By Liz Palika

Universal Press Syndicate

The pleasure we get from spending time with our dogs is one of the reasons we have them. But as much as we would love to take them everywhere, the reality for most of us is that our dogs spend a lot of time alone.

Dogs aren't really designed to stay by themselves, and many times they get themselves into trouble. One helpful tool for avoiding problems is to leave your dog with a treat-dispensing toy to keep your pet busy when you go.

One of the original treat-dispensing toys, and a regular presence in my dogs' toy box, is the Kong (www.kongcompany.com). The toy is made of a hard rubber, and although I've heard of a few dogs destroying the Kong, most do not. The Kong can be filled with dog treats, kibble, peanut butter, soft cheese or some commercial treats made expressly for this toy. Some dog owners fill the Kong with peanut butter and then freeze it. The Kong works because it takes time for the dog to get all the treats out from inside it.

Another treat-dispensing toy that has been on the market for a while is the Buster Cube (www.bustercube.com). This is a cube-shaped hard plastic toy with a hole in one side. Treats or kibbles are put in the cube, and then a dial around the hole can be adjusted to let a few treats out at a time or just one. The dog has to flip the cube to get the treats out. I always have a Buster Cube around, but I have to admit the Buster Cube can be noisy if the dog is flipping it around on concrete or a tile floor.

Busy Buddy makes a toy called Twist'N Treats (www.premier.com). The top and bottom can be unscrewed so that treats can be placed inside. Then the difficulty of getting the treats out can be adjusted by how closely together you tighten the top and bottom. While testing this toy, I found my Australian shepherds figured it out very quickly, got the treats and then got bored. But my business partner at Kindred Spirits Dog Training, Petra Burke, said her Pomeranian, Keely, loves this toy and continues to play with it even after the treats are long gone.

Busy Buddies also makes Tug-a-Jug. Ever put a handful of treats in a plastic water bottle for your dog to play with? This toy is along those lines, except that the bottle is too hard for the dog to chew up, unlike the water bottle. In addition, there is a stopper in the Tug-a-Jug bottle, a hard rubber rope with a larger end inside the jug. If the stopper is pulled out away from the bottle, no treats come out. If the stopper is pushed into the bottle, treats will come out. Bashir, my 5-year-old Aussie, loved this toy. He could think about it, puzzle it out, carry it around and get the treats. He worked at it for an hour and a half before I took it away so I could try it with another dog. However, Petra's Aussie, Logan, chewed off the rubber stopper. This could have been dangerous had he swallowed it.

Designer Nina Ottosson (www.nina-ottosson.com) offers the Dog Pyramid. Treats go inside, and a hole is near the top on one side to release the treats. The dog needs to knock the toy over to get the treats, but once knocked over, the toy always rights itself because of the heavy bottom. One of Kindred Spirits' trainers, Connie, has a 12-week-old puppy named Peaches. Connie said she began giving Peaches her morning kibble in the toy. It kept Peaches occupied so Connie could begin her day.

One of my dogs' favorite treat-dispensing toys is a kiddie pool. I get an inexpensive plastic kids' pool and fill it with water. I then drop a big block of ice in the middle as well as a handful of baby carrots and apple slices. The dogs can drink, play, splash, chew on the cube of ice and dunk for the treats.

When you introduce a new toy, always do so while you're there to supervise. Some dogs can be amazingly inventive or destructive, and you don't want your pet to hurt himself on a new toy.

(Pet Connection contributor Liz Palika owns Kindred Spirits Dog Training in the San Diego area. She's also the author of many top-selling books on pet care.)

Q&A

Helping cats deal with new Great Dane

Q: I am desperately trying to integrate a 3-year-old Great Dane rescue into our home with two very spoiled and loved cats. As long as the Dane can't get to them, they are OK, but she chases them if she can. I don't want to give any of them up, but I am concerned about the safety of our cats. Any advice? -- E.W., via e-mail

A: Getting dogs and cats to get along is easier if you start a "no-chasing cats" rule from day one and know how to enforce it. Since your dog has already experienced a few cat-chasing thrills, you'll need to prepare yourself for a longer haul in convincing all parties to get along.

Start by giving your cats a room that is off-limits to your dog. A dog-free sanctuary will help the cats accept the Dane while you are working on improving the dog-cat relationship. Put the cats' food, water, beds, litter and scratching posts in this room. Add a Feliway diffuser -- this product is a feline pheromone that helps cats relax.

