for Gina Spadafori at the end of the column.)

Back in the late '70s, when I first started teaching obedience classes and competing with my own dogs in obedience trials, the choke-chain collar was standard training equipment. I had dozens of them -- hanging from the end of every leash, in the pockets of my jackets, dangling from hooks in the garage.

How things have changed! I realized the other day that none of the four dogs who share my life now ever wear a choke-chain collar. These days, I know ways that are easier on me and my dogs when it comes to teaching leash manners.

For years I've argued that the choke-chain collar is only for walking and training your dog, and that you put your dog at grave risk if you leave a chain collar on an unleashed dog. That's because the moving ring of the chain can get snagged. When a dog feels the chain tighten, his natural instinct is to pull away, which causes the collar to tighten even more.

The end result is too easy to imagine. Over the years I've heard from readers whose dogs have choked to death when their collar rings became caught on the tooth of another dog in play, on a piece of fencing in the yard or even a heater grate in the house. In other cases, dogs were injured and traumatized, and the owners who saved their lives by getting them free of the collar's deadly grip were often bitten by their terrified dogs.

Knowing what I know, I want to scream when I see people whose dogs have choke-chain collars for everyday wear, as evidenced by tags hanging from the stationary ring. I cannot say this strongly enough: If your dog is wearing a choke-chain collar as his everyday collar, replace it with a buckle or snap-together collar today.

OK, so that's what I've always said: Choke-chain collars are for training and walking only. But these days I go one step more: When you take that chain collar off, throw it away.

The choke-chain collar has always been a problem in dog-training because it's a piece of equipment that's nearly impossible for the average dog owner to use properly. And when the collar isn't used properly, it's ineffective at best, cruel at worst.

There are only two ways to put on a choke-chain collar: with the moving end over the dog's neck (correct), or under the dog's neck (incorrect). By the simplest law of averages you'd think folks would get them on right half the time, but it never seems to work that 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. And that means the collar is constantly tight, choking the dog.

Even if the collar's put on right, people still manage to use it wrong. A choke-chain collar is meant to be loose at all times except for the occasional split-second tightening to correct a dog's behavior. But people don't seem to know that, and so I am always seeing gasping dogs in tight choke chains dragging their owners behind them.

So throw away those choke chains and get the help of a good trainer to choose the right piece of equipment and to learn how to use it. For some dogs, a buckle or snap-together collar will be all you need. For others, a head halter such as the Gentle Leader will work best. For a few dogs, the best choice may be a pinch-collar, which looks horrific but can't tighten down the way a choke-chain can.

Before too long, you'll have a dog who's easy to walk and who'll be able to breathe while he does it. Won't that be an improvement?

PETS ON THE WEB

Boxers run in my family. As a young man, my late grandfather fought professionally under the name of Pete Daley (so his mother wouldn't know what he was up to), and for as long as I've been alive, there have been canine boxers in my family as well. They're great dogs! If you love boxers, too, you ought to visit Boxerworld (www.boxerworld.com ). There's lots of great information on the breed, and ways to get even more advice by asking questions of longtime boxer fanciers. Best of all, there are thousands of images of boxers, contributed by their loving owners. There's a big push for boxer rescue on the site for those boxers who don't have loving owners -- yet!

THE SCOOP

While it might be hard to believe if you live in a place where there's still snow on the ground, spring has officially arrived. Days that are warm -- but not yet hot -- lull many dog owners into thinking it's OK to leave their pets in the car while running errands. Be careful! Even a sunny day in the 70s or low 80s can turn a car into a death trap for your dog. Call it the "greenhouse effect" if it makes it easier to understand why this happens. All those windows on your car let heat come in and build to dangerous levels quickly. And no, a cracked window isn't going to save your dog from one of the most miserable deaths imaginable.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I have a problem that my veterinarian can't answer, and I am desperate for some help. I have a spayed female boxer/Akita mix and her urine is burning my lawn. I tried a product I bought from a pet catalog that is for this specific problem, but it hasn't worked in the year and a half I have used it. It's expensive, too.

I am sure there must be some herb or ingredient I can add to her food or water to prevent this problem. Do you have any suggestions so I can turn my yard from a mud pit back into grass? -- J.L., via e-mail

A: Over the years I've heard of all kinds of supplements "guaranteed" to fix this problem, from tomato juice to garlic to salt to vitamin C, along with all kinds of commercial products. I haven't seen good evidence that any of them work. Furthermore, some additions to your dog's food or water can increase the risk of illness for your pet, and that's never worth a greener lawn, in my opinion.

Probably the best solution is to set aside a part of your yard for your dog's potty needs, and train or restrict her to use this area exclusively. Replace the lawn in this area with decomposed granite, pea gravel or other kill-proof cover that will present a nice appearance and offer easy cleanup.

