Universal Press Syndicate

Hurricanes in the South, Wildfires in the West: Some disasters have seasons, but others don't. Which is why no matter where you live, you need to be ready -- and include your pets in your plans.

Disaster preparedness is so easy to let slide. We get all worked up after a major disaster is in the news, and certainly after we're lucky enough to be reminded of the potential -- a thick layer of smoke, in my case, with the nearest fire two counties away.

We read up, we stock up, we move on. And then, we forget. In a pinch, we take the can opener out of the emergency kit and don't replace it. We rotate the food and water into our kitchen cupboards, but we don't buy anything new to rotate into the supplies in the garage.

It's human nature, of course, to react to immediate threats and to put off preparing for something that might never happen.

If you're one of those people who not only have a disaster plan but have also included your animals in it, now is the time to review those plans. If you've never done any disaster planning, for you or your pets, this is as good a time as any to start.

Before you begin, ask yourself if your pet is in the best health he can be. It's survival of the fittest, after all! If your pet is obese, out of shape or behind on such preventive-care measures as vaccines, get to your veterinarian.

Next, start your preparations with something you've probably already taken care of, by making sure your pets have ID.

Most animals will survive a disaster, but many never see their families again because there's no way to determine which pet belongs to which family if the animals go missing, a common occurrence even under normal circumstances. That's why dogs and cats should always wear a collar and identification tags. Add a microchip, too, and make sure it's registered.

Once your pet has up-to-date ID, it's time to collect some equipment to help you cope in case of an emergency. A big storage bin with a lid and handles is an ideal place to keep everything you need together and on hand.

Keep several days' worth of drinking water and pet food, as well as any necessary medicines, rotating the stock regularly. For canned goods, don't forget to pack a can opener and a spoon. Lay in a supply of empty plastic bags, along with paper towels, both for cleaning up messes and for sealing them away until they can be safely tossed.

For cats, pack a bag of litter and some disposable litter trays.

Even normally docile pets can behave in uncharacteristic ways when stressed by an emergency, which makes restraints essential for the safety of pets and people alike. For dogs, leashes should always be

available.

Shipping crates are probably the least-thought-of pieces of emergency equipment for pets but are among the most important. Sturdy crates keep pets of all kinds safe while increasing their housing options.

Crated pets may be allowed in hotel rooms that are normally off-limits to pets, or can be left in a pinch with veterinarians or shelters that are already full, since the animals come with rooms of their own.

The final item of restraint for dogs and cats: a soft muzzle, because frightened or injured pets are more likely to bite. And don't forget to put first-aid supplies in your disaster kit, along with a book on how to treat pet injuries.

You may never have to pull out your disaster kit, but it's always good to be prepared.

For more information or a free emergency preparedness brochure for pet lovers, visit www.ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY.

Q&A

Creating a jungle for cats inside

Q: We have three cats. Two are sisters, and we got them as kittens. The other we took in when a friend became ill. All are females, all spayed, and they get along reasonably well.

The older cat was originally a stray. She was extremely insistent about going out, and we finally gave in and let her out when someone is home. Fortunately, the neighborhood is fairly safe. The other two picked up on the going outside business and all three now go out for a few hours in the daytime.

One of them has now become proficient at catching small birds and brings them alive or partially alive into the house. We really don't like this and would appreciate some tips on how to change them back to indoor-only cats, if possible. Also, do bells on collars really work, since maybe that would at least hinder her ability to catch birds. They all wear collars, but not bells. -- T.Q., via e-mail

A: If your only concern is about the hunter cat turning your home into the nature channel, the easiest thing to try is a cat bib ($11, catgoods.com). While they may not be the best feline fashion statement, these devices hang down the front of a cat and keep them from being able to get the jump on their prey. As for bells on cat collars, they do sometimes work to scare birds away. But some cats learn how to stalk without ringing their bells. Who says cats aren't smart?

The better route to take is convincing your three outdoor adventure lovers to accept an indoor-only life.

