The first step in turning an adult dog into a reliable house pet is to embrace a key concept: There's no such thing as a "partially" house-trained dog. He either is or he isn't.

Why is realizing this important? Because if you have a dog who is "sometimes" reliable, you have a dog who really isn't getting the picture, probably because no one took the time to teach it to him properly in the first place. To do that, you're going to have to go back to square one.

Before you do, though, make sure you're not dealing with a sick dog. If you have a pet who was perfectly house-trained and is no longer, you must determine that what you have is really a behavior problem, not a health problem. So check with your veterinarian first. To be fair, if you've just adopted an adult dog who seems to be urinating all the time, you should have him checked out, too, before assuming he's not house-trained. If everything is fine, you can start training.

House-training an adult dog uses the same principles as with a puppy, except you have to be even more diligent because with an adult you'll be doing some untraining, too.

You need to teach your dog what's right before you can correct him for what's wrong. To do this, spend a couple of weeks ensuring he has nothing but successes by never giving him the opportunity to make a mistake. Here's how:

-- Leash him to you in the house, so you can monitor his every move during his training period. If he starts to mess, correct him with a sharp "no," take him outside, give a "go" command -- I use "hurry up" -- and praise him for doing right.

-- Confine him in a shipping crate whenever he's not on a leash with you. You can buy a crate at any pet-supply store; choose one that's just a little bit bigger than your dog. Dogs don't like to mess where they're sleeping, and most will quickly learn to "hold it" when crated.

-- Take him outside first thing in the morning, as soon as you get home from work, and just before you go to bed, when you put him in his crate for the night. Always remember to give your "go" command, and praise when he does as you wish.

The most difficult part of house-training an adult dog is your attitude toward limiting his options in such a way as to make success possible. You may not like the idea of keeping such close tabs on your dog, but bear in mind you won't need to do it forever. Crates and leashes are training tools, not lifelong crutches.

If you've been consistent, your dog will likely have a good idea of what's expected of him at the end of the two weeks, and so you can start to give him a little freedom. Don't let him have the run of the house yet. Keep his area small and let him earn the house, room by room, under your supervision, as he proves his understanding of the house rules.

Accidents will happen. If you catch him, correct him with a sharp "no," take him outside and give him the chance to set things right. Give your "go" command, and praise if he does. Clean up the mess promptly and thoroughly, so he won't feel so inclined to refresh his smell there.

If you aren't catching him messing, you're not keeping close enough tabs on him. Go back to the crate and leash and start over.

Consistency and patience are necessary for house-training an adult dog. If you have both, you will likely succeed. Without them, you'll have a very difficult time getting the results you're hoping for.

Pets on the Web: Like many other animal-lovers, I'm a sucker for animal gear. Stuffed animals, wind chimes, ceramics, books, key chains -- I've got it all. I even have a few stamps, which was why I was happy to trip across a Web site for pet-loving stamp collectors. One site for stamp collectors has a page dedicated to animals, at http://www.philately.com/thematic_index.htm. From there, you can click on pages for birds, cats, dogs and other animals. It's a great place to get interested in collecting stamps with animals on them.

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

As pet-lovers, we always need to keep in mind one of the basic facts of life: Not everyone loves animals the way we do. And even those who do can find the antics of other people's pets a little hard to bear at times.

If I didn't know this already, I was reminded recently by a trio of letters from people complaining about neighbors' pets: screaming parrots in an outdoor aviary, a tomcat who terrorizes the neighborhood felines, and a dog let out every morning to leave "gifts" on other people's lawns.

These pets have two things in common. First, they're doing what is only natural to them. Second, they have owners who aren't thinking about their neighbors. Pet owners who don't think of their neighbors are more than rude; they're a threat to those of us who always want to have animals in our lives, since these owners give plenty of ammunition to those who would be happy to see animals banned -- or at least highly restricted.

Responsible pet ownership is the only antidote for anti-pet sentiments. The good news is that doesn't take a lot of effort to keep everyone happy. Here are the rules:

-- Keep 'em quiet. Barking dog or screaming parrots, the answer is the same: Keep your pets inside, especially at night and on weekend mornings. Pet-lovers have a tendency to become selectively deaf, tuning out the noisefest of their own pets and even sleeping through the racket. Although you can manage such a trick, your neighbors shouldn't have to.

-- Keep 'em under control. The only way to accomplish this with cats is to keep them inside. The bonus for you: Your cat will live a longer, healthier life. Outdoor cats fight noisily for mates and territory (neutering helps, but not completely), pick up and spread deadly diseases, and are exposed to hazards such as cars, coyotes and cat-hating neighbors with traps.

As for dogs, keep them fenced or on a leash and off other people's property, always. In public areas where it's OK for a game of fetch, train your dog to be under your voice control, or put him on a long lead instead. Never let him bother other people or pets.

