PET TALES

Q: We got a Labrador puppy for Christmas. We've gone through puppy classes, and he's doing pretty well with most things. Now we're trying to be patient with things that are mostly "just puppy stuff."

About half of all cats aren't affected by catnip. One thing that's rough on us, though: He took the time change as an excuse to drive us out of bed not one but two hours early — or try to. Four a.m. isn't working for us. Help!

A: Your bright young dog has figured out that he gets fed as soon as he gets you out of bed.

Take away his reward for waking you. Do not make feeding him the first thing on his morning agenda — or yours. Instead, pick the paper off the porch, make yourself breakfast, take a shower, etc., and then, when your needs are met, address his. You need to break the connection in his head between your waking up and his getting fed.

Try not to react to his alarm-clock act. Don't get up, and don't yell. Just ignore him. You'll have a difficult time doing this at first, but he will finally come to understand which behaviors alter your actions and which don't. The ones that don't work, he'll drop.

Even though I haven't a clue as to how much exercise your dog gets currently, there's no such thing as enough activity for a dog, especially a young retriever. An evening aerobic session — fetch is ideal — will help him sleep more soundly. Tired dogs are good dogs.

Above all, be patient. Labs are often a big pain in the fanny until they grow up, which eventually happens between the age of 2 and 4. He's a big puppy now, but you'll start noticing a serious trend toward mellow after he gets through his adolescence.

Q: I have three cats, but only one of them shows any reaction to catnip. That one cat gets so crazy I worry. Is he normal to be a catnip freak? Or are the ones who ignore catnip normal? Should I just make the one go "cold turkey" since the others don't care? Can catnip be dangerous?

A: Since our cats don't need to stay alert on the job, pay the bills, get the kids to school or operate heavy machinery, they can afford to be blissed-out on a regular basis. So if your cat likes catnip, indulge him to his little heart's content. For the good of the plants, though, put the pot where he can't get to them and offer him fresh clippings as often as you like. It won't hurt him.

As for your other cats not getting a buzz from the herb, that's per fectly normal, too. Not all cats like catnip: The ability to appreciate the herb is genetically programmed into some cats but not others. Kittens under the age of 3 months are also unaffected by the charm of catnip.