Indoor cats are safer. They tend to live longer, be flea-free and rack up fewer medical bills. Some say indoor cats are better companions because their people are the best action in town. That's a lot of incentives for you. The hard part is providing enough incentives to convince your cats to accept this change gracefully.

Feline frustration can turn into an orchestra of cat complaints. Some cats complain vocally (nonstop), others make the 50-yard dash to the door their sport (nonstop), and others play Tarzan indoors from curtains to couches. Cranky cats may pick on each other. Just a few escapes can drag out this feline focus and fury on gaining freedom. If you decide to make them indoor cats, go cold turkey. Once they're in, they're in forever.

When you take away the great outdoors, replace it with a new indoor cat jungle. If you have feline door dashers, you may want to confine the cats to a room or rooms that do not have access to an outside door. Your challenge will be to provide enough adventure indoors.

Purchase a few floor-to-ceiling cat trees for climbing and perching. Place new things to explore in the room every day. Boxes and bags make great cat caves to investigate. Add catnip mice in new places. Buy a variety of scratching surfaces, both vertical and horizontal. Add a few containers of cat grass. Forget food bowls and begin feeding the cats from food puzzle toys. Buy cat toys that look like real prey and begin daily indoor hunts. Laser lights make great bug imitators on floors and walls. Rotate these objects and rearrange the indoor jungle landscape to keep it all interesting.

Your new job is leader of the daily indoor hunt. Use the variety of preylike cat toys to get your cat crew stalking, chasing, leaping, climbing, running and pouncing. Be prepared to change the prey type and game every few minutes to keep your kitties going. You want them panting before the hunt is over. Watch your cats beam when you praise them for catching the stunt prey. You can also toss in treats to add meaning to this prey reality show.

The better you are at creating a new nature environment indoors, the less fuss and stress for you and the cats when changing from outdoor to indoor scenery. Mentally and physically tired indoor cats will be more contented ones. They may never completely give up trying to escape, but over time their efforts will wane. -- Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp, AnimalBehavior.net

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

PET BUZZ

Real bear inspired Winnie the Pooh

-- Veterinarian Harry Colebourn was on a troop train stopped at White River, Ontario, in 1914 when he bought a bear from a local hunter and named it "Winnipeg," in honor of his home town in Manitoba, Canada. According to The Globe and Mail newspaper, the bear became the brigade mascot and was later given to the London Zoo. Winnipeg became the inspiration for Winnie the Pooh, after A.A. Milne's son, Christopher, visited the zoo and named his stuffed bear after Winnipeg.

-- New York's John F. Kennedy airport has installed a "pet relief" area -- a 30-by-50-foot enclosure with a patch of natural grass and a red fire hydrant. The new pet zone is in the departures section of the American Airlines area.

-- The California Institute of Technology used high-speed film to watch flies before they are swatted, and found a fly need about 200 milliseconds to identify and avoid a swat. For those trying to swat flies, the tactic is to creep up slowly, as flies have difficulty processing slow moving objects, and aim a little bit ahead of the fly, anticipating the direction in which they will make their escape flight.

-- Dog and cat bites constitute 1 percent of emergency room visits in the United States every year, with a treatment cost of $1 billion. Severe infections develop in about 20 percent of the bites. Hands have the highest chance of infection, with about a third of bites to hands becoming infected with potentially devastating results. -- 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

Commonsense pet care prevents disease

If you think about all the diseases one can contract from animals -- from rabies to worms and more -- it's almost enough to make you want to go pet-free and wrap yourself up in plastic.

In fact, it's pretty mind-boggling how many diseases and parasites can be passed from pets to humans. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control helpfully supplies a pretty scary list of them. The CDC's Healthy Pets, Healthy People Web site (www.cdc.gov/healthypets) offers an in-depth examination of these so-called "zoonotic" health risks, and it includes special advice for people at higher risk, including those with immune-system weaknesses and those whose jobs involve working with animals.

