Hugs aren’t necessarily off limits. The key is respecting your dog’s boundaries and personal space. Niel says each dog is different in terms of what they like and don’t like, so it’s important to watch your dog’s behaviour for clues.

“If they are showing signs of fear — things like lowered ears, lowered body posture and trying to pull away — those are obvious signs they are not enjoying a particular type of inter- action,” says Niel. “But if they are leaning in and soliciting more attention, you know you are on the right track as to the kind of things they enjoy.”

The type and amount of affection a dog enjoys isn’t about the dog’s breed. Niel says it’s about previous experien- ces and the individual personality of

the dog. This shouldn’t come as a surprise — it’s true of people, too. “The way we all interact with the world is based on our previous experiences of what is safe and what isn’t,” she says.

And just like us, if your dog is focused on an activity such as eating dinner or feels anxious for some reason, it might not be the best time to solicit affection from them.

“When your dog is stressed and focused on dealing with that stress, they might not want to be cuddled and touched because that might be distracting to them,” says Niel.

This is also true if they are sleeping. Like you, your dog may not want to be woken up for a hug.

Niel says the best approach for a happy dog is to make yourself avail- able and let them come to you.

Dogs can also adjust to our behav- iour. “You probably already know some ways your pet likes to interact with you,” says Niel. For example, most dogs like to be scratched on the shoulders.

Get to know what your dog likes and you will enjoy a trusting relation- ship with all the benefits of the human-animal bond. – KAREN MANTEL

The post Is it true my dog doesn’t like to be hugged? appeared first on .

Loblaw introduced “Naturally Imperfect” produce last year, offering up to a 30-per-cent discount to whet consumers’ appetites. The line has since expanded to offer more items, including peppers, onions and mushrooms.

Prof. Mike von Massow, Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, thinks it’s a great initiative. “We know that more than half of the food that is thrown out at the household level is fruits and vegetables.” Two-thirds of that waste is avoidable, he adds.

Imperfect produce usually doesn’t make it to grocery stores because of consumer perceptions that it’s lower quality. Instead, these fruits and vegetables are often sold at farmers’ markets, used in juices or thrown out.

Consumers have grown accustomed to perfect produce because that’s what grocery stores have traditionally offered. “It’s clear that it has to do with a disconnect between us and our food,” says geography professor Kate Parizeau, who studies food waste. “When we grew our own food it was easy to understand that this carrot next to the ugly one grew in the same conditions. There’s nothing wrong with it.”

Von Massow says food often gets wasted because it’s no longer suitable for its original purpose, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used for something else. Overripe bananas, for example, can be used in banana bread or smoothies.

He also recommends keeping track of the food you already have so that you don’t buy the same items at the grocery store. And don’t throw something out just because it has reached or passed its “best before” date, which is only an indication of when the product has reached its peak, not when it has expired.

The researchers partnered with the City of Guelph and York Region to analyze food waste and develop strategies to minimize it. Composting food waste reduces its environmental impact, but it’s a costly service for cities to provide.

“I often tell people that if you’re throwing 20 per cent out, and you go buy five bags of groceries, you might as well leave one at the curb because it’s going to end up there anyway,” he says. “Why double the trip?” –SUSAN BUBAK

The post Why should I consider buying “ugly” produce? appeared first on .

An avid golfer, she has a PhD in turf pathology and now works with golf courses, athletic fields and sod farms to diagnose and treat lawn problems.

Weeds are among the biggest enemies of a healthy lawn, taking advantage of weaknesses such as poor soil and lack of nutrients. Lawns face a constant barrage of weed seeds from the air — one dandelion can produce more than 2,000 parachute-equipped seeds per year.

The same conditions that are bad for grass are ideal for weeds: lack of fertilizer, aeration and water. “I would say 80 to 90 per cent of the time that we see a really weedy lawn, it’s because that lawn hasn’t been looked after.”

Nitrogen is key to a healthy lawn, so choose a fertilizer that contains this nutrient.

But fertilizer alone won’t help a lawn that is more than half weeds. That’s when a lawn needs intensive care. Serlemitsos Jordan recommends removing as many weeds as possible by hand and filling each hole with topsoil, grass seeds and fertilizer to prevent weeds from returning. “Even if you get to half of them, it gives your grass a fighting chance.”

For those who prefer chemical warfare, she recommends hiring a lawn care company to apply an approved herbicide.

Another common mistake that homeowners make is letting their lawn grow too long and then cutting it too short. Removing more than one-third of the grass blade stresses the plant, so mow more often and cut off less. Make sure your blades are sharp, since a clean cut heals better and retains moisture.
–SUSAN BUBAK

Tips to make your lawn healthier:

1: Feed your lawn with a slow-release fertilizer with nitrogen.
2: Aerate your lawn in the fall to reduce compaction and allow oxygen into the soil.
3: Plant hardier grass species like fescue.

The post My lawn is overrun with weeds – what can I do? appeared first on .

Not likely, says food science professor Keith Warriner. The best before date refers to the shelf life of an unopened product — once the package is open, the date is no longer valid. “The manufacturer can guarantee acceptable quality up to the date on the package, and they are usually very conservative and base it on the worst-case scenario,” he says. Warriner adds that anxious consumers who toss food when the best before date arrives may be wasting it. In fact, since up to 40 per cent of food is currently thrown out, he says best before dates may actually do more harm than good.

Most best before dates are estimates, but there are a few exceptions. For deli meats, best before dates are based on the length of time it takes Listeria to grow on the meat. The best before dates on egg cartons are based on how long it takes for Salmonella to work through the shell and go into the egg itself, but that only applies if the egg is taken out of the carton. “Keep eggs in the carton and you have another week or two after the best before date,” says Warriner.

Err on the side of safety, he adds. If food looks mouldy or smells bad, don’t eat it. He’s heard of people eating mouldy yogurt, thinking it was safe because the best before date was still good.

When to toss it:

Cow’s milk: opened, about five days after the best before date; closed, about 10 days after the best before date.

Almond milk: three to five days after opening or when it thickens.

Canned foods: five years or possibly longer.

Cereal: six to 12 months after opening, but it will start to taste stale.

Salad dressing: two to three months after opening if stored properly.

Mayonnaise: store-bought, one to two months after opening if kept in the fridge; homemade, up to one month.

– TERESA PITMAN

The post Is it safe to eat foods past the ‘best before’ date? appeared first on .

The road to recovery was long and difficult, but “I can let others know that as dark as it may seem, there is still light at the end of the tunnel.”

Today, Lewis is studying the scope and nature of self-injury on social networks, self-injury recovery, and ways to effectively reach and help those who self-injure. He also co-founded Self-Injury Outreach and Support, which provides information and resources about self-injury to those who need help, those who have recovered and those who want to help.

One in five adolescents and young adults will deliberately injure themselves by cutting or burning, but the behaviour is often misunderstood or stigmatized. We asked Lewis how parents can help if their son or daughter is self-injuring:

• • Do not ignore the problem — it is a sign of distress and may indicate mental health difficulties
• • Listen without trying to correct, problem solve or suggest. Focus the conversation on your son or daughter’s feelings and behaviour, and build trust.
• • If your child is at immediate risk of potential life-threatening behaviour, take him or her to the hospital. Otherwise, take them to a doctor, psychologist or metal health worker — you can’t treat self-injury yourself.
• • Have patience. There are often setbacks on the road to recovery.
• • Maintain a positive outlook and keep communicating with your child throughout the treatment process.

For additional resources, visit sioutreach.org.

The post Professor Stephen Lewis on the scope and nature of self-injury appeared first on .