Summer is a wonderful time of year to start raising a puppy, and there's no shortage of pet possibilities in your local shelter.

But how do you choose?

Pick a puppy with your head, not your heart. Before you step into a shelter, be clear in your mind the kind of dog you want: small, medium or large, long-haired or short.

Once you've narrowed the field, puppy-testing can help you home in on the one who'll be right for you.

One by one, take each of the puppies you're considering to a safe, secure area away from others. Observe how the puppy reacts to the change -- tentative exploration is OK, but beware the puppy who's so terrified he won't move. Look, too, for how busy a puppy is: Playfulness is fine, but full-out go-go-go is maybe a little too much.

The puppy who's probably going to be the best for you is going to be "medium" in personality. He may not be the smartest in the litter, but he may be more interested in your point of view than the one who is the smartest. He has moxie, but not so much he'll drive you crazy. He's willing to try new things -- he's no shrinking violet -- but he'll like them better if you are with him.

Here are a few simple tests to help you evaluate a puppy:

-- Interest in people. Put the puppy down facing you. Walk a few steps away, bend over and call to him. (Bending over makes you less intimidating.) If the puppy seems a little tentative, crouch and open your arms. You're not "ordering" the pup -- he doesn't know what you want, after all. You're trying to see how attracted he is to a nice person. So be nice. Call gently, click your tongue, rattle your keys.

The medium-personality puppy you want will probably trot over happily, perhaps after a slight hesitation. The too-bossy puppy may come over and nip at you, and the shy one may not move except to shiver in terror. The one who doesn't care a bit about people may go investigate a bug in the corner of the room.

-- Accepting authority. Gently roll the puppy on his back and hold him there with your hand. The medium-personality pup you're looking for will fuss a little, settle down, and maybe even lick your hand. Too-bossy pups usually keep struggling, and the shyest ones freeze in terror.

-- Praise and petting response. Praise and petting are integral parts of training and communicating with your dog, and finding a puppy who wants affection enough to earn it is important. Talk to the puppy lovingly and stroke him, but let him decide whether he stays with you or not -- don't hold him.

The medium-personality puppy will probably lick your hands and be glad to stay with you. Rolling over is fine, and don't be surprised if he urinates a little -- called "submissive urination," this is a kind of a canine compliment, a recognition that you're "top dog." A puppy who bites hard is probably dominant and unsocialized, and the one who wants nothing to do with you probably isn't people-oriented enough. Stay away, too, from the one who's terrified of being touched.

Talk to the shelter staff and volunteers, and compare your observations. The best shelters offer adoption counseling and keep the animals in their care socialized, so the shelter staff can offer excellent advice on picking the right puppy.

Choosing the right pet can be very difficult when you're in a shelter thinking that the puppy you don't pick isn't going to get chosen at all. Don't play the guilt game. Pick a healthy puppy with a temperament that's likely to produce a good pet. You're still saving a life, still providing a good home.

Your chances of success are better if you take your time and pick the best puppy you can.

CYBERLINKS: Dr. Evan Blair has put together a wonderful collection of information and links on his homepage, ExoticNet (http://www.mindspring.com/(tilde)palidian/ExoticNet.html). Blair, a veterinarian, is a lifelong bird-lover, and as a result, his avian pages are very thorough, but he also does a credible job with areas on other small mammals and exotics, such as ferrets, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, reptiles and rabbits.

Gina Spadafori, the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," is affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online 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

Ozzie is a beautiful cat, black with perfectly placed patches of white on his chin and his chest, a fluffy purr machine whose job in life is sitting in the lap of my friend Jan. His veterinarian wouldn't recognize the lovely cat he is at home, though, because in her office he's a spitting, slashing, yowling feline demon.

Sweet Ozzie is not alone in his Jekyll-and-Hyde routine.

Taking a cat to the veterinary hospital can be an ordeal for all involved. For many cats, the only time they leave home is to be taken to a place that smells funny, is often full of dreadful d-o-g-s, and has strange people who poke and prod them and handle them in ways they'd rather not be. The first sight of a carrier is often the last sight of a cat -- stupid, they are not. Although most cats are more cooperative than Ozzie, the difficulties in getting cat and veterinarian together may be enough to keep a cat-lover from making an appointment. This delay can keep cats from getting the preventive care they need, or even prompt attention to illnesses that could turn serious.

Although you may not ever make your veterinarian your cat's favorite human being, you can do a few things to make the trip easier. Here are a few tips:

-- Use a carrier. A startled or frightened cat is hard to hold onto, and either or both of you could be injured if you try -- or you may lose your cat in the parking lot. No matter how much you want to comfort your pet, leave him in the carrier until you're safely behind the closed door of the examination room.

-- Get your cat used to his carrier. If the only time your cat sees his carrier is when he's going to the veterinarian's, you may have a hard time putting him in it. Bring the carrier out of the closet from time to time, and put it in the middle of the room. Leave the door open, put treats or toys inside, and let your cat explore.

