Our canine companions, “man’s best friend”, are part of the family! They are there at our side no matter what so, naturally, they deserve the very best in pet care. Caring for our fur babies is, at times, time consuming. Between cleaning up dog hair, cleaning up a pee stain, or protecting them during storms…it’s something that is up to us. And we do it all with love! In today’s article I will cover dog care hacks to make caring for our fur babies go a little smoother and perhaps a little quicker. These hacks will save you time and that extra time we can spend with our lovable canines! Let’s take a quick look at some of the hacks I’ll be covering: Easy ways to pick up dog hair How to cure bad doggie breath How to protect their paws in extreme weather A DIY “no chew” spray ….And much more! Let’s get started! Dog Care Hacks That Every Dog Owner Should Know 2 Easy Ways To Pick Up Dog Hair On Furniture Constantly cleaning dog hair off the furniture comes with the territory! Here are 2 easy ways to make it go a little quicker. Dryer sheet: Run a dryer sheet over the dog hair and it comes off with ease. It’ll also help keep your furniture static free, which is why dog hair clings to fabric so easily in the first place. Rubber Gloves: Simply wearing a rubber glove and running your hand across the hair helps to collect the hair much easier. Easy Way To Grab Dog Hair Off Your Carpet Of course vacuuming is the best way to remove dog hair from the carpet. However, did you know you can use a window squeegee to grab dog hair? Just simply scrape the squeegee along the carpet and you’ll be surprised how much hair comes up! Clean Up Pee Spots On The Carpet With Baking Soda Cleaning up pee spots on the carpet is a cinch with baking soda! All you have to do is pour baking soda over the urine and allow the baking soda to completely soak it up. Next, vacuum over the area and you’re all set! Baking soda can be toxic to some pets so make sure to keep pets away during the cleaning process. How To Protect Their Paws In Winter Weather You can use paw balm or doggie boots to protect their paws in winter weather. However, If you do not have any paw balm and/or your dog simply refuses to wear boots, smear vaseline over their paw pads as a great alternative. How To Protect Their Paws In Hot Summer Temps If you walk your dog on pavement in the summer, there’s a simple test to see if the pavement is too hot for them. Hold the back side of your hand on the pavement for 5 seconds. If it’s too hot for you then, it’s too hot for them. Try walking them on grassy areas during the hot part of the day. Easy Method To Test For Fleas If you suspect your dog may have fleas, here is a simple test to check. Lay your dog on a white towel to brush them. Look for flea dirt or fleas on the towel. If your dog does have fleas, please check out my article 5 Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Fleas In and Around Your Home for all natural remedies for your pet and your home. How To Get Rid Of Skunk Smell Did your curious canine get skunked? No worries! You can remove the odor with soap, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda. Check out this article for detailed instructions. Easy Way To Remove A Stinger Removing a stinger from a dog’s skin can be tricky. Here’s an easy and quick way to remove a stinger. Scrape the stinger with something that has a firm straight edge like a credit card. The stinger will come with ease! How To Cure Bad Breath Does your fur baby have bad breath? Here’s an easy way to remedy that. Add small amounts of parsley to their food once or twice a week. Do not give them parsley in large amounts or on consecutive days as doing so can upset their stomachs. How To Stop Nail Bleeding Cutting a dog’s nails too short can cause their nails to bleed. Applying a paste made with equal parts of white flour, cornstarch, and water to their nails with light pressure for 3-5 minutes will stop the bleeding. Easy Way To Train Your Dog To Stay Calm During A Storm So many dogs (and cats) are afraid of thunderstorms! An easy way to train them to be less afraid is to play a sound recording of storms while going about your normal daily routine. Over time they will get used to the ‘sound’ and when the real storm comes along they may just shrug it off as ‘normal’, therefore, staying calm. DIY Spray To Eliminate Pet Odors Pet odors are no problem with this effective odor eliminating spray! Combine 5 tablespoons of baking and 4-6 ounces of water into a spray bottle. Next, add 5 drops of your favorite essential oil and shake well. Spray on carpets and cloth furniture to eliminate pet odors. DIY “No Chew” Spray Does your canine companion love to chew? Try this DIY “no chew” spray! This spray works really well due to the fact that dogs despise the taste of bitter apple. Mix together 2 parts of apple cider vinegar and 1 part white vinegar in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray on all their favorite “chew spots”! First Aid Kit For Your Loyal Canine We have first aid kits for ourselves but, we can’t forget that our loyal canines should have one of their own as well. Check out my article, Dog First Aid Kit For Your Canine Companion to learn how you can make the perfect first aid just for them! **Information within this article is for informational purposes only. Read our full disclaimer here. Do you have a dog care hack to share with us? Share with us in the comment section below. Check out our other great articles on pet care: Smart Fire and Electrical Tips To Keep Your Pets Safe Basic Home Remedies For Fleas (Protect Your Pets) 15 Pet Projects & Recipes  

Green Grift Dollars Flying Out D.C. Door in Last Minute Spending Spree

