WATCH OUT FOR YOUR DOG TO KEEP SWIMMING SAFE AND FUN

Rivers have always been a part of my life. I grew up in Sacramento, Calif., a city that began at the spot where two mighty rivers meet. Such placement has always been a risky business, and the levees that hold the waters in place don't seem strong enough many a year.

But even when the rivers stay where we want them, they're still plenty dangerous -- to swimmers, to boaters and to the dogs who love the water as much as we do.

Most times, some caution on the part of their owners -- not only around rivers, but near any body of water -- would prevent potential problems. The keys to water safety for dogs: prevention, preparedness and awareness.

At this time of year, I always like to remind everyone that yes, dogs drown. And no, they don't know better than to just swim -- even when it's dangerous. You need to look out for your pet.

No dog should be given unsupervised access to a backyard pool or a neighborhood pond or creek. Swimming pools are best fenced off for safety. And if that's not possible, they should be equipped with alarms that sound when the surface of the water is broken by a child or pet falling in. Escape ramps are a great idea, but it's better to prevent pets from getting in unsupervised in the first place.

Prevention also includes teaching your pet what to do when he's in the pool. Dogs don't understand the idea that the steps are on one side only, and they may tire and drown trying to crawl out the other side. If your pet likes to swim, work with him in the pool to help him learn where the steps are, so he can get out easily. Tip: Put contrasting paint or tape on the fence behind the steps to give your dog a visual clue he can count on.

Finally, obedience training is extremely important. Your dog should come when called, even while swimming, so you can call him back before he heads into deeper water or stronger currents. Emergency shortcut: Always carry extra retrieving toys. A dog who's heading out into a dangerous area after a ball or stick can often be lured back to shore with a second item thrown closer in. It's no substitute for training, but it could save your dog's life.

Before letting your dog swim in any natural surroundings, survey the area for safety. Rivers and oceans can change frequently, and an area that was safe for swimming one visit can be treacherous the next. Consider currents, tides, underwater hazards and even the condition of the water. In the late summer, algae scum on the top of standing water can be toxic, producing substances that can kill a pet who swallows the tainted water. When in doubt, no swimming. Better safe than sorry.

One of the best things you can do is to take courses in first aid and CPR for your pets. Many local Red Cross chapters offer these classes, and some veterinarians may also teach them in your community. A dog who's pulled out near death from drowning may be saved by your prompt actions -- if you know what to do.

If your dog isn't much of a swimmer, or is older or debilitated, get him a personal flotation device. These are especially great for family boating trips because most have sturdy handles for rescue if a pet goes overboard.

Last year, I moved from a neighborhood near one river to a little farm closer to another. This year, I'll be extra careful before I let my retriever swim, because I don't know the hazards here yet, and I need to before I throw a stick into the current for the first time.

Q&A

What do dogs see when

they look in the mirror?

Q: Our dog will sometimes come into the bedroom and startle at the sight of herself in our mirrored closet doors. Sometimes she'll even bark. Other times she takes no notice of her reflection at all. Does she recognize that it's her? Or think it's another dog? -- via Facebook

A: The answer is actually a little more complex. In psychology circles, the mirror test is considered an important evaluation of self-awareness in animals and a sign of the normal development of cognitive skills in children.

Humans are typically 18 months old before they are able to recognize themselves in the mirror. Among animals, only higher primates, dolphins, orcas, elephants and, surprisingly, European magpies are currently known to recognize that what they see in a mirror is a reflection of themselves. Even more interesting, perhaps, is that while pigs show no sign of recognizing their own reflections, they are able to use other information seen in the mirror, such as identifying the location of food placed behind them.

That doesn't necessarily mean other animals aren't intelligent enough to know when they run across other signs of themselves. The animals who "pass" the mirror test rely on vision as their primary sense. When a cat or dog first sees his image in the mirror, he often reacts as if a strange animal suddenly appeared. But when the image doesn't pass the "sniff test," the pet generally decides to ignore it for good.

Animals do recognize their own urine smell, however, as anyone who has ever walked a male dog knows. Checking "pee-mail" and hitting "reply all" with your own scented urine is a priority in any male dog's to-do list. As animals who rely more on their sense of smell than vision, dogs believe that when one contradicts the other, what the nose knows goes, every time. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Pet-store puppies

prone to problems

-- If you find yourself falling in love with that puppy in the window of a pet shop, or dying to click "Buy me!" on an Internet puppy site, you'd better think again. A study of behavioral problems in these dogs -- which typically come from large-scale commercial breeders known as "puppy mills" -- suggests you'll be buying more than your share of trouble.

