Forget the better mousetrap: Build a better nail-trimmer, and grateful pet lovers will beat a path to your door.

Or at least that's the idea behind a trio of new nail-trimmers that takes the age-old designs and improves on them, a little or a lot. Here's the rundown:

-- SmartTrim. Pick of the litter. One of several new pet-related products brought out by the folks behind the incredibly successful Greenies dog treats, the SmartTrim is lightweight and easy to use. It features a unique adjustable guard that limits the amount of nail that can be clipped each time. Trimmings fall into a container that can be cleaned out by opening a little door on the unit. A battery-operated grinder is in the handle for finishing off the job, and batteries are included. (Suggested retail: $30)

-- Bamboo Care. In both scissor and guillotine styles and two sizes, Bamboo's nail clipper benefits from the company's strength in design and efficiency. The clipper is attractive and comfortable in the hand, and its handles contain both a file and styptic powder container for stopping blood if the quick is nicked. Like most of Bamboo's pet products, it's an improvement on an age-old design. (Suggested retail: $10 to $15, with two-pack refills of styptic powder tubes sold for $5)

-- Careful Clipper. A basic guillotine-style clipper with a twist: A flexible light is attached to shine through the nails and show where the quick is. While not a problem with dogs with white nails, finding the quick can be hard with black nails. You can do the same thing with a penlight if you have at least three hands, but the Careful Clipper makes handling the light much easier. Batteries included. (Suggested retail: $19)

As with any nail-trimming, you won't get anywhere trying to force your pet to cooperate. If you have a pet who hates to have his nails trimmed, you need to back up and start over.

Spend some time reintroducing the clippers and associating their presence with treats and praise. After your pet is comfortable with this step, advance to touching the paw and eventually to the nail with the clippers, with the accompaniment of more treats and praise. Soon, you'll be able to cut a tiny bit off one nail. Treat, praise and call it a day. Don't advance to the next step until your pet is comfortable with the step you're on. Eventually, cutting nails will not be a reason for a wrestling match.

When my oldest retriever came to me, he was young, strong and utterly uncooperative when it came to having his nails trimmed. After several weeks of retraining, he learned to tolerate nail trims and hasn't been a problem since. I no longer have to treat him at every stage of the procedure, but he does appreciate the steady supply of praise and the dog cookie at the end of the job.

SIDEBAR

Grinding nails an option

Some dogs find it more tolerable to have their nails ground rather than clipped. As with clipping nails, going slowly and using lots of praise and treats along the way is key to a good experience for both you and your pet.

Dremel and Oster both make rotary grinders intended solely for pet use, but you can just as easily use any regular rotary grinding tool. I use a corded Dremel with a medium sandpaper head. (For my parrot, though, I like Dremel's small cordless pet model No. 761-01, with a suggested retail of $30.)

In the early stages of training, just let your dog see the grinder, and praise and treat. In a later session, turn the grinder on and praise and treat. Praise and treat for your dog progressively, allowing the grinder to get closer to a paw and to briefly touch a nail tip. The first time you grind -- which may be several sessions after the first introduction -- be happy with working a little with just one nail and don't forget to praise and treat.

Be sure to either clip the hair of longhaired dogs or hold it back so it won't get wound in the shaft of the grinder. Support the dog's toe, but don't squeeze too hard. Hold the grinder against the nail for no more than a couple of seconds at a time to prevent heat buildup, and don't push the grinder against the nail -- just hold it there and let the grinder do the work.

Grind across the bottom and then carefully in from the tip of the nail. If you do this weekly, the quick will recede, and you'll be able to maintain short nails on your dog with ease.

Q&A

Losing baby teeth normal for pups

Q: My daughter got us a puppy for her birthday. He is supposed to be a golden and something else. He's about 3 months old. I am a little concerned because he is losing his baby teeth. Is that normal? We did call the vet, and he said it was OK. What do you think? We had a golden retriever for 14 years, and I don't ever remember her losing her teeth. -- E.C., via e-mail

A: Your veterinarian is right. It's perfectly normal for your puppy to be losing his baby teeth. Puppies have 28 of those sharp little puppy teeth, and they're usually replaced by 42 permanent ones by the age of 4 months.

It's not unusual to overlook the loss of puppy teeth. Sometimes they're swallowed; others may land in the grass or somewhere else they'll be hard to spot. Sometimes, though, they're stubborn about leaving, hanging on even when their replacement has erupted. If you observe a double row of teeth, call your veterinarian -- the baby teeth have worn out their welcome and may need to be surgically removed.

