Heather's ID tag is unreadable, even though it's less than a year old. I blame the fact that she's always in water -- she's a retriever, so she can't help herself -- for the metal's corrosion. I think I'll go back to plastic.

Ben's tag shows wear, which makes the phone number difficult to read. Chase's tag is missing (who knows for how long?). And Drew? The Perfect Dog, as we call him, has perfect tags. So ... that's three ID tags to order, right away.

Yes, dear readers, it's time for the annual New Year's neck check. I started pushing for this tradition years ago, and I still believe it's as important as ever. It's like checking your smoke detector batteries twice a year when the time changes. Checking your pet's collar and tags annually will ensure that an important safety measure is in place should you and your pet ever need it.

Why New Year's? Because it's easy to remember, and besides, what else are you going to do besides eat, drink and watch football?

Start your neck check with a look at your pet's collar. A properly fitted collar is important, but so too is the right type. For dogs, a buckled or snap-together collar made of leather or nylon webbing is the best choice, and the proper fit is comfortably close but not too snug. Make sure your dog's not wearing a "choke" collar. These are for training and walking only, and they pose a life-threatening hazard if left on an unsupervised dog. Cats should wear a collar with an elastic section that will allow your pet to wriggle free if he gets caught on something.

If you do have the right kind of collar on your pet, take a minute to look at the holes and the fasteners. The collar is weakest at these spots, so if you see signs of excessive wear or strain, you'll need to replace the collar soon.

If the collar passes muster, it's time to look at the tags. A license is great, but since many lost pets are picked up by people in the neighborhood, it's a good idea to supplement the license with an ID tag that has a couple of phone numbers -- yours and the number of a friend or relative. Check to make sure the information is current and legible, and if not, make a note to order a new tag right away.

My pets also carry tags from a company I really like, 1-800-HELP4PETS. The service, which costs $25 per year, is available 24 hours a day to help reunite you with a lost pet. It can also authorize veterinary care if your lost pet is injured and you cannot be immediately located. More information is available by calling the phone number (800-435-7473), or by visiting www.help4pets.com.

Don't delay in fixing any problems you encounter during your pet's neck check. Problems with collars and tags are easy to fix -- and collars and tags are the cheapest insurance you can buy against loss or accidents.

A final note: A microchip is another form of identification well worth considering. The tiny transponder, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted by a veterinarian over the shoulder blades of dogs and cats, or in the breast of birds, and serves as a permanent identification that cannot be slipped off or removed. My dogs and my parrot are all chipped.

Remember, though, that a microchip doesn't take the place of ID tags. They complement each other, and even if your dog or cat is chipped, he should still wear tags.

THE SCOOP

The avian ear, like all of a bird's anatomy, is streamlined for flight, so you won't find an ear lobe on a bird. Instead, look for a swirl of soft, protective feathers in the place where you think the ear should be. Many pet birds love to have the area around their ear canal scratched.

Birds don't hear high- and low-pitched noises as well as we do, but within the range they do hear, they are able to discern more details. The song of a finch would have to be recorded and played at about one-tenth speed for us to be able to hear the richness and detail of sound a bird can.

PETS ON THE WEB

If you've got an active, healthy dog and access to snow, you might want to consider taking up "skijoring," a sport that combines dogsledding with cross-country skiing. Teams of one or more dogs -- huskies and husky mixes are typical, but many kinds of dogs compete -- pull a skier who's also trying to maximize the team's speed. For information, check out the Web site of the Alaska Skijoring and Pulk Association (www.sleddog.org/skijor) or Midwest Skijorers (www.skijor.org).

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: We solved our cat's shedding problem by vacuuming our pet. We use an upholstery brush attached to a long vacuuming hose (we have central vacuum). It didn't take a lot of training.

First, there were normal brushing sessions with the vacuum running but the hose just lying on the floor. A customary brushing involved treats before and during the brushing (her food is limited for weight maintenance, so feeding is a real treat for her). That got her accustomed to the sound.

Next, the hose was moved closer and closer during brushing. Then, brushing would commence with the vacuuming tool and hose, but not running.

Finally, the whole procedure was put together -- treat, brush, treat and so forth.

We love training our cat! In fact, she has a whole repertoire:

-- She steps up onto an old-fashioned scale to be weighed, sits up or down on command, and tells us (by tapping the Venetian blinds) when she wants the blind raised so she can look out the front window.

-- She knows not to step on the computer keyboard, and she knows a few command words, too. "Busy-busy" (or just the "bzzzz" sound) says "stay away" from the person who is, well, too busy to be bothered.

-- She reacts to the repeated "chair, chair," which means go get onto your chair (a child's chair with attached food bowl). That chair is in the kitchen, and she occasionally responds even if in the dining room.