After the cats are happy in their temporary sanctuary, you can move on to the next step and open the sanctuary door. Keep the Dane with you on a leash and do not allow her to enter the cat sanctuary. Teach her to respect this room as off-limits with a sharp "ah-ah" when she begins to cross the threshold. Use the leash to insist.

Over time, your cats will probably venture out of their safe room to see what you are doing. By keeping your Dane on leash, either connected to you or connected to a piece of heavy furniture near you, you can prevent any future cat chases. When the cats are out and you see the dog getting worked up, assume she is thinking about chasing cats. Interrupt her train of thought with that "ah-ah" and then give her something else to think about. Ask her to "sit," and then deliver a tasty chew for her obedience. Praise her "no interest" behavior toward the cats.

Your Dane must learn basic obedience so you can insist she follow your instructions on a daily basis. This will help her understand and obey your house rules. Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a dog trainer who makes house calls to help you teach her the basics of canine obedience on- and off-leash in your home.

Be sure you also give your dog enough outdoor exercise and indoor play daily to exhaust her physically and mentally. You don't want your cats to be the best game in town, so offer alternatives.

If you are able to prevent any further chases, give your cats a safe, no-dog place to hang out, and help your Dane learn your house rules, you can achieve your happily ever after canine-feline-human home.

Your cats may never love your Dane, but they will regain their quality of life. You can be sure they will also appreciate you for having their backs until your new dog learns that chasing cats is against your house rules. -- Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp, AnimalBehavior.net

PET BUZZ

Campaign raising funds to fight canine cancer

-- Cancer in dogs is the No. 1 cause of disease-related death in dogs 2 years of age or older, with one in four dogs dying from cancer. The Morris Animal Foundation (www.morrisanimalfoundation.org) is seeking to raise $30 million for cancer research by 2012. It will use the money to fund prevention studies related to genetics and tests on innovative techniques to save lives and ease suffering, to fund a tumor-tissue bank, and to establish an endowment to continue research for the future. The foundation points out that the research helps people as well as pets.

-- Cats can hear nearly three times more frequencies than humans can. For you technical types, a cat's hearing stops at 80 kilohertz, a dog's at 45 kHz, and a human's at a pathetic 20 kHz. Because cats can rotate their ears and focus each ear independently, they also can hear well from all directions.

-- Earth is home to about 1,000 species of bats, but fewer than 50 species live in North America.

-- A new product called Bowlingual claims to decode your dog's barks and is being released for sale in Japan this month. The product purports to decode a dog's vocalizations into human language and emoticons. The microphone transmits a bark to the handheld monitor, offering translations that its makers say include joy, sadness and frustration.

-- Carl Switzer, most famous for his childhood role as Alfalfa in the "Our Gang" comedies, died in 1959 at the age of 31, shot to death in an argument over a dog. -- 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." Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

THE SCOOP

Dog parks thrive on savvy owners

The best candidate for a dog park is a healthy, well-socialized and friendly dog of medium size or larger. Smaller dogs are more easily hurt, and shy ones can be intimidated.

Dogs who are aggressive toward people or other dogs have absolutely no business in a dog park -- no excuses.

Puppies who have not completed their course of vaccinations and haven't been cleared by the veterinarian for outings should also stay clear. That's because you just can't tell the disease status of other canine visitors. And until your pup's immunity is where it should be, you're taking a potentially deadly risk by introducing him to a dog park.

The biggest problem with dog parks is not the dogs, but the people. Some of those problems are caused by people who know better, but other conflicts could easily be prevented with a little knowledge and foresight on the part of dog owners who truly don't know better.

The preparation begins before you ever set foot inside a park with your dog. Don't go in with food (for either you or your dog) or with your dog's favorite toy, since these high-value items can trigger fights. Do go in with lots of cleanup bags, and be sure to use them.

Once inside, don't open a book or get too involved in socializing with the other dog lovers. Your dog needs to be monitored at all times to keep him out of trouble. Don't allow your dog to be bullied, and don't allow your dog to bully others. Sometimes the park mix isn't a good one, and you'll need to take your dog home.