Teething can be irritating or even painful for a pup. Be sure to provide lots of chew toys to help your pup through the process. Don't blame your puppy if he finds things to chew on -- pick up your stuff! If you find him with something you don't want chewed, substitute an appropriate chew toy and praise him for using it. Frozen marrow bones can feel really good on gums while a puppy is teething and are a great (if messy) teething aid.

Wait for older pup

Q: What is the right age to take home a puppy? We are looking at a litter the breeder says will be weaned and ready to go at 4 weeks, which seems young to us. -- S.N., via e-mail

A: It isn't 4 weeks, that's for sure. Seven weeks is the youngest a puppy should ever leave his littermates. Weaning shouldn't be the trigger for placing the puppies, and the seller who thinks so is ill-informed.

Puppies pick up some important lessons from their mom and their littermates in their fourth, fifth and sixth weeks of life, learning the complex social language that will not only help him get along with other dogs later, but will also help you to train your new pup.

Some breeders, especially those with small breeds, hold onto their puppies beyond seven weeks, primarily because they're so delicate. That's fine, as long as you've got a breeder who understands the importance of socializing -- safely introducing puppies to new sights, new sounds, and to people of all ages and both genders.

If you cannot convince the seller to keep the puppies together for an extra three weeks, my suggestion is to find another breeder, one well-versed in the developmental stages of dogs. Or go to a good shelter, where young puppies are placed with others of their age and are socialized by savvy volunteers.

You want to get your relationship with your puppy started right, and that "right start" happens before you ever bring your new dog home. Choosing the right source for your pup is just as important as choosing the right breed or mix.

Those extra couple of weeks of learning from littermates are extremely important when it comes to starting off a pup right. A puppy-seller who doesn't understand or doesn't care about critical puppy development is best avoided.

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

PET Rx

Know the signs of dehydration

Dehydration can be a serious problem demanding urgent intervention by a veterinarian.

To check for dehydration, pull up a "tent" of skin over the shoulders of your dog or cat. In a healthy pet, the skin will immediately slide back into place. In a pet with mild dehydration, the skin will be slow to return to its normal position.

In severe dehydration, the skin will remain in the "tent" position. The animal's mouth and gums may also be dry, with thick or ropey saliva, and eyes may appear sunken into the sockets. An animal with any of these symptoms is in need of immediate veterinary care.

A pet with mild dehydration can be helped by being moved into a cool area and offered small amounts of water every few minutes. Don't allow a dehydrated pet to drink all she wants, and don't offer dry food.

If you're in doubt as to how serious the situation is, call your veterinarian for advice.

(Pet Rx is provided by the Veterinary Information Network (VIN.com), an online service for veterinary professionals. More information can be found at www.veterinarypartner.com.)

ON THE WEB

Basset hounds fans love Daily Drool

The folks behind the Daily Drool (www.dailydrool.com) love basset hounds and want to share their admiration of the breed with other like-minded people. The well-designed Web site offers everything you could want in the way of information about bassets, along with plenty of entertaining diversions such as e-cards, games, images and more.

A definite labor of love, the Web site supports itself and basset rescue through donations, and with the proceeds from steering people toward Drool-endorsed books and other products. Either way, it's a good site to support and a good cause, too.

BREED TYPE

Friendly malamute needs exercise, grooming

They shed, they roam, they dig, they pull on the leash, and they eat like horses. Why, you might wonder, does anyone on Earth want an Alaskan Malamute?

It's because, like a force of nature or an Arctic wind, the Malamute is hard to resist. Handsome, smart, friendly, exuberant, joyful and possessed of an enormous curiosity, these dogs are crazy about people and great with kids.

Of course, as with all large, powerful dogs, careful supervision with children is required. And as with all intelligent dogs, when bored they can get into a lot of mischief. These dogs can and will destroy a car interior or even the wall of a house. The cure and the prevention are the same: Mals need exercise (lots of it) every single day -- rain, shine or blizzard.

That exercise can't take the form of running free. That's not because a Malamute will ever leave his territory; he won't. It's because his territory is the entire continent of North America, and most Mals are eyeing South America, too. So a good fence is not optional equipment.

