Fall is a time for changing routines, as children go back to school and the long, lovely days of summer start to disappear. For some dogs, household changes may be particularly distressing, triggering bouts of destructiveness when suddenly left alone. The experts call this problem "separation anxiety."

Separation anxiety is the classic problem of a dog adopted as an adult. He has had his heart broken once and his hopes rekindled, by you. And then you leave him and he copes with his anxiety (will you ever return?) by going nuts -- chewing, most typically.

If yours is one of these dogs, you'll need patience and a plan to help him. You need to build his confidence by teaching him that comings and goings aren't forever; they're a normal part of his life with you. You need to relieve some of that excess energy by exercising him regularly -- most dogs, like most people, don't get enough exercise. And you need to minimize the damage potential while his confidence builds by confining him to a small area and giving him something else to concentrate on while you're gone besides how much he misses you.

Here are some strategies to help your pet cope with his time alone:

-- Feed your dog his biggest meal before he's about to spend his biggest chunk of time alone. What dogs do after they eat is sleep, and if you're lucky, he'll sleep most of your stay away. If you work days, feed the biggest meal in the morning. If you work nights, switch to the evening.

-- Don't encourage your dog to be your shadow when you're home. All that devotion is wonderful and it feeds our human egos, but it's making matters worse when you leave. If you have a dog who isn't happy unless some part of him is touching some part of you, encourage his confidence and independence by practicing long down-stays on the other side of the room every night. Build up to 30 minutes and do this routine as you watch TV -- you on one side of the room, him on the other. Don't forget to praise him for staying.

-- Give him something special to chew. Have a really good chewy that's just for his alone time, and hand it to him as you leave. Stuff a marrow bone or Kong toy with a little peanut butter. Digging out the good stuff will keep your dog busy, relieve him of some of that excess energy and help him over the worst part of his separation from you -- the beginning.

-- Practice no-fuss comings and goings. Some people unwittingly make matters worse by staging hellos and good-byes that look like that "Gone With the Wind" scene where Ashley comes home to Melanie after the war. Emotional stuff, and your dog doesn't need it. New rule: no pats. When you leave, calmly tell your dog "guard the house" and give him his special chewy. When you return, tell him to "sit," and then praise just the tiniest bit and ignore him completely for the next 10 minutes. Then you can sit down and tell him how your day went. The message here is that all this in-and-out is no big deal, so relax.

-- Don't punish your dog for destroying things. "But he knows he did something wrong," you say. "He's acting guilty." Not true. What he knows, from past experience, is that you're angry about something and he's going to get punished. He doesn't know why, and punishing a dog who doesn't understand what his "crime" was only serves to make him more anxious, not less.

Curing separation anxiety will take some time, because the fix is something that works from the inside out. It will help you to talk to your veterinarian about a referral to a trainer or behaviorist, as well as some medications that may be of use to your pet. Veterinary behaviorists are increasingly using anti-anxiety medications to help retrain dogs with behavior problems -- and yours may be one who could use the extra help.

PETS ON THE WEB: The National Disaster Search Dog Foundation's site (http://www.west.net/(tilde)rescue) is dedicated to the inspiring partnership of human and dog that is a search and rescue team. These teams, largely volunteer, are ready to go anywhere on 10 minutes' notice to try to save the lives of people caught in disasters ranging from an avalanche to an earthquake, and to acts of terrorism such as the bombing in Oklahoma City. The site is solid and informative proof of the good dogs do in our society.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of 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

Although most cats do a credible job when it comes to keeping themselves well-groomed -- better than a great many humans, in fact -- even the most proficient can use a little help on a regular basis. For some cats, help's not really an option: Cats with long, silky coats or those who are old or ill need help to keep everything just so.

Introduce combing, brushing, claw-trimming and bathing into your cat's routine slowly, building up his tolerance over time. Watch for early signs of annoyance while you work with him, and call it a day when you see them. The tail provides the clues: Rapid flicking is the sign of a cat who has just about had enough. Don't push further: You could get scratched or bitten.

Start your cat's grooming regimen with combing and brushing. For short-haired cats, all you need is to run a fine-toothed comb through his coat to collect any stray hairs and then brush to bring out the gloss. For shorthairs, bathing is a judgment call: If someone in your home is allergic to cats, rinsing your pet weekly will help; otherwise, you can move on to nail-trimming.

Long-haired cats need a little more attention. Part the coat in sections and gently comb through all the tangles. For mats, work a little cornstarch in and tease them out. The worst mats will have to be sliced through with scissors or even cut out. If your cat is nothing but mats, the kinder course is to have a groomer shave him down. Some longhairs have problems with mats under their tails and between their legs, allowing litter, urine and feces to collect there. Keeping the coat trimmed short in these areas will solve this problem.

No matter what your cat thinks, bathing won't kill him -- or you either, for that matter. A kitchen sink with a spray nozzle is easiest on your cat and your back. Flea shampoos meant for dogs can be dangerous for your cat, so use a product designed only for cats. A towel or a small window screen in the bottom of the sink will give your cat something to sink his claws into -- besides you, that is -- and make him feel more secure.

