My dogs are not, by preference, couch potatoes. They want to leave the house every time I do. And if they could, they'd always choose not the mundane errand-running trips of my ordinary existence, but outings more geared to the athletically minded -- day hikes and camping trips, dog parks and river runs.

Thanks to their constant lobbying, I do a lot of what my dogs like to do. Because I find their joy infectious, I leave them behind only when I must, and I am constantly trying out gear designed to make getting out with dogs easier and more fun. As a result, I've run across a couple of companies that make dog-friendly products of such high quality that I look for their brands when I'm shopping for something new.

The first such company is Canine Hardware, maker of a toy you can't go to a dog park without seeing, and a new one that's popping up wherever dogs play fetch.

The first, a tennis-ball tosser known as the Chuckit, is nothing short of revolutionary, especially for people with wimpy throwing arms like mine. The Chuckit is a long wand of flexible plastic, with a handle on one end and a cup for holding a standard tennis ball on the other. You press the cup against the tennis ball -- no touching the slimy, spit-covered thing -- and then raise the device over your head, flinging it in a forward motion. The Chuckit then catapults the tennis ball an amazing distance. Even I can fling the ball nearly half the length of a football field.

I used to use an old tennis racket to whack the ball far enough for my big dogs, but using that strategy, I'd still have to touch the slimy ball -- ugh! The Chuckit is simply the best tool I've found for exercising a dog who loves to retrieve. The product retails for less than $12, including a two-tone tennis ball.

The company's newest sports toy is the Flying Squirrel (about $15), a well-designed flying disc. The colorful toy, make of durable soft material, is shaped with four points to make it easy to grab and throw. When it lands, it sits up a little on its "legs" to make it easier for the dog to pick up. It's another great dog-friendly product!

I also love the Outward Hound travel gear, and what a clever name! Over the years I've purchased their travel bowls, made of soft, collapsible material, as well as their reflective safety vests for walking dogs at night. My favorite purchase is their doggy backpack, which my big retriever Benjamin wears when we do talks, book-signings or other public events. The pack fits well and is easy to put on and take off.

With the addition of my toy-breed puppy Chase, I've been delighted to find that Outward Hound makes carriers for small dogs. I bought the one that wears like a shoulder bag with an adjustable strap; the pup rides in it without wriggling, and it's a comfortable fit for me.

Outward Hound also makes gear bags, fanny packs, canine life preservers and small carriers that fit on leashes to hold cleanup bags and keys. The products come in a selection of bright colors and are made from sturdy, wipe-clean material. Prices range from less than $8 for collapsible bowls to around $40 for the large backpack.

Can you get out and about without gear? Sure, you can. But I have found over the years that purchasing a few high-quality, long-lasting items makes taking the dogs out more pleasant for us all.

PETS ON THE WEB

The Chuckit can be found in most pet-supply stores, as well as selected items from the Outward Hound line. For the complete lineup of products from these manufacturers, visit their Web sites. For the Chuckit ball tosser and Flying Squirrel soft flying disc, visit Canine Hardware (www.caninehardware.com). Outward Hound's collection of travel bags, leash attachments, portable dishes, canine backpacks, vests and life preservers can be found at the Kyjen Company's Web site (www.kyjen.com)

THE SCOOP

While it takes expert analysis to tell the boys from the girls in many species of pet birds, there's no such difficulty when you're looking at an eclectus parrot. The males are a vivid kelly green, while the females are bright scarlet red, except for a "sweater vest" of royal blue. Male or female, the eclectus is one gorgeous bird.

If you want one of these beauties for your own, though, be aware that they can be difficult to keep. For one thing, they require a higher percentage of fresh fruits and vegetables than other parrots do to keep them healthy, and the eclectus fares particularly poorly on a diet of seeds. (And this isn't recommended for any parrot, from budgie to macaw.) Eclectus parrots are also believed to be very sensitive to changes in their environment. They're probably not suitable for a beginner, but can be a wonderful addition to the household of someone with serious bird-savvy.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I have two happy and healthy adult cats, both spayed females, who have lived with me for about six years. I am considering adopting a dog and would like to rescue one from a shelter. I've noticed that certain shelters indicate whether each dog gets along with cats. How accurate do you think this information is? And is age a factor -- that is, would a puppy be more likely to get along with them? What about gender? I want to do all I can to prevent traumatizing the cats. -- N.D., via e-mail

A: Shelters and rescue groups can find out this information by getting it from the dog's previous owners, or by exposing the dog to a cat and evaluating the response.

The latter isn't as awful as it sounds. They'd never test a dog who's clearly aggressive (such animals never make it to the adoption kennels), and they don't haul out some terrified guest kitty to be the guinea pig, so to speak. The tester cat is usually a permanent resident of the shelter, often a staff favorite who has proven to be calm and disdainfully confident around dogs. Dogs who are aggressive toward the cat (but not people) are so noted, as are those who are too friendly (and will need training to leave a cat alone), are friendly but not intrusive (ideal), or couldn't care less about the cat (also fine). Ask the folks at the shelter how they determine cat-tolerance in the case of any dog you're interested in.