Malamutes need daily brushing to control their shedding, although "control" may be a bit optimistic: Think big drifts of hair everywhere, even in rooms that are off-limits to dogs. On top of that, twice a year, the Malamute will "blow coat," and you may need a professional groomer to rescue you from that avalanche of fur.

Malamutes suffer from some genetic health problems, and a very few can have temperament problems. So obtain your dog only from a reputable rescue organization or an experienced breeder who does genetic screening tests on his or her dogs. Do not accept assurances that "My lines don't have these problems." Insist on written documentation.

And buy a really powerful vacuum cleaner. -- Christie Keith, doghobbyist.com

THE SCOOP

Great pet pictures easier than ever

Ever wonder how the pros get those adorable pictures of dogs and cats nuzzling for ads and commercials? It's easy to get your pet to kiss your kid for a picture using an old trick of the pros.

The trick: a dab of butter or margarine in just the right spot. You can't see it, but your pet can smell it and won't be able to wait to lick it off your child's cheek.

Another trick: To get your dog's attention for a picture, rattle keys or squish a squeaky toy. If you're looking for that super-alert look, throw the toy in the direction you want your dog to look. That's what dog-show photographers do.

Digital photography makes it easy to get great pictures. You can take hundreds of pictures and print just the best without going broke on film or developing costs.

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 petconnection@gmail.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

For those who work to educate people on the cruelty and danger of keeping dogs on chains, the tragic news in April of two children killed by chained dogs within days of each other came as a sad shock but no real surprise.

After all, incidents of this kind are anything but rare. More than 30 times in the last 18 months, a child has been killed by a dog kept on a chain, according to the group Dogs Deserve Better.

"We know that if you isolate a social species, bad things happen," says Stephanie Shain of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). "You chain a dog and their whole world becomes this pathetic little circle. Little by little, they go crazy.

"One day, a child comes into that circle. You've removed the ability for a dog's fight-or-flight reaction. For the dog, it's either, 'I have to protect this pathetic little circle' or 'I'm tethered and I can't get away.'"

Despite the spate of tragic deaths, in most cases a child is lucky enough to escape with a scare or a minor bite. For dogs, there is no such luck: Either the misery and loneliness continues, or they are put down for the aggression caused by the practice of chaining.

"It has been going on for a long time," said Tammy Sneath Grimes, founder of Dogs Deserve Better. "Even my mother remembers being bitten by a chained dog. The difference is socialization. Once I started fostering these dogs, they became so easily adjusted. They become part of the family."

A lifelong animal lover, Grimes started her fight against chaining when she moved next to a family who kept a chained dog in their yard. The dog was named "Worthless," and that's just how they treated him.

"I watched him on a chain every day for six years," said Grimes. "No one was ever with him, and he got no love or attention. I used to sneak over to pet and feed him. Finally they told me I couldn't do that anymore."

She ended up with the dog, renamed him Bo, and started her group. As a mother of small children, she is driven to educate others on chaining, not only for the dogs but also for the children who may be endangered by a neglected family pet.

"It's a cultural thing," she says. "People grew up with a chained outdoor dog, and so they chain their dogs outside. They're often hostile when I talk to them about it. Sometimes they lie and say the dog comes in at night when the neighbors know better. The fact that they feel they have to lie about it tells me they know on some level it's wrong."

Some animal advocates feel the answer is to pass ordinances against chaining, or at least to limit the number of hours per day a dog can be on a chain. The HSUS is developing model legislation, and some communities have already passed anti-chaining ordinances.

"The shocking part is anyone ever thought it could work, putting a social creature on chain," said Shain of the HSUS.

Activists are hoping that something good will come out of the recent tragedies. Perhaps people who never cared about how miserable their chained dog is will do something about it now that they know the practice can put their children at risk, too.

SIDEBAR

Alternatives to chaining

Making a dog a full member of the family with access to a fenced yard, along with training and socializing, is the best way to have a safe, happy pet.

When a fence isn't possible, frequent walks for house dogs to relieve themselves are the next best thing. Short periods of time in a large dog run is another possibility. If fencing is available but a dog is chained because he's an escape artist, bury fencing underground to prevent digging out, or angle fencing in to prevent jumping. Lidded runs are also available.

