In my old home, I had a postage-stamp back yard that I abandoned to the destructive desires of my digging dogs. Not surprisingly, they trashed it, and that was OK with me because there wasn't enough room for the yard to be anything more than a dog run.

In my new home, I have a landscaped quarter-acre, and I decided to compromise and keep most of it looking nice. After a few weekends of fence work, the dogs have their part of the yard, and I have mine.

Their section of the new yard is larger than the entire outside space at the old house. And they still have access to my section when I'm with them to supervise. There's 24-hour access to their yard through a dog door from the house, and -- most important -- they are welcome to dig all they want in their outside space.

This compromise is in line with my belief that it's not fair to deprive an animal of what comes naturally, at least without offering something in return. You can take a working dog away from the job he was bred to do, but don't expect him not to substitute "bad" behaviors such as digging or barking to cope with his isolation, inactivity and boredom.

That's why although I've known many punishment-based "cures" for digging, I don't recommend them. As with any behavior, you have to understand what's at the root of the problem before you can come up with a fair approach to minimizing the damage.

Like many behaviors people find troubling, digging is natural for dogs, with any number of triggers driving the activity. Among them:

-- Excess energy and boredom. This combination is either directly responsible or is a contributing factor in most canine behavior problems.

-- Wanderlust. Some dogs, especially unneutered males, have a strong desire to dig their way out of the yard, especially when the breeze carries the enticing scent of a female in heat.

-- Prey drive. Subterranean wildlife is irresistible to some dogs, especially terriers or terrier mixes. These breeds were developed to dig vermin from their lairs, and they still do so with much enthusiasm.

-- Need for shelter. A well-dug den can keep a dog cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Although any breed or mix can show an interest in making a den, the behavior is more common in such breeds as huskies and malamutes.

-- Recreation. Digging is just plain fun. Just ask my dogs!

The trick to having a nice yard while being fair to your dog is to do what you can to eliminate the triggers for digging, make sure your dog is getting the exercise and attention he needs, and take your pet's natural tendencies into account when planning your outside space.

Neutering can greatly reduce the desire to wander, so if your dog's a roaming Romeo, a trip to the veterinarian should be the first item on your list. If wildlife's a problem, contact your local agricultural extension for tips on how to get the pests to skip your yard. And make sure your pet has the shelter he needs to stay comfortable no matter the weather.

Often the lack of exercise and sheer boredom are the biggest contributors to this behavior problem -- and any other. If you make it impossible for your dog to dig -- by cooping him up in a concrete-floored kennel run, for example -- he may switch to another unwanted behavior such as nonstop barking or self-mutilation.

Every dog needs an exercise program, with the emphasis on heart-thumping aerobic interludes such as a daily run or a game of fetch. If you keep your pet well-exercised, he'll be less likely to indulge in destructive behaviors.

Doing your part to keep your dog mentally engaged and well-exercised may discourage the casual digger, but it won't stop the truly dedicated. For these pets, a dog yard may be the best solution -- as long as you're not using it to neglect your dog's social and exercise needs.

Even in a dog yard, you may need to discourage some digging, such as a dog's effort to get under the fence. For these problem areas, discourage digging by filling in holes and covering them with chicken wire and large rocks or concrete stepping stones.

PETS ON THE WEB

Chickens can be wonderful pets, if you live where you're allowed to keep them. After all, not many pets can provide you not only with affection and entertainment, but also eggs! While your neighbors might not appreciate the sunrise serenades of roosters, hens can fit comfortably in most suburban and rural environments. The Backyard Chickens Web site (www.backyardchickens.com) is a welcoming place for would-be chicken keepers and experts alike, with information on choosing and caring for chickens, images of some incredible coops and message boards for getting help from other chicken fans.

THE SCOOP

Planning a summer vacation? It wouldn't hurt to make arrangements for your pets now. Summer's a busy time for pet sitters and boarding kennels, and slots fill up quickly for prime times like long holiday weekends and the Fourth of July. To be sure your pet is covered, make your reservations well in advance. The same holds true for the winter holidays: Some boarding kennels and pet sitters get reservations well before Labor Day for the weeks around Christmas and New Year's.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: We want to respond to your article regarding bike riding with your dog or cat. We have a Jack Russell terrier mix, about 20 pounds, who we take on our bike rides.

We purchased a kid carrier, the cheapest we could find, made of hard molded plastic. My husband put carpet in the seat area to give the dog footing so she would not slip or slide around and also so she could have a soft place to sit. We snap two shoulder straps to her collar so she can't fall or jump out. We have been biking with her since August of '97. The longest ride we have done is 40 miles in one day.

