I've just spend the better part of a week with a litter of 6-week-old puppies. I've played with them, let them untie my shoelaces again and again, taken pictures of them, and just plain enjoyed being around them.

Maybe it's not your dream vacation, but it certainly is mine.

The pups belong to my friend Linda, who breeds some of the best Rhodesian ridgebacks imaginable, dogs with near-perfect appearance for their breed and great temperaments for any breed. She doesn't have puppies in her home that often, so enjoying these five was a rare treat. A glimpse at future champions, too, if breeding has any say in the matter: The mom is a sister to a dog who won big at Westminster, and the dad has a best-in-show win on his resume. The waiting list for any of Linda's puppies is years long.

Puppies are puppies, though, and these fat little babies knew nothing about their pedigrees, nor cared. Their days were spent wrestling, playing and exploring. Gentle introduction to new experiences is important, and Linda knows it. Her pups are constantly handled, given lots of room for safe exploration, and introduced at an early age to such horrors as nail trims and grooming.

Some of the most important lessons they learn, though, come from their mother and from each other. And too many puppies don't get a chance to learn all they should before they go to new homes. Despite all the research on the importance of staying with littermates longer, some breeders can't seem to get rid of their puppies fast enough, sending them out the door the minute they're weaned, as early as 5 weeks of age.

Many experts believe pups shouldn't go to their new homes until they are 7 weeks old, at least, and Linda keeps hers even longer, placing them at 9 weeks. Puppies learn some valuable lessons in the weeks after weaning, including how to get along with other dogs, and that biting hurts. These are lessons, all learned in puppy play, that no dog should be without.

Every litter I see is educational for me as well. Dogs are born knowing more about canine behavior than I'll learn in my lifetime, which is one of the reasons I love to watch puppies. Within a few minutes the personalities of any litter of puppies become evident to the careful observer. Linda's puppies are all called by their collar color until placed -- red, green, yellow, purple and blue.

In this litter the pushiest is a pup called Green. He is always on top in every wrestling match, and first into every new experience. When my dog Benjamin, who loves puppies, went into the pen to play, the puppies scattered in fear -– but Green was chewing on Ben not a minute later. Following Green's example, the rest were soon climbing on Ben, to the delight of the big retriever.

The night before I was to head home, Linda and her husband, Craig, took me out to a nearby restaurant for dinner. We encountered a fellow who was selling puppies, Labrador and golden retrievers, out of the back of his pickup truck -- a situation that couldn't be more different from that of the puppies back at the house.

We said little, but managed to talk a waitress out of buying a pup on impulse. Who knew where these puppies came from? We warned her about congenital defects and explained to her about socialization. I doubt the lost sale slowed the puppy man down at all. The weather was beautiful and the seaside town was packed with tourists. The puppies were likely sold before the end of the next day.

I can only pray they found good homes and will be healthy and emotionally sound. My bigger wish, though, is that someday everyone will understand the risks they take with such a seller.

With shelter pups and older purebreds and mixes just begging for homes, you needn't limit your search to purebred puppies. But if you must, you're better off finding a breeder like Linda, who breeds the best and knows how to raise a puppy right.

PETS ON THE WEB

"Fun" is the word ferret lovers seem to use most when describing their pets. The animals are a joy to watch, always playing, investigating and getting into trouble. While they're not legally kept everywhere -– California is the biggest hold-out against ferret legalization -– ferret popularity is growing everywhere else.

A Web site with good basic information is The Ferret Owner Manual (www.thechipster.com/fert-man.html), with well-organized sections on raising, training, feeding and grooming, among others. Other ferret sites worth a look include The Ferret Zone (www.ferretzone.com/) and Ferret Central (www.ferretcentral.org).

THE SCOOP

A perch is more than something to stand on for your bird. Chosen properly, it's also an important tool for helping to keep your bird physically and emotionally sound. When choosing perches, think variety, and select an array of textures. Choices you'll find at the bird store include rope, natural wood and concrete, and each should find a place in your bird's cage.

