Of all the things that annoy people about dogs -- or, more precisely, about dog owners -- "the pile" has to be near the top of the list.

On the lawn. In the park. On the beach. In the gutter. "The pile" is the reason people don't want to share public space with dogs, the reason many public places are off-limits to dogs, and the reason for many "No Dog" signs at hotels and inns.

Picking up after your dog is one of the most important things you can do as a dog owner, and yet it's something too many ignore.

If you're among those who look the other way while "the pile" is being deposited, it's time you thought seriously about changing your ways. The good news: It's not hard at all. All you need is a pocket and some plastic bags.

It's cheap, too. You can use the plastic bags they pack your groceries in -- better for big dogs -- or you can get dozens of sandwich-sized ones -- perfect for small dogs -- for less than a dollar.

The plastic bag is the world's easiest pooper-scooper. Here's how it works:

Before heading out the door with your dog, pop a couple of plastic bags in your pocket. If the need arises, push your hand into the bottom of a bag, turning it inside out and forming a mitten that completely covers your hand. Then pick up the poop with that plastic-covered hand, pulling it into the bag as the "mitten" turns inside out again, this time with the poop in the pocket and hand outside. Flip the bag's sealer edges inward, closing the bag, or tie the handles if you're using the bigger size.

Pop the package into the nearest trash bin and you've done your civic duty, without any fuss or bother. The pile is no more.

Why bother at all if it's not required by law that you scoop? Because you owe it to your neighbors, to the people who share the park and the sidewalks, to your dog -- and to all the dogs you'd like to share your life with in the future and won't be able to if dog-haters ever get the edge. And they're certainly not without ammunition.

There are those who believe dogs and cats don't belong anywhere but in the country on a large piece of privately owned property, and a park full of poop certainly doesn't help to argue otherwise. You know the people I mean: the ones who always insist they're thinking only of the animals when they argue that pets should be banned from developed areas. The animals will be happier in the country, such people insist, where they can run free, unbothered by leash or fence. It's not "fair" to keep them in the city.

People who insist that pets don't belong in the city and suburbs fail to take into account the exciting findings that reveal just how important pets are to the mental health of the people who share lives with them. Animals are good with us, and they're good for us. But for most of us they remain a privilege, not a right.

Protect your future with companion animals by looking out for those people who would never want one. Cleaning up after your pets is one of the best ways to accomplish both.

Pets on the Web: A great many people these days are interested in therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, and herbal and vitamin supplements. It's not surprising that interest in these topics has grown in veterinary medicine as well, with more than a couple hundred veterinarians practicing what the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association calls "alternative, complementary and holistic veterinary medicine." The association offers a listing of its member veterinarians on its AltVetMed Web site (http://www.altvetmed.com/ahvmadir.html). You've got the best chance of finding such a veterinarian if you live in California, but don't despair if you don't -- there's even a member listed at the North Pole.

For help in locating more traditional veterinary care, the Veterinary Information Network's free VetQuest service (http://www.vetquest.com) provides listings for more than 25,000 veterinary clinics and hospitals, along with maps to help you find 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

If you have ever, even for a moment, been afraid of your dog or what he might do, you need help, whether you realize it or not.

Aggression in dogs has both genetic and learned factors. Some dogs are born with the potential to be aggressive, and that potential can be fully realized in a home that either encourages aggressive behavior or is ill-equipped to cope with it. Other perfectly nice dogs can become unreliable fear-biters because of abusive treatment -- and remain time bombs in new homes.

Maybe you prefer to live in a state of denial, hoping nothing awful involving your dog will ever happen. Nearly 4.5 million American dog owners are jolted into reality every year -- 4.5 million being the number of bites reported in the latest Journal of the American Medical Association, based on surveys by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Control at the University of Pittsburgh. The researchers also reported that in 1996, 334,000 dog-bite victims ended up in emergency rooms, and 20 died.

Is your dog potentially dangerous? Answer these questions, and be brutally honest:

-- Has your dog ever "stared you down"? I'm not talking about a loving gaze -- my dogs will hold those for minutes at a time. I'm talking about a hard, fixed, glassy-eyed stare that may be accompanied by erect body posture -- stiff legs, ears forward, hackles raised.

-- Do you avoid doing certain things with your dog because they elicit growling or a show of teeth? Are you unable, for example, to approach your dog while he's eating or ask him to get off the couch?

-- Do you make excuses for his aggressive behavior, or figure he'll "grow out of it"?

-- Do you consider your dog "safe" -- except around a particular group of people, such as children? When he growls at the veterinarian, do you tell yourself the behavior is reasonable, and a veterinarian should be able to cope with it, after all?

-- Has your dog ever bitten anyone, even if it was "only" once and because "it was an accident," "he was scared," "he's usually so good!" or some other equally inexcusable rationalization? Little dogs often get excuses made for their behavior, but growling and snapping is no more acceptable from a Pomeranian than from a pit bull.