At the top of the list of concerns would likely be rabies, a deadly disease more common in wildlife than in pets, thanks to decades of aggressive vaccination laws. Other worries are bacterial, with pets capable of transmitting salmonella, leptospirosis and campylobacteriosis, to name a nasty trio. Diseases caused by parasites include tapeworm, hookworm, roundworm, Lyme disease and giardia. And there's even ringworm, which is really a fungus. Toxoplasmosis is a special concern for people sharing their lives with cats.

Pets are not the only source for many of these diseases -- in many cases, improper food handling is a bigger risk. You can reduce the chance of your animal or bird companion making you sick by keeping your pet free of disease and by making sure all family members wash hands frequently when around animals. -- Dr. Marty Becker

BY THE NUMBERS

Who brings home the kibble?

The kids and dad may beg for a pet, but mom had better be onboard with the addition. That's because chances are she'll be the one doing the shopping. Only when the pets are saltwater fish does the percentage of women doing the shopping fall. According to a 2006 study:

Women as primary shoppers

All pets 79 percent

Dogs 79 percent

Cats 81 percent

Saltwater fish 67 percent

Source: American Pet Products Association

THE SCOOP

Why do cats go for cat haters?

Why, in a room full of people, will a cat invariably make a beeline for the one person in the room who hates or is allergic to cats?

Cats don't like eye contact from strangers -- they find it intimidating. When a friendly cat wanders into a room, he'll notice that all the people who like cats are looking at him. So he heads for the one whom he thinks is being polite -- the person who isn't looking at him. The cat doesn't realize that the person isn't looking because he doesn't want the cat near him. It's just a little bit of cross-species miscommunication.

That's one theory, anyway. Or maybe putting cat fur on the slacks of a cat hater really is the ultimate in feline fun. -- Gina Spadafori

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

Hardly a day goes by when there isn't a news story about a dog attack somewhere. When school starts, children may become especially vulnerable, walking and biking through their neighborhoods to class.

To be fair, dogs aren't the biggest risk that children face growing up. Organized sports, for example, are 10 times more likely to result in a child's trip to the emergency room than are dogs.

And although in most cases the dog involved in a serious attack is the family's own, it's also true that many neighborhoods are not safe for walking or biking because of a dog. These animals are accidents waiting to happen because their owners either don't know or don't care that their dogs are a public menace.

The experts say the signs are usually there long before a dog attacks. The dog is typically young, male and unneutered. He is usually unsocialized, a backyard dog with little to no interaction with the family. He is often inadvertently trained to be vicious by being kept full-time on a chain or in a small kennel run.

Is there a dog like this in your neighborhood -- or in your own yard? If it's the latter, call your veterinarian and arrange for your pet to be neutered, and then ask for a referral to a behaviorist who can help you rehabilitate your pet. Don't put this off: Your dog is a danger, and your own family is at risk.

Of course, you can't control what other people do with their animals. That's why you have to make sure your children know how to behave around dogs to protect themselves. Here's what everyone should know, and what parents need to teach their children:

-- Never approach a loose dog, even if he seems friendly. Dogs who are confined in yards, and especially those dogs on chains, should also be avoided. Many are very serious about protecting their turf. If the dog is with his owner, children should always ask permission before petting him and then begin by offering him the back of a hand for a sniff. Further, they should pat the dog on the neck or chest. The dog may interpret a pat from above as a gesture of dominance. Teach your children to avoid fast or jerky movements around dogs, since these may trigger predatory behavior.

-- Be a tree when a dog approaches, standing straight with feet together, fists under the neck and elbows into the chest. Teach your children to make no eye contact, since some dogs view eye contact as a challenge. Running is a normal response to danger, but it's the worst possible thing to do around a dog, because it triggers the animal's instinct to chase and bite. Many dogs will just sniff and leave. Teach your children to stay still until the animal walks away, and then back away slowly out of the area.

-- "Feed" the dog a jacket or backpack if attacked, or use a bike to block the dog. These strategies may keep an attacking dog's teeth from connecting with flesh.

-- Act like a log if knocked down: face down, legs together, curled into a ball with fists covering the back of the neck and forearms over the ears. This position protects vital areas and can keep an attack from turning fatal. Role-play these lessons with your child until they are ingrained. They may save your child's life.