Some of the best perches around won't cost you anything more than the time it takes to trim them from your trees. Limbs from most fruit and nut trees make fine perches, as do those from ash, elm, dogwood and magnolia. Cut the branches to fit the cage, scrub with detergent, rinse well, and let them dry in the sun before putting them in the cage. A final check is for insect pods -- just break them off and dispose of them in an outside trash can.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I am writing concerning your article on head halters, where you recommend people throw their correction collars away. I use a halter on my son's 3-year-old female Rottweiler because of aggression. Never would I think of not using a backup. A correction collar is the only kind of collar that allows the halter to work properly and still have the dog on leash should the halter come off.

To even suggest that dog owners "throw the darn thing away" is absurd! A dog that pulls obviously isn't trained to walk on a leash in the first place, and should the halter come off the dog without a backup collar, you are looking at not only losing total control of your dog but worse! The head collar is not foolproof, but to back it up with the correction collar is the only way to make sure the dog and owner stay together and enjoy many more walks together. -– C.S., via e-mail

A: Some brands of head halters seem easier to slip out of than others. Anyone thinking of using a halter should consider working with a trainer to ensure the correct halter and fit for the dog. A trainer can also help you teach your dog to accept the halter more easily, and help you both learn the skills you need to walk with one.

I agree a backup collar is important, but you needn't use a chain collar. A regular snap-together or buckled-flat collar will do fine, with a second leash attached. I've also seen people run a short length of leash material from the end of the regular leash to the collar, and that's OK, too, if it's long enough so the dog feels the leash pull on the head halter only.

My problem with chain collars remains that they are cruel and ineffective if used improperly -- and I almost never seem them used the right way. They're put on upside down (with the moving end coming under the neck instead of over it) or just kept constantly tight as the dog drags the owner down the street.

Q: You recently mentioned a formula used for removing the odor of skunk on dogs. I neglected to cut out the article, and before I knew it, the recyling had been done. Would you be kind enough to repeat the formula? -– D.P., via e-mail

A: Must be a lot of stinky pets out there, because I'm getting a lot of requests like yours every week. Here's the recipe again:

Take 1 quart of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (available from any drugstore), 1/4 cup of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate for you science types) and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap, such as Ivory. Mix and immediately apply to the stinky pet. Rinse thoroughly with tap water.

Remember that this mixture cannot be made up in advance. The chemical reaction that removes the smell is strong enough to burst any container you put the solution in, Also, the mixture works best when applied immediately after mixing.

Happy de-skunking!

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

Pssst! Wanna see a picture of my pets?

I love to take pictures, especially of my pets. And yet, I realized recently that quite some time had passed since I've made my long-suffering dogs sit nicely and look alert while I tried to capture a perfect moment, suitable for framing.

What made me realize how long it had been was one of life's little tragedies: the death of my parrot, Patrick. I had him more than a year, and I never once took his picture. I guess I figured he'd be with me for decades, and that as his feather-picked body continued to mend he'd get better-looking. Things didn't turn out that way at all.

And now, the pets who remain are suffering because of my regret, even more since I bought a nifty new digital camera. They're almost as tired of getting their pictures taken as my friends are of seeing the images.

So what, I say. I'm still shooting. And I've gotten pretty good over the years, mostly by following a few tried-and-true tips:

-- Get your children involved. I have to rely on my niece and nephew since I have no kids of my own, but they're wonderful photographer's assistants. Get a kid to help you with your pictures by teasing your pet with a toy, or zoom in close to get pictures of kids and pets together.

-- Head outdoors. Natural light -- early morning is best -- avoids the dreaded red-eye shot, where the flash makes your beautiful pet come out looking like a monster. Taking pictures outside gives your pet a more natural, healthy look. If your pet is a solid, dark color, use your flash outdoors (if your camera enables you to do so). The flash brings out the detail in your pet's face. If you do end up with red-eye, though, don't despair. One of the nifty things about digital photography is that you can remove red-eye in the finished product. I do this with Photoshop, but lots of less-expensive programs will do the same.

Bear in mind that being outdoors can be risky for some pets. If you take your bird outside, make sure his wings have been properly and recently clipped. Without a proper wing trim, a bird may be able to gain enough loft to fly out of reach. And indoor cats may be tempted to bolt. So be careful.

