Universal Press Syndicate

Behaviorists love to recommend toys for all pets. Playthings are an important part of "environmental enrichment," a fancy phrase for strategies that keep animals from being bored and turning that boredom into destructiveness.

But as important as toys are for dogs and cats, they're even more essential to those who spend a great deal of time in cages that can never be big enough for a pet whose ancestors had the sky as their home.

No parrot can ever be happy, in other words, without toys.

Playthings are essential to maintaining the physical and mental well-being of parrots large and small. They help keep pet birds fit while fighting the boredom that can contribute to behavioral and health problems such as feather-picking.

Although you can buy toys by major manufacturers from the big chain stores, it's also nice to choose from the variety of playthings lovingly made by a cottage industry of bird lovers and available from independent bird shops, through catalogs and on the Internet. You can even make your own!

Some basic rules apply when shopping for toys, to ensure they are suitable and safe for your bird. Look for the following when choosing bird toys:

-- Materials: Toys are subject to your bird's healthy urge to destroy, which means safe components are a must. Wood, rawhide, plastic or stainless-steel chain, rope, cloth and hard plastic are among the more popular materials that make up safe toys. Choose toys that break down into pieces that can't be swallowed. An exception: Toys made to hold food items, such as dried corncobs or fruit chunks. With these, eating is a large part of the fun.

-- Construction: Challenging toys, the best choice for busy birds, feature pieces combined in ways that make it hard for the birds to pull the whole product apart -- but not too hard. Indestructible toys are not appropriate for most birds, because the time and energy used to rip apart the gadget is part of the reason toys fill such a need.

-- Size: Little toys for little birds, big toys for big birds. A big bird can catch and lose a toe in a toy made for a smaller bird, and small birds can get their heads trapped in toys made for their larger relatives.

Some birds are apprehensive of new toys. If yours is one of them, try to set the toy outside the cage (but within eye range) for a day or two, and then put it on the floor of the cage for another day or two. Once your bird starts to play with the toy, you can go ahead and attach it to the cage. (Stainless-steel split-ring key chains, available at any hardware store, are a safe, secure and inexpensive way to attach toys to cage bars.)

Don't overwhelm your pet with toys. Instead, keep two or three in the cage and rotate new ones in regularly.

Shopping for bird toys can be fun, but the costs do add up, especially if you have one of those gleefully destructive parrots. With some creativity, you can make your money go further by complementing store-bought bird toys with alternatives.

The cardboard cores of toilet-paper and paper-towel rolls are perfect for shredding, especially for smaller birds. String those tubes together on a thick leather cord and hang them in your bird's cage. Other cheapies include ballpoint pens with the ink tube removed, ping-pong balls, old plastic measuring cups and spoons, and plastic bottle tops. (Wash in hot soap and water, rinse well and air-dry before offering such items to your bird.)

Toothbrushes are another bargain toy, sturdy and colorful. You can buy cheap ones new or give your pet your worn ones after running them through your dishwasher. (Or hand-washing in soapy water, followed by rinsing and air-drying.) The hard plastic keys on a ring sold for human babies are also a budget-wise buy that birds love, and real keys can be just as fun, after a scrubbing.

Keep your eyes and mind open for playthings your bird can enjoy -- you may surprise yourself with the possibilities!

Q&A

Neutering a first step in solving problem

Q: We have a 3 1/2-year-old cocker spaniel. He is pedigreed, so my husband is against getting him neutered because he says he wants to breed him in the future. The problem is that I am finding our dog has some behavioral problems that I believe may be lessened if he were fixed. Primarily, he is aggressive to people who come to our door or walk by our house. He runs and aggressively barks at them.

I am concerned that if he doesn't get fixed, we'll have to find a new home for him. If you have any ideas that could be persuasive with my husband, I would greatly appreciate the help. -- S.M., via e-mail

A: Territorial and protective aggression are normal canine behaviors. We're guessing your cocker spaniel also goes crazy when the mail arrives.