-- She has mastered playing a true game of hide and seek. It's much different from living with an adoring dog, but there are many pleasures to a cat that responds to "helpful" training. -- P.G. and M.F., via e-mail, Sacramento, Calif.

A: Your note made my day, and it's a perfect example of how what you get out of your relationship with a pet is largely dependent on what you put in. You've spent time working with your cat, gently training her -- and she has bloomed with the attention.

While a cat will never be a dog -- and that's exactly how cat lovers want it -- our feline companions can be trained with gentle, reward-based methods. Clicker-training, the common term for training with operant conditioning, is perfect for cats. To get started, find a copy of Karen Pryor's "Getting Started: Clicker Training for Cats" ($13, Sunshine Books) or join the e-mail group "Cat-Clicker" (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cat-Clicker/) for tips from others who are training their pets using a method that's fun for both cat and owner.

Q: How very smug of you to suggest that people give to shelters instead of spending money on gifts for their pets. Some people do both, you know. They rescue pets and actually buy "silly" -- as you say -- gifts for their pets.

All those "silly" gifts keep my babies safe from chewing something that just might harm them. Sheesh! Tell me you won't write any more "silly" columns. -- Anonymous, via e-mail

A: When I wrote that pets don't need "silly" gifts for the holidays, I wasn't talking about toys, which all pets need year-round. Toys help pets from becoming bored, unfit and possibly self-destructive or ill. However, I remain firm in my belief that the things pets don't care about or need -- everything from biker jackets to plush "antlers" -- is a sorry misdirection of money that could be better spent helping a homeless pet.

If you just can't help but go silly with your pets –- Valentine's Day isn't far away -- consider a compromise. Spend a little less, and make a donation to a shelter with the money you save.

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

While you can't completely turn a "skitty kitty" into a lazy lap-cat, you can do a lot to tame a feisty feline -- if you're patient and educate yourself in the basics of cat body language before you start.

All cats are very sensitive to touch, with some disliking it and some revving up the purr machine at the mere promise of a pat. The degree of reactivity has both genetic and social factors. Some cats are born jumpy, while others are made that way because of improper training (such as encouraging a kitten to attack fingers) or a lack of socialization in their first few weeks of life.

Natural activity levels also play a part in how much petting a cat will tolerate. Heavier, larger breeds or mixes are usually more satisfied to be sluggish lap kitties than are the lighter, more willowy cats who like to stay on the move. That's why I like to recommend choosing an adult cat if you have a specific kind of feline personality in mind. After all, one person's adored zoom-zoom cat is another's busybody pest.

The reverse is also true: The laid-back attitude of a couch-potato cat may be disappointing to the person who was hoping for a playful pet.

No matter what kind of cat you have, you can work to increase your pet's tolerance for petting by paying close attention to his body language and slowly increasing the time he spends in your lap.

First, you need to recognize that if your cat bites your hand while you're petting him, you've missed more than a couple of messages from him asking you to stop. The key one: a tail twitch that becomes more agitated, and finally escalates into a noticeable thump or thrash.

You should also be aware that some places are more sensitive than others. For a highly reactive cat, restrict your caresses to behind the ears, under the chin or the base of the tail. A long stroke down the back is too much for some kitties, and you're really taking a chance when you decide to tickle your cat's tummy. The cats who enjoy it are outnumbered by the cats who'll quickly tire and seek to stop it with teeth and claws.

Work to build your cat's tolerance to touch over time -- a long time, in some cases. When you pick up your cat for a petting session, don't surprise him. Come up on him slowly and pick him up gently, making sure his whole body is supported with a hand under his chest and one beneath his legs.

Pet him in the safe areas on his body only, watching for the first sign of a tail twitch. When you get that early warning sign, stop petting and see if he relaxes. If he doesn't, gently put him down or let him leave when he wants to. Don't keep pushing to the point where your cat feels the need to bite. The key is to work up to the outskirts of tolerance and stop there, so your cat will learn to trust you in ever-longer sessions.

Never, ever hit a cat for biting. If you miss the signs and end up in with teeth or claws around your hand, just freeze. Providing no resistance will help calm your cat so he will let go. If you fight back or physically punish your cat, you are more likely to get seriously bitten or scratched in the short run, and damage your relationship with your pet in the long run.

Stay patient and positive, and one day you'll both learn how special your time together can be.

THE SCOOP

Do you have a golden retriever? Has anyone in your family ever blamed an awful after-dinner odor on an innocent dog? Have you ever worn out your arm throwing for a dog who seemingly never tires of "fetch"? If you can answer in the affirmative, you'll probably like the cartoons collected in Bruce Cochran's clever little book, "Golden Fever: A Rollicking Romp With Everyone's Buddy, the Golden Retriever" ($10, Willow Creek Press). As a true retriever believer, I found myself smiling at every page and laughing out loud more than once.