Discuss safe behavior with your children and role-play how to approach dogs, when not to approach, and what to do if confronted or attacked.

You don't need to scare your children, but you do need to make sure they're ready, just in case. And going over the "what ifs" isn't a bad idea for you as well.

Q&A

What to do about the 'new' dog flu

Q: A friend sent us a news story about the "dog flu," and now we're worried. It sounds really awful, and we want to know how to protect our pet. What do you advise? -- R.P., via e-mail

A: We checked with Dr. Melissa Kennedy, a clinical virologist at the University of Tennessee Veterinary Teaching College and infectious disease and immunology consultant for the Veterinary Information Network.

"Canine influenza virus (CIV) is a contagious viral disease spread most commonly among dogs with close contact or shared airspace, much like our influenza," she said. "Pet dogs at home are at very low risk. Dogs that board or frequently commingle with other dogs could be at risk."

What kind of risk are we talking about? "CIV is generally a mild disease, with typical symptoms of cough, some lethargy, fever and perhaps nasal discharge," said Kennedy. "As with the human influenza, there is a risk for secondary bacterial infections, which can be serious. This risk is highest among puppies and elderly dogs, where immunity may not be as good as in healthy adult animals."

Bottom line from Dr. Kennedy: "For most pet dogs, and probably most cases, it causes mild disease."

She confirmed that canine influenza is probably one of many causes of "kennel cough," although she used its more correct medical name, canine respiratory disease complex. "There are several viral and bacterial agents that may play a role in this disease complex, of which canine influenza virus is one," she said.

We asked her about the new vaccine, just approved in June. It's a killed virus vaccine and does not actually prevent infection with CIV. Nor does it protect your dog from becoming ill, although it might make his symptoms less severe (or not). And it also doesn't mean your dog, sick or not, can't infect other dogs, even after he's been vaccinated.

She said she does not consider the new canine influenza vaccine a "core" vaccine that should be given to every dog, but rather a tool that might be helpful in shelters, kennels or other environments where dogs are housed in close quarters and high numbers. She also agreed that vaccinated dogs, who can still be infected, could carry the disease home to other dogs.

Of course, influenza viruses are tricky things, and can mutate rapidly and unpredictably, so anything we say about CIV today could be wrong tomorrow. This virus could become nastier, or less nasty, over time; we really don't know. But for the moment, it's basically no bigger danger to our dogs than kennel cough is, which is to say, in most cases it will cause mild symptoms (or none). Yet in some dogs, particularly the very young, very old and immune-compromised, it can cause more severe illness and even death.

It can also be a real threat in crowded environments such as shelters or anywhere dogs are kept together in a confined space, and the new vaccine may have a role to play in those kinds of settings. But the average couch-sitting, yard-playing, park-walking pet probably isn't going to benefit from this vaccine, and probably isn't at much risk of severe illness from the virus, either -- anymore than we humans are from the common cold. -- Christie Keith

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

PET BUZZ

Pet trade puts parrots at risk

-- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reviewing the status of 12 parrot species, of which many or all may be considered endangered because of rapid declines in population resulting from the pet trade. Under review, according to The (Portland) Oregonian: the blue-headed, great green, hyacinth, military and scarlet macaw; the grey-cheeked parakeet; the white, Philippine and yellow-crested cockatoo; and the crimson shining, red-crowned and yellow-billed parrot.

-- Six dogs died running the 2009 Iditarod, more than double the average for the 1,150-mile race. According to Scientific American, there is criticism of the popular event, with some questioning if the risk to man and dog is worth it, while others express concern over the possibility of performance-enhancing drugs being used on the canine athletes. In response to the criticism, race officials require mushers to carry sick or injured dogs to the next checkpoint, and all racers must finish with at least six healthy canines. A plane follows the teams and randomly tests canine urine for drugs, while volunteer veterinarians supervise the race.

-- Dogs are being trained to sniff out minute levels of problem foods for their allergic owners, a skill that can potentially save lives. According to Reader's Digest, the dogs even sniff the hands of others to determine if they have problem foods on them and need a hand-washing before interactions are safe for highly allergic people.

