Q I read John Brown's answer from the "professionals" about the dog sweat smelling up a reader's vehicle interior. It sounds like the cleaning company was giving him 'the bone' on this one.

Any seasoned dog owner can tell you dogs don't sweat! They can't, as they don't have sweat glands! To keep cool in hot weather, they pant.

Dogs regulate their body temperature by breathing in cool air and expelling the hot.

I'm not saying the odour could not have come from a dog. A wet dog, from swimming or getting caught in the rain, does not smell pleasant and if allowed to lay in a vehicle when wet, could cause an odour to linger, but I have owned my truck for 14 years and take my dogs everywhere I go, no matter the weather. There is not, nor ever has been, an odour from them.

Dogs sometimes mark their territory, but I've never heard of one claiming a van. Besides, it would be quite noticeable as a urine smell.

It sounds to me like a "cop out" from the cleaners.

Dog sweat, hen's teeth, Bigfoot and politicians who keep their campaign promises after elections simply don't exist.

A Thank-you for your printable answer. If I never again accuse dogs of doing anything, will the e-mails stop?

I have received 13 e-mails about dogs that do not stink, sweat, shed, bite, leave an odour in the house or car, leave something on your grass, etc. I have become an instant 'silent expert' on the subject.

Q My son has changed a light bulb in my car and ever since, I have been blowing fuses for the brake lights. I took the car to my mechanic who changed the fuse three times now, but every day or so the brake light quits again and the cause is a dead fuse.

I called my son, who lives in Kingston, who told me that replacing the bulb would not cause this problem and that my mechanic is more than likely putting in the wrong fuse. My mechanic tells me that it takes a 20-amp fuse and that is what he used.

Can you help me solve this problem?

A I spoke with your son who said that he put a bulb in the top left rear brake light. I asked what the bulb number was and he could not remember, so I then asked him to look at the invoice and on the bill it says 1156 -- which is not the correct bulb. The correct bulb number should read 1157. The wrong bulb is the reason for the fuses blowing. Your technician said that he asked you about which bulb was replaced by your son and you did not know. Your technician also informed me that you did not have the money right now to have him check all the rear bulbs, so that is why he kept on replacing the fuses for you.

When a fuse blows, there is usually a reason and replacing a blown fuse more than once was not the correct thing to do.

Your mechanic agreed, but says he was working under your instructions, which would not have been a defense for him had this problem caused a fire or had someone struck the rear of your vehicle.

He will correct the problem for you but I also caution you that by driving a vehicle when you know that the rear brake lights are not working properly could get you into trouble legally, should you be involved in an accident as a result of the rear brakes light were not working.

Do you have a query for Dennis O'Sullivan?

Send your questions by email to: dennis.osullivan@cogeco.ca, or by mail at Box 10019, Winona, ON, L8E 5R1.