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa is actively lobbying against military veteran and Fox host Pete Hegseth's nomination to head the Department of Defense, sources confirmed to Blaze News. Hegseth was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump in November and has since been at the center of swirling rumors ranging from accusations of sexual abuse to anonymous allegations surrounding his drinking habits. Despite his fervent denial of the allegations and unwavering support from Trump, Ernst is proving to be a significant roadblock f his confirmation, sources close to the Senate told Blaze News. In addition to Ernst's concerns about Hegseth's past, other underlying motivations may be driving the conflict. Hegseth met with Ernst, a fellow veteran, on Wednesday amid the raging reports about his past conduct. Following the meeting, Ernst said that the two had a "frank and thorough conversation" and notably withheld any formal endorsement. Ernst doubled down on the non-answer this morning during an interview with Fox News, saying that she will be continuing a "thorough vetting process" for Hegseth. "I think for a number of our senators they want to make sure that any allegations have been cleared, and that's why we have to have a very thorough vetting process," Ernst said. Ernst declined to explicitly endorse Hegseth during the interview, to which the host said, "Doesn't sound in your answer that you've gotten to a yes." "I think you are right," Ernst responded.There are several reasons for her hesitation to back Hegseth. For one, a focal point of Ernst's career has been advocating against sexual abuse toward women, particularly in the military. This advocacy seems to be incompatible with a Hegseth endorsement given the allegations surrounding him, sources told Blaze News. In addition to Ernst's concerns about Hegseth's past, other underlying motivations may be driving the conflict. Ernst has the opportunity to make concessions with Hegseth to, for instance, crack down on sexual assault against women in the military in exchange for her vote. Rather than paving the way for her advocacy to become actual policy, Ernst has instead been acting as a "useful proxy" for old guard Senate Republicans like former leader Mitch McConnell, one source told Blaze News. Ernst, alongside Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, has also been floated as a potential replacement in the event the Hegseth nomination falls through. Although she may not be explicitly vying for the position, one source told Blaze News that she would likely take it if she could.Given this hypothetical, Ernst's confirmation following the Hegseth debacle would be one to watch. On one hand, her resistance against a candidate who has wholeheartedly been endorsed by the party's revered president-elect may be a hard selling point for her Republican colleagues. On the other hand, one source pointed out that senators usually don't have a difficulty confirming other senators.For example, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who was tapped by Trump to serve as secretary of state, will likely coast through his Senate confirmation process. One source told Blaze News that this would likely be the same case for Ernst were she to replace Hegseth, calling confirmations for fellow senators a "courtesy." Hypotheticals aside, a nominee can afford to lose only three Republican votes going into the 119th Congress, assuming Vice President-elect JD Vance votes as a tie-breaker.As things stand, Hegseth is committed to his nomination, and so is Trump. Ernst, however, will continue to be a thorn in Hegseth's side. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Donald Trump’s election revealed plenty about those who voted against him, and Pastor John Piper was no exception. The pastor reacted to the win in a post on X, writing, “Having delivered us from one evil, God now tests us with another.” While Allie Beth Stuckey of “Relatable” was disappointed in Piper’s response, the pastor has quickly earned himself a place back in her good graces after showing that while he might not like Trump, he doesn’t buy into the left-wing insanity either. This was made crystal clear in a recent episode of “Ask Pastor John,” in which the pastor was asked what to do when confronted with the question of using “gender pronoun hospitality” on a local campus. Allie says John Piper stated that “the entire idea of ‘gender pronoun hospitality’ is a misleading slogan" and that "connecting the beautiful biblical word ‘hospitality’ with the unbiblical concept of gender pronouns is unhelpful.” “We ought to be hospitable, but we ought not to be affirming of pronouns that designate a destructive choice and a false view of reality. It is possible to be hospitable and honest,” he continued, before listing ten clear reasons he disagrees with “pronoun politeness.” “It defies God. … Self-conception as male or female should be defined by God’s holy purposes in creation,” he began. “It involves living a lie. A woman cannot become a man nor a man a woman.” “Being a man or a woman is not like being left-handed or right-handed. It goes far deeper and touches the depths of our created nature,” and “it regularly leads to destructive and irreversible surgeries and treatments” — which “destroys the God-designed potential of procreation and will bring sooner or later profound and sometimes suicidal regret.” Piper went on to say that so-called transgenderism “expresses the deeply anti-God commitment to human autonomy over against the will of God” and that it “contributes to the cultural disorder of sexuality that tends to undermine God’s pattern from male and female and confuses and destabilizes our young people.” Pronoun hospitality also “overlooks alternative ways forward that take seriously a person’s sexual confusion or rebellion,” “is the prelude to future perversions,” and “therefore, the greatest possible care should be taken before one gives any impression of approving or even being mildly disagreeable toward so-called transgenderism.” “I think that is a perfect response, and I am so grateful for his clarity,” Stuckey says, adding, “Clarity is kindness.” Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