-- Get close. If you want a good picture, you need to go where your pet is. Shoot at just below your pet's eye level and zoom in as closely as you can for good detail.

-- Watch your backgrounds. Think neutral -- a plain wall, not a cluttered cabinet. Think contrast -- light for a dark pet, dark for a light one. If your cat loves to sleep on the busy fabric of your sofa, for example, consider throwing a solid blanket down first.

-- Be creative. If you want your pet to kiss your children, do as the pros do: Put a little butter on your children and let the pet kiss it off. This is a tip I got years ago when I interviewed a woman who trained animals for commercials. I've smiled every time I've seen a dog smooch a kid on TV since, knowing that more than affection was at play.

The best advice, and perhaps the hardest to follow, is to be patient and have fun. Film is cheap, and digital images are free once you have the gear. Take lots of shots, enjoy the good ones, and toss the rest. Just don't forget to get some pictures. You can be assured I've learned my lesson: Any animal who's here more than a day will be "shot," so I never have to regret not having a picture.

PETS ON THE WEB

No fancy graphics on this Web site (or graphics at all, for that matter) and not a lot in the way of text. But you don't need either to enjoy the Songs of Brazilian Birds Web site (www.mma.gov.br/ingles/CGMI/cantoave/cantoi.html), with its 51 recordings of sounds you'd usually have to be standing in the rain forest to hear. Some you might not hear even if you were in Brazil, since a few of the recordings are of birds whose future in the wild is very much in doubt. Among them, the hyacinth macaw, a stunning blue bird who's the largest of the parrots kept as pets. The raspy sound of their cries fades hauntingly away in the offered clip.

THE SCOOP

How odd that two books about dogs in the workplace should cross my desk the same week. Of the two, I found myself smiling more at "Working Dogs: Tales From Animal Planet's K-9 to 5 World," by Colleen Needles and Kit Carlson, with photographs by Kim Levin (Discovery Books, $15.95). The photographs are extraordinary, and they capture the spirit of dogs from Gidget, the famous Taco Bell spokesdog, to such workaday lugs as Bosco, the Labrador who fetches errant pins in a bowling alley.

"Dogs With Jobs: Working Dogs Around the World," by Merrily Weisboro and Kim Kachanoff, DVM, (Pocket Books, $24.95), is a more thoughtful exploration of the same ground, with writing that will sometimes bring you to tears. The story of Happy Ralph, a racing greyhound at the end of his career, is especially well-done, his story told with love, heart and honesty. These are two books I won't be parting with anytime soon.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I am moving to a new neighborhood that has other dogs, all in pens. I don't have the money to fence the yard just now, much less buy my dogs their own pen each. I need a short-term solution to keep them in my yard and not the neighbors' yards.

I've heard that pouring ammonia around the perimeter will keep the dogs in their place, but does it really work? Please respond. I don't have much time! -- N.L., via e-mail

A: Ammonia won't work, sorry. Your dogs won't like the smell, but it won't slow them down for a second in their hurry to explore their new neighborhood.

A fencing is the only long-term solution. In the short term, you'll need to take them out on leashes or put them on tethers.

Tethering is not a good long-term solution, so please don't even consider it as a permanent fix to your problem. Dogs do not do well tied up; some even become vicious as a result. Tethering has other hazards, too. Your dogs can tangle up their lines and become unable to reach food, water or shade, or loose dogs can attack them. For these reasons, I recommend tethering for short periods at a time, and always under supervision. And remember: Never use choke-chain collar with a tether. It's too easy for a dog to strangle himself.

If you cannot afford to fence the whole yard right away, look into ready-made dog runs. You can find them relatively cheaply for less than a couple of hundred dollars, less if you are able to find one secondhand. These will keep your dogs safe during their potty breaks.

Q: I am trying to find out at what age we should introduce our kittens to canned food. Also, how soon should we have our cat spayed after having kittens? -- D.C., via e-mail

A: Mother cats start tiring of nursing when their kittens are around 3 weeks old. You should make solid food available from that point on. Softening dry food with water and placing a dab on each kitten's nose makes the transition easier. As the mother shows less and less interest in nursing, the kittens will gradually move over to solid food. By the age of 7 weeks, they should be completely weaned.