If it's not possible to split off part of the yard for your dog's potty area, it will help if (after your dog squats on your lawn) you take the hose and flush the area with lots of water to dilute the urine to non-damaging levels. You need to do this fairly soon after your dog urinates, and you cannot rely on every-other-day water from the sprinklers to help much.

Years ago, a dog-loving friend of mine with an exceptionally lovely yard came up with a solution that takes some effort, but worked well for her. She kept a fresh roll of sod growing in an out-of-the-way corner of her yard, and when a spot on the lawn turned started to turn yellow, she'd cut it out and replaced it with fresh sod. The maintenance was constant, but so was the green of her yard.

Q: We've sort of adopted a cat who started hanging around with our cats on the back porch where we feed them. The edges of the new cat's ears have a slight crust on them, and the ear looks dirty inside. What can I give her for this? -- S.P., via e-mail

A: Make an appointment with your veterinarian. Your cat likely has ear mites, nasty little pests that feed off the lining of the ear. Since the mites are highly contagious, there's a good chance other cats in your home are likewise infested.

Your veterinarian can give you medication to eradicate the mites. Be warned, though, that you must continue the medication as recommended even after it seems that the problem is under control. You may also need to take your pet in for a recheck. Ear mites can be very hard to get rid of, and if you stop medicating too soon, they'll stage a comeback.

While the cat is at the veterinarian's, don't neglect other preventive-care measures, such as neutering, testing and vaccinations as recommended. "Sort of" adoptions don't help much: Take full responsibility for your new pet.

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. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.

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

One thing I love about the return of nice weather -- dog washing moves outside for my two retrievers. No more soggy bathroom, no more drippy paw prints in the house. Clean dogs, without having to clean up the house afterward.

Drew the sheltie goes to a groomer monthly, because his thick coat is more trouble than I want to deal with these days. And Chase the toy spaniel is no trouble at all to bathe, since he's small enough to fit in the kitchen sink. But Heather and Benjamin -- healthy, strong and made for retrieving in all weather conditions -- are well-suited for outdoor bathing. They don't mind cold water at all, and as befitting their heritage, they choose to spend their lives as wet as possible. We've lived at the ocean and now live near a creek, which means I spend my life with dogs who are never more than a few hours past their last drenching.

Their coats are made for constant dampness, and are always glossy and sleek, but they don't smell as nice after the dousings as they do when bathed, so they still get regular soapings -- my choice, not theirs. They love water, but hate baths.

I love clean dogs, and so my pets all learn to tolerate baths. And over the years of bathing not only my own dogs, but also scores of filthy, matted fosters and the occasionally ripe guest pet, I've gotten pretty good at making the experience pleasant enough both for me and for the animals getting the sudsing.

Preparation makes the job so much easier.

Choose a soap made for dogs -- don't use dish soap or human shampoo, neither of which is formulated for maximum benefit for pets. There's no need for flea soap, though, since regular pet soap does just as good a job of killing fleas by washing them down the drain -- if there are any fleas on your pet at all, that is. These days your dog can live practically flea-free if you use the monthly "spot-on" treatments from your veterinarian -- Frontline or Advantage. Be sure to follow directions carefully and apply at prescribed intervals for the best results.

Footing is important, inside or out. If you're using the bathtub, put down a mat or towel so your pet won't slip. Outside, the lawn will give plenty of traction. A spray nozzle is also essential, since pouring dirty water back over a clean dog is counterproductive.

To prepare your dog, comb or cut out tangles or mats before the bath, (doing so later only makes it worse). Put a pinch of cotton just inside your dog's ears and a drop of mineral oil in each eye to help keep out the soap. (Don't forget to take out the cotton later, or you'll be wondering why your dog is ignoring you more than usual.)

Wet your dog thoroughly, then start shampooing, working up a good lather. The key to a good bath is a good rinse, since leftover soap will make the coat look dull and flaky. A cream rinse or detangler is a good idea, especially for silky or double-coated breeds, and must be followed by another thorough rinse for best results.

After your dog has shaken off all the water he can, towel him off and let him dry inside. Dogs who dry off clean stay cleaner longer, and that means you and your dog can avoid the next bath just a little bit longer.

PETS ON THE WEB

Recently I wrote about including pets in family disaster plans. Here's more information on that topic, tailored to the special concerns of the times and suggested by the Sacramento, Calif.-based United Animal Nations, which runs disaster-relief teams to assist animals worldwide.

The American Veterinary Medical Association has information on the affect of biochemical agents and infectious disease on its Web site, at www.avma.org/press/biosecurity/default.asp. The UAN Web site has additional information on anthrax and animals at www.uan.org/ears/anthrax.html along with general disaster-planning tips at www.uan.org/ears/tips.html.