PETS ON THE WEB

My friend Phyllis DeGioia, editor of the Veterinary Partner Web site (www.veterinarypartner.com), recommended that I check out the memorial jewelry offered by a little company called Whisper in the Heart (http://whisperintheheart.com/with/). I'm glad I did! The site is run by an animal lover who knows what it's like to love and lose a pet (the story of her dog Whisper is on the Web site). The necklaces are tasteful, discrete and attractive in either small urn or locket styles. The site also offers a page with helpful pet-loss links, although it's hard to find -- scroll to the bottom and click on "Comments/Links."

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: I am 14, and for years I have wanted a dog. It is mostly for companionship, but also because I sometimes get lonely in the house (I'm an only child). It almost feels as if I'm the only person in the world.

The problem is my dad won't let me have a dog. I have written essays, made PowerPoint presentations, read books, given him useful dog Web site addresses and flat-out begged. He doesn't want a dog because all he sees are the negatives -- poop, barking, etc.

My mom likes animals, so she's OK with it. But we really want this to be a family thing and he's so resistant!

Today I came home bawling after letting out my feelings to a friend on the bus. I think I want a dog more than the people who have them. Can you help me convince him? -- A.B., via e-mail

A: I'm going to give your dad the benefit of the doubt -- probably because I'm not 14 -- and assume he has some valid reasons for saying "no." Maybe your family is rarely home, with schedules full of work and school, plus lots of social or sports activities filling up the evenings and weekends. Maybe he doesn't like dogs, or doesn't want one in the house and knows a dog will be miserably lonely if left outdoors all the time. Or maybe he remembers that time when you were 8 and didn't take good care of your hamster.

The good news is that the way to get dogs in your life is also the way to convince your father that you're able and willing to do the work keeping a dog entails. My suggestion: Volunteer at an animal shelter. At many organizations, volunteers can start as young as 14 with parental consent.

Set up a schedule of volunteering, and show your responsibility by sticking to it for a minimum of six months. Depending on the shelter, chances are you'll be put to work walking and socializing the dogs, as well as helping staffers to care for, and clean up after the animals. You'll scoop enough poop to convince your dad that you're more than up to the challenge.

You'll meet a lot of wonderful pets. You'll also learn how animals end up in the shelter, so you'll be able to avoid the pitfalls yourself. Not to mention: Volunteering is a great way to enhance your "marketability" when it comes time to apply for college.

Finally, when you have convinced your dad to say "yes" to a dog, you'll be able to use the dog-savvy you've picked up while volunteering to select a well-mannered shelter dog who'll charm your father into wondering how he ever lived without such a wonderful animal -- and such a smart, responsible kid.

Q: You made a mistake in your recent column. My veterinarian handed me a sheet of plants to watch out for when I got my puppy a few years ago and poinsettias were definitely on it. Please tell your readers before someone's pet gets killed! -- F.L., via e-mail

A: I got quite a few e-mails making the same point you have, but happily, there's no mistake. According to the Animal Poison Control Center (www.aspca.org/apcc) the poinsettia can cause little more than a bad tummy ache, even if ingested in fairly large amounts. That doesn't mean you should put poinsettia foliage into the food processor and then add it to your pet's dish, but it does mean that you can quit worrying that the plant your aunt gave you for the holidays is going to do in your dog.

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

If you're looking for suggestions on silly holiday gifts for your pet, you're barking up the wrong tree. Every year I get dozens of calls and e-mails from retailers and manufacturers who want me to write about gifts for pets -- Christmas-red nail polish for a dog, a Hanukkah shirt for an iguana, mock reindeer antlers for a cat. To them all I say: "Bah humbug. And no thanks."

I don't write about gifts for pets because, unlike children, pets won't be brokenhearted if they're not given a present over the holidays. And because the money and time people spend finding pointless gifts their pets don't care about could be used to help animals in need. It's easy to help: Give a holiday gift to your local shelter.

Cash is the gift that's one-size-fits-all, and that's true even when you're giving to a charity. When you make a donation -- an outright gift, a gift membership or donation in memory of a person or pet -- you're letting the organization decide where best to use your money, giving it to programs or services that most need funding.

But writing a check isn't the only way to help. Shelters need any number of items, from office equipment to pet supplies, that help with their work caring for homeless pets, investigating cruelty and educating on the humane treatment of animals. You can always call your shelter to ask what's needed, but chances are you'll find these items on any shelter's list:

-- Old towels and newspapers. This is as easy a donation as you can possibly make, since these items are things you throw out -- or put in the recycling bin -- anyway. Newspapers are used to line cages, while old towels are put to any number of uses, including drying off pets who've been freshly groomed to make them feel better and be more adoptable.

