HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: Dogs and wolves are the same species (Canis), but the dog has been domesticated. What are the differences between a dog, such as a husky, and a wolf ? Let’s take a look:

Ears: The dog’s ears are big, compared with his head, and the tips of the ears are pointed. The wolf’s ears are smaller and more rounded.

Eyes: The dog’s eyes don’t slant, and they can be blue. The wolf’s eyes can slant inward and down.

Chest: The dog’s chest is wide; the legs are far apart. The feet don’t turn outward. The wolf’s chest is super narrow; the legs are closer together, and the feet may splay out.

Tail: The dog’s tail will usually curl upward when running. The wolf’s tail has a dark spot on it where the scent gland is. The dog has no scent gland spot.

DEAR READERS: How do you thoroughly clean your dishwasher? Remove the racks and set them aside. Inspect the jets for gunk, food buildup and other yuckiness. Use a toothpick to pick out the debris. Wipe out the interior with soapy water and a sponge or paper towel. Then add my glorious go-to, vinegar! Pour 2 cups in the bottom of the empty dishwasher and run the short cycle. In the middle of the cycle, pause the machine and let the vinegar go to work to break apart any remaining mess. Restart and complete the cycle, and the dishwasher will be sparkling clean.

DEAR HELOISE: As I get older, my toenails are thicker and harder to cut. While I shower, I close the tub stopper and let my feet soak. Then my nails are easier to cut.

— Marion D., Harvey Cedars, N.J.

DEAR HELOISE: To keep your fork from sticking to the dough of peanut butter cookies, use a a plastic fork or spray a metal fork with cooking spray.

DEAR READERS: My mother always poured a little vegetable oil in the bootom of a pay before adding butter to fry foods. This way, foods would turn out a nice golden-brown in the butter without burning.

DEAR HELOISE I could never find my cellphone in my purse, so I took glow-in -the-dark paint and painted stripes on my cellphone case.

Send a money- or time-saving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, Texas 78279-5000; fax to (210) 435-6473; or email