Dog parks work only when people work at them. Be responsible for your dog and help to keep the drive for more dog parks alive. -- Gina Spadafori

BY THE NUMBERS

Younger vets like pet health insurance

The more recently a veterinarian graduated, the more likely he or she is to support the concept of health insurance for pets. So says a survey of veterinarians by the trade publication DVM Newsmagazine:

Approve of pet health insurance Year of vet school graduation

84% 2000-2009

78% 1990-1999

73% 1980-1989

63% 1970-1979

54% 1960-1969

PET Rx

'Pug-nosed' dogs can't take the heat

Dogs with pushed-in "pug-nosed" faces -- boxers, bulldogs, shih tzus and, of course, pugs -- are formally known as "brachycephalic" and come with some special health risks.

Perhaps primary among these is an intolerance to heat, because these dogs don't pant as well as other dogs. A dog with a more conventional face and throat is able to pass air quickly over the tongue through panting. Saliva evaporates from the tongue as air is passed across, and the blood circulating through the tongue is cooled and circulated back to the rest of the body.

In a brachycephalic dog, the extra work required to move the same amount of air causes the airways to become inflamed and swollen. This can lead to a more severe obstruction, distress and further overheating. As a result, these dogs are at high risk for heat stroke and should never be put in a position of being stressed by heat.

These dogs may also present a higher risk during anesthesia, which is why it's important to discuss pre-anesthetic screening and risk-management with your veterinarian before any procedure requiring that your dog be anesthetized. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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.

Universal Press Syndicate

Cats like places more than they like people, right?

Wrong. Your cat would rather be with you, no matter where you move to. But if you handle the days before and after moving day improperly, you're at a real risk of losing your cat. That's why it's important to take some time to do it right.

Cats are highly territorial and will seek out familiar places when stressed, which is why they attempt to return to their old homes. While you'll never manage a stress-free move for either you or your cat, you can make the best of the situation by keeping your pet secure before, during and after the move, and then by allowing your pet to gradually adapt to his new surroundings.

The best way to move your cat is to confine him to a "safe room" before and after the move, and to transport him from one house to another in a secure carrier. The ideal safe room is a spare bedroom or bathroom where your cat isn't going to be disturbed, and where he can be outfitted with food and water, a litter box, a scratching post and toys.

Don't feel bad about confining your pet. He'll be more relaxed in a small space where he won't be subjected to the stress of seeing people tromping around his house with the family belongings. Confining your cat also prevents him from slipping outside, which is a danger at both the old and new home. A frightened cat may be hard to locate on the day of the move if you don't make sure he's somewhere you can put your hands on him.

When you get to your new home, leave the carrier, with its door removed, in the safe room. Close the door to the room and leave him be while you unpack. Coaxing him out of the carrier with treats and praise is fine, but let him choose when and how much of the safe room he wants to explore. Never drag him out -- you'll upset your cat, and you might get scratched or bitten.

A couple of days after you've unpacked and things have settled down, open the door to the safe room so your cat can explore the rest of the house. Even if you plan to let him outside, keep him in for a couple of weeks. He needs to stay inside to start forming a bond with his new surroundings. Better still, make the most of the opportunity offered by a move and convert your pet to indoor-only status. Your new neighbors will appreciate it, and your cat will live a longer, safer life.

It's relatively easy to manage a conversion to indoor cat in a new home. He'd carry on like crazy in your old home if locked in, but in new surroundings he'll accept the change with little fuss. Part of the reason cats don't like to convert to indoor-only is because they've marked the outside as part of their territory and have a natural desire to revisit and re-mark it. A newly moved cat will learn to accept the territory he has been offered, and if the outdoors isn't part of it, he won't miss it as much.

Above all, don't rush your cat through a move. Confinement during the transition is also good for avoiding behavior problems that might pop up with the stress of moving. By limiting your cat's options to the litter box and scratching post in his small safe room, he will quickly redevelop the good habits he had in your old home.

THE SCOOP

Free help, great facts on pets and pesticides

Say you want to hire a lawn-care service, but you're just not sure about the information they're providing regarding your pets and their lawn treatments. Check out the information from the National Pesticide Information Center.

Centered at Oregon State University, the NPIC (npic.orst.edu) offers fact sheets on its Web site on active ingredients found in all manner of products. The site also features articles on such topics as snail bait and a section on "current hot topics," which in July included "non-CCA wood preservatives" and "permethrin-treated clothes."