In addition to towels, the Denver Dumb Friends League asks for donations of old toilet seat covers: The size is just perfect, making a cuddly cat bed for felines waiting for new homes. Your shelter might use these, too.

-- Food and litter. Shelters go through a great deal of basic pet-care supplies, including bags and bags of cat-box filler and kibble, along with cans of pet food. While some shelters are happy to take whatever brand you can give them, others are a bit more particular. Call ahead to see what brands are especially welcome, if any, and then buy as much as you can for donation. A related item you'd never think of that's always in need: can openers, both manual and electric.

-- Office supplies: Paper, toner, printer cartridges, pens, staples and more. If you're using it in your office, chances are your local shelter folks can use it in theirs. One reader I know made a donation of a gift card from an office-supply superstore, so the shelter could buy the supplies that worked for the office equipment they had.

As for your own pets, you'll do them a far better service by investing your time and money in better care for your pet, providing your pet with medical care that emphasizes prevention, and seeing that your pet is properly fed and well-exercised. And remember that time spent with your pet is the greatest gift of all.

THE SCOOP

"Dogs in the Hood: A Holiday Extravaganza" is a CD that reworks holiday songs to add a canine theme, including selections such as "Walkin' in a Whippet Wonderland" and "Dance of the Latina Sugarplum Yorkies." Great music it's not, but the songs are sure to lighten up any dull holiday gathering, especially if dog lovers are around. The CD is $13.98 plus $4 shipping and handling. For purchase information (and to listen to some of the songs before you buy) click on the "Start Shopping" button on the Dogs in the Hood Web site (www.dogsinthehoodinc.com).

PETS ON THE WEB

Nothing fancy about the Rat Guide (www.ratguide.com), just oodles of good information about keeping pet rats healthy and spotting signs of illness. Like many small pets, rats are rarely offered the benefits of veterinary care, since many people consider it easier to replace them when they die rather than spend money when they're sick. The Rat Guide's wonderful and fully searchable collection of articles, developed with the assistance of veterinarians, recognizes this reality and offers a way to improve the care of these clever and affectionate pets through preventative-illness education.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK

Q: Our two-story house has a loft that overlooks the living room. The ledge for the loft opening is more than 20 feet off the ground. Our recently adopted 6-month-old kitten jumps on the ledge every time she's in the room. We are afraid she may attempt to jump off the ledge, or fall and injure herself.

We've tried watching her closely and squirting her with a spray bottle when she attempts to jump up on the ledge, but that doesn't seem to deter her. She is so quick that sometimes she's on the ledge before we can squirt. Once she's up there, we don't do any of the things you'd normally do to let a cat know her behavior was wrong (such as clapping hands loudly) for fear of startling her into falling or jumping off the ledge.

We now keep the door shut to keep her out, but since this is a heavily used room, it's not something we would prefer to do forever. Do you think she would actually jump? If so, is there another way to deter her from getting up there? -- B.K., Tallahassee, Fla.

A: You're right to be concerned: Studies of cats falling from buildings (for example, off an apartment balcony), show that the animals are often injured more in falls from relatively low heights than from those a couple of floors higher, presumably because they haven't time to rotate themselves into "landing position" to minimize potential injury. (The benefit of being higher only goes so far, since cats falling from more than a handful of stories up are usually seriously injured or killed.)

Kittens don't have the common sense an older cat does, so I think it is entirely possible she might jump or be startled into falling. Try covering the ledge and, especially, the approach to it with something sticky, such as upside-down contact paper secured with double-sided tape. Cats loathe having their paws stick to anything, which is why sticky substances are great for discouraging furniture scratching as well. (For chair or couch corners, just apply double-sided tape or Stick Paws strips -- available in pet-supply stores, catalogs or online merchants -- to stop the clawing, while providing your pet with a scratching post or cat tree for an acceptable place for healthy scratching.)

I'm guessing your above-it-all kitten will decide that her perch isn't a place that's worth visiting if she has to step on sticky paper to get there.

Q: Our 4-month-old puppy Zoe is a jumper. I want to know the right way to train her to stop this bad behavior. This is my first puppy, so I'm lost on this matter. -- D.L., via e-mail

A: My best suggestion would be to get Zoe into a puppy-training class for her socialization and your education. Puppy classes take a lighthearted, positive approach to teaching puppies good manners and teaching puppy owners how to develop a friendly, well-socialized dog. These classes are important for all puppies, but would be especially good for you and Zoe since she is your first puppy. When it comes to her jumping up, you'll first want to teach your puppy a behavior that's incompatible, such as sit. Don't punish the puppy for jumping, but rather ask Zoe to sit and praise her for minding. Be absolutely certain that she gets no attention for jumping up, ever. Turn your back on her if you must, and then ask her to sit when she settles down. Praise her when she does right!

If you're consistent, she'll soon realize that she'll get the attention she craves only when she sits.

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