As for breeding, gender or age, it doesn't make much difference, as each dog is an individual. For example, Shelties generally are thought to get along well with cats, but my sweet Sheltie Andy, who died a few months ago at the age of 15, dedicated his life to attempting to tree every cat he saw. (After he died, I found out that his lifelong nemesis, the neighbor's marmalade tabby, died just a few days before Andy did. I think Andy outlived George out of sheer stubbornness.)

In general, I'd look for a quiet, gentle and well-mannered adult dog of 3 to 5 years of age or older who falls into the friendly but not intrusive category, preferably one who has lived with cats before. You'll find lots of such dogs in the shelters or rescue groups, if you're patient about looking.

When you find your dog, don't force the pets together. Let the cats decided how much interaction they want, and always offer them an escape route to a dog-free area. It may take a month or more for the situation to settle down.

Q: We're thinking of letting our two cats out into the back yard, but I'm concerned about the dangers they'd face. What do you think about those fence toppers they use at cat sanctuaries? They're made of mesh or plastic, and act as an overhang that prevents the cat from jumping over the fence. I've seen kits online, and I think this may be a good way to let the cats explore the outdoors a bit but still keep them confined in a safe area. Any suggestions? -- C.F., via e-mail

A: Cat fences are wonderful! They allow a cat some outdoor time without letting them roam beyond the yard. Be aware, though, that cat fences will not slow down a predator such as a coyote. So if you live in a rural or suburban region, you shouldn't even let your cats out into a cat-fenced yard. You can buy ready-made kits from Cat Fence-In (www.catfencein.com), or find instructions for a do-it-yourself setup from the Web site of Alley Cat Allies (www.alleycat.org/ic_fs_fence.html).

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

When a long-time friend of our family bought a home, she was surprised to find out that it came with a friendly outdoor cat. The previous owner of the home had died, and the heirs either didn't know about the cat or didn't care.

The family friend, who had never kept a pet and so wasn't really up on such issues as animal overpopulation, figured there was someone she could call, who'd pick up the cat, find her a new home and that would be that. No muss, no fuss.

Much as I hated to burst her bubble, I told the woman there was no solution quite so simple. Shelters and rescue groups do the best they can to find new homes for pets, but there just aren't enough homes, especially for adult cats. And I suggested that before she picked up that phone and made more work for an already overwhelmed rescue group or shelter, she try to find a home for the cat herself.

Are you in a similar situation, with a cat for whom you need to find a home? A stray who just turned up, or the cherished pet of a relative or friend who has passed on? While adult cats can be very hard to place -- they have the lowest rates of adoption for all animals at shelters -- it's not impossible to find a good home. Be patient and persistent, and follow these tips:

-- Spread the news. Make up fliers, take out an ad in your newspaper and use the Internet to spread the word. Post the fliers everywhere you can: bulletin boards at work, pet-supply stores and your veterinarian's office.

-- Ask a price. Asking for money stops those who collect "free to good home" pets for sale to research labs or to people who train dogs for fighting. A good rule of thumb: Charge an amount sufficient to cover the cost of the spaying/neutering and vaccinations you'll have done before placement, and promote the convenience for the new owner, who'll have the pet "ready to go."

-- Don't lie about the pet's problems or why she's being placed. Although finding a new home for a pet with problems takes longer, you can usually still do so. Some people love taking in pets who have "sob stories" attached to them, or who are physically or emotionally damaged. But the person who gets such a pet without warning is likely to bring her back, give her away or dump her.

-- Look for someone who understands that a pet is a commitment. Ask prospective adopters whether they've had pets before and what happened to them. The person who has had a lot of pets who disappeared, died young or were given away is probably not your best choice. Never forget that the pet is counting on you to find her a home where she'll be taken care of for the rest of her life.

If you cannot find a home in a reasonable amount of time, don't expect the cat to fend for herself by dumping her in the "country." People who live in rural areas can't care for all the pets who are dumped there. The kinder folks take them to a shelter; others shoot them, poison them or drown them. Even in the "wilderness," the lives of feral cats are full of suffering, shortened by disease, predation or accident.

Take the cat to a shelter or rescue group if you cannot find her a new home so she can get another chance at being chosen by someone who'll care for her.

Our family friend found a wonderful home for the cat - her own! And since then, she has found homes for two more half-wild strays who turned up on her property. All the cats are loved and cared for now.