-- Keep it clean. Pick up after your dog, whether or not it's required by local ordinance. I never understand why people who wouldn't think of tossing an empty cup on a neighbor's lawn think nothing of leaving something much more vile. Don't step out of your house with your dog unless you have plastic bags in your pocket for cleanups. Pickup is easy. Put the bag over your hand like a mitten, pick up the poop and turn the bag inside-out with the mess inside. Pop the sealed packet in the nearest garbage can and you're done.

The only way to keep your cat's mess out of your neighbor's flower beds is to keep him inside. If that's not possible, keep a clean litter box for your cat anyway. If you don't offer him a litter box, you're guaranteeing he has to relieve himself outside.

Make the effort to be a responsible pet owner. Keeping your neighbors happy is the right thing to do, and it's the only way to protect your own interest in being able to spend your life with the animals you love.

PETS ON THE WEB: Guinea pigs aren't just for children anymore. Many adults keep these sweet, cuddly critters, and it's no surprise there are plenty of Web pages dedicated to them. My favorite is Smilin' Jay Andrews Oinker Net, at http://www.olywa.net/jandrews/oinkrnet.htm. Andrews is a disc jockey in Olympia, Wash., but it's clear his true love is guinea pigs. His page has links to guinea pig sites all over the world, basic care information and lots of pictures. Check out the pictures of his pigs in their condos, two-stories dwellings with 16 square feet of living space and a running track. One of the nicest things about these pets is the sound they make, and Andrews' site has sound files to brighten the lives of those who have never heard it. Wheek, wheek, wheek (three cheers, guinea pig-style) to this charming page.

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

The first step in dealing with a new behavior problem in a formerly well-mannered pet is to rule out that it might be a medical problem. In few instances is this rule more applicable than when a cat stops using the litter box.

There are a handful of medical problems that drive cats from the litter box. One of the most common is a bladder infection or inflammation that makes urinating painful. Diabetes and hyperthyroidism can increase the production of urine to the point where it's too hard for a cat to hold it long enough to get to the litter box, and the creaks and aches that come with advancing age may make the trip to the litter box difficult.

Recognizing these underlying problems is the first step in solving litter-box problems, but treating them may not be the end of the undesirable behavior. In the case of infections, especially, cats come to associate discomfort with the litter box and will have to be gently convinced to resume its use.

Before you do that with your recovering cat -- and for a healthy cat who was never trained properly -- you have to make sure you're holding up your end of the bargain. Here are a few other reasons why cats abandon the litter box:

-- CLEANLINESS. Would you want to use a dirty bathroom? Neither does your cat. If you're cleaning weekly, every other week or when you can't stand looking at it any more, it's no surprise your pet is contemplating going elsewhere. Scoop daily, and change the litter and scrub the box on a regular basis.

-- LOCATION. Litter boxes in high-traffic, high-noise areas such as kitchens or primary bathrooms should be reconsidered. A guest bathroom is probably one of the better choices, but any quiet, out-of-the-way place your cat is comfortable with will do. One reader tip I love: Put the litter box in the bathtub, if you're fortunate enough to have one you never use. It's an area that's private and easy to keep clean.

Hooded litter boxes are another possibility. Some cats love them, although for cats with asthma, they aren't advised. Another consideration: In multiple-cat households, you may need a litter box in a different part of the house for each cat, because some cats simply won't share.

-- FILLER. Once you've dealt with cleanliness and location, experiment with filler. According to "CatWatch," a monthly newsletter put out by the Cornell Feline Health Center, cats prefer clumping litter to other varieties, which means cats who may avoid a box with other litters may use clumping varieties without problems. Some cats don't like perfumed litter, finding the smell as offensive as a dirty box. You'll have to experiment; your cat's opinion is the only one that counts here.

No matter whether your cat has never been properly trained or is recovering from an illness, you'll have to limit your cat's area in the house to convince him to use the litter box, starting in that small bathroom and gradually increasing the space available to him as his success streak continues. Never punish a cat for going outside the litter box, even if you catch him in the act. Cats learn best through positive reinforcement, and if you punish your cat, you'll have him avoiding not the bad behavior, but you. Praise him for using the litter box in his small area with words, caresses and treats.

Clean up accidents promptly and thoroughly, and put foil or plastic carpet runners with the pointed side up over problem areas to discourage revisits.

Proper care, patience and a positive attitude are key in solving pet problems. With these tools, most cats will become reliable litter-box users again.

Pets on the Web: For an increasing number of people, reptiles and amphibians are the only pets to share their lives with. Melissa Kaplan is one of those people, and her Herp Care site (http://www.sonic.net/(tilde)melissk) is one of the finest examples of generosity on the Internet. The site contains more than 180 of her well-researched and well-written articles on reptiles, amphibians and insect pets. Of special interest: a "mini-page" for educators. Kaplan quotes dolphin advocate Rick O'Barry, "Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as important to the child as it is to the caterpillar," and reminds her readers that we are all educators, in the end.

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