Cats can become pregnant not long after weaning their babies, so don't delay in calling your veterinarian to arrange a spay. Many an "oops" litter has become a "double oops" because someone didn't realize just how prolific a breeder a cat can be.

When you're discussing the mother cat's spaying, ask your veterinarian about neutering the kittens as well. Spaying and neutering are now routinely and safely performed on kittens and puppies as young as 8 weeks of age. With so many unwanted cats and kittens, you'll be taking a positive step toward ending the cycle of misery if you ensure that all your cats and kittens will not be reproducing.

While you're thinking about weaning, here's something else to work in to the routine: helping your kittens learn to use a litter box. At the same time you start weaning them, have clean litter boxes available. The mother cat will teach the kittens how to use them.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com.

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

Sometimes it seems as if I've spent my whole life in a crusade to get people to stop using choke chains as an everyday collar for their dogs. And sometimes it seems a futile effort, since not a day goes by that I don't see a dog with a choke chain for a collar, the license hanging from the ring as proof that the animal wears the deadly chain all the time.

In the past I've argued that the choke-chain collar is only for walking and training your dog, and you put your dog at grave risk if you leave a chain collar on an unsupervised dog. That's because the ring of the chain has been known to get caught, even on the tooth of another dog in play. When a dog is snagged, his natural instinct is to pull away, and that causes the collar to tighten. The more panicked he gets, the more he pulls, the more the collar tightens. The end result, you can well imagine.

Your dog should wear a collar and tags for his own safety. And for safety, that should be a collar with a buckle or snap holding it together -- not, not, NOT a choke chain.

OK, so that's what I've always said. Today I'm going to say something more on the subject of choke-chain collars. When you take the chain off your dog -- as soon as possible, please -- don't put it aside for training or for walks. Just throw the darn thing away.

The choke-chain collar is an effective training tool when used correctly. And it's not cruel when used correctly. The problem is, the choke-chain collar is rarely used correctly. In a lifetime of sharing my life with dogs, training dogs and writing about dogs, I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen the average dog lover using a choke chain correctly -- and I'd still have two or three fingers left over for counting.

There are only two ways to put on a choke-chain collar: with the moving end over the dog's neck (right), or under the dog's neck (wrong). By the simplest law of averages you'd think folks would get them on right half the time, but all I ever see is the wrong way. When the moving part of the chain comes from under the dog's neck, the chain doesn't release easily when the leash is slackened. Since the collar's usefulness as a training tool relies on a quick snap-and-release action, a collar that's put on wrong is useless at best, and cruel at worst.

But even if the collar's put on right, people still manage to use it wrong. The collar is meant to be loose at all times except for the occasional split-second tightening to correct a dog's behavior. And yet most collars are tight all the time, as gasping dogs in coke chains drag their owners down the street.

I realize it may be hard to give up the choke chain. It's an ingrained part of our consciousness, one of the things we buy automatically for our dogs -- food bowls, a leash, a choke chain. Many pet lovers may not even know an alternative exists. But it's out there.

Primary among them, especially for people who have trouble walking their dogs, would be a head halter such as the Gentle Leader. Take the basic idea of a horse halter (where the head goes the body will follow), and add a couple of features just for dogs. Head halters are not muzzles. They work through pressure to the back of the neck and top of the muzzle, spots used by canine mothers to transmit the message of "I'm the boss" to their pups.

If you can't walk your dog without choking him and running the risk of dislocating your own shoulder, it's time for a change. Throw out the chain, and the danger and confusion that comes with it, and go for the alternative that's both safer and more effective. Get a head halter for your pet. Your dog and your shoulder will both be grateful.

PETS ON THE WEB

Alley Cat Allies has been working for a decade to change the way we think about and deal with feral cats. The group promotes stabilizing feral populations through trap-neuter-return programs. As do many feral-cat advocates, the group argues that maintaining stable, nonbreeding colonies of cats is a more humane and cost-effective way of dealing with the problem than the constant effort people expend to exterminate wild cats.

