When you live with a retriever, you can mark the beginning of summer from the day when it's warm enough for you both to go swimming -- if you happen to have friends who don't mind both people and dogs in the pool.

Fortunately for my retriever, Benjamin, I do have friends of this kind. Fortunate for their retriever, too, although I doubt they could keep him out of their pool if they tried.

Not all pets like to swim, of course -- my older dog, Andy, doesn't even like to get his feet wet -- but most animals love summer. To our pets, summertime means long walks in the warm twilight, endless games of fetch and plenty of bugs to chase.

But the long, glorious days of summer are not without danger. Here are a few of the hazards:

-- HEAT: Most people know a car is no place to leave a dog on a hot day, but few realize even balmy weather can be deadly. On an 80-degree day, the temperature in a car -- even if the windows are opened partway -- can easily reach 120 degrees within minutes.

Panting is the only way a dog has of cooling off; it is an inefficient system that cannot help an animal inside a hot car. Don't even risk it!

If you leave your dog in your yard for any length of time, have you checked to make sure shade is always available? A big tree doesn't help much if the shade falls on the other side of the fence in the hottest part of the afternoon. A constant supply of cool, clean water is a must, too, for all pets.

A tip: Freeze water in recycled margarine tubs and put these ice blocks in your pet's bowl to keep water cool. For a special treat, freeze meat or fish broth and offer the "petsicles" as a warm-weather treat for dogs and cats. Some pets like just plain ice cubes, too.

Be aware of the symptoms of overheating. If your dog starts excessive salivation, rapid or shallow panting, or develops a wild, glassy-eyed stare, call your veterinarian immediately and begin treatment for heat stress: Slowly immerse the dog in water, soak him with the hose or apply ice packs to his head, stomach and groin.

-- ACCIDENTS: Both dogs and cats are prone to accidents in the summer. If your cats like to catch the breeze on an upper-story windowsill, make sure there's a screen -- cats can indeed be hurt or killed in a fall.

Cars are always a hazard to free-roaming cats, and can be equally deadly to an unleashed dog. Don't be tempted to let your dog off the leash -- it just takes one squirrel on the other side of a busy street and one car with lousy timing to cause a canine catastrophe.

-- FOXTAILS, TICKS AND FLEAS: Foxtails are spike-shaped burrs that move in one direction -- forward -- and keep going until they're removed. They are most dangerous in an animal's eyes, ears, nose and anal areas; veterinary aid, the sooner the better, is the only solution when they get imbedded.

A few minutes with a comb each day will catch any foxtails before they become a problem. Use tweezers or a tick-remover (available at pet-supply stores) to pull ticks. Be sure not to touch them with your bare hands because of the risk of Lyme disease -- wrap them in a tissue and discard.

If you have pets, you're going to have fleas. Talk to your veterinarian about new flea-control products -- Program, Frontline and Advantage -- that are finally making a difference in the war on these pests. Frontline and Advantage work to control ticks as well.

Good news for the retriever: These new products even stay effective after swimming!

CYBERLINKS: So they're not going to fit in a suburban backyard or city apartment -- that doesn't keep people from loving llamas, a South American pack animal kept in this country as a pet, wool-grower, hiking buddy or even a golfing companion. LlamaWeb (http://www.llamaweb.com) has areas on caring for llamas and links to llama breeders and veterinarians around the country, as well as a special area for children. Llamapedia (http://www.llamapaedia.com), written and maintained by two fourth-year veterinary students, is another must-visit site for llama fans.

Gina Spadafori, the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," is affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international on-line service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

Never has there been a better time to travel with your dog.

Once relegated to campgrounds and relatively few motels, dogs are the new darlings of the travel industry, with accommodations from the very simplest to the most elegant now open to traveling pooches and their people.

Nor are dogs an afterthought, a grudgingly accepted part of the clientele. A growing number of innkeepers go out of their way to attract dog-lovers, and the dog camp -- a resort built around canine-friendly activities -- is a great idea that's spreading across the country.

No matter where you go, though, you'll need some travel basics for your pet's comfort and protection.

Your dog should be wearing a sturdy collar with a license and an up-to-date ID tag that has at least one phone number, area code included, that's not yours -- someone who'll be able to answer the phone should you lose your dog miles from home. Ideally, your pet should also be carrying an imbedded microchip for unshakable, permanent ID, and temporary ID such as a paper key tag with the phone number of your travel lodgings.

With your dog's ID needs covered, it's time to pack the gear. Start with a leash, at least six feet. A longer leash is handy, too, especially a reel-type such as the Flexi, which is great for giving your dog room to stretch his legs in areas such as rest stops.

Two bowls, one for water, one for food, come next. Look for water bowls designed for travel; they either don't spill or collapse for easy storage. I travel with a couple gallons of bottled water, because it seems I'm always stopping to walk my dogs in areas where no potable water is available.

Pack dry food servings individually in plastic bags with airtight locks, enough for the trip and a day or two more. If your pet eats canned food, you'll need an opener and a spoon. Don't forget to pack treats and a couple of your pet's toys!

A comb and brush, and tweezers or a ready-made device for pulling ticks are a must, especially on back-country trips. Some basic first-aid supplies -- scissors, gauze, tape, antibiotic cream and Pepto-Bismol, for canine diarrhea (check with your veterinarian for dosages) -- are likewise important to pack. Check with your pet-supply store for first-aid kits that come prepacked in a plastic container and ready to throw in your trunk.