For more information on the problems with chaining dogs and alternatives, visit the following Web sites:

-- Dogs Deserve Better (dogsdeservebetter.org). The organization has two major campaigns a year. The first, for Valentine's Day, provides valentines and a treat to chained dogs, and an informational brochure for the owners. This Fourth of July, Dogs Deserve Better activists will chain themselves outside for 33 hours to bring attention to the suffering of neglected dogs.

-- The Humane Society of the United States (hsus.org) also has information on alternatives to chaining and on how to help a dog whose owners have chosen to leave the animal on a chain for life.

Q&A

Rabbit plans need work

Q: The daughter of one of our best friends is heading to college in August, and we have agreed to take her rabbit when she leaves. My main concern is how to integrate the rabbit into our family.

We have a 7-year-old heeler mix. Sofie is great with our cat (although she will chase her when excited). She is also great about the wild ducks, geese and occasional turkey that drops into the yard. But when a squirrel checks out my bird feeders, Sofie goes nuts.

Would it be beneficial to have the rabbit in the house at first to introduce her to the dog? The rabbit has four golden retrievers she lives with now and is familiar with dogs.

My plan is to keep her under our grapevines in the summer, where it will be cool. Our neighbor has done this successfully with three rescue rabbits: They have a large pen and have dug out tunnels. They come back in every night but roam the property during the day. -- C.D., via e-mail

A: You're very kind to offer to take in this rabbit, but I do see some problems with your plans. I see the potential for a disaster both in introducing the rabbit to Sofie and in how you intend to house your new pet.

Sofie first. Although some dogs are fine with rabbits, many others are too prey-driven to ever be safe around them. The fact that Sofie acts in predatory way around squirrels makes me think she wouldn't be safe around the rabbit, no matter how much care you take in the introductions. My recommendation would be to keep the animals separate if you take in the rabbit.

Your plans to let the rabbit tunnel out and roam the property as she wishes is likewise a bad idea. She may choose to come back on her own or she might not. But no matter her preference, she is at high risk as a free-roaming rabbit. Sofie might consider her prey, as might other neighborhood dogs or coyotes. The rabbit might also get far enough away to be run over on a nearby road. If you must house the rabbit outside, you need to do so in a way that will protect her from predators. Better still: Convert her into a house pet if you can set her up in a way that's safe from Sofie.

Rabbits are relatively easy to keep, and since this rabbit is already in a safe and happy situation, I'd recommend that your friends take over the care of the animal while their daughter is away. With four dogs to care for already, I can't imagine a rabbit would present that much more of a challenge to them.

Getting the gunk out

Q: Do you have any suggestions for getting gum out of our cat's fur? We'd rather not cut a hole in her long coat if we don't have to. -- R.P., via e-mail

A: Try working in a little peanut butter. The oil may lubricate the gum enough to let you work it out of your cat's coat. It's easier on both you and the cat just to clip it out with scissors, however.

Your question reminds me of another solution for something that commonly gets into the coats of our pets at this time of year. When a pet picks up burrs, use a little non-stick cooking spray on the area and then gently work the burr out with your fingers.

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

PET WEB

Agile cats get their own sport

Cats are athletic and agile, when they want to be. The question is: Can they be trained to be athletic and agile when their owners want them to be?

The answer is now a solid "yes," with the creation of International Cat Agility Tournaments, an organization developed to host and promote the new sport of feline agility. It's no joke: Using positive-reinforcement methods and a lot of patience and good humor, cat lovers are training their cats to compete over a cat-sized obstacle course.

The ICAT Web site (www.catagility.com) includes articles and videos on how to get your cat started. Active cats such as the Bengal seem more inclined to compete than do the more laid-back breeds such as Persians. Non-pedigreed cats are also welcome to compete.

Events are not all that common yet, but the Web site's schedule shows scattered events in many parts of the country and even overseas.

PET Rx

Ferret skin masses need prompt attention

Bumps and lumps are common on ferrets, but that doesn't mean they should be ignored. While some skins masses may be relatively benign, others are deadly serious. Prompt diagnosis and treatment offer your pet the best chance for survival.

The first step is a thorough examination by your veterinarian. This may include a procedure in which a slender needle is inserted into the lump and a portion of its contents are removed and examined.

For lumps that cannot be diagnosed this way, a more thorough workup may be needed to determine if any malignancy has spread elsewhere to the body and if your pet is a good candidate for surgery.

(Pet Rx is provided by the Veterinary Information Network (VIN.com), an online service for veterinary professionals. More information can be found at www.veterinarypartner.com.)