What we think happens in the canine mind in such cases is pretty simple: The dog sees what he interprets as a threat approach the home and tells that threat to back away. The threat leaves, and the dog feels power over the situation.

The dog now feels he can control people who approach, because when he threatens them, they back off. The dog doesn't know they were leaving anyway. Then, in the dog's mind, we guess he thinks something like, "How dare they keep coming back after what I told them?" The dog probably gets more serious to make his point. Your dog's confidence goes up every time a person passes because he is taking the credit for them leaving.

One way to think about your cocker spaniel's behavior is that he has simply found work at home that he enjoys and feels good about. Dogs need outlets for normal canine behaviors. If you don't want your cocker to continue his chosen line of work, you will need to engage him in equally satisfying activities.

Dogs who are housebound build up frustrations. In nature, canines wander (getting plenty of physical exercise) to seek food (getting plenty of mental exercise). At maturity, it is not unusual for aggression to show up in an adult dog when basic canine needs are not being met.

We agree with you that neutering is a good first step, reducing your cocker spaniel's testosterone levels, which do affect aggression. However, neutering alone will not change the behaviors you describe unless you combine the surgery with behavior modification.

Your dog needs a new job to replace his current passion. With help from a behaviorist or trainer, you can learn how to channel that passion into new, satisfying work that promotes desirable home behaviors.

An example is teaching your dog that he gets what he wants by doing what you want. Dogs do very well as indoor members of human families when they work to earn their keep. What motivates dogs to learn good behaviors is learning that specific words such as come, sit, down, stay, wait, fetch, quiet and more are the tickets to everything a dog could ever want or need.

In order for your dog to learn from you, he must be relaxed. Your dog needs daily walks and car rides to new places to help release the mental and physical stress he gets from living an urban life. Your dog cannot cooperate and follow instructions if he is confused. (Instructions are words that tell your dog what to do and replace trying to tell your dog what not to do.)

Be fair to your dog by seeking professional help from a behaviorist or trainer to provide your pet with alternatives to charging people when they walk by. Not only will you and your husband be happier if your pet stops the aggressive behavior, but you will also both discover a relationship with your dog that makes everyone happier. -- Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp, AnimalBehavior.net

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

PET BUZZ

DNA tests point to poop droppers

-- People can now can now walk without worrying about dog poop in the streets of Petah Tikva, Israel, now that they're using science to pick up where the dogs left off. Veterinary Economics magazine reports that the city has launched a six-month trial that asks residents to take their dogs to a veterinarian to collect DNA. The information is then used in a database aimed at matching feces to dogs and identifying each dog's owner. Owners who pick up their dog droppings and deposit them in specially marked bins will be eligible for rewards of pet food coupons and dog toys. Droppings left in the street could earn the dog's owner a fine. The city is considering requiring DNA samples from all dogs if the trial run is successful.

-- Quick bites: In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated. ... A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes. ... A snail can sleep for three years. ... A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.

-- Bird flu remains a threat primarily to poultry, not humans, among whom it's poorly transmitted. Since a peak in 2006, the number of confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu reported to the World Health Organization has tapered off, with 38 cases in 2008 -- the majority in Indonesia -- leading to 29 deaths. That's a tiny fraction of the number of deaths each year from regular influenza. As reported in The New York Times, a threat remains in the strain's potential to mutate into a truly human disease that the WHO warns could kill tens of millions. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars," and a monthly drawing for more than $1,000 in pet-care prizes. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

THE SCOOP

Want a better pet? Get moving!

Your dog barks non-stop. Your dog digs, ruining your yard. Your dog chews anything he can get his teeth on. What's missing from this picture? Chances are, it's exercise.

While environmental management (such as removing barking triggers or giving a dog something acceptable to chew) and training your dog are important, these strategies are only part of the solution. When dogs don't get the exercise they need, it causes problems.

If you're thinking of getting a dog, think very seriously about what breed you want and whether you can provide an active dog with the exercise it needs. If you can't honestly say that your dog will get 30 minutes of heart-thumping aerobic exercise at least three to four days a week -- daily is better -- then you really ought to reconsider getting an active breed.