"We handle the gamut. Slug and snail bait. Rodenticides. Sprays. Spot-on products. Where you have the public using pesticides, the potential is good for not reading the label properly and some kind of misuse occurring," says NPIC Director Dave Stone, who's also an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at OSU.

In 2008 the NPIC handled 26,440 calls, with 90 percent of those contacts originating from the general public rather than professionals. The service can help you use pesticides safely or find less-toxic alternatives, understand product label information and recognize symptoms of pesticide poisoning.

This year the NPIC expanded its function to take reports of adverse pesticide reactions directly from veterinarians. The EPA was searching for some sort of central reporting for adverse pesticide events in veterinary medicine.

At regular intervals, the NPIC will generate all the incident reports and a summary to pass along to the EPA. It hopes the information will help the EPA make changes to the label or to product use, and help to mitigate risks.

If you have any questions or doubts about pesticides of any kind, be sure to check with the NPIC. Prevention is always the best route to choose. -- Cheryl S. Smith

PET BUZZ

Gross-out ads get pet pickup done

-- A British ad campaign urging people to pick up after their dogs features a young child in a park eating, playing with and face covered in what appears to be dog poop, with a tag line noting that "Children will put anything in their mouths." The ad has gotten no complaints in the tourist town of Torbay, reports the BBC, and is said to be a hit with the permanent residents. And it may be having an effect: Dog doo-doo incidents went from 400 in April to 185 in June. The fine also probably helped get the attention of people who weren't picking up after their dogs.

-- Whether or not a bass will be hooked depends largely on genetics. A 20-year study by the University of Illinois found that fish that were more likely to bite on the bait had offspring who were also highly susceptible to a poorly considered meal. Fish who were less likely to find food on the end of a fishing line produced offspring who were less likely to be hooked, according to Smithsonian magazine.

-- Toronto drew 180,000 dog lovers and their furry companions in June for the seventh annual and largest ever Woofstock. The two-day event featured 200 pet vendors and entertainment for dogs and their owners, including a Mr. and Mrs. Canine Canada Contest, a doggie fashion show, canine weddings, dog parties and a memorial service to remember pets who have passed away.

-- The tiniest dinosaur to have walked the land of North America has been discovered outside of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. The dinosaur, Albertonykus borealis, is a type of tyrannosaur and is similar in size to a chicken, ran on two legs, and scoured for termites as a meal, according to ScienceDaily.com. The remains showed the dinosaur had tweezers-like teeth, long and thin legs, and forearms that were short like a Tyrannosaurus rex and most likely used to rip open logs in search of insects. -- 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." Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

PET Rx

Rabbit fix ends more than multiplying

Unwanted offspring aren't the only reason why it's important to neuter pet rabbits. Just as with altering dogs and cats, altering rabbits eliminates many health and behavior problems.

Female rabbits, for example, are at a high risk for uterine cancer, a leading killer of these pets over the age of 2. Spaying also removes the potential for common and potentially lethal reproductive-system infections.

Besides extending your pet's life span, neutering eliminates sex-related behavior problems. Sexually mature rabbits can be territorial or even aggressive, and may spray urine.

Neutering is riskier for rabbits than it is for dogs and cats because the anesthesia is a little trickier. In recent years, however, advances in anesthesia have tipped the scales in favor of neutering as a preventive health measure.

Work with a veterinarian who is experienced with rabbits -- not all are. The final safety precaution is yours: Follow your veterinarian's pre- and post-operative directions precisely.

Neutered and spayed rabbits make for better pets -- and fewer rabbits. With rabbits now adding to the strain on shelters and neutering being safer than ever, there's no reason not to have your bun fixed. -- Dr. Marty Becker

BY THE NUMBERS

Making 'cattiness' a plus

The company that makes Tidy Cat litter wants to end the perception that "cattiness" is a bad thing. Turns out there's a wide gap in perception in how people with more than one cat are seen by others and how they see them selves. From the Tidy Cat survey:

How people who don't own a cat think of people with more than one cat:

Homebody: 75 percent

Lonely: 60 percent

Crazy cat lady: 58 percent

In contrast, people who keep multiple cats consider themselves quite happy, describing themselves as caring and loving (96 percent), generous (90 percent), well-adjusted and fulfilled (87 percent).

