To restore the shine to silverware without using harsh chemicals, make a milk-vinegar solution using 1Tbs. of white vinegar per cup of milk. Submerge the pieces for 15 minutes and then rinse. Milk’s fatty acid and vinegar’s acetic acid will help dissolve the tarnish so your flatware looks like new.

Eek!! Your buddy has been so gassy lately. Help his tummy trouble by mixing plain yogurt in his food until his symptoms subside. (Some vets suggest 1 Tbs. a daily for dogs less than 25 pounds, and 2 Tbs. for larger dogs.) Yogurt contains probiotic bacteria that counteract gas-forming bacteria in the gut, so he’ll feel better and you can breathe easy.

The way to a pup’s heart could be through his owner, finds new research in the journal Animal Behaviour. When dogs were offered treats from two strangers, one who was mean to their owner and another who was helpful, they much more often went to the kind one, because Like humans, dogs sense and act on emotional cues, explains study author Kazuo Fujita. Next time you want to pet a pooch, befriend the owner first. You’ll stay on Cucki’s good side and out of the doghouse.

To break the habit of your dog jumping every time you come home, keep a bottle of treats by the door. Then as soon as you step inside toss a few on the ground, your pal will be so busy sniffing around for treats that he’ll forget about jumping up. Then greet him and praise him a lot.