Instead, consider the alternatives. For large breeds, look at the sighthounds, such as the greyhound, saluki or even the massive Irish wolfhound. These breeds were not developed to work all day like the retriever, husky and sheepdog, but rather to go all-out for a short period of time and then chill out. They're big, but they're couch potatoes by choice. Many guarding breeds, such as Rottweilers, boxers and Akitas, also have relatively minimal exercise requirements. All dogs love and need their exercise, but not all dogs will go crazy if they don't get a ton of it.

Most small breeds are easier in the exercise department, too, not because they don't need a lot of exercise, but because it's not as difficult to exercise a small dog with short legs. A Yorkie, pug or corgi can get good exercise in a small yard or on a brisk walk. -- Gina Spadafori

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

Top AKC dogs for 2008

Every year the American Kennel Club releases its ranking of the top breeds registered with the organization. AKC rankings don't reflect the purebreds not registered with the club or registered with another organization, nor do they reflect the popularity of the popular cross-breeds, such as the Labradoodle (Labrador-poodle mix). The top 10:

1. Labrador retriever

2. Yorkshire terrier

3. German shepherd

4. Golden retriever

5. Beagle

6. Boxer

7. Dachshund

8. Bulldog

9. Poodle

10. Shih tzu

ON GOOD BEHAVIOR

Surprise your pet for good response

If you want your dog to come when you call without thinking twice, call your dog a few times daily for a fun surprise.

Call your dog to initiate play, to get dinner, to leave home for a walk or car ride, or to enjoy a petting session. Mix up the good stuff, so your dog never knows what to expect but learns that it's all good.

If you never make the mistake of calling your dog and then doing something your dog thinks is unpleasant, your dog will automatically come when you call with a wagging tail and happy look on his face.

Always praise your dog as he's heading toward you, since silence can worry dogs. If he hesitates, squat down to his level with open arms. Good routines become good habits. -- Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp, AnimalBehavior.net

Universal Press Syndicate

The signs of illness in cats can be particularly subtle, so much so that owners often don't realize their cats are sick until they're really sick -- and sometimes that's too late.

To keep your cat healthy, you must be able to recognize what is normal for your pet so you can tell when something isn't right. Changes in appetite, drinking habits, litter-box routines, grooming, and even a change in the sound of your cat's voice can all mean trouble -- and should mean a trip to the veterinarian.

Physical changes are important, too. A monthly hands-on examination will help you become aware of changes that could signify something serious.

Before starting a hands-on exam, though, stand back and study your pet for a few minutes. Consider his posture, activity level, gait, coat and overall appearance for an impression of good health. Trouble signs include exposed skin, thin or dry coat, ribs showing, sluggishness, limping or just a lack of "spring" in his step.

Pick up your cat and head for the bathroom scale. Note your weight with your cat, then yours alone. The difference is your cat's weight, and it should be between 8 and 10 pounds. Your cat is normal if a comfortable pad of fat lies over his ribs but you can still feel the ribs if you press your hands in gently. A difference of a pound up or down is fine over the course of a few months -- anything more, or rapid weight loss, is reason for concern.

Now for the hands-on part. Here's what to look for:

-- Nose. Your cat's nose should be moist and clean, not dry, scabbed or cracked. There should be no discharge or bleeding.

-- Eyes. Probably the most beautiful part of any cat, eyes should bright, moist and clear, centered between the eyelids, with the pupils of equal size. Eyes that are dull or sunken, that appear dry or have thick discharge are not right. Take your cat into a darkened room, and then quickly turn on a light. The pupils should contract quickly, with no difference between them.

-- Ears. The skin should be clean, dry, smooth and without wounds. The ear canal should be clean and almost odor-free. Crust, moisture, discharge or strong odor in the ear canal is bad news, as is pain at the touch or an unusual way of holding the head or ears.

-- The mouth. Your cat's teeth should be clean and white, with gums that are uniformly pink. Press on your pet's gum with your finger or thumb and release quickly. The color will be white but should return to the same color as the surrounding tissue within one or two seconds, a sign your cat's circulatory system is working well. Problem signs here include loose or missing teeth, tartar, or gums that are red, pale, inflamed or sore in appearance.