If you have a problem, get help. Now. You should no more attempt to cure aggression yourself than you should try to treat cancer. The reason is the same: You haven't the training and the expertise to do so. If you suddenly try to eliminate your dog's self-appointed role as leader of your pack, there'll be trouble.

Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a trainer or behaviorist with experience in aggressive dogs. And realize from the start that just like cancer, aggression is a disease that is sometimes not curable. Have your dog neutered -- most dogs involved in attacks are young, unneutered males -- and follow the expert's advice on retraining.

If in the end you have a dog who still cannot be trusted, have him euthanized; it's the only responsible thing to do. Yes, it's hard. But if your dog is a biter, he'll probably end up euthanized eventually. The difference is that if you wait, someone will get hurt first.

Finding an aggressive dog a new home -- one with no children, perhaps -- is not the answer. Children are everywhere, and you may be responsible for one of them being hurt if you pass a problem dog onto someone else. Especially if you do so without admitting the real reason you're finding him a new home, knowing that no one will adopt a biter. You do the dog no kindness, and you put the new family at risk.

Canine aggressiveness never improves on its own. Get help, before someone gets hurt.

Pets on the Web: The American Miniature Horse Association's Web site is a good first stop for anyone who has ever thought about owning the only kind of horse that's truly "pet-sized."

The site (http://www.minihorses.com/amha) gives the history and current status of these petite ponies (they cannot be more than 34 inches at the withers) as well as information on purchasing, care and showing.

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

My friend Rita used to keep a page from an old calendar in her desk, the date marking the occasion I foolishly said, "I'll never have more than two dogs."

She thought the statement amusing, since I've rarely had fewer than two dogs for any great length of time.

With the rather unexpected arrival of a third dog the day after Christmas, I'm thinking of making a new rule: Never have more dogs than you can fit on the bed.

Since the new dog, Heather, is my second full-grown retriever, I may have to get a bigger bed soon. In the short run, though, the challenge is dirt and fur. With two big dogs (the retrievers Benjamin and Heather) and a medium-sized long-haired dog (the Sheltie, Andy), I have plenty of both.

Domesticity has never been my strong suit, but I cope as best I can. I cling to my dog-eared copy of Don Aslett's sadly out-of-print "Pet Clean-up Made Easy" for advice. (Aslett's other cleaning books are also valuable to pet lovers, although the advice is more general.)

Here are a few of his suggestions -- all of which have earned Gina's Bad Housekeeping Seal of Approval -- for those who like not only a moderately clean house, but also pets:

-- When choosing new carpets, forget wool and cotton and go for all-synthetic fibers. Natural fibers absorb everything, and that, says Aslett, guarantees stains and odors. Better still are all-synthetic carpets with stain repellents built in. Aslett suggest a textured or multilevel loop, not a deep shag, which is hardest to clean and provides the snuggest home for fleas. Varied hues of the same color hide dirt and stains the best, he says, and even better is matching the carpet color to your pet.

-- Opt for tightly woven, smooth-surfaced upholstery. Such fabrics will resist a few claw marks and will not encourage a furniture-scratching cat. Steer clear of highly textured, nubby fabrics and wicker. "Anything with a loose or open weave invites cats and dogs to pull at it, fiddle with it, claw or scratch it," he writes. (Providing your cat with a cat tree and teaching him to use it is the second half of the no-scratch equation.)

-- Make use of mats everywhere. Rubber-backed mats of synthetic pile collect dirt and moisture and clean up easily. Aslett suggests using them just outside and inside the doors, under food dishes and in sleeping areas. (They make great beds for older pets who "leak.") A great suggestion from a reader: Car mats work just as well.

It's a good idea to keep a towel handy and teach your dog to wait on whatever mats you use until you wipe off his dirty paws. Sounds like too much effort? Consider this: Would you rather spend a few minutes teaching your dog to wait for a wipe-off, or the rest of your life cleaning up muddy foot prints?

-- Clean up spills and messes immediately. "You can't let a pet mess go until it's convenient," writes Aslett, "because if you leave it, the mess will spread, stain, smell, attract pests and encourage repeat offenses." Look for cleaners with enzymes at your pet-supply store; I've found they do the best job. A serious no-no: Never use an ammonia product to clean up, especially if the mess is urine. Ammonia smells like urine to your pet and will invite a new mess on the same spot.

My own tip to add is grooming, which is good for your pet, good for your relationship with your pet, and good for the general cleanliness of your home. Not only will your pet be more attractive and happier for the extra attention, but every piece of fur you snare you'll spare from a future home on your floor or sofa.

Pets on the Web: Rabbit-lover Beth Mammini has pulled together a delightful collection of links on her Bunny Home Pages site (http://www.alumni.caltech.edu/(tilde)meanie/petbunny.html). The Web site features the pages of more than 100 individual rabbits in the United States and around the world. Of more practical use is the information on Etherbun, the electronic mailing list devoted to the care, behavior, health and biology of companion rabbits.

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