THE SCOOP

Secure pets for safer driving

Image: seatbelt (no credit)

Caption: The PetBuckle travel harness comes in four sizes and secures a dog to a regular seat belt.

For the safety of both pets and people, no driver should so much as turn the key in a car until the animals are as safely secured as the people. A loose pet can be a distraction to the driver, or can become a dangerous projectile in case of an accident.

In practical terms, that means pets are either going to be harnessed to a seat belt or put inside a carrier that's itself secured.

For all pets except dogs, a carrier is the only real option. Few cats enjoy riding in cars, especially since most trips end at the veterinary hospital, a place they'd rather not visit. Travel can stress even the most laid-back of cats, and a stressed-out cat is hard to handle. That's why a carrier, secured with a seat belt through the handle and covered with a towel to dim the light and muffle sound, is the way to go not only for cats, but also for birds, reptiles, rabbits and other pets.

For many dogs, however, a trip in the car is a treat. Your dog may want to sit in the front seat and hang his head out the window, but you shouldn't let him. A properly secured airline-grade carrier is the best option, but if that's not possible, a seat belt designed for dogs is another good choice. Since front air bags aren't designed for pets, animals should ride in the back seat.

Several manufacturers make seat-belt harnesses for dogs now, but my favorite so far is the PetBuckle. The sturdy, well-made harness took all of five seconds to figure out and put on my dog. The PetBuckle comes in four sizes, with a suggested retail of $36 from pet-supply retail outlets or petbuckle.com. -- G.S.

PET BUY

Great gear for bunnies

As more rabbits move from small outdoor hutches into our homes and lives, a few companies are working to provide products specifically for what are now being called "house rabbits."

Two such online merchants are Bunny Bytes: Outfitters of the Urban Rabbit (www.bunnybytes.com) and Leith Petwerks (www.leithpetwerks.com). Both companies offer a wide array of food, treats and toys, along with information on how to care for a pet who can be engaging and entertaining. (Most can also be trained to use a litter box.)

Leith Petwerks also manufactures some of the best cages for confining rabbits when they cannot be supervised. The two- and three-story cages with connecting ramps allow for rabbits to have room to roam without taking up too much floor space. The cages are not cheap -- prices start at $90 for one-story models, before shipping -- but they are well-made and durable.

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 petconnection@gmail.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

They don't purr like a cat or fetch like a dog. They have neither soft fur nor pleading eyes. But for a lot of people, reptiles and amphibians are perfect pets.

But which of these pets is best for a beginner? Iguanas are popular but are not suitable for any but the most dedicated of pet lovers. To get a list of reptilian recommendations, I turned to two veterinarians who specialize in reptiles (Dr. Douglas Mader and Dr. Linda Randall) and to two top authors and reptile-rescue volunteers (Melissa Kaplan and Liz Palika) to put together a list of relatively low-maintenance reptiles and amphibians for the first-time buyer. They are:

-- Bearded dragon. This lizard was the consensus best pick. "Baby beardies are very reactive -- fight or flight -- but if new owners are calm and gentle, the babies will settle down," says Liz Palika, author of "Turtles & Tortoises for Dummies" and "Leopard Geckos for Dummies." "Adult beardies, when calmly and gently handled, are equally calm, gentle pets that can live for 12 to 15 years."

Melissa Kaplan concurs. "They will get so relaxed," she says. "They grow to a reasonable size, 20 inches or so, and always have a semi-grumpy look on their face, which I find adorable."

-- Leopard gecko: A popular ad campaign for an insurance company has drawn attention to these lizards. Fortunately, they're good pets, according to the panel, and tolerate gentle handling well.

"They're smaller than the bearded dragons, about 6 inches long," says Kaplan. "They tend to look less scary because they're less prickly. They have a wonderful wide-eyed look about them, and they can live for a decade or so."

"These easy-to-care-for little lizards are great fun to watch in the evening -- they are nocturnal -- and fun to watch hunt for crickets or waxworms," says Palika. "They stalk their prey like a cat does."

-- Corn snake: "Captive breeding has produced wonderful colors and color variations," says Palika. "These are nice, calm snakes that rarely ever try to bite, and if they do, the bites are a warning you have done something wrong. Nice pets for busy people, as they require minimal care. Easy to care for, these snakes can live for 20 years."