Remember, too, to pack any regular medication your pet takes, and don't forget your pet's proof of rabies vaccination. A rabies certificate is necessary to get into some parks and is absolutely imperative to have should the unthinkable happen: Your dog bites someone or tangles with a rabid creature in the wild.

Bring cloth towels, for drying off wet, dirty dogs, and paper towels, for cleaning up more things than you can imagine you'll have to. A multipurpose cleaner in a spray bottle is a great item to pack. If you've room, bring an old sheet or blanket, for covering bedspreads, furniture or carpets in motel rooms. I always try to express my appreciation for dog-friendly lodgings by keeping the room as de-furred as possible.

Plastic bags for pet mess clean-ups are essential. Use them! Leaving pet messes of any kind behind is the fastest way to prompt the "no dogs allowed" sign at a formerly welcoming place.

My favorite planning guides are the "Dog-Lover's Companion" series from Foghorn Press, with books covering dog-friendly travel in Atlanta, Boston, California, Florida and Seattle. Mobile and AAA travel guides also note hotels and motels where pets are accepted. There's even a bimonthly newsletter for people who love to travel with their pets: "DogGone" ($24 a year; phone (561) 569-8434).

CYBERLINKS: Camp Gone to the Dogs, of Putney, Vt., is the original resort for dogs and their owners, and while its new Web page (http://camp-gone-tothe-dogs.com/) is very simple, it does tell you what you and your pet are in for should you choose to visit this slice of canine paradise. The TravelDog site (www.traveldog.com) lists more dog camps, along with dog-friendly lodgings, pet-sitters and kennels, and offers a link to "The Dog Run/Dog Park Reporter," an extensive review of places where dogs can be legally let off leash.

Gina Spadafori, the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," is affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international on-line service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600

In every neighborhood there's at least one chronic barker, carrying on night and day, rain or shine, weekday afternoons and Sunday mornings, too.

Is this dog yours? The owners of problem barkers seem to develop an ability to ignore the noise that has their neighbors thinking of legal action -- or maybe murder. But a dog who's barking constantly isn't having any more fun than the neighbors are, and you owe it to both your pet and those who can hear him to fix this problem.

The first step is to figure out why your dog's sounding off so much. Dogs bark to express a variety of emotions: anxiety, boredom, territoriality, aggression, playfulness and hunger. Certain conditions in a dog's environment can trigger these emotions -- and barking fits -- more frequently.

The typical neighborhood nuisance is an outdoor dog who isn't getting the exercise and attention he needs. Dogs are social animals: They need to be part of a family. If your dog's outside because of poor manners or because he isn't house-trained, give him another chance. Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a trainer or behaviorist and arrange for an in-home consultation to fix the underlying problems.

Once you've brought him into your life, keep him busy with regular outings. Exercise, both of the body and of the mind, works wonders for all dogs, especially those who bark from boredom or to release excess energy. You'll be a amazed at how much calmer, happier -- and quieter -- your dog will be!

For the barking that remains -- some dogs are just naturally yappy -- your task is to train your dog to be quiet on command when you're home and to reduce the barking triggers when you're not.

Teach your dog to be quiet by distracting him from barking, saying the word "Quiet" or "Enough," and then praising him for "minding" -- he'll make the connection soon enough, with repetition and lots of praise. Rattling a can filled with pennies is a commonly recommended distraction, and it works well. Shouting at your dog does nothing except make you feel temporarily better.

Work to minimize barking cues to keep your dog quiet when you're not home. If your dog barks while looking through a window that faces the street, keep him out of that room while you're gone. Many dogs fire up when they hear car doors slam; other dogs bark at the mail carrier's steps on the walk. Muffle these sounds by leaving a radio playing while you're not home, and your pet is more likely to sleep than bark. Giving your dog something special to chew on, such as a Kong toy or hollow bone stuffed with a little peanut butter, will help to keep him occupied and quiet while he's awake.

For the most persistent barkers, there is a new product on the market that's well worth investigating. The ABS Anti-Bark System is a battery-operated collar that releases a spray of citronella mist each time a dog barks. The mist is harmless to the dog -- the citrus tang smells good to humans, but dogs hate it. The hiss of the mist releasing from the canister and the smell itself are annoying enough to distract the dog and correct him for barking. The product has been in short supply since being mentioned on an "Oprah" show last year, but is now showing up in pet-supply catalogs and stores.

The ABS collar is an effective alternative to electric shock collars or to surgical debarking.

Chances are if you bring your dog into your home and train him, you'll not even need to consider an anti-bark collar or surgery of any kind. In any case, working on this problem is well worth the effort: You, your dog and you neighbors will all be happier.

CYBERLINKS: If you're tired of thinking about barking dogs, why not take a break and learn more about the barkless breed, the basenji. The Basenji Club of America notes on its home page (http://www.basenji.org) that while basenjis do not bark and are generally quiet, they can and do yodel, chortle, howl and growl. The site even has sound files so you can listen to these interesting noises yourself.

Gina Spadafori, the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," is affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international on-line service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or e-mail to Giori(at)aol.com.

4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111; (816) 932-6600