Sarah enjoys being with us, but her legs are too short to keep up. That makes the kid carrier the perfect solution. -– R.S., via e-mail

A: Child carriers can work well for small dogs. A friend of mine has taken her Pomeranian cross-country skiing, using one of those soft-sided carriers designed to carry an infant on a parent's tummy. It worked out great for them both.

Of course, child carriers aren't the only means of transportation for small dogs. Anyone who has ever spent time in New York City has seen the heads of stylish small dogs poking out of the expensive handbags of their owners. The first time I saw this was at a Bloomingdale's department store, where a beautifully groomed Maltese surveyed the holiday crowds from the comfort of the owner's handbag while the equally well-turned-out woman tried out various lipsticks at the cosmetics counter.

Truly, small dogs have all the fun!

Q: I have a Westie who "demands" a 4-inch rolled rawhide nearly every day. My question: Should there be a limit to how many she gets? It doesn't seem to affect her digestive processes or appetite, and it does keep her teeth in great shape. -- D.C., via e-mail

A: Although popular, rawhides do present some problems for dogs and humans alike.

Every year I get anecdotal reports of dogs who have choked on these popular treats or have had to have surgery to remove blockages caused by them.

Then there's the risk to humans: A few years back the federal government warned that salmonella could be contracted from these products. Their suggestion: Young children and immune-compromised adults should avoid rawhides, and others should wash their hands thoroughly after handling the chews.

To be fair, the number of problems caused by rawhides compared to the amounts purchased and consumed is certainly very small, but the risks do need to be acknowledged.

In any case, a daily 4-inch rawhide strikes me as a bit much for a small dog. To satisfy your dog's chewing desires, try substituting a hard rubber chew. I like to recommend a Kong toy, stuffed with a little peanut butter to pique your pup's interest. Your dog will get lots of chewing time, without swallowing much material.

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 I first started writing about the importance of taking care of a pet's teeth, the response I most often heard was one of astonishment. "I'm supposed to brush my dog's teeth?" pet lovers would say. "You're kidding, right?"

These days, many pet lovers respond not with surprise, but with guilt. "I know I should brush my pet's teeth, but I don't because my cat won't put up with it," they say. Or they don't have time, or they forget.

And so ignorance becomes guilt. Now that's progress! And the next step: good dental health from the very beginning.

Veterinarians now recommend training kittens and puppies to accept having their teeth brushed, a job that's not really that hard even with older dogs and cats. Approach the task with a positive attitude, take it slow and easy, and then follow with something the pet likes -- a play session, petting or even a food treat.

For kittens and puppies, the focus is on training and prevention, but adult pets may need veterinary attention before a preventive-care program can help. Your veterinarian should check your pet's mouth, teeth and gums during the annual physical, and make recommendations based on what he or she finds there. For many pets, that'll mean dentistry under anesthesia. The procedure takes 45 minutes to an hour, and involves cleaning, polishing, and checking for and treating broken or rotting teeth, cavities, abscesses and periodontal disease.

Today's anesthetics are dramatically safer than even a few years ago, making the danger and pain of untreated dental problems the bigger risk to health, even with older pets.

After the problems are treated, at-home care can keep things in good shape. Here are some tips:

-- Brush or wipe the teeth regularly. Use a toothpaste designed for dogs and cats a couple of times a week at least, although daily is better. Salt or baking soda isn't recommended because too much of the salt gets swallowed, and with small pets that could be a problem. Toothpaste for people is also out, because animals don't know how to rinse and spit. Pet toothpastes contain enzymes that help dissolve plaque and don't need to be rinsed. They also have a flavor pets appreciate.

-- Use a children's soft toothbrush or one made especially for pets. You can also use plain gauze wrapped around a finger or a fingertip brush. Some vets suggest that gauze may work better with cats, especially if dipped in water from some canned tuna.

-- Switch to dry food and offer teeth-cleaning toys. Some pet-food companies now offer kibble with a mild abrasive texture to help keep teeth clean. You might ask your vet about these if tartar buildup is a chronic problem for your pet.

-- Soft chew toys and a chew rope can help keep teeth clean, too. Avoid chews that are hard or are prone to breaking into sharp pieces. These can break teeth or slice gums.

February, incidentally, is National Pet Dental Health month. No, not degreed by an act of Congress, but rather by the American Veterinary Dental Society, which has been using this month as an opportunity to educate for the last decade. According to the AVDS, 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3, making education a worthwhile effort. For more information on this topic, visit the campaign's Web site at www.petdental.com. The site has a question-and-answer section along with pet trivia and special features for children.

PETS ON THE WEB

Love dog noses? Then you'll love DogNose Heaven (www.dognoses.com), which may well be the only Web site in the world dedicated to the presentation of dog nose images. The site offers an amazing array of images, some quite well done, all likely to give you a smile. The site offers galleries of even more dog nose images sent in by visitors. (Don't expect to see your dog up there anytime soon, however, since it appears the site hasn't been updated for a long time.) For more animal nose images, click on the "Animal Nose Web Ring" link, where you'll find nose pictures of everything from coho salmon to yaks.