-- Ball python: "These are also great snakes," says Kaplan. "They mature at about 4 feet in length. They are constrictors, though, and they love going up around your neck. You need to know the way to unwind a snake: Start at the tail and gently unwind."

--Pac-Man frogs and White's tree frogs: Two of the larger species of frogs available in the pet trade, both the Pac-Man and White's tree frogs had their fans among the expert panel.

"Pac-Man frogs got their name from the size of their mouth and their willingness to eat. The mouth is wide, across the entire front of the frog's head, and they will eat anything that fits into that mouth -- even other frogs," says Palika. "The White's are more active but don't get as big, either. They are a lovely shade of green and have folds of skin that are quite unusual."

"The Pac-Man frogs are vividly colored and marked, and very vocal," notes Kaplan. "My guy doesn't like the TV on at night and will bark at me. They can get to be 6 to 7 inches long."

Unlike the rest of the recommended pets, however, frogs shouldn't be handled. "Oils in our skin aren't good for their skins," says Kaplan.

Final advice from the experts: Deal with a reputable source for reptiles and buy a captive-bred pet only. And be sure you've done your research into housing, care and feeding before you buy.

SIDEBAR

Skip the iguana

One pet that experts agree is not for beginners is probably the most popular reptile of all: the green iguana.

"They are very complex lizards to care for, environmentally, psychosocially and nutritionally," says Melissa Kaplan, author of "Iguanas for Dummies" and owner of the Internet's best resource on reptiles and amphibians, anapsid.org. "Iguanas get extremely large, 6 feet in length within three to four years if cared for properly. And they are dangerous. They can break skin and sever tendons."

Kaplan says iguanas are also expensive and time-consuming to keep. "They have specific temperature and lighting requirements," she says. "I spend $150 a month to keep my iguana room at the proper temperature. There's also the food issue, with an hour or more of food preparation every week." Noting that what goes in must come out, Kaplan adds that the amount of mess to clean up with a full-grown iguana can be remarkable.

Liz Palika does reptile rescue in the San Diego area, and she knows the reality of what happens when those cute little iguanas start to grow or don't get the care they need.

"Our reptile rescue group gets at least four calls per day, every day, about people wishing to give up their iguana. The excuses are many, but most can be narrowed down to 'I didn't realize how big he would get' or 'He's sick and I can't afford the vet bills.'"

For the iguanas, the ending is rarely happy. Kaplan estimates that 90 percent of all baby iguanas sold as pets are dead in a year.

Q&A

Dog walkers display uncivilized behavior

Q: I just read the letter from one of your readers on the subject of dog urine and dead spots on the lawn. The reader said she when her dog squats on the neighbor's yard it doesn't leave a spot.

All I can say is she has a lot of nerve allowing her dog to urinate on other people's lawns! What is the matter with people? Are they devoid of all manners these days?

I'm appalled at you for not even mentioning that the behavior is rude, and I'm disappointed you didn't offer a practical solution, such as directing the dog to go in a specified area like run covered with pea gravel. -- V.D., via e-mail

A: It never fails that whenever I fail to seize on every possible opportunity to bludgeon pet lovers about being responsible, someone will write to complain.

For the record: Pet lovers should keep their cats from roaming and their dogs from barking. They should walk their dogs on-leash and keep them off their neighbors' lawns. They should also carry baggies so they can pick up whatever a pet drops wherever he drops it. I've written about all of this time and time again, to the point where some pet lovers complain that I must not really love pets.

I do love pets, of course, which is why I think it's important to be considerate of those who don't. Such consideration helps to protect our ability to have pets in the future.

That said, let's remember that it is not always possible to be perfect. Dogs cannot be relied upon to relieve themselves completely before leaving the house and stay "empty" until returning home. In the same way that I decided to "grin and bear it" with a neighbor's rock band (up to a reasonable hour, that is), I believe one has to accept the occasional lawn pit stop as a reality of life -- especially if the dog's owner has cleanup supplies at hand.

Living as most of us do in relatively close quarters, it's a good idea to try to be considerate of each other, and be tolerant as well.

Help for pulling dog

Q: Our dog is 2-year-old shepherd mix we got from the shelter. There's no way the kids can walk her, and she's supposed to be their dog. My husband jerks her back to his side when he walks her, but it doesn't help at all.