-- Take trips that don't end with a shot. Put your cat in his carrier and take a short car trip now and then. A towel over the carrier may make your pet feel more secure -- not only in the car, but also in the vet's waiting room.

-- Avoid feeding your cat before the appointment. Don't give your cat food within three hours of a trip to the veterinarian's. He could vomit during the car ride, and some blood tests are not valid if taken soon after a meal.

-- Avoid the use of tranquilizers. Don't give your cat a tranquilizer without consulting your veterinarian first -- even if you've given them before and have them in your medicine chest. These drugs may mask symptoms of illness.

-- Work to minimize stress. If your cat is especially freaked out by dogs (as is often the case if he doesn't live with one), ask for the first appointment of the day or the first after the clinic opens after lunch. You may also consider a cats-only clinic or a hospital that has separate dog and cat waiting rooms.

If you feel you can't handle taking your cat in at all, ask your veterinarian about house calls or consider a veterinarian whose practice is mobile. If you use a house-call service, confine your cat to a small area before the veterinarian arrives -- dragging your pet out from under a dresser is a lousy way to start an exam.

CYBERLINKS -- Cindy Tittle Moore is the wonder of pet cyberspace, the woman behind a library of FAQs (netspeak for Frequently Asked Questions) that'll keep any cat- or dog-lover up-to-date on behavior and health issues. Her rec.pet.cats FAQ homepage (http://www.zmall.com/pet(underline)talk/cat-faqs/homepage.html) offers links to documents on infectious diseases, behavior problem and even genetics. You can also explore e-mail lists and newsgroups from there, or jump to the dog areas. When it comes to cats, though, nothing beats the Cat Fanciers site (www.fanciers.com) with information on cat breeds, rescue and shelter groups, health and behavior, showing and referrals to breeders.

Gina Spadafori, the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," is affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online 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

From the goldfish won at a school carnival and gone just as fast, to the hamster who escaped from his cage and was never seen again, to the cat or dog who has been in the family for years and is now taking a final trip to the veterinarian's, the death of a pet can be a wrenching experience for both child and parent.

Rachel Biale calls it something else: an opportunity.

"Even though the death of a pet can be a sad and even scary experience for a child, it is also a chance for parents to set a model for grief and death," she says. "For most children, this will be the first time they deal with death, and it's an opportunity to teach them how to deal with painful experiences."

Biale is a Berkeley, Calif., family therapist and the author of "My Pet Died" (Tricycle Press, $7.95), a wonderful little book designed to help both children and parents through what can be a difficult time.

The paperback has pages of activities to help children recognize and work through their emotions, as well as a thoughtful tear-out guide for parents. On one page, Biale suggests that the child draw or paste a picture of the pet, then a couple pages later, finish the sentence: "Thinking about (my pet's name) dying makes me feel ..." Later in the book, children are asked to name people to talk to if they're feeling sad, and allows them to consider the possibility of another pet in the future.

Perhaps a little disconcerting to many parents, Biale even asks children to consider what happened to their pet's body. Such openness is important with children, the therapist says, even though it may run counter to parents' own experience as a child. If you don't give children the answers to their questions, the answers they make up may be even worse than the truth.

"Children are very literal, which is why it's important to ask and find out what the child understands," says Biale. "Ask the 4-year-old, 'What do think "dead" means?' For some, they think it's a game: 'Bang, bang. You're dead.'

"It's most important to be truthful and factual. Let the child know that it's OK to talk about anything, and it's OK to have the feelings they do."

Some other suggestions for parents:

-- Don't sugar-coat the facts. "Parents need to remember not to use euphemisms," said Biale. "Telling a child a pet was 'put to sleep' may leave the child afraid to fall asleep himself."

-- Follow the child's lead. Children may even benefit from seeing the body, said Biale. "Some children would say 'yes' because they're curious; some would say 'no.' There's no rule. Ask the child, and prepare by explaining the pet won't meow or won't lick."

-- Use more than words. "Children are not as focused on words as we are. They may want to play the death scene over and over, which may be disturbing to adults, but it's their way of working it through. Children also can express their feelings through painting and drawing, and cutting and pasting."

-- Share you own grief, but don't burden your child. "It's a fine line. It's very important for a child to see your feelings," said Biale. "But if parents are feeling overwhelmed, they need someone else besides their child for support."

-- Don't rush your child. "Grief can be a long process. We're so pushed to be the 'one-minute gourmet' or the 'one-minute parent,' but it doesn't work that way."

While it isn't going to be easy, Biale says that when handled well, the death of a pet can leave children well-prepared for the losses we all face in our lives.

A pet's death, in other words, can be a final gift of love and learning to a child.

CYBERLINKS: ChinNet brags on its home page (http://www.chin.buffnet.net) of being "The chinniest site on earth," and it's easy to believe they have the competition smoked. The site is dedicated to bettering the lives of pet chinchillas everywhere, with information on care and genetics, and links to a couple dozen other chinchilla pages as well as the chinchilla mailing list.

Gina Spadafori, the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," is affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online 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