THE SCOOP

If you purchase a purebred puppy or kitten, make sure you get all the paperwork at the time you take your new family member home. You should get a form that will allow you to apply for registration from a national organization such as the American Kennel Club or the Cat Fanciers' Association. You should also get a pedigree (a chart of the animal's ancestors) and health records.

If you don't get the paperwork, the breed registries will try to help with registration matters if you contact them. But in most cases they can't do much, since people rarely have enough information on the breeder or the animal's parents to get the matter cleared up.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: My husband and I are close to purchasing a new motor coach. We hope to travel with our Persian cat, Chloe. She is strictly an indoor cat, but she does travel to and from the groomer, sometimes without a carrier, and doesn't seem to mind the moving vehicle. Our concern is how will she take this change at age 5 1/2. We've been told by her vet that she should be OK as long as we're with her, but obviously there will be an adjustment period.

The main reason for the purchase is because we no longer want to leave her at home. She's part of the family, and it would be much better if she's with us. In the beginning, we'll probably be out for approximately two weeks at the most. -- S.P., via e-mail

A: I predict Chloe will be just fine, since she's already comfortable with movement and road noises.

When I spent a winter in a resort area in Florida, I met all kinds of "snowbirds" -- refugees from the frigid north who were traveling in their motor coaches. It seemed as if a majority of these folks had pets with them -- dogs, cats, birds and even a ferret. These were wonderfully happy pets, who got to be with their people almost all the time.

My biggest concern would be that Chloe have a place to potty where she feels comfortable. That's because a cat who's unhappy with her litter box -- type, location or filler -- won't use it. That's a problem in any household, but in the limited space of a motor coach, a cat who won't use the litter box would be a real problem. Try to find a space where she won't feel likely to be ambushed -- a cupboard with an access hole cut out might be ideal. I know you'll be keeping the box clean in such tight quarters, so I don't need to lecture you on that.

Cats love for things to be routine, so do your best to make your rolling home familiar to Chloe. Is there a throw your cat loves to sleep on? Bring it. Are you feeding her at regular times? Keep the same schedule.

Finally, be sure to keep a collar and tag on your cat, because there's always a chance she might slip out, and make sure your cell number is prominent.

Q: Don't get me wrong: I'm very fond of dogs. But I'm tired of finding "presents" in my front yard. I don't know why people don't understand that it's more than rude to let a dog "go" on someone's property -- it's trespassing! Would you please tell your readers to keep their dogs at home? That's what back yards are for! -- G.N., via e-mail

A: Leaving dogs at home isn't advisable, but picking up after them should be the law. Dogs need walks for both physical and mental reasons, and studies have shown that walking a dog is good for the owner as well.

That said, I have never understood why people who would never think of throwing an empty drink container on someone's lawn allow a dog to leave behind something a million times more vile.

It's easy to scoop! For small dogs, plastic sandwich bags with flip-over tops work great. For large dogs, plastic grocery bags will handle things nicely. Empty bags are easy to slip into a pocket, and using them will allow cleanups without touching the mess.

Dog lovers: Don't neglect this important part of being a responsible and considerate dog lover. Your neighbors deserve better.

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 I was in college, I once went to a party at a house shared by a handful of young men. They had all the requisite trappings of college kids in a quasi-frat environment: furniture they'd found at the thrift store, a cupboard full of Kraft macaroni and cheese, and a refrigerator filled with take-out leftovers and plenty of beer.

They also had a parrot with the crudest vocabulary I'd ever heard. He was a lively, yellow-naped Amazon, and his most-used expression was -- no wait, I can't repeat it. This is, after all, a family column.

I've wondered over the years what happened to that bird. The image of any of those men, now well into middle age, probably long-married with children, keeping a parrot whose vocabulary isn't fit for nice company ... well, it just doesn't compute. I just hope the bird found a good home, ideally with someone who has a severe hearing impairment as well as friends and family with a sense of humor.

Motto of this story: If you're going to teach your parrot to talk, you might want to think about what you want the bird to say. In other words, don't teach your bird anything you wouldn't want a small child or minister to hear. Many parrots can live a long time, and what might be funny in some situations definitely will not be appreciated in others.

Want a talking parrot anyway? You're certainly not alone, but you might not have the "luck" of those college kids when it comes to encouraging avian conversation. Relatively few species of pet parrots are good at talking, and even individual birds from those species best known for their mimicry might not possess the gift of gab.

If you're absolutely set on owning a talking bird, buy one who talks already -- and make sure you hear the conversation before you pay.