-- Breathing. It should be hard to hear your cat breathe, and his chest wall should move easily in and out as he does. Most of the act of breathing should be performed by the chest wall; the stomach should barely move. "Crackles" or wheezes indicate a problem, as does labored or rapid breathing.

-- The abdomen. Start just behind the ribs and gently press your hands into the abdomen. Proceed toward the rear of your pet, passing your hands gently over the abdomen. Some bumps should be there -- they're internal organs, such as the kidneys. You should find no other lumps, bumps or masses, though, and your pet should feel no discomfort as you press gently into him.

-- Hydration. Check to ensure your cat has enough fluids by pulling the skin just behind his shoulder blades into a tent and then releasing quickly. Your pet's skin should snap immediately back into position. Another good sign of hydration is that the gums just above the teeth are moist when touched.

Chances are your cat will check out fine, in which case your exam should turn into a long, loving petting session. If anything came up that worries you, see your veterinarian to ensure your cat's good health.

Q&A

Curing a dog of licking carpets

Q: We have a year-old longhaired dachshund, a spayed female. She has plenty of toys to chew on, but she licks the carpets all over the house. Sometimes she scratches on the rugs as though she is trying to build a nest. That I can understand, but the licking? What do you think? -- S.L., via e-mail

A: One reason dogs lick objects, including surfaces like your carpet, is because of stress. Excessive licking can be what's called a "stress-induced displacement behavior." It means that this particular dog, in this particular environment with these particular genetics, is having trouble coping with something.

When dogs are in conflict over two seemingly stressful choices, they may choose a third option: the displacement behavior. For example, if you ever punished your dog during house-training by rubbing her nose in the carpet, she may believe you want her to lick the carpet.

Any time she feels a need to relieve herself or get your attention, she may begin the carpet-licking because she is in conflict about what else to do. Behaviors become repetitive if the dog gets any kind of positive outcome, such as your attention, or if the behavior seems to help her escape punishment.

In the dog's mind, it's like he's figured out a safe retreat behavior: "My owner never yells at me or hits me when I lick the carpet."

The trigger could also be some other stress. Possible sources of stress for dogs who check out as healthy by a veterinarian include a lack of sufficient exercise, no clear training, misunderstood punishment and no feeling of control over their environment.

Our guess is that your dachshund may have normal canine confusion that comes from not understanding the dynamics of a human household.

Dogs can also have obsessive-compulsive disorders. Your dog could have an OCD if it is difficult or nearly impossible to interrupt the licking behavior with a toy or treat. Displacement behaviors can become compulsions. The longer a behavior has been present, the more difficult it is to replace it with a more desirable behavior.

Try to change your dog's behavior by using gentle interruptions -- no scolding or punishment, because that may increase your dog's anxiety and increase the licking behavior.

If your dog begins licking the carpet, your best bet is to immediately turn your back and leave the room. Teach your dog that chewing or playing with toys results in your positive attention, while licking the carpet results in no attention. Do not be emotional, as dogs read and react to our emotions.

Be aware that if your dog has learned to lick the carpet to capture your attention and you suddenly remove that attention, then your dog's carpet-licking may increase and your dog's anxiety may increase, resulting in new attention-seeking behaviors.

Each dog, like each person, is distinct. You may be doing everything right and this is just who she is. In that case, if she's doing no harm to herself or the carpet, you can simply ignore the behavior. If it has become a problem for you or the dog, ask your veterinarian for a referral to a veterinary behaviorist who can work with you to change your pet's behavior. -- Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp, AnimalBehavior.net.

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

*

PET BUZZ

Hey! His treat looks better!