PETS ON THE WEB

Is there nothing a Labrador retriever can't do? They serve as law-enforcement dogs, searching out everything from smuggled fruit to drugs to signs of arson. They're popular in programs that train dogs to work as helpers to people with disabilities, and a great many of them still perform their breed's original function, retrieving birds in all kinds of conditions for hunters. Despite all the things Labs can do, most of them serve as family pets, a job at which they also excel.

Is a Labrador right for you? Before you bring one into your life, check out Labrador Resources (www.labrador-resources.com). This well-designed and well-organized Web site offers page after page of fantastic advice for anyone who's thinking about getting a Lab, or already has one.

THE SCOOP

Chances are getting better all the time that when you take your pet to see a veterinarian, you'll be dealing with a woman. The New York Times recently reported that the number of female veterinarians has more than doubled in the last decade, while the number of men in the profession has fallen 15 percent. Men are still in the majority - 33,461 to 24,356 - but likely not for long, considering that three-quarters of veterinary students are women. The biggest reason for the change, according to many analysts, is that profession doesn't pay well considering the money and years invested in education, and certainly not when compared to human medical professionals.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: What do you do with a 17-pound monster cat who goes ballistic when he's at the veterinarian's? We've tried tranquilizers and taking him to the all-cats hospital, but when our 98-pound veterinarian touches him, he hisses, bites, scratches, and generally loses it!

This same cat has to be in your lap whenever you sit down, and his favorite place to sleep is on your pillow (and of course, he has to lick your face to make sure you notice him). Can you help? - C.L., via e-mail

A: The problem is more common than you know, and it always seems to be the sweetest cats who are such raging tigers at the vet.

Veterinarians (even 98-pound ones) and their staffs are quite capable of dealing with an angry or frightened kitty, although it won't be the highlight of their day. Work with your veterinarian to come up with a strategy to make the visit easier for you all, and realize that the staff will have to handle your pet firmly to prevent injuries to the cat and the people around him. Be sure you're using a hard-sided carrier for these trips -- never try to hold an angry cat in your arms, or transport him in something that lends very little protection, like a pillowcase.

You might also consider using a mobile veterinarian. Although your cat won't be any more pleased to see a veterinarian who makes house calls, at least he'll be spared the trauma of travel.

The temptation when you have a cat who hates the veterinarian is to avoid routine preventive veterinary care entirely. It's not uncommon for cats like these to never see a veterinarian after that first visit has gone so horribly wrong. If you go this route -- and I'm not recommending it, just acknowledging it as a choice many cat-lovers make -- the responsibility for spotting illness falls heavily on your shoulders. Be aware of changes in your cat's body, attitude or behavior, all of which can indicate illness and necessitate a trip to the veterinarian's, whether your cat likes it or not.

Q: My cat has a funny and somewhat embarrassing tendency to turn his back to me when I'm stroking him so that what I'm left looking at is his fanny. Is this a sign of affection, annoyance, or is my cat just plain quirky? -- C.O., via e-mail

A: It's not an insult, and you shouldn't be embarrassed. One of the most pleasurable ways of being petted (from a cat's point of view) is along the back, a scratch at the base of the tail and a caress up the tail. He's probably just turning his back to you so he can make sure you hit his favorite spots.

The base of the tail isn't the only place cats like to be petted. Although most cats would prefer to avoid a belly rub, they usually like to get a nice scratch at the base of the ears and along the jaw line. If you work on those magic spots, you might see a little more of your cat's pretty face, too.

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

In a pet's perfect world, there would be no holidays.

That's because animals thrive on routine. They'd be perfectly happy with the same loving people feeding them the same food, sharing the same daily walks or other physical activities, all in a territory that doesn't change much. Given their choice, most pets would happily do without a houseful of strangers on Thanksgiving or strangely dressed children coming to the door on Halloween.

But of all the celebrations we humans adore, the Fourth of July is the worst for pets because of fireworks. For some pets, this noisy holiday is simply terrifying. For others, it can turn deadly, as they are driven by fear to run away, and end up either killed by cars or lost and never found again. While accidents do happen, you can do a lot to prevent them and make the holiday easier on both you and your pets.

First, make sure your pets are secure. Check your fences and gates. Are there loose or missing boards or enticing gaps at the baseline that could be opened up with a little digging? Fix them all. An anxious pet might be more determined about escape than usual. Better still, bring all your pets in and consider confining them to a small area like a crate or carrier -- especially if you're not staying home to keep an eye on things. Always assume your pet may become lost and plan accordingly. Collars and tags are tickets home for lost pets; for insurance, add a microchip.

Some people worry about the safety of collars on their cats. But one look at all the healthy, well-fed strays in any shelter will tell you that the benefit of a collar and tag far outweighs any risks. Shelter workers will tell you they never see cats die from a snagged collar, but they are on hand when many strays breathe their last because they didn't have any way to be reunited with their owners and no one else wanted them.