When we took Sammy to the veterinarian, she recommended we try a head halter. I've seen them a couple of times, but I thought they were muzzles. Do you recommend them? -- R.P., via e-mail

A: I like head halters, but recently I'm liking front-clip harnesses better. Here's the rundown on both:

-- Head halter. These work on the idea that where the head goes, the body will follow, a premise that has helped control horses for centuries. The problem with head halters is that many dogs initially hate them. They must be slowly acclimated with treats and praise.

-- Front-clip harness. The front-clip harness uses a dog's own momentum to stop the pulling. When the dog pulls, pressure on the front of the harness impedes her forward motion. The dog quickly learns to stop pulling.

At least three manufacturers make these harnesses now, and you should be able to find one at most pet-supply outlets.

Because I'm guessing your exuberant young dog has other behavioral issues, I'd recommend finding a good trainer. A couple of private sessions will help you get both the right equipment on your dog and a plan for turning her into a well-behaved member of the family.

(Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com.)

PET PLATES

License plates go to the dogs

Figuring out personalized license plates is one of my drive-time hobbies. It may be a waste of my time, but it's probably safer than talking on a cell phone.

Of course, I'm most delighted when I notice a pet-related personalized plate, especially one that I know few people would be able to figure out. Usually, I don't get to share my plate-deciphering skill with the owner of the car since we're both in traffic, but now and then I have a pleasant conversation over a license plate.

That was the case when I was sitting on a restaurant patio when a minivan with the plates "PGBV VAN" pulled up. I knew the plates referred to a breed of dog, the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, an adorable short-legged and fuzzy-faced French hound.

"I bet I'm the only person you'll meet all week who knows what your license plate means," I told the driver.

It's a little easier to figure out which license plates are pet-related when the vehicles are in the parking lot of a dog or cat show, and that's where this collection of plates is from.

California, where I live, has yet to offer a pet-themed plate to support spay-neuter efforts, but Arizona is firmly on the pet-lovers' list with its new license plate. Featuring a colorful illustration of a puppy and a kitten side-by-side, the plate's motto is "Pets enrich our lives." The plates cost $25, $17 of which goes into a fund to help with spay-neuter efforts. For more information, visit http://azpetplates.org.

(Do you have a pet-related license plate? Send a jpeg image and the story behind it to petconnection@gmail.com for use on a future Pet Connection page.)

BREED TYPE

Sleek Abyssinian likes to keep busy

The Abyssinian is not a cat who curls up purring in your lap while you read a book. The Abyssinian is a cat who lands spread-eagled on your book after zooming around the house, scaling the drapes, racing over the back of the sofa and plummeting down from the top of the china cabinet. And then looks at you, expecting applause.

Even if your Abyssinian doesn't cuddle on your lap, you'll never have the slightest doubt that he wants to be with you. Abys are extremely friendly and enjoy being close to their people. In fact, you'll often find an Abyssinian perched on his owner's shoulder (when not perched on the highest level of the bookshelf, that is).

The Abyssinian cat probably doesn't come from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) at all but, like so many cat breeds, from Southeast Asia. Whatever the origin of the breed, they clearly resemble cats depicted in ancient Egyptian art. This sleek grace, combined with their exuberant personalities, has made them the third-most popular shorthaired cat breed in the United States.

Abys come in a number of colors, including shades of fawn and gray, but are best known in ruddy red. They have a coat pattern known as "ticked" or "agouti," which resembles faint pinpoint speckling. Their short coat requires only occasional brushing to remove dead hair, making these cats very easy to care for.

Active and intelligent, the Abyssinian is basically a healthy breed. However, they can suffer from a few genetic disorders, so be sure to obtain your Abyssinian directly from a knowledgeable, responsible breeder or a reputable rescue group. -- Christie Keith, cathobbyist.com

THE SCOOP

Daily cleaning for pet dishes

No matter how thoroughly your pet licks clean the food dish, it's not clean enough to use again without washing. That goes for water dishes. I've seen water dishes in some homes with the beginnings of algae colonies forming on the sides and the bottom -- who'd want to drink from that?

Pick up your pet's food dish after every meal, scrub and wash in hot water and soap. The water dish should get the same treatment, on a daily basis.

Better still, run them through the hottest cycle of the dishwasher to get them really clean and sterilized. Stainless steel or heavy plastic "crock-style" dishes are best for frequent cleaning: They last forever and stand up well to the abuse a pet can dish out. I have stainless steel pet dishes that still look good after two decades of use.

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

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