-- Loyalty may be why we love our dogs, but scientists have found that dogs can display a less-appealing attribute: envy. Austrian scientists found that a dog may stop obeying a command if he sees that another dog is getting a better deal. Until now, chimpanzees and some monkeys were the only non-humans to show what is called "inequity aversion" in the absence of a reward. The study used well-trained dogs who offer a paw on command. The researchers put the two dogs side by side but treated them differently, giving one a better reward (sausage) and the other a lesser one (bread) when the paw was given, or giving one dog no reward at all. The quality of the reward made little difference. But in the case in which one dog got no treat at all, that dog became less and less inclined to obey the command.

-- Whether the hair on a horse's head curls around clockwise or counterclockwise can tell you whether the animal is right- or left-footed, say researchers in Ireland. Clues to which direction a horse favors could help trainers develop animals who run straighter and maybe even win more races.

-- Research involving the use of animals is down by half since the 1970s, according to USA Today. Opponents of animal testing focus on the number of drugs that have tested well in animals but failed in humans (among them, HIV/AIDS vaccine and Vioxx). Proponents point to the drugs or procedures that were discovered, tested and refined in animal trials including: insulin, vaccines for rabies and polio, skin grafts for burn victims, CAT scans, corneal transplants and heart bypass surgery. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars," and a monthly drawing for more than $1,000 in pet-care prizes. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

THE SCOOP

Proper handling makes parrots better pets

Parrots are brilliant pets. They learn quickly and respond best to owners who practice consistent, firm handling and gentle training. Punishment is a parrot no-no.

Some guidelines:

-- Learn when to leave your bird alone. Birds are emotional and sometimes quite moody, and there are times when it's best just to let them be.

-- Control your bird's comings and goings. Instead of opening the cage door to let your pet out, ask your bird to step up onto your hand and then bring him out. Likewise, give the "step up" command when it's time to put your bird back in his cage. This routine sends a message of leadership to your bird.

-- Keep training sessions short and upbeat. Parrots are highly intelligent, but they don't have the longest attention spans. They get bored easily. Several short interactive sessions a day -- just a couple of minutes at a time -- are better than one or two long ones.

-- Don't let your bird ignore a command. If you say "step up," persist until your bird complies or you'll set yourself up for trouble down the road. Birds are very smart, and if they figure a way around you, they'll take it. -- Gina Spadafori

PETS BY THE NUMBERS

We love to buy pet toys

Pet toys are more than an indulgence -- they can help prevent destructive behavior and keep pets more fit and less bored. According to the American Pet Products Association, 62 percent of dog owners buy toys for their pets. The top toys reported by those buyers, by percentage reported purchased, with multiple answers allowed:

Balls 63 percent

Plush 44 percent

Rope 40 percent

Hard rubber 31 percent

Nylon bones 26 percent

ON GOOD BEHAVIOR

Show your dog how to be calm

When you are walking your dog and you see something that triggers out-of-control behavior, resist the temptation to yank back on the leash. Instead, set a good example for him.

Do not yell at him to stop. Your agitation only increases his. Be calm: Let out a deep breath, squat down and get him to sit, reinforcing the behavior you want until whatever it is that drives him bonkers passes by.

Talk softly: "Yes, that's a school bus. Gooood sit. Gooood quiet."

Being calm provides your dog with emotional leadership. If you begin praising his calm behavior before he blows his top, it will be easier for him to maintain self-control. And eventually, the triggers will no longer fire the behavior you don't want.

(Animal-behavior experts Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp run AnimalBehavior.net.)

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

And Gina Spadafori

Universal Press Syndicate

People who have dogs are more likely to have just one. Cat lovers, on the other hand, tend to go for the multiples.

But in a lot of those multi-feline families, relations between cats are a bit strained. And when cats aren't happy, nobody's happy. The noise of cats grumbling threats at each other or engaging in frequent rumbles can get on one's nerves and even mean trips to the veterinarian. And the litter-box problems that can be a part of such turf wars can turn an entire house into a toilet.

Living with more than one cat doesn't have to be so contentious. The trick to domestic harmony for cohabiting felines is to introduce -- or reintroduce -- them slowly and carefully.

