ODDS 'N' ENDS : CONTESTS.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

To you and me, they may be just dogs. But to Jere Marder, a professional dog handler and breeder, her four-legged friends are worth licking.

No, really. Marder licks her dogs' noses to keep their proboscises shiny and healthy-looking.

Sound extreme? Or sound familiar? Only dog owners who nod affirmative to the second question need apply.

In its search for Pro Plan Champion Top 10 Tips, the pet food company is holding a contest inviting dog owners to share their best tip for making their dog feel like a champion in any of the following categories: nutrition, veterinary care, exercise, training, grooming or love.

The grand prize winner will receive $1,000 cash and a year's supply of Pro Plan. Nine finalists also will receive a year's supply of the dog food.

Marder and fellow dog handler and breeder Erin Roberts will judge entries based on originality and quality of the tip.

To enter, submit your best tip in 50 words or less to Pro Plan Top 10 Tips, Ralston Purina, Checkerboard Square, St. Louis, Mo. 63164. Or enter by e-mail at www.proplan.com. Deadline is Nov. 30.

Freebies

Can't decide between buying new cabinetry or just repainting the old ones? Linoleum or hardwood floors? Stainless-steel countertops or tile?

A kitchen redo is one of the biggest investments on any homeowner's budget, and the decisions can seem endless.

To help make life easier, log onto www.ImproveNet.com. The site includes a new kitchen planner that will ask you to answer five simple questions: kitchen size, budget, shape of the room, design style and your ZIP code.

In response, you'll get an estimated range of project costs, adjusted for the local market. Way out of range? You can adjust the bottom line by choosing a less expensive flooring. Or maybe you want to keep the flooring and skimp a little on the cabinetry.