Chew on New Pet Books of All Stripes

They know their best buddies can be naughty (wrecking the sofa -- again). Or their best buddies can be nice (volunteering to be a sickbed foot warmer).

But pet owners can't resist pet books, no matter how their furry or feathered friends have behaved during the past year. Here's a sample of some of the best books for animal lovers this season:

"Hip-Hop for Dogs" by Janet Perr; Simon and Schuster ($12.95)

Is your dawg Da Bomb? Is he stylin'? Then help fit him into the pop-culture scene du jour with this handbook of hip-hop for hounds. It's a clever little gift book filled with the kind of pictures dog- lovers love -- pooches decked out as humans.

"The Devious Book for Cats"; Villard ($16)

Devised by first-time authors Fuffy and Bonkers (with utterly unnecessary help from humans), this parody of "The Dangerous/ Daring" books for people brings forbidden knowledge to the world of cats. Topics include "Getting Away With It," "Human Hair Chewing and Licking" and "Climbing the Drapes." Things get really devious when the authors discuss "making the most of superstitions."

"Happy Dog, Happy You" by Arden Moore; Storey ($10.95)

If Fido ain't happy, ain't nobody happy, as pet-lovers know. So this book supplies a treasure trove of tips for keeping everyone's tail wagging. This is Moore's 18th pet book, and her knowledge is deep and wide-ranging. Some of her advice may be new even to veteran pet owners, including the ins and outs of pet doors, proper dog- bath techniques and the strange hazards of pennies. This book is a keeper for all dog owners.