PET TIP

Overgrown beak needs vet's look

Contrary to advice that can still be found in books or on the Internet, beak trims should not be a part of routine health maintenance for birds. Although beaks constantly grow at a rate of 1 to 3 inches per year, depending on the species, the beak of a healthy bird will remain at a healthy length with normal chewing activities.

Overgrowth of the beak is frequently a sign of illness, such as liver disease or malnutrition. Any bird whose beak seems to be too long needs to see a veterinarian expert in avian medicine to determine the cause of the problem and treat it accordingly. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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.

Universal Press Syndicate

The term "dog days" has more to do with astrology and the constellation Sirius than with our canine companions here on Earth. Still, we thought we'd celebrate the warm dog days of summer by offering up some cool facts from one of our books, "BowWOW! Curiously Compelling Facts, True Tales and Trivia Even Your Dog Won't Know." Enjoy!

-- The problem with panting: Compared to their owners, dogs have very few sweat glands. There are some in the paw pads, so dogs do sweat from their feet and from other relatively less furry regions of their bodies. But the primary way dogs cool off is by panting.

Panting is very rapid, shallow breathing that enhances the evaporation of water from the tongue, mouth and upper respiratory tract. Evaporation dissipates heat as water vapor.

Panting can reach frequencies of 300 to 400 breaths per minute (the normal canine breathing rate is 30 to 40 breaths per minute). Yet it requires surprisingly little effort. Because of the natural elasticity of the lungs and airways, panting does not expend much energy nor create additional heat.

And that's a good thing, because dogs are very easily overheated, prone to heat stroke in hot weather, especially when the humidity is also high, which minimizes the effectiveness of panting.

-- Follow the bouncing ball, with caution: A golden retriever named Augie holds the record for the most tennis balls held in the mouth at one time -- five, according to the Guinness World Records book.

Even when a dog can hold only one tennis ball, though, owners need to take care. Veterinarians warn that tennis balls should be used for supervised retrieving play only, and never allowed to be used as a chew toy. That's because a dog can compress the ball, which can then pop open in the back of the mouth, cutting off the air supply.

In other words, we don't recommend allowing your dog to shoot for that record.

-- Drink up: The average daily water intake for a dog is about 3 ounces for every 5 pounds of body weight, so a 25-pound dog would drink about a pint of water per day under average conditions. The amount goes up if the weather is hot, the dog is exercising or both. Depending on whether or not a pet eats canned or dry food, up to half of a pet's daily water consumption can come from food.

Dogs drink a lot of water, not only because they need it for normal bodily functioning, but also to create moist nasal mucous to help them with their keen sense of smell.

-- Computing "dog years": The idea that 1 year of a dog's life equals 7 human ones isn't accurate -- but the formulas to replace that easy-to-remember computation are too complicated to ever really catch on.

The first 8 months of a dog's life equals 13 years in human terms -- birth to puberty, in other words. At a year, a dog's a teenager, equivalent to a 16-year-old human, with a little filling out still to do. After the age of 2, when a dog's about 21 in human terms, every dog year equals approximately 5 human ones. But then you have to adjust for the fact that small dogs live longer than big ones.

-- Problems with pug noses: Dogs with extremely short muzzles and rounded heads are called "brachycephalic," and despite their adorable, almost human expressions, they have a host of health challenges related to their nonstandard-issue canine anatomy. ("Brachycephalic" comes from Greek roots, combining words for "short" and "head" to define these dogs perfectly.)

From the dog's point of view, being pug-nosed isn't much of a plus. The dogs are notoriously heat-intolerant and have such difficulty breathing that air travel is generally not recommended. The malformation of the skull often results in crowding of teeth that can cause dental issues. Snoring and drooling are also an issue.

Q&A

Bird furniture can be found for free

Q: I'm the proud owner of a cockatiel. The pet store set me up with a cage and everything I need, but I'm not sure about the perch. It's just a dowel, and I wonder if a tree branch would be more natural. Can you advise? -- L.P., via e-mail

A: You're on the right track. Pitch that boring wooden dowel and install a variety of perches for your new pet.

A perch is more than something to stand on for your bird. Chosen properly, it's also an important tool for helping to keep your bird physically and emotionally sound.

When choosing perches, think variety and select an array of textures. Choices you'll find at the bird store or through catalog or online retailers include rope, natural wood and concrete, and each should find a place in your bird's cage.