-- The city of Santa Monica, Calif., will spend $100,000 to flush out pigeons and their droppings from the water system. According to the Los Angeles Times, the city hired Bird Busters to install netting under the Santa Monica Pier to reduce the number of pigeons and the bacterial pollution caused by their droppings. Whatever the efforts, there are doubts that anything will keep pigeons away, as the pier's structure will remain very inviting to the birds that many think of as "winged rats." -- 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.

PET Rx

Bite abscesses best dealt with by prevention

Nearly every free-roaming cat will one day need to see a veterinarian to have an abscess treated -- surgically opened, flushed clean of debris, and sometimes temporarily held open by drains to let the wound heal with the help of time and some strong antibiotics.

Sound awful? It is. And the cost of treating these injuries can really add up.

The good news is that an abscess is one of those health problems that can usually be prevented by keeping a cat indoors. That's because this common feline health problem is often the result of a puncture wound, specifically a bite from another cat during a fight over territory or mates.

A cat's mouth is a nasty mix of bacteria, and once that bacteria gets punched into another cat's body, the result will probably be an abscess. Think about it -- bacteria being injected with two bacteria-laden hypodermic needles (the cat's fang teeth) into a perfect incubator (another cat's 101 degree-plus body). The only possible outcome is infection.

The best way to prevent your cat from getting a bite-wound abscess is to neuter him to reduce his desire to fight over females. And, again, it would be even better to keep him indoors.

The bacteria in a cat's mouth is also why even relatively minor cat bites can become serious medical issues for humans, leading to hospitalization in some cases. Any time you're bitten or scratched by an animal, you should wash the area immediately with soap and water and have the wound checked out by your doctor. -- Dr. Marty Becker

BY THE NUMBERS

Back to school -- with pets!

When students head off to college, most leave their pets with their parents. But not all have to. Petside.com put out a list of colleges that welcomes some pets into the dorms. Here's Petside's top five pet-friendly colleges:

1. Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, Fla.): Students are allowed to have cats and dogs (less than 40 pounds) as well as snakes and fish.

2. Stephens College (Columbia, Mo.): The college has one designated "pet dorm," which allows dogs, cats, hamsters and guinea pigs.

3. Washington & Jefferson College (Washington, Pa.): One dorm accepts cats and dogs (less than 40 pounds), small birds, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, turtles and fish.

4. Principia College (Elsah, Ill.): The college has seven dorms and university apartments that allow pets, including cats, rabbits, caged animals and fish.

5. California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, Calif.): Cal-Tech allows cats in all dorms, as well as small caged animals and fish.

THE SCOOP

Right setup means happy, healthy fish

Without plenty of filtered, aerated water kept at the right temperature, fish will become stressed, ill or may die.

Experts say that for best results, get a 55-gallon tank and a high-quality filter capable of processing 100 percent of the aquarium's water at least three times every hour.

After the tank is ready, wait 48 hours and then add a couple of fish. Good starter species include leopard or zebra danios and the smaller barbs, as well as that easiest of all beginner fish, the guppy. Be patient: Wait a few weeks to add more fish.

If a large tank isn't possible in your home, one fish that can do well in a tank that's 10 gallons or even less is the magnificent betta splendens, an aggressive species usually kept as a solo fish. Other good choices for small tanks are white cloud minnows and dwarf gouramis. -- Christie Keith

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

I live on a horse ranch in Northern Idaho, in a part of the country where losing an arm in a logging accident is considered the cityfolk equivalent of a scratch. My poker buddies are men who eat nails for breakfast.

The men up here like to project a Rambo-like image to the outside world, but inside there's sometimes a secret love that they won't freely admit, even to their own wives and especially to their veterinarians.

You see, real men don't own cats. That's their story, and they're sticking to it.

Now, let me explain.

One of the things I've always gotten a kick out of as a veterinarian is watching somebody bring a cat in, holding the animal lovingly, and then hurriedly passing it off to the receptionist like a furry hot potato, mumbling: "This is ma's cat. I'm just dropping it off for her."