If you want to start with a young bird, you'll have better luck if you choose an African gray or a yellow-naped or double-yellow-headed Amazon from a reputable source. Some budgies are also excellent talkers, but the propensity is hit or miss with these little guys.

You can try to teach your parrot to talk by repeating words clearly. Nurture communication further by using the words in their proper context and setting up an association your bird can grasp.

For example, every time your bird lowers his head to request a scratch, ask him, "Wanna scratch?" and then scratch him. When you give him foods or other toys, call them by name out loud. Play naming games with him: Say "keys" and then tell him "Good bird!" for taking them from you, and then repeat the exercise.

You may have an easier time in a one-bird household. Two birds may be more interested in communicating with each other than in figuring out your expressions. Some experts also suggest not attempting to teach your bird to whistle, at least not until he has picked up speech. Whistling birds seem to show a reluctance to use words.

Even if you're not intentionally trying to teach rude words or sounds to your bird, you might want to be careful about what your pet hears. Any word or sound can end up in a bird's repertoire, whether you want them there or not. I once heard of a parrot who picked up some phrases and sounds that, again, I won't describe, except by way of suggesting that perhaps the bedroom isn't the best place to keep such a clever pet.

PETS ON THE WEB

Researcher Irene Pepperberg has been working with parrots since the '70s, and has a fascinating body of work showing that some birds not only talk but also understand much of what they're saying. The Alex Foundation Web site (www.alexfoundation.org) presents an interesting overview of her research, much of which has been centered on an African gray named Alex. According to the Web site, Alex "can count, identify objects, shapes, colors and materials, knows the concepts of same and different, and bosses around lab assistants in order to modify his environment." Pretty eye-opening stuff.

THE SCOOP

If you have a small dog -- or an exceptionally tolerant cat -- and like to ride a bike, you might want to consider a basket designed for you to take your pet along. Cynthia's Twigs (www.cynthiastwigs.com) offers European-style willow baskets that slip over the handlebars of your bike and give your pet a safe place to ride. Back-rack baskets are also available, along with harnesses to keep pets in place. Prices for these lovely baskets range from $20 to $50. The Web site also includes instructions on teaching a pet to stay put.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: Thank you for putting the bug in the ear of cat owners about ID and collaring their cats! Now, why don't you put your name or the pet's name on the tag? I'm not objecting, just trying to learn something new. -- M.Q., via e-mail

A: Putting your pet's name on an ID tag is a waste of prime real estate. You already know your pet's name, and the person who finds your pet doesn't need to. (This is especially true of cats, who respond to their names only when they feel like it anyway.) Putting the word "Reward!" in place of your pet's name gives the finder a good reason to get your pet back to you as soon as possible. Remember, not all people are motivated by altruism!

Putting your own name on the tag is fine, but I'd skip the address. Again, maybe I'm thinking the worst of people, but I've heard of cases where thieves will take an animal multiple times for the reward.

Such awful behavior is nothing new, by the way. When my mother was a young child, she had a cocker spaniel named Judy. The dog got out or was stolen, and my grandfather offered a reward. They got Judy back, and then she disappeared again. Another reward, another return, another disappearance. After a couple rounds of this my grandfather decided enough was enough, and my mother never saw Judy again. Decades later, she still remembers how awful this felt to her as a child.

I'd rather put an additional phone number on the tag instead of my name. For years my pets' tags have had the word "Reward!" followed by as many phone numbers as I can fit, including ones of relatives and friends who will be able to deal with the situation should one of my pets go missing when I can't be reached.

Q: We're thinking of putting in one of those electronic fence systems that give a pet a shock for getting near the boundary of the property. Do you have a recommendation as to which brand we should buy? There seems to be a large price difference. -- S.P., via e-mail

A: My recommendations? Build a real fence, or if that's not possible, exercise your dog when you can supervise, on leash if necessary. I don't think it's a good idea to leave a dog unsupervised within the confines of a no-fence electronic system.

Primary among the reasons I'm against them is that while the systems may be effective at keeping your pet on your property, they do nothing to keep others out. That means your pet can be attacked by other dogs, teased by children or even stolen by an adult passer-by. Determined dogs will sometimes take the shock in order to get out if the reason is good enough -- such as a female in heat -- and once out, they won't take the shock again to return to the yard.

I am not in favor of the use of electronic collars by most pet lovers. These training tools are very powerful and highly effective in the hands of knowledgeable trainers, but they require an understanding of how dogs learn as well as exact timing in their use. Too many people just buy them and commence to shocking their dogs, and this is just plain cruel. And that's supervised use, which the collars that come with containment systems are not designed for -- they work automatically, which means they may malfunction without your knowing it.

Good fences make good neighbors, as is often said. I'd stretch that a bit further, and say that good fences make good dogs, 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