LGBTQ+ activists protested a ban on biological males in women's bathrooms at the U.S. Capitol by dancing inside a bathroom and posting video of their shenanigans. The ban was put in place by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana after controversy erupted over the election of the first openly transgender member of the House. Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina proposed legislation to impose the ban and vehemently denounced the LGBTQ+ agenda. 'We understand the weight of what it means to be a pariah in our society, so doing what’s necessary is never too hard.' The protesters posted a video showing the U.S. Capitol and then a group of transgender and nonbinary people dancing inside of the women's bathroom while the song "Meeting in the Ladies Room" by Klymaxx played. One of the activists told Gaye Magazine that the bathroom ban was a part of an effort to "eradicate" all transgender people. "We're here today to ensure they understand that we will not be erased — one bathroom at a time — or shoved back into the proverbial closet out of deference to the comfort of those who speak to eradicate us," said Hope Giselle-Godsey.“We understand the weight of what it means to be a pariah in our society, so doing what’s necessary is never too hard," Giselle-Godsey continued. "It always starts with things that people feel are insignificant, like public restrooms, but it never stops there.”Video of the protest was circulated widely on social media. Johnson noted in his statement about the ban that the controversy was overblown because each member of Congress has a private bathroom, and there are unisex bathrooms in Congress building as well. Transgender Democratic Rep. Sarah McBride of Delaware said the issue had become a "distraction" in a statement responding to the ban. "I’m not here to fight about bathrooms. I’m here to fight for Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families," said McBride on social media. "Like all members, I will follow the rules as outlined by Speaker Johnson, even if I disagree with them." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The NFL and its players association have agreed to new substance-abuse guidelines that include an increase in tolerance for THC levels in an athlete's blood.NFL reporter Tom Pelissero reported on the new agreement, posting a summary that was forwarded to athletes' agents.Under changes to the Substances of Abuse Policy, the level of allowable THC levels (the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis) in the blood increased from 150 nanograms per milliliter to 350 nanograms per milliliter. This means if the athlete's blood tests over 350 ng/ml, he would officially test positive.While this increase of more than 2x seems significant, the odds of a person breaching the old threshold was likely rare; but perhaps the change was made for a reason.According to website NCIDS.org, a study involving six subjects reported peak THC levels in blood between 46-188 ng/ml within the first 10 minutes of smoking. This means that unless an athlete had literally just used marijuana right before their drug test, it is highly unlikely they would test positive under the new rules. It would still be difficult if the athlete had smoked within the last hour, as well.'Can I post screenshots of text messages with my drug tester?'Another portion of the updated policy included posting about drug tests or the results on social media. The NFLPA and the NFL agreed to terms that would fine a player $15,000 for "recording and posting [the] collection process" on their personal channels.Pelissero also posted an image of a hilariously blunt FAQ sheet that was sent out by the players association.The first question listed asked, "Can I post a photo or video of the white slip notifying me of a drug test?""No," was the answer, alluding to a pattern."Can I post screenshots of text messages with my drug tester?" the second question asked."No," was again the answer."Can I post a photo, video, or audio from inside the drug testing room during collection?" also received a "no" from the league.The end of the page added a reminder, answering "yes" to the question, "Was it previously against the rules to publicly post such content?"The NFLPA admitted there previously was "no clearly defined" disciplinary framework around this subject, which meant the league "had the discretion to impose fines that could have exceeded $15,000."Those fines now appear to be limited to the $15,000 mark.Other new updates to the policy included mandatory fentanyl testing. The tests carry no penalty if positive, but refusing the test is a $15,000 fine. A second missed test would increase the fine to $45,000, which is a change from the previous policy of a one-game suspension.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The Ladies Professional Golf Association has changed its gender policy in attempt to ensure fairness for women in the sport.The tour announced that effective in 2025, athletes who are "assigned female at birth" are eligible for competitions, including the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour, and all other "elite LPGA competitions."With its careful use of language, the LPGA has not completely ruled out transgender athletes, carving out a caveat that allows those whose parents had them undergo gender-related procedures to compete."Players assigned male at birth and who have gone through male puberty are not eligible to compete in the aforementioned events," the tour wrote.As such, the rules center around whether or not a child went through puberty as a boy or a girl, implying males could go through some sort of female puberty.'