Or, "This is my girlfriend's cat, and she asked me to bring it in for her."

As veterinarians, we're more than happy to oblige any request for care, but we know a dirty little secret that's not very well hidden. That little pussycat is their beloved pet, too. It's just that they can't admit it. Or worse yet, show their affection.

Because real men don't own cats.

Case in point: A few years back I was working at a cat-only veterinary hospital and a watched guy who looked like a shoo-in for the Biker Hall of Fame walk through the door with a cute little kitten.

"Here," he said, setting the kitten on the counter. "My woman asked me to drop this hairball off for you to spay and give her her shots. I'll come back tonight and pick her up."

The veterinarian, with a wink and a nod to me, took the cat into the back and started the procedures.

Later that day, the tough guy came in, paid the bill and received his "fixed kitty" -- minus a few things but now adorned with a cute little pink bow, thanks to a tech with an offbeat sense of humor.

Thoroughly disgusted, the man hurriedly paid the bill and walked off, holding the kitten at arm's length like the little creature had a contagious disease.

A few minutes later I was sitting outside in my car, ready to go home, when I witnessed the most amazing transformation in the man. Once safely outside in his truck and thinking himself unobserved -- people in love are usually so oblivious -- the he-man started sweet-talking the kitten.

"Did they hurt you, little girl?" he asked the kitten. "Well, don't you worry, 'cause daddy's going to go by the store and pick you up a special treat for tonight because you've been soooo brave!"

Huh?

Could this be the same guy who treated the kitty that morning with the same fondness he'd have for helmet laws and gun control?

Oh yes, it was.

As we veterinarians know, men like these aren't too willing to let the world in on their little secret: that they love their little kitties and can't wait for their purring pets to curl up next to them at night.

So the next time you're in the veterinarian's waiting room and see a tough guy come in with a cat he seems to loathe, you'll know what we veterinarians know:

That cat's not ma's pet after all.

Q&A

Can fighting dogs ever reach a truce?

Q: We've had two female chow chows since they were 6 weeks old, and they're both middle-aged now. They got along marvelously until about a year and a half ago.

One day they got into a fight. We were able to break it up before real harm was done, and we've kept them separated since. Our veterinarian suggested that since they've drawn blood, they shouldn't be allowed to be alone together, because the next time we may not be able to break it up.

Luckily for us, our yard is such that we can separate it with one dog on each side. My husband had a custom wrought iron gate built so they can see and interact with each other without being able to hurt each other. When we bring them indoors, we have to deal with each one separately.

It breaks our hearts that we can't be with both at the same time. Is there anything we can do to bring them together again? -- P.S., via e-mail

A: Just as with people who go through a nasty divorce and can never share the same room without a fight, some dogs cannot go back to sharing space in peace after bloodshed. And sometimes, that's the fault of their owners.

It helps to understand the differences between the social interactions of dogs and the interactions of people. Dogs by nature establish a pecking order within social groups to avoid conflict. Once that hierarchy is established, dogs stay where they land within the social order unless circumstances change the overall situation. People handle things differently, usually attempting to avoid social conflict by treating others as equals. For example, parents try not to show favorites when raising children.

But when people treat family dogs as equals -- as if they were human children -- they sometimes actually create the canine conflicts.

Of course, humans aren't the only reason why dogs within a family will stop getting along. Dogs fight when it's unclear who is calling the shots. Some say that dogs of the same breed, sex and size are more likely to fight because nature intended a natural order based on who is the larger, stronger canine. But we also see the physically larger, stronger dog deferring to the more tenacious dog. For example, the dog who cares the most about food may end up being the one who controls it.

It's hard to tell if your dogs have irreconcilable differences. Getting them back together may be possible if there has been only one fight and if it could be explained by circumstances that you are careful not to duplicate. To give you a reliable answer, though, we would need insight into the social history of the dogs, including descriptions of any tensions you have observed over the years.