THE SCOOP

In times such as these, our pets are often the source of much appreciated and much needed comic relief. One person who clearly understands how funny animals can be is cartoonist Paul Gilligan, who produces the "Pooch Cafe" comic strip. The cafe alluded to is one where dogs come together to enjoy each other's company, and to make gentle fun of each other and of the humans in their lives.

To get a healthy dose of such good humor, check out Gilligan's collection of strips in "Pooch Cafe: All Dogs Naturally Know How to Swim" (Andrews McMeel, $11). As the owner of a dog who'd help a burglar carry out the silverware, I couldn't help but smile at the strip where the dog holds open the door for the crook, and refuses to fess up to it later with the police.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I have a 5-month-old Maltese, and she isn't very interested in food. She's healthy and playful, but I'm worried she isn't getting her nutrition. I leave dry food down all the time. She waits until I add "goodies" such as broiled chicken breast. Any ideas? -- Y.C., via e-mail

A: Without meaning to, you've taught your puppy that food is always available, and that if she waits, something better will come along.

You've taught her to be finicky; now it's time to teach her to eat.

Don't keep food available at all times. It makes house-training more difficult and removes the power of food as a training tool. (Fresh water, on the other hand, should always be accessible.)

Give your pup a quiet place to eat with no distractions. A crate is ideal, but a small room with a baby gate across it will also do. Put the food down and leave your pup alone for 20 to 30 minutes. Then pick up the food, eaten or not, and give your pet no food until the next scheduled feeding. Repeat at every meal: a quiet space, a set time for eating, remove the remainder.

Don't worry if she misses a meal, or even a day's worth of meals. She won't starve. Above all: Do not, do not, do not give treats between meals, or add those "goodies" to the meals after she turns up her nose.

I doubt it will take more than a couple of days for your puppy to learn to eat promptly that which is set down in front of her.

Q: We recently put in a dog door to give our German shepherd access to the yard while we're at work. Because we don't want anyone letting her out, we put a lock on our gate.

We came home to find a rather terse notice from the gas company demanding access to our yard for the purpose of checking the meter. We're not worried about our dog bothering the meter readers -- she's very friendly -- but we don't trust the company to make sure the gate is closed after they go. Can you suggest a compromise? -- A.U., via e-mail

A: I can suggest several. But first, I have to note that even a friendly dog can be protective of property when the family's not home, and can thus be a danger to meter readers, mail carriers or anyone else who has legitimate business on your property. Bites happen, and it's your job to do everything you can to help prevent them.

Believe me, your utility is as concerned about this situation as you are, and will be happy to work with you on alternatives to keep your dog and its meter readers safe. Generally, you'll be able to choose from the following options:

-- Keep your pet indoors or penned when the meter reader is in your neighborhood. Your utility should be able to give you a schedule of the two or three days a month when they'll be in your area. (Because chaining tends to make dogs unhappy and aggressive, I don't recommend securing your pet in such a way.)

-- Ask your utility if it has a program that allows you to read your own meter. You should be able to put out a card for the reader, or even enter your reading on the company's Web site.

-- See if your utility can replace your meter with one that's equipped with a radio transmitter. If it's available, this is probably the best option, since it allows the meter reader to get your information without going near your yard.

Call your utility right away to see what's available, and choose the option that's best for the safety of your pet and of the company's meter readers.

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. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.

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

We ask a lot of our cats, and take the adjustments they make to live with us largely for granted -- unless there's a problem.

We ask our cats to relieve themselves in a small tray instead of anywhere in their territory, as would be natural for them. We ask them to scratch in one place instead of marking every surface, as they would in the wild. We ask them to ignore their ability to jump gracefully onto tables and countertops, and to adjust their naturally nocturnal schedule to our daytime ones.

Most cats make the compromises with relative ease. If yours hasn't, you can use tried-and-true strategies to help your cat adjust to the unnatural demands of living in a human-created environment.

The first step in resolving any behavioral problem is working with your veterinarian to make sure it's not a health problem. Illness must be corrected if you're to have any hope of changing the behaviors you abhor.

Cats are good at hiding illness, and we often add to the problem by attributing "bad behavior" to those signs they do give us. A cat with a urinary-tract problem, for example, may come to associate the pain he feels while in the litter box with the location itself, and start eliminating elsewhere.

Even healthy cats can become unhinged by stress and react by altering their behavior. Some cats mark territory by spraying when their home is "invaded" by a new pet or person. In a cat's mind, this behavior makes sense: Making the world smell like himself is comforting to him (though not to you).

Stressed-out cats can be helped with environmental adjustments, such as limiting his territory to a single room for a while. A calming medication from your veterinarian may help ease your cat -- and you -- through a rough time, if combined with those environmental changes.

If it's not illness or stress, you need to look at your own behavior. Are you asking something of your cat that's not possible for him to give? Your cat may not want to use the litter box if it's rarely cleaned, or is in a place with no privacy. Likewise, asking a cat to leave the couch alone is not fair if he has nothing else in the house to scratch. You need to provide him with some alternatives before you can work on getting him to leave the furniture alone.

