Q: What do you think about the Oprah Winfrey show exposing puppy mills? I've followed your column for years and am curious about your reaction. Of course, you're against puppy mills. Who isn't? How do these places survive? To my knowledge, the horrible places shown on "Oprah" still aren't closed, which seems ridiculous. -- S.J., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

A: This could be the best question I've ever received in nearly 15 years of writing this column. Thanks to Oprah, these despicable puppy mills were exposed to millions. But they have yet to be shut down. To his credit, Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, cares about this issue and once proposed a bill to deal with puppy mills and unscrupulous breeders.

"It's outrageous. Those puppy mills should (be shut down) and the operators of them prosecuted, but they (the Department of Agriculture) don't have enough resources," Durbin says. "And they're not being pushed in that direction. What we wanted to do was to develop basic humane standards (so dogs) are raised in a safe and humane environment. We don't want them overbred, which can happen. We want to make sure the person purchasing will get an animal as healthy as can be and treated well."

I'm all for appropriate legislation that really targets bad guys, such as puppy mill operators. However, too many proposed laws, such as mandatory spay/neuter, punish the people who breed the right way. Frankly, Civics 101 taught me what I feel is the best solution: If demand dwindles, there will be no reason to offer supply.

Few people buy a washing machine without doing at least some research; the same should be true when purchasing a pet. First, stop buying from pet stores; that doggy or kitty in the window may be appealing, but an impulsive decision is never the best one. Internet purchases are scary, so make absolutely sure you know everything about the place where you're purchasing an animal. And be aware that even some seemingly legitimate shelters or rescuers may actually be animal hoarders who collect pets and keep them in substandard conditions.

Q: Oprah's show on puppy mills was very hard to watch. I related to her loss (of her dog, Sophie) because we just lost our love of 15 years, Spanky, a little schnauzer. We're considering getting another dog and prefer a schnauzer. Where should we get one, or shouldn't we? -- F.Y., Henderson, Nev.

A: I'm sorry for your loss. Of course, adopting a shelter dog is always wonderful, but there's nothing wrong with getting a miniature schnauzer from a reputable breeder or a rescue organization. One great way to avoid dealing with puppy house-training and puppy energy is to adopt an adult dog from a rescue group. However, there's certainly nothing wrong with buying a puppy from a responsible breeder.

Daisy Okas, spokeswoman for the New York-based American Kennel Club, says you can find a responsible breeder through a referral (from someone you know who's had a good experience) or check out www.akc.org. "There's some background information on each individual (breeder) on the Web site, and whether there are puppies available," Okas says. "Definitely, if you can, visit the breeder yourself. If that facility doesn't seem right, then it's not right."

Think twice if the facility is dirty, dogs are bred too often, there are more than two or three breeds simultaneously being bred, if the temperament of the parents doesn't match what you expect, or if there's not enough information or inappropriate information on the genetic background of the animals for sale.

Q: Our golden retriever, Pete, enjoys playing with our 2-year-old, and we have a baby on the way. In fact, the dog enjoys us too much. We can't play with our son without Pete getting involved; his nose and the 80 pounds that follow are into everything we do. Unless we just put Pete outside or in another room, or distract him with food, we don't know what to do. How can we control him? -- L.R., Chicago

A: Colleen Pelar, author of "Living with Kids and Dogs Without Losing Your Mind" (C & R Publishing, Woodridge, Va., 2005; $16.95), says you can teach your dog to lie down and stay on a pet bed or blanket close to you. On that bed or blanket, offer Pete a Kong toy, Dogzilla or Busy Buddy (available at pet stores and online) with something really yummy stuffed inside, such as low-fat peanut butter, so it's work to get out. If Pete gets off his bed, take away the toy with the food inside and return it to the pet bed. He'll soon learn he gets this toy only on his bed.

"Another idea is to find a game or activity which both your toddler and your dog can participate in," Pelar says. "You can actually teach a 2-year-old to have your dog sit. It's unrealistic to always expect the dog to listen to a 2-year-old, however, which is one reason an adult should always supervise."

Most 2-year-olds love hide-and-seek. Your toddler could go and hide, and if he happens to have a cookie with him, your dog will be motivated to find him. Be creative and develop your own games.

Pelar adds, "I can almost guarantee that between having a 2-year old -- and with another child on the way -- it's unlikely the dog is getting enough exercise. I can understand why, but if there is any way to offer a daily morning run, walk or game of fetch, that might help take the edge off for the rest of the day."

Q: My sister's wonderful dog, Barney, died just two days ago, and already she and her husband are planning to take their kids, ages 9 and 12, to a shelter to pick out a new dog. They're also searching the Internet. Don't you think it's too soon? I know the kids may be upset about losing Barney and their parents feel this will help them. But shouldn't the kids also learn that being sad is perfectly natural? -- J.P.B., Nashville, Tenn.

A: I agree with you. While there's really no exact time frame for replacing a pet, waiting only a few days doesn't feel right. Experts on pet loss agree that both children and adults need time to mourn. Feeling sad is a part of coping with loss. Parents can't protect their kids from all sadness, nor should they try. What's more, the message may now be that Barney is instantly replaceable, the same as if a shirt were lost at the dry cleaners and you simply replaced it with another.

E-mail Steve Dale at petworld@aol.com.

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