or a post at eye level in an area sheltered from rain. Dig up an area of the ground nearby to expose dirt and clay the bees can use to build their nest. Bees are susceptible to pesticides and other chemicals sprayed and used in gardens. Aim to have a pesticide-free garden and use pest-ridding remedies that are natural and not reliant on chemicals. If you do spray plants, only do so after dusk, when pollinators are least active, avoid using chemicals known to harm bees. Integrated pest management combines many different methods of pest control to reduce the need to use pesticides. Research integrated pest management methods to find the right system for your yard. Trees provide large amounts of food for bees when they are in full bloom. They are also a beautiful addition to the landscape. If you are in North America, some good trees include:  American Basswood Southern Magnolia Sourwood Redbud Crabapple Locust Serviceberry Tulip Trees
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One-sentence summary --
Let it get a little wild. Make a bee bath. Provide a bee shelter. Stop using pesticides of any kind. Plant flowering trees to attract bees.