Blog Posts by Good Housekeeping

This isn't always cute.We send our cats and dogs to trainers and behaviorists in the hopes of raising polite, sociable pets. But sometimes it's the people who need a refresher course in good manners. Here, 10 tips to becoming a well bred pet owner.

The Scenario: Guests are coming to your home and you have a dog.
The Proper Petiquette: It depends on the dog and the guests, says Victoria Stilwell, star of Animal Planet's TV series It's Me or the Dog. A fearful dog may be more comfortable if confined to a safe space behind a baby gate, while a canine with aggressive tendencies should be kept away from strangers. Even a well-mannered dog should be separated from visitors, especially children, who are afraid of dogs. If your guest is an animal lover and your dog is friendly, introduce the two after the initial excitement of welcoming visitors has worn off and your pup has calmed down.

The Scenario: Your pet hurts another animal.
The Proper Petiquette: Keep aggressive dogs on a leash at all

This apple crisp recipe is tasty and low calorie These teacup treats can satisfy your sweet tooth without blowing your diet. Indeed, one study showed that small snacks curbed cravings and fended off hunger just as well as supersize ones.

1. Apple Crisp:

Place 1 cup coarsely chopped Granny Smith apple and 2 tsp. apricot all-fruit preserves in 8-oz. teacup. Microwave at 50% power for 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Top with 2 Tbsp. low-fat granola and 1 Tbsp. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt. (150 calories)

Related: 5 Tips for Healthy Dining Out

2. Berry Ricotta Cheesecake:

Spoon 1 crushed cinnamon graham square into an 8 oz. teacup. In a small bowl, blend 1/3 cup fat-free ricotta, 1 Tbsp. softened Neufchatel, 2 tsp. confectioner's sugar, and 1/4 tsp. finely grated lemon rind. Spoon into cup and top with 1/4 cup raspberries. (150 calories)

3. Chocolate Lava Cake:

In an 8 oz. teacup, combine 1 ½ Tbsp. all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp. cocoa, 2 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. baking powder and pinch salt. Stir in 2 Tbsp.

Our best anti-aging beauty tipsWe consulted the experts and found answers behind 10 cringe-worthy beauty conundrums.

Q. "What can I do about the whiskers that have suddenly sprouted on my chin? They're uncool, unfeminine, and so annoying!"

"A gentle yet firm tweeze is the way to go," says Molly R. Stern, Los Angeles-based celebrity makeup artist. Use a sharp-angled tweezer, grasp the hair as close to the base as you can, and tug. Be careful not to pinch the skin and don't dig under it to remove any hair left behind.

If you've got more than a few hairs, see your doctor. Polycystic ovarian syndrome, a disorder characterized by high levels of male hormones, or an adrenal gland problem could be to blame, says Doris J. Day, MD, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University. If you're moderately hairy (meaning you tidy your brows or upper lip monthly), there's not much you can do to escape genetics.

Related: What Really Prevents Wrinkles?

Q. "My pubic hair is almost completely gray. Is it safe for

While turkey is still the star of any holiday meal, these simple recipes will make sure your holiday meal is a hit with vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

Green Beans with Mixed Mushrooms1. Green Beans with Mixed Mushrooms: This light alternative to the classic green bean casserole will add a fresh-from-the-garden taste to your holiday meal with its green beans, variety of mushrooms, and thyme. Get the recipe!

Scalloped Potatoes with Green Onions2. Scalloped Potatoes with Green Onions: Creamy and cheesy, this potato casserole is the ultimate comfort food, and the green onions even add a little kick to each bite. Your dinner guests will be begging for the recipe all night. Get the recipe!

Maple-Cranberry Sweet Potatoes3. Maple-Cranberry Sweet Potatoes: This alternative to the sweet potato casserole is not only a beautiful display but it's easy to prepare ahead of time. Make your syrup and potatoes the day before and just pop it in the oven 20 minutes before dinnertime. Get the recipe!

Butternut Squash and Pesto Rotini4. Butternut Squash and Pesto Rotini: This quick and easy pasta dish

For many of us, the highlight of any holiday meal is the dessert table, which can be a perilous thing if you have to eat gluten-free. Rather than force yourself into serious, gluten-induced digestive issues, try one of these great gluten-free recipes.

-by Nicole Barron

Look no further than your kitchen for the best homemade ornament ideas. Utensils, containers and pantry staples (even paper towels!) are easily transformed into festive decorations with a little imagination. Just look at the DIY Christmas ornaments I was able to make using only things from around the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen. Pretty cool, huh?

Aluminum foil1. Aluminum Foil

Roll and squeeze an 8-inch piece aluminum foil into a thin rope. Shape into a candy cane and tie a ribbon around it.

Paper towels2. Paper Towel

Cut 1 piece paper towel into thin strips. Gather the strips together in a neat pile on a flat surface, then tie the center together with string; fluff and trim as needed. Just make sure it does not touch any Christmas lights when hanging.

Related: Party Planning for Procrastinators

Toothpicks3. Toothpick

Skewer a few pieces of candy onto 1 toothpick - I used green Dots to make an abstract Christmas tree ornament. Tie with metallic string to hang.

Cupcake liners4. Colorful

Give your home a quick clean before your holiday guests arriveThanksgiving may be over, but it's not too late to spruce up your home for the remainder of this holiday season. Here are my picks for the three chores that will make the biggest impact in your home:

1. Clean the carpets or at least the traffic aisles. According to a recent study by Rug Doctor, the manufacturer of home and rental carpet cleaning equipment, 37% of consumers admit to judging others on the cleanliness of their carpets. Nothing's more noticeable than a stain in the middle of a carpet, so instead of rearranging the furniture to cover it up, tackle it head on. Use a carpet stain remover on individual spots or a machine to clean larger areas, steps, and landings. Always vacuum before cleaning to remove loose, dry soil and avoid over-wetting the carpet to minimize damage. To see which products did best in our Good Housekeeping Research Institute tests, read our online reviews of carpet stain removers and carpet cleaning machines. No time to do it yourself? Just call in a

Holiday AppsPreparing for the holiday season can be overwhelming. There are gifts to buy, cards to mail, decorations to choose and more. Save time and avoid stress by having an app-y holiday with these top 5 holiday apps:

1. Google Shopper (iOS and Android) Find a gift for your loved ones and save on shopping time and money with this free app that pulls in information on more than a million products. Scan the barcode on items or find them by cover art, voice, or text, then compare local and online prices. Stumped on gift ideas? The app shows weekly sales and popular items of the week. You can also add things to a shopping list and share it with friends.

2. Christmas Gift List (Android) and The Christmas List (iOS) These apps are no-brainers when it comes to organizing your shopping list and funds. You can create a list with a per-person budget and share it via email, or twitter. Both also mark gifts purchased and keep stats on money spent and total budget and have password protection