Your best bet is to seek a thorough analysis of the dogs' behavioral history from a veterinary behaviorist or trainer with experience in canine aggression. Such an analysis can shed light on the source of tensions between the dogs and give you options on how to proceed. You may not get the answers you want, but at least you'll know your chances of getting them back together.

If the problem turns out to be simple, you may be able to make a few small changes that will help the dogs get along, such as avoiding those situations that press their hot buttons. But in other cases, getting two warring parties to get along may require a massive commitment of time and money, with no real guarantee of success. -- Susan and Dr. Rolan Tripp, AnimalBehavior.net

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

PET BUZZ

Trained dogs locate hidden cell phones

-- A Belgian Malinois named Alba has been catching rule breakers in Maryland's North Branch Correctional Institution, where inmates have been smuggling in cell phones. The phones often are hidden in pieces and in difficult-to-detect places such as shoe heels, book bindings and toilet pipes. But Alba and other specially trained dogs are able to detect the specific scent that cell phones carry. The state's five cell phone-sniffing dogs in Maryland's prison system found 59 phones last year, according to Wired magazine.

-- If your greyhound takes off on you, you'll never catch him. The National Greyhound Association reports that it takes an elite greyhound three steps to hit a cruising speed of 45 mph.

-- Bear-proof canisters may be more bear-friendly than previously thought, according to The New York Times. The BearVault 500 had been tested successfully in Yellowstone National Park and at the Folsom (Calif.) Zoo to withstand all bear break-ins, including those by grizzlies. But the BearVault didn't figure on the bear known as Yellow Yellow. The black bear in the High Peaks region of the northeastern Adirondacks has managed to master a canister-opening technique that often confuses campers. Yellow Yellow was fingered for the break-ins by her radio collar, which put her at the scene of the crimes. She opens canisters by pushing in the first tab with her teeth, turning the lid with her head, and then pushing in the second tab. Other bears are following her lead, campers report.

-- Snakes are able to move forward by using their belly scales, which are oriented to snag on irregularities. They then push their bellies into the ground to produce friction and move ahead. -- 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

Cure for dog's begging? Stop giving in

The easiest way to stop a dog from begging is never to let the habit start.

When we like the dog's behavior, we say we're "sharing" our food. When we don't like the behavior, we call it "begging." And we foolishly expect our dogs to see the difference.

But we are the ones who control and shape a dog's behavior. If you never want your dog to stick her nose in your plate, put her head on your knee or paw at your arm, then don't ever reward her with food when she does.

What if it's too late for that? With patience and consistency, you can change your dog's behavior by never rewarding the begging again. When your dog finally becomes convinced that she will never again see another piece of food delivered from off your plate, she'll stop asking. You can also have her practice a behavior that's incompatible with having her nose on your knee -- a down-stay on the other side of the room while you're eating.

But be warned: If you're inconsistent, you'll actually make the problem worse. Rewarding a behavior occasionally is called random reinforcement, and it's a powerful motivator. In fact, it's what keeps the gambling industry so profitable: You never know when a slot machine will pay off big, but a little payoff now and then keeps you playing. -- Gina Spadafori

BY THE NUMBERS

More pets, more pets!

No culture in the world seems to love pets more than ours does. Pet ownership of all kinds continues to climb, with nearly three-quarters of all homes finding room for a pet:

Year Percent of homes with a pet

1988 52

1992 54

1996 58

2000 63

2004 69

2008 71

Source: American Pet Products Association

PET TIP

Higher hidey-holes mean happier cats

Cats are highly territorial, which sometimes causes problems in multi-cat households. Every cat needs some space of his own to be happy, and one of the best ways to provide each of your pets with room to roam is to think "up."

Cats naturally adore looking down at others, and by giving your pets plenty of room up above to move about, you're giving each cat some room of his own. Tall furniture with flat tops -- such as bookcases or entertainment centers -- are ideal, as long as you leave room enough for your cats to play among the decorations.

Even better: Add tall cat trees to your home, especially those with platforms at the top and cubbyholes for hiding. Cat trees are a great do-it-yourself project, or check garage sales for secondhand ones. -- Gina Spadafori

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.