If you don't have a cat yet and know you'll eventually want two, it's easiest to adopt two adult siblings or two kittens at the same time. Adult siblings who have grown up together are already used to each other, and unrelated or sibling kittens don't have the sense of territory that grown cats have and will settle down together into a new home nicely.

But even a solitary adult cat can learn to enjoy living with another adult. Since the worst territorial spats are between cats who aren't spayed or neutered, your chances for peaceful co-existence are many times greater if the cats are both altered before any introductions are planned.

Prepare a room for your new cat, with food and water bowls, and a litter box and scratching post that needn't be shared. This room will be your new pet's home turf while the two cats get used to each other's existence.

Take your new cat to your veterinarian first, to be checked for parasites such as ear mites and contagious diseases such as feline leukemia. When you're sure your new pet is healthy, the introductions can begin.

Bring the cat home in a carrier and set him in the room you've prepared. Let your resident cat discover the caged animal, and don't be discouraged by any initial hisses. When the new cat is alone in the room, close the door and let him out of the carrier. If he doesn't want to leave the carrier at first, let him be. Just leave the carrier door open and the cat alone.

Maintain each cat separately for a week or so -- with lots of love and play for both -- and then on a day when you're around to observe, leave the door to the new cat's room open. Above all: Don't force them together. Territory negotiations between cats can be drawn-out and delicate, and you must let them work it out on their own, ignoring the hisses and glares.

Eventually you can encourage them both to play with you, using a cat "fishing pole" or a toy on a string. And slowly feed them in ever-closer proximity.

If you already have two cats who don't get along, treat them as if they've both just arrived. Give each cat his own space and let them slowly work out their territorial disputes. But remember: Some cats will never get along. For these, separate quarters -- such as one upstairs, one downstairs -- may need to become a permanent arrangement.

SIDEBAR

The more boxes, the merrier

One of the most common points of conflict in multi-cat households is the litter box. Some cats don't like to share, and that may force other cats to avoid the litter box altogether.

The rule of thumb behaviorists use: one box per cat, plus one.

Place the litter boxes in different parts of the house, and arrange each so a cat can feel secure but also keep an eye on his surroundings. No one likes to be ambushed while on the john! And don't forget the first rule of litter-box management: Keep 'em clean.

If it sounds like a lot of trouble, consider this: The one sure loser in any litter-box war is the person who cleans up the messes. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

Q&A

Nasty dog needs some retraining

Q: I have a 2-year-old Chihuahua. I recently went away for eight months and had him looked after by my parents. My parents are too easy on him, and he seems to like them more.

He doesn't want me going near him. And when I try to stroke him, he growls and shows his teeth and tries to go for me. At first, when he became angry he would get over it within a few minutes and give me a cuddle as an apology, but not anymore. I try to play with him using his toys, but he goes all stiff. I try to give him his treat to like me again and he'll take it from me nicely, but then he doesn't want to know me afterward and starts growling.

What can I do? -- F.A., via e-mail

A: You are not alone. Canine aggression often shows up (and shocks pet owners) for the first time when a dog reaches full maturity at around 2 years of age.

The fact that you were gone for eight months is one factor. Dogs fall into routines once they figure out how to get what they want and need. Your dog has fallen into the routines put in place by your parents. It's unfair to the dog to expect him to understand changes you want, as he may not catch on to what you are trying to accomplish.

If your parents have catered to your dog, then it is predictable, according to canine logic, that your dog has determined that he tells people what to do and they do it. In such circumstances, a dog may begin to insist on human compliance. When humans do not cater to a dog's request, the only way he knows how to insist on what he wants is to show aggression.

We're guessing that in your dog's mind, he thinks he has the right to decide when you start and stop stroking him. If you do not stop stroking him when he thinks he has communicated clearly to you to stop, then he shows his teeth to make sure you get the right message.

What's important for you to know is that your dog is not being a bad dog. He is simply a confused dog.

Chihuahuas have a reputation for aggression. Punishment and harsh corrections only made this behavior worse. We strongly suggest you consider getting help from a veterinary behaviorist to make sure no one gets hurt as your dog learns the new house rules. Ask your veterinarian for a referral.