... the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf.'The LPGA said it informed its policy through consulting top experts in medicine, science, sport physiology, golf performance, and gender policy law. This included input from an "array of stakeholders" in order to prioritize competitive integrity in women's tournaments, the tour claimed. According to ESPN, the LPGA spent a year in this research phase.The tour also admitted that males have advantages in the sport but leaned on the fact that its "working group" advised that this is the case."This working group has advised that the effects of male puberty confer competitive advantages in golf performance compared to players who have not undergone male puberty."LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan called the policy "science-based and inclusive," while adding that it represents a continued commitment to ensuring all competitors "feel welcome."The most notable golfer affected by these changes is likely Hailey Davidson, a man posing as women who missed qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Women's Open by a single shot. Davidson reportedly began hormone treatments in his early 20s in 2015 and had "gender reassignment surgery" in 2021 to adhere with previous policy.Davidson complained about the new rules on his Instagram page, blaming others for remaining "neutral" on the subject."Can't say I didn’t see this coming. Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay 'neutral' thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence."He added, "What a great birthday present for 2024. Having the greatest achievement I've earned in my life taken from me."Davidson then complained that although he was "outdriven by every player" at an event, he is still considered to have "an advantage" and got banned.He concluded with complaints that he was not consulted in any of the studies for the women's sport, despite being the "only active golfer who is actually effected [sic] by these policy changes."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Tech billionaire Elon Musk responded to a report showing how many federal workers actually show up for work in person and hinted at actions DOGE might take to lower the federal budget. The report found that only about 6% of the federal workforce reported in-person on a "full-time basis" while nearly a third of federal workers do their work remotely on a full-time basis. It also indicated that some workers were lying about where they were located in order to jack up their income based on locality pay schedules. 'That is absurd, and it’s not something the American people will stand for.' Musk responded to the report on X, the social media platform he owns. "If you exclude security guards & maintenance personnel, the number of government workers who show up in person and do 40 hours of work a week is closer to 1%!" he wrote. "Almost no one."Musk has been tasked as one of the two directors of the Department of Government Efficiency, the acronym of which is also a play on the cryptocurrency coin based on a popular dog meme. The other director is director Vivek Ramaswamy. The report on federal workers' habits was put together by the office of Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, who presented it to Musk and Ramaswamy during their visit to Congress on Thursday. Photographers captured Musk with his son on his shoulders walking through Congress. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana also responded to the report. “That is absurd, and it’s not something the American people will stand for,” said Johnson to reporters. “And so one of the first things that I think you’ll see is a demand from the new administration, from all of us in Congress, [that] the federal workers, return to their desks.” The report also found that the government was spending about $15.7 billion per year to lease and maintain federal office buildings. 7,697 of those were completely vacant while 2,265 were somewhat empty. "Unbelievable. This is EXACTLY why we need the Department of Government Efficiency," said Johnson on X in response to Musk's post. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

There's something so macabrely alluring about the apocalypse - we've all asked ourselves the question "would we actually survive?" It's the reason that games like Stalker and Fallout are so popular; the intrigue of the unknown, but with the safety net of knowing that these are virtual dystopias as opposed to real ones. Set in a wartorn Eastern Europe corrupted by an eerie alien crystal, Chains of Freedom plunges you into a brand-new apocalypse, and tasks you with surviving it and bringing order back to the chaos. Continue reading Gritty new tactical RPG Chains of Freedom challenges you to survive Armageddon

On paper, The Alters sounds a lot like games we’ve all already played. It’s a sci-fi survival game with base building, crafting, and everything else you’d expect. Yet, I’ve never seen a survival game quite like it, largely due to its focus on a character-driven story in which a worker creates alternate versions of himself in a desperate attempt to survive. It’s an ambitious project, though one that’s undeniably exciting on premise alone. Thankfully, to celebrate the homestretch towards the game’s 2025 launch, you can download The Alters demo to try it out right now. Continue reading Frostpunk devs’ survival game The Alters drops new demo ahead of 2025 launch MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best survival games, Best strategy games, Best story games