The study of more than 2,000 dogs, published recently in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, looked at puppies from commercial sources versus small-scale, home-based breeders. The puppies sold through typical puppy-mill outlets had high rates of behavior problems, including shyness and aggression, and extreme sensitivity to touch. The animals were also harder to house-train.

"Until the causes of the unfavorable differences detected in this group of dogs can be specifically identified and remedied, we cannot recommend that puppies be obtained from pet stores," the study's authors state in conclusion. Veterinarians have long noted higher rates of acute and congenital disease in animals from high-volume sources.

-- Some dogs need their space. That's the message of YellowDogProject.com, which is raising awareness of the meaning of a yellow ribbon on a dog's leash. The ribbons mean a dog may be fearful, aggressive or even too fragile to be pounced on by friendly people or dogs. Sometimes the situation is temporary and the dog is being rehabilitated, either physically or mentally. But sometimes the Yellow Ribbon status is permanent. The website says the concept has been introduced in almost 50 countries. It's based on putting a ribbon on horse's tail, to indicate and animal who may kick. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

BARKING DOGS BENEFIT FROM TRAINING AND ELIMINATION OF BARK TRIGGERS

At this time of year, our windows open up to sweet scents of spring -- and the headache-inducing annoyance of the neighborhood nuisance barker.

Is this dog yours? The owners of problem barkers seem to develop an ability to ignore the noise that has their neighbors thinking of legal action -- or worse. But a dog who's barking night and day isn't having any more fun than the neighbors are, and you owe it to both your pet and those who can hear him to fix this problem.

The first step is to figure out why your dog is sounding off so much. Dogs bark to express a variety of emotions: anxiety, boredom, territoriality, aggression, playfulness and hunger. Certain conditions in a dog's environment can trigger these emotions -- and the barking fits -- more frequently.

The typical neighborhood nuisance is an outdoor dog who isn't getting the exercise and attention he needs. Dogs are social animals and need to be part of a family. If your dog's outside because of poor manners or because he isn't house-trained, give him another chance. Ask your veterinarian for a referral to a trainer or behaviorist and arrange for an in-home consultation to fix the underlying problems.

Once you've brought him into your life, keep him busy with regular outings. Exercise, both of the body and of the mind, works wonders for all dogs, especially those who bark from boredom or to release excess energy. You'll be amazed at how much calmer, happier -- and quieter -- your dog will be!

For the barking that remains -- some dogs are just naturally yappy -- your task is to train your dog to be quiet on command when you're home and to reduce the barking triggers when you're not.

Teach your dog to be quiet by distracting him from barking, saying the word "Quiet" or "Enough," and then praising him for minding -- he'll make the connection soon enough, with repetition and lots of praise. Rattling a can filled with pennies is a commonly recommended distraction, and it works well. Shouting at your dog does nothing except make you feel temporarily better, since your dog may see your own loud yap as "chiming in."

Work to minimize barking cues to keep your dog quiet when you're not home. If your dog barks while looking through a window that faces the street, keep him out of that room while you're gone. Many dogs fire up when they hear car doors slam; other dogs bark at the mail carrier's steps on the walk. Muffle these sounds by leaving a radio playing while you're not home, and your pet is more likely to sleep than bark. Giving your dog something special to chew on, such as a Kong toy or hollow bone stuffed with a little peanut butter, will help to keep him occupied and quiet while he's awake.

For the most persistent barkers, an electric collar that shoots citrus or citronella mist when he barks may help, in concert with other strategies. The mist is harmless to the dog -- the citrus tang smells good to humans, but dogs hate it. The hiss of the mist releasing from the canister and the smell itself are annoying enough to distract the dog and correct him for barking. Citrus mist collars can be an effective alternative when someone is so desperate they're considering bark collars that shock the dog, surgical debarking or even euthanasia.

Chances are that if you bring your dog into your home and train him -- get help if you're not getting anywhere -- you'll never get that desperate. No matter what, working on this problem is well worth the effort: You, your dog and your neighbors will all be happier.

Q&A

Underweight dog

may be perfect

Q: How could a 90-pound dog be underweight? I have a dog who's probably a Labrador-Pit Bull mix, and my veterinarian says he's a little underweight. Considering I was hoping for a medium-sized dog when I adopted him as a puppy (his paws weren't big when he was little), I really am not all that interested in him getting even bigger. Is this a problem? She said he was perfectly healthy. -- via Facebook

A: If your veterinarian says he's perfectly healthy, then he's in normal range and you don't have to change a thing. That's the good news. The better news is that there are health benefits to keeping your dog just a little underweight. Long-range feeding trials of littermates fed to keep one 10 percent under "ideal" weight and the other 10 percent over have shown the health advantages of keeping your dog the lean machine he is. Lean dogs are less likely to get cancer, less likely to have orthopedic problems and less likely to suffer from arthritis.