The coalition's Web site (www.alleycat.org) is a resource for those who feel the same way, with information on why the trap-neuter-return program is a viable solution, along with tips on how to set up such a program in your community. Especially valuable are articles on taming wild-born kittens and relocating cat colonies.

THE SCOOP

Although growing constantly, the beak of a normal pet bird does not need to be trimmed. Your bird keeps her beak at the proper length with normal chewing. An overgrown beak is frequently a sign of illness. Contrary to what some bird books still preach, don't accept "beak trims" as a routine health-care measure -- they're not. The bird who gets routine "beak trims" instead of proper medical attention may have an attractive beak, but is at risk of succumbing to the disease that is causing the abnormal growth in the first place. Many of these underlying problems can be corrected if addressed early and accurately. See a veterinarian who specializes in avian medicine if your bird is having beak problems.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I have been researching the Staffordshire bull terrier breed for about a month now, and I like what I see so far. I was wondering if you could give me any reasons why I should or should not buy this breed. -- S.S., via e-mail

A: The bull and terrier breeds -- the American Staffordshire terrier, bull terrier, miniature bull terrier and Staffordshire bull terrier are the American Kennel Club versions -- have come in for some bad press as "pit bulls" in recent years. That's a shame, because all these dogs, pit bulls included, were considered to be stable pets for generations.

What prompted the change is that pit bull-type dogs became popular with certain people who broadened the dogs' traditional aggression toward other dogs, producing animals that would bite people. Couple this trait with these dogs' awesome physical power and you've got an animal that justifiably should be feared.

If you buy from a reputable show-breeder, however, and socialize and train your puppy, you'll end up with a calm, sensible dog with an easy-care coat who provides good companionship for a family. The downside? These breeds are not as likely as, say, a golden retriever to be overly fond of other dogs, and you'll also be constantly dealing with people who are afraid of your "pit bull."

The Staffordshire bull terrier is on the small end of the scale for bull and terrier breeds, 14 to 16 inches at the shoulder. But like all of these dogs, they pack a lot of power into the package. The Staffy bull is my own personal favorite of this group, an even-tempered, good-natured and wholly reliable spark plug of a dog. I sat on the floor with one at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in February and was covered in kisses in less than a minute. What a sweetheart!

If you do end up with one of these breeds, remember that you have an even higher responsibility than other dog owners to have your pet be a good citizen. As the owner of the bull and terrier breed, it falls to you to help improve the public's bad impression of any dog who resembles a "pit bull."

Q: I liked your advice on keeping kibble available for cats at all times and giving them a small amount of canned food at room temperature once a day.

Having had many cats over the years, I've discovered that they most often get hit by cars after dark, and that most of their fighting occurs during their dawn and dusk patrols. Keeping cats in the house at those times cuts down on problems, and the wet food treat is a great motivator and training aid.

Buster, who is currently my only cat, knows that he should show up just before the sun goes down, then he will get his tablespoon of wet food. He'll then be in for the night. I hope to keep my next cat(s) indoors always, but this system is a workable compromise. Keep up the interesting columns! -- F.R., via e-mail

A: I always get nasty mail when I say this, but the indoor-only life isn't possible for every cat and every cat lover. I always recommend that people have indoor cats and that they convert their indoor-outdoor cats. But I'm also aware that anything to make the life of a cat with outdoor access safer is well worth mentioning.

Your suggestion is an excellent one, and can save the life of many a free-roaming cat. My other suggestion for anyone who lets a cat roam is to make sure the animal is neutered and kept current on all vaccinations, including rabies.

Another way to keep your cat more safe is a fence designed to keep cats in the yard. (Yes, it's possible!) The San Diego Feral Cat Coalition has information on its Web site at www.feralcat.com/fence.html. The information is from the Alley Cat Allies group, but I couldn't find it on the Web site anymore. If you don't have Internet access for the San Diego group, call the ACA for more information at (202) 667-3630, or write to them at 1801 Belmont Road NW, Suite 201, Washington, D.C. 20009-5164.

Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com.

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