It's a good idea to keep current, clear pictures of your pets on hand in case they do slip away -- you'll need them for fliers. If you lose your pet, put fliers everywhere you can, and place a lost ad in the paper right away. Don't waste precious time hoping your pet will wander home. Scan the neighborhood, watch "found" ads, and check the shelters and emergency clinics every other day in person.

While you're planning for the worst, figure out where you'd go for a veterinary emergency. Does your veterinary hospital staff for around-the-clock emergency care? Will they arrange for on-call care? Find out what your veterinarian offers before you need to know, and be sure that if you need to head to an emergency clinic after-hours that you know the phone number and how to get there.

Finally, if you've got a pet for whom the noise is terrifying, talk to your veterinarian before the holiday about tranquilizers you can administer at home to take the edge off the worst of the fear for your pet. For the pet who gets a little nervous but not unhinged by fireworks, check for a product called Rescue Remedy at your health-food store. Many dog fanciers swear by this human preparation to calm their pets as well.

While there's nothing that will dampen the enthusiastic way we celebrate the birth of our nation, preparing for the noise beforehand will also keep our pets free from the worst of the fear and danger this noisy day brings to animals.

PETS ON THE WEB

Summer is vacation time, and for many of us, that means taking our pets along. Finding lodging along the way has been made easier with the help of a pair of Web sites meant to make traveling with pets a pleasure. PetsWelcome.com offers listings of pet-friendly places, along with a nifty tool for planning your vacation: Enter your starting point and destination, and PetsWelcome.com will map out your route and provide you with pet-friendly lodging along the way.

TravelDog.com takes a different approach, charging a fee of $14.95 per year to access some of the same listings that can be found in books and elsewhere on the Web. The benefits of membership? Discounts from 10 percent to 40 percent for lodging and other pet-friendly goods and services that can pay for membership on just one trip. Both sites offer bulletin boards for pet lovers to share travel tips, lodging reviews, helpful articles, product reviews and more.

THE SCOOP

Many of the birds we keep as pets are of species most comfortable in places that we would find intolerable: the steamy, hot rainforests of Central and South America. The dry air of human homes is thought to be a contributing factor to feather-picking, a frustrating syndrome that can drive birds to pluck themselves bald.

You don't have to turn your house into a sauna to bring some moisture into your pet's life. Many birds enjoy being dampened by water from a spray bottle, or being offered the chance to take a bath in a shallow dish of clean water. Some parrot lovers take their birds right into the shower with them. How often should birds get a drenching? There are no firm guidelines, but daily would be fine with many birds.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: We've recently adopted a 2-year-old Lab-chow mix from our local shelter. There have been a couple of adjustment problems, but we're working them out. We do have one problem we need advice on: his name. When we got him, his name was "Coors." We don't want a dog named after a beer. How hard is it to change it? -- N.M., via e-mail

A: Easy. Just stop calling him "Coors," and start using the name you want to use. Your new pet will pick it up soon enough.

Your question is a timely one in my household. I went through at least a half-dozen names for my new puppy before he arrived, and another two or three after he joined us before settling on the name "Danny," which I used for the better part of the week. Problem was, "Danny" was too close to "Benny," the nickname of my oldest dog, the retriever Benjamin. The situation was confusing to everyone, so I had to find another name. This took another few days, during which I tried on three new names on the poor puppy before settling on "Chase." He's already responding to his name and, even more important, Benjamin isn't.

It isn't just puppies who can be so flexible on the subject of names. When Benjamin arrived in my home, he was nearly 2 years old and was named "Miles." I didn't think it fit him, so I changed it. Within a week, he was responding to Benjamin, Ben, Bennie and Big Doofus. I didn't hesitate to change his name because I have had the experience over the years of fostering, naming and finding new homes for many strays, all of whom likely had names before I found them, none of which I would have any way of knowing.

A final note: Your dog may not even realize his name is "Coors." Shelters know a name makes it easier for a pet to click with a prospective owner, which is why many humane groups make sure every pet gets a name before being put up for adoption, even if the animal came through the doors as an unnamed stray.

Q: I heard from a friend that there's a way to clean dog's teeth without anesthesia. It is much cheaper and easier on the dog. Are you aware of this, and is it a good idea? -- G.L., via e-mail

A: Some groomers will scrape a dog's teeth, and many people who show dogs do the same. Without anesthesia, the job isn't likely to be as thorough, and the pet is more likely to be injured because few animals will sit still for this procedure.

To protect your pet's teeth and save money, arrange for your dog to have a teeth-cleaning under anesthesia by your veterinarian, and then start brushing your pet's teeth on as close to a daily basis as possible, using a toothpaste made for pets. (Because pets don't spit and rinse, they need a toothpaste that can be swallowed and is flavored more to their liking.)

By brushing your pet's teeth regularly, you'll maintain the benefits of a veterinary visit, and increase the time between complete cleanings under anesthesia, thereby saving money without compromising your pet's health.

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