Take a firm hold on your cat at the scruff of his neck and ease him into an empty sink. Hold the nozzle close -- cats don't like to be sprayed -- and wet him down thoroughly with warm water. Lather him up, then rinse thoroughly and follow with a cream rinse or detangler if your cat has long, silky hair. Towel him gently dry and then let your cat stalk off haughtily -- he's earned it. Keep him where it's warm until he's completely dry.

Now, what about those claws?

Trimmers come in either guillotine- or scissor-type, and it really doesn't matter which you use. You'll need one other thing, though: Kwik-Stop powder, which will stop any bleeding should you accidentally nick the vein inside the claw. Press gently on the paw to expose the claw, and look for the pink vein in the center. Cut just beyond the pink line, or, if you can't really tell where it is, cut just the hook of the claw away. As always, be aware of your cat's body language: If one claw is all he'll tolerate, try another tomorrow.

Follow every grooming session with praise, play or treats. If you're consistently positive and patient, your cat will soon learn to tolerate -- or even enjoy -- your grooming time together.

PETS ON THE WEB: Breed rescue is a national grassroots effort by responsible breeders and others fanciers of purebred dogs to give homeless purebreds another chance. If you have your heart set on a particular breed of dog, you can find some wonderful pets by contacting volunteers who work to rescue, foster and place that breed. Most dogs are spayed or neutered and current on their vaccinations when offered for adoption, and the cost is usually just enough to cover the expenses of those procedures. To find out more about breed rescue, visit the American Kennel Club's Web site (http://www.akc.org), and check out their National Breed Club Rescue Network, with the names and phone numbers of contacts for each of the AKC's nearly 150 breeds.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of 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

You can lose yourself in the fur of a cat. Warm under your fingers, glossy-sleek to your eyes, a cat's fur can relax you, make you smile and ease the strain of a hard day. In so many lovely combinations of color and pattern, of texture and length, the coats of our cats are an inspiration to those who appreciate the gifts of nature: a supple pelt covering a body that is itself a perfect picture of symmetry, power and grace.

For a cat, a coat may seem a source of pride, but it's really much more. A healthy coat of fur can protect her from the elements and hide her from both predator and prey. Instinctively, she knows the importance of each hair and spends a great deal of her time in a ritual as old as cats themselves, pulling dead hair free along with the dust from her rambles, restoring order and shine with her marvelously adapted tongue, as rough as sandpaper and handier than any comb.

Considering how much time your cat spends grooming, do you really even need to be involved in the process? Yes! Taking care of your cat's coat -- as well as her claws -- keeps her healthier, makes her easier to live with, and strengthens the bond between you.

Although many long-haired cats must have some help with their grooming, any cat can benefit from human intervention. Even if your cat isn't a high-maintenance type with silky, long hair, helping with grooming offers some benefits to you, as well:

-- Shedding. The fur you catch on comb or brush doesn't end up on your sofa cushions, sweater, or the cream cheese on your bagel in the morning.

-- Smell. Most cats are fairly fastidious, but some cats, especially unneutered males, can be a little offensive from time to time. Longhairs can get urine and feces in their fur, which can be uncomfortable -- and unhealthy -- for you both.

-- Hairballs. This is more of a problem in long-haired cats than short, but no one likes listening to a gagging cat, and stepping on a coughed-up mass in bare feet is even less appealing. Regular grooming by you keeps the volume of fur swallowed by your cat to the utmost minimum, and that means fewer hairballs on your rugs.

-- Bonding. Although your cat may not like you getting involved in grooming at first, if you're persistent, especially with the praise, your cat eventually comes to enjoy the time you spend together at this important task.

-- Destructiveness. Keeping your cat's claws trimmed reduces the need to scratch, because one of the reasons cats claw is to remove the worn outer casings of the nails.

-- Money. Good grooming saves you money in more than one way. By reducing your cat's need to scratch by keeping claws in good shape, you save money on replacing or repairing things. Grooming is also part of a preventive-care regimen: Paying attention to your pet's body not only helps avoid some health problems, but it also helps you detect signs of illness early, which is better for both your wallet and your pet.

-- Allergies. Studies have shown that good grooming, including regular baths, can help allergy sufferers cope with their pets. Some cats have allergies, too, such as to flea bites, and your attention to grooming makes your cat's life more comfortable.

Convinced? Next week I'll offer tips on combing, brushing, nail-trimming and even bathing -- yes, bathing! -- your cat.

CYBERLINKS: Border collies are the undisputed geniuses of the canine world, dogs so smart they could practically do your taxes. Many longtime border collie fanciers think the intelligent, active breed is too high-powered for most families, though, and in the last few years they've fought popularization, fearing an eventual "dumbing down" of the breed will result. The U.S. Border Collie Club's site (http://www.bordercollie.org) is packed with information on this honest working dog. The best part: a collection of excerpts from books by Donald McCaig, one of the best writers on dogs and country living around.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies" and "Cats for Dummies," and is the editorial director of 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