Do you provide your cat with enough exercise and entertainment? You've asked your cat to give up his whole world, and all you're offering in return is a few hours of your presence a day and maybe a catnip mouse? More toys! More play!

You must also consider that maybe your cat never knew the house rules to begin with. If all you've ever done in the way of training is to scream or hit your cat, you've probably not taught him anything except that you're someone to avoid. Physical correction has no place in changing a cat's behavior; cats just don't understand it. And using such correction just stresses them out, leading to even more problems.

Keeping a journal of problems can help you spot and understand trends while removing some of the emotion involved in living with an animal who is causing you unhappiness. Realizing that your cat's behavior isn't spiteful or capricious can make the problem easier for you to live with while you work on turning the situation around.

The future is grim for a cat whose owner gives up on him. If you're reaching the breaking point -- ideally before that point -- ask your veterinarian about a referral to a behaviorist. A consultation with an expert can provide you with a plan for fixing the problem. It's much cheaper than replacing carpeting or a sofa, and certainly a better option than giving up on your cat.

THE SCOOP

Rabbits need roughage to stay healthy over the long haul, and one of the easiest ways to put indigestible fiber in their diets is to allow them 24-hour-a-day access to grass hay such as oat or timothy.

In addition, rabbit experts suggest adding a variety of fresh leafy vegetables to the diet, such as parsley, carrot tops, broccoli leaves and dandelion greens, along with other vegetables and fruits such as carrots, melons, apples or pears. Give fruits and veggies a good scrubbing before offering them to your pet, and remove remainders before they go bad.

PETS ON THE WEB

Routine vaccinations are no longer so: Because of cancers associated with vaccines in cats and immune-system concerns in both cats and dogs, the veterinary profession has been rethinking the concept of annual vaccinations.

The University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital has a Web page (www.vmth.ucdavis.edu/vmth/clientinfo/info/vaccinproto.html) that explains its new guidelines, with a series of selected vaccines for kittens and puppies and boosters for adults coming at three-year intervals.

Please note: Your pet still needs to see your veterinarian every year, vaccines or not. A thorough annual physical is just as important for your pet's health as it is for your own.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: We are having some behavioral problems with our 18-month-old boxer, and we are considering sending her to a two-week course for training. What are your thoughts on training dogs in this manner, removed from her owners and her regular environment? -- J.D., via e-mail

A: The answer depends on what "behavior problems" are troubling you. Will the difficulty you're having be solved if your dog is taught the basic commands -- sit, down, stay, come? Or are the problems those your dog may not exhibit in a kennel environment, such as counter-cruising, destructiveness, aggression or separation anxiety?

If it's basic obedience you want from your dog, then, yes, a couple weeks away with a reputable trainer can be very helpful. The caveat: You need to be willing to learn how to handle your dog when she returns home, and commit to keeping up the training. Otherwise, you're pretty much wasting your money.

If it's any behavior issue other than general obedience commands, I think you're better off working with a trainer or behaviorist who'll meet with your family in the home, observe the both the dog and how you interact with her, and set up a program for you all to follow.

Either way, don't hire a trainer unless you are comfortable with his or her methods, and comfortable, as well, that the trainer will tailor those methods to the personality of your dog. Dog-training was once almost solely reliant on hard-nosed methods derived from the military; recent years have seen a swing to motivational training based on work with performing animals in such environments as marine parks. As a result, you'll find all kinds of trainers with all kinds of methods out there today.

The trainer you choose should be able to explain which methods she or he believes to be best for your dog, and why. I also like to see certification from a dog-trainer's association, which shows an interest in keeping up on current theory and techniques. Finally, check references and, if you're leaving your dog, check the trainer's facilities.

Q: Are there such things as toy cats, like toy dogs? I would like a cat that stays kitten-sized. -- A.C., via the Internet

A: If you consider that many toy dogs weigh about the same as an average 9-pound cat, you can figure that in any cat you already have a wonderful pet in a compact package.

While no breed of cat could really be called a "toy," the so-called "Oriental" breeds are among the smaller and lighter cats you can find, including such cats as the show Siamese, Abyssinian, Burmese and the Devon and Cornish rexes. The smallest breed of cat is probably the Singapura, which weighs about 6 to 8 pounds. Although any of these cats might not be as small as you were hoping to find, they're petite in comparison to such hefty bods as those associated with the Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest cats.

If you adopt an adult cat, you can be guaranteed to know what size your new pet will be, since unlike a kitten, a cat is already mature. I remember a friend's cat who was the tiniest half-starved scrap of fur the world has ever seen. He grew into a very large and lovely companion, the biggest in her multicat household by a good 3 pounds.

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