There isn't a body mass index (BMI) chart for dogs the way there is for people. We veterinarians use a physical examination to determine what we call a "body-condition score."

You can do the same. You should be able to run your hands down your dog's sides without bumping over each rib. If you press in and slide the skin back and forth over the ribs (veterinarians call this "palpating"), you should easily be able to feel the ribs. Your dog should also have a "waist," or tuck up behind the ribcage, but not all that much. The Ohio State University's College of Veterinary medicine has an excellent graphic you can use, at vet.osu.edu/vmc/body-condition-scoring-chart.

The majority of American pets are overweight or obese, so I would bet your veterinarian wasn't chastising you for your dog's appearance. More likely she was delighted to see a lean, fit dog in her exam room!

And by the way, there are many reasons why your dog grew larger than his paws predicted. Genetics is one of them, of course, but it's also possible that his early development was slowed by less-than-optimal care before he got to the shelter. You might want to try a DNA test such as the Mars Wisdom Panel to get some insight on what breeds actually went into your dog's "canine cocktail." -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Veterinary profession

looking at grim times?

-- While it's not good news for anyone studying to be a veterinarian, or anyone just now entering the profession, the national veterinary trade group says there's an overcapacity in veterinary care. The American Veterinary Medical Association released a report in April that says supply exceeded demand for veterinary services by about 11,250 full-time equivalent veterinarians. That means 12.5 percent of the profession's capacity to provide services is going unused. The news isn't going to get any better for veterinarians soon. According to DVM360.com, the AVMA report also said the number of veterinarians will continue to increase, and with it, the excess capacity. More bad news: Veterinary salaries are going down, while student debt is going up.

-- The Winn Feline Foundation (winnfelinehealth.org) funds research that will improve the lives of cats and those who love them. Founded in 1968, the organization has awarded grants for research that has ended up saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of cats, and has proven helpful in advancing human medicine as well. The Foundation's website lists its current projects as well information on its annual feline health symposium.

-- A dog found with his paws and tail frozen to a puddle of water in an abandoned home is now walking on four prosthetic paws, thanks to a veterinary assistant who was unwilling to give up on him and a company that helped get its products fitted to the animal. Naki'o now runs and jumps on prosthetic paws made by Denver-based OrthoPets. None of it would have happened had veterinary assistant Christie Pace of Colorado Springs, Colo., not adopted the dog after his rescue. "I have a soft spot for rescue animals in general. I was looking for something different, unique," Pace said. Naki'o is believed to be the first dog to have prosthetics on all four limbs. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.

NEW TECHNIQUES FOR HANDLING MAKE TAKING A CAT TO THE VET MUCH EASIER ON EVERYONE

In the past, I've been less nervous about air travel than I have been about my cats' veterinary appointments. And there's a reason for it: While I can and do manage my own levels of stress and annoyance when turning myself over to the air-travel system at the security checkpoint, controlling a cat's fear of the veterinary hospital has been for many years something I couldn't manage.

Until recently, that is.

In the years between writing "Cats For Dummies" and co-authoring "Your Cat: The Owner's Manual," a huge amount of work has been done to make veterinary practices more "feline-friendly," and a lot of information about ways to keep cats calmer before, during and after their visits has become available. With wellness checkups for my cats Ilario and Mariposa on the calendar, I reviewed my plan of action and prepared for V-Day.

Everything went perfectly. The cats traveled quietly in their carriers, were relaxed if not exactly happy at the veterinarian's, passed their wellness exams with flying colors and settled back into their routines at home without a hiccup. One even had blood drawn, which in previous visits would have meant at least two with puncture wounds -- the cat and one of the humans involved.

What did I do? I started by putting the carriers out two days early and setting them in the room where the cats like sunning themselves. That meant no running when the carriers appeared. My carriers are also of a style designed just for cats by behaviorists: They're roomy and sturdy, and they break down easily in the exam room -- the top can be removed, and the cat can remain comfortable and secure in the "bed" half that remains.

On the day of the visit, about an hour before we had to leave, I sprayed folded towels with Feliway -- a substance that mimics a natural calming pheromone -- and put them in the crates. I hadn't fed the cats so they'd be more interested in treats, and so the one who always throws up wouldn't (she didn't). I'd closed the door on them in their sunning room so they couldn't hide elsewhere in the house.

About a half-hour before we needed to leave, I put the cats in their carriers, put the carriers on the bed and put towels with more Feliway on top of them. I left those towels in place when I put the carriers in the car and secured them with the seat belts.