Some of the best perches around won't cost you anything more than the time it takes to trim them from your trees. Limbs from most fruit and nut trees make fine perches, as do those from ash, elm, dogwood and magnolia. Cut the branches to fit the cage, scrub with detergent, rinse well, and let them dry in the sun before putting them in the cage.

A final check is for insect pods -- just break them off and dispose of them in an outside trash can.

Check for wear as your bird chews on the perch, which is actually a good thing. Discard perches as needed and add more. With nature as your supply shop, you'll have no problem finding new ones. -- Gina Spadafori

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

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." Contact Pet Connection in care of this newspaper by sending e-mail to petconnection@gmail.com or by visiting PetConnection.com.

PET BUZZ

Dog problems pull trigger for cops

-- In New York City, one out of every four times an officer fires a gun, it is aimed at a dog. The New York Times reports that the police department considers dogs to be a top threat to its field forces, especially those animals trained or encouraged to be aggressive.

-- Pet-care services in the United States will expand 9 percent in the next five years, rising to $34 billion in 2013. The pet-care services market was $23 billion in 2008, with veterinary services making up for three-quarters of that amount, according to a study by Packaged Facts. Market growth in the pet industry has been expanding in areas such as mobile grooming, waste removal, pet travel, pet-sitting and pet walking, and funerary/bereavement.

-- The most bizarre veterinary claim incidents are being rewarded by the Veterinary Pet Insurance Co.'s first ever Hambone Award, which looked at more than a million claims to find the strangest. The award was inspired by a dog who jumped into a refrigerator and ate an entire Thanksgiving ham before being let out of the refrigerator and taken to the veterinarian with a mild case of hypothermia. One contestant in the running this year is a spaniel mix, Toby, who got a bone got caught around his front teeth and lower jaw. Toby was anesthetized and then had the bone removed with a hacksaw.

-- The first pet-only airline is Pet Airways, which flies with pets in the main cabin rather than in cargo. The airline has been flying since 2005 and serves the five boroughs of New York City, Washington, D.C., Denver, Chicago and Los Angeles, but has plans for expanding nationwide to serve its furry clientele. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker Shannon

THE SCOOP

Don't discount idea of adopting mature dog

The idea that an adult dog is somehow "damaged goods" as an adoption prospect is strangely pervasive, especially among people for whom an older dog would be perfect -- novices with neither the time nor the experience to raise a puppy properly.

Mature dogs of 5 years and older are especially recommended, since many dogs have an extended adolescence that can be avoided by choosing a dog who's often overlooked in the shelter. Many older dogs have years of loving left, and they deserve a chance.

The older dog can slide easily into your life and will bond just as surely as the dog you took home as a puppy. And older dogs are everywhere, available from private homes, rescue groups and shelters.

If you're interested in a purebred, a rescue group specializing in your breed can be the deal of the century -- these volunteer organizations typically offer their dogs for the cost of the shots and neutering that they've already taken care of.

While the older dog can be a marvelous find, you still have to be selective. While expecting to work on some things as your new dog gets used to you is reasonable, you want to avoid those animals who have too many problems, especially if one of them is aggression. Working with shelters or rescue groups that evaluate their dogs and provide them with basic training is highly recommended, as is signing up your new dog for a training class to help work through the rough patches. -- Gina Spadafori

BY THE NUMBERS

Cats and dogs, happy together

It's often said that there are "dog people" and "cat people." But in fact, a lot of folks are just plain "pet people." For example, many people who have a dog also have a (multiple answers allowed):

Cat 41 percent

Fish 20 percent

Bird 10 percent

Small animal 9 percent

Reptile 7 percent

Horse 5 percent

Source: American Pet Products Association

PET Rx

Even neutered dogs may need Viagra

Viagra (Sildenafil) is used for more than what it's most famous for. In both humans and canines, the drug is prescribed for severe pulmonary hypertension -- high blood pressure in the lungs.

The disease is physically debilitating, and many affected dogs are unable to walk across the room without collapsing. Once they receive the proper dose of Viagra, these dogs can take short, daily walks with their owners and return to a more normal quality of life.

So if you overhear Viagra being dispensed at your veterinarian's, you'll know its more likely for a heart condition than for "performance." That's especially true, of course, in a neutered dog.

And no, dogs aren't prescribed it for that "other" use. -- Dr. Marty Becker

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.