The earlier you seek professional help, the easier it will be for your dog to relearn how to live as a well-behaved, loving member of a human family.

Your dog needs clear, gentle instructions to help him learn that he is not really in charge. The best way for you to start turning the tables on his perception is to begin a routine of hand-feeding him all his food. During hand-feeding, use the food to lure him into positions such as "sit" and "down," and praise him for these acceptable behaviors. If he shows any sign of aggression, then you and the food disappear. He must learn that you control the food, the rules, the household.

You will need to practice tough love by ignoring your dog for awhile so that he does not think he is in charge of you or that he can get all your attention anytime he wants it. You want him to begin to be motivated to learn how to earn what he wants by learning to do the acceptable behaviors you want. -- Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp, AnimalBehavior.net.

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

PET BUZZ

Pain med could last three weeks

-- Good news for older dogs may be near. Clinical trials have begun at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine on a new injectable pain-relieving drug. Veterinary Product News reports the medication has a sustained release ingredient that could fight chronic pain for up to 21 days.

-- Is the woolly mammoth on the comeback trail? At Penn State University, they've deciphered much of the animal's genetic code, a feat they say could allow them to re-create the shaggy, prehistoric beast in as little as a decade. Full-sized mammoths, about 8 to 14 feet tall, became extinct around 10,000 years ago. The Associated Press reports the project marks the first time the DNA of an extinct species has been decoded, and the feat raises the possibility that other ancient animals such as mastodons and saber-toothed tigers might someday walk the Earth again.

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books.

On PetConnection.com there's more information on pets and their care, reviews of products, books and "dog cars," and a monthly drawing for more than $1,000 in pet-care prizes. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

THE SCOOP

Ferret lumps need a veterinarian's check

Lumps and bumps are common on ferrets as they age, but their presence should never be taken for granted. A ferret with a skin mass of any kind needs to see a veterinarian promptly to have the mass evaluated and possibly removed.

The veterinarian will start examining the mass by manipulating it to see its shape and how it's connected to surrounding tissue. The next step is for a needle to be inserted into the lump and some fluid removed for evaluation. This procedure is not very painful and is usually done with the animal awake.

Because lumps in ferrets are often cancerous, the veterinarian will probably recommend that any mass that looks suspicious be removed while the animal is under anesthesia. The mass will then be sent to a pathologist for further identification to help identify proper follow-up treatment. -- Dr. Marty Becker

BY THE NUMBERS

Top names for dogs and cats

The list of top pet names from Veterinary Pet Insurance for 2008 confirms the impression that people names are now more popular than traditional pet names such as Fido and Fluffy. In fact, notes VPI, some of the most popular dog and cat names -- Bella, Chloe, Sophie and Bailey -- also rank among the Social Security Administration's most popular baby names.

Dogs

1. Max

2. Bailey

3. Bella

4. Molly

5. Lucy

6. Buddy

7. Maggie

8. Daisy

9. Sophie

10. Chloe

Cats

1. Max

2. Chloe

3. Tigger

4. Tiger

5. Lucy

6. Smokey

7. Oliver

8. Bella

9. Shadow

10. Charlie

Source: www.petinsurance.com

PET TIP

Keeping snowballs from dogs' paws

The biggest problem with dogs and snow is that it gets stuck in their feet. The dogs try to get the snow out, and by doing so, turn it into a snowball. Then they keep trying to get the snowball out and lick it into an ice ball.

For dogs who have hair growing between their pads, a frequent trim of hair over, around and especially under the foot is the best way to prevent snowballing. Another approach is using a wax product called Mushers Secret (musherssecret.net), which is designed for sled dogs. It helps prevent snowballing and protects pads from salt and de-icers. For dogs who tolerate them, boots work well, too.

Finally, don't neglect to wipe your dog's feet when you come in from walks to remove de-icers, salt and other nasty stuff. -- Phyllis DeGioia

Pet Connection is produced by a team of team of pet-care experts headed by "Good Morning America" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are also the authors of several best-selling pet-care books. Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper, by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.