When I got to my veterinarian's, her team was ready. We were put immediately in a quiet room so my cats didn't have to sit around other animals, especially dogs. With the room secured, an expert technician allowed them to wander and relax, or to just sit in their crates if that made them more comfortable. Every interaction was gentle and patient, with lots of praise, treats and petting.

Ilario does not like strangers, and he does not like being handled unless he chooses to be petted. While he wasn't happy to be there, he never reacted violently out of fear. He even tolerated a nail-clipping and the spot application of flea-control, which is a hard job for me to handle with just my own two hands. It's ideally a two-person job, and Ilario handled it just fine. As for Mariposa, she never stopped purring, even though she was due for vaccines and -- since I'd recently adopted her -- needed a microchip.

It was the best trip to the vet's ever, thanks to my preparation and my veterinarian's work to make her practice a place where a cat can be happy. Cats should never be treated as if they are small dogs, and I'm so glad to see so many veterinary practices becoming feline-friendly.

You'll find guidelines for pet owners and veterinary practices at The CATalyst Council's website, catalystcouncil.org. Then talk to your veterinarian about cat-friendly care. You might be surprised at how much has changed for the better in recent years.

Q&A

How best to adopt

a cat and a kitten?

Q: To my sorrow, I recently had to say goodbye to a cat I adopted nearly 20 years ago, the last of two littermates rescued from a restaurant dumpster near my veterinarian's office. I am missing my warm fuzzies, and I would like to adopt two cats again, but this time a kitten and an adult cat, as I am aware that there are a lot of both needing homes. Is there a preferable sequence in this sort of adoption? In other words, what is likely to result in an easier adjustment: adopting a kitten first or an adult cat? How much time should I allow between adoptions, or is it OK to adopt at the same time? -- K.G, via e-mail

A: Since cats are generally slower to adapt to new surroundings than kittens are, the best way to go, in theory, is to adopt a cat first, then a kitten, or both at once. Both at once, in fact, may be easiest on both cats, since neither will be feeling as if there's an interloper on its turf, and your home will be new territory for each of them.

In practice, the order and timing depends on the pets themselves. In a well-managed, progressive shelter, you'll find help from staff and volunteers who can advise you on the personalities of potential pets, and the possibilities of pairings.

Your home setup will help with adjustments. Many cats need to be fed away from each other, and some won't share water bowls or feline drinking fountains. As for litter boxes, behaviorists typically recommend one box for each cat, plus one additional box. These guidelines will help the cats share space, and help prevent litter-box avoidance, which is by far the top behavior complaint of cat owners.

We're so glad you're adopting a kitten and a cat. Kitten season is revving up in many parts of the country now. That means lots and lots of cute baby cats will be taking attention from very sweet, very adoptable adult cats. The nation's shelters have long fought to keep adult cats in the spotlight, which is why June is always Adopt-a-Cat Month. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

Do you have a pet question? Send it to petconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Game on! 'Kitten Bowl'

to challenge 'Puppy Bowl'

-- If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. That seems to be the plan of the Hallmark cable channel, which recently announced plans to offer programming it's calling the "Kitten Bowl" in direct competition with Animal Planet's phenomenally popular "Puppy Bowl." The shows will be fighting each other for viewers, as well as what could be called the "800-Pound-Gorilla Bowl," or as it's known throughout the world, the "Super Bowl." The expansion of the "watch baby animals play" shows does have one decidedly positive note: Like Animal Planet, Hallmark intends to feature pets up for adoption, all but guaranteeing that the kittens and puppies will be adopted after the final whistles blow.

-- Pet-foods brands including California Natural, EVO, Healthwise, Innova and Karma are part of an expanded recall by Natura Pet Foods that includes all its dry foods and treats with expiration dates before and including March 24, 2013. The company, a unit of consumer goods giant Proctor & Gamble, said the products may be contaminated with salmonella. The products should be discarded and the company contacted at 800-224-6123 or Naturapet.com for a refund of the sales price. In addition to the U.S. and Canada, Natura products are sold throughout Asia and Australia.

-- Companies that use corn in their products -- including pet-food manufacturers -- are on notice to expect the worst aflatoxin outbreak in decades to peak this summer. Aflatoxin is a mold that can cause cancer in animals and people, and has been the reason for pet-food recalls in the past. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has a free alert system for pet product and veterinary recalls that sends notices to any email addresses entered on the sign-up page, tinyurl.com/FDARecallalerts. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Gina Spadafori

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by "Good Morning America" and "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Gina Spadafori. The two are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and also the authors of many best-selling pet care books. Dr. Becker can also be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker.