Lassie's Pet Vet (PBS)

In LASSIE'S PET VET, veterinarian Dr. Jeff Werber offers viewers helpful tips on relating to and caring for their much-loved pets. Accompanied by famous film dog Lassie, Werber also offers a series of touching true tales that celebrate the bonds between people and their favorite furry, feathered, and scaly friends. Each half-hour episode follows a handful of stories about pets' health and lifestyle. Pet owners get one-on-one advice from animal behaviorists on issues like sibling rivalry and disobedience, and professionals in various animal-related fields offer their own explanations for the deep relationships people forge with their pets. Between segments, Werber shares intriguing animal trivia and basic tips on pet care -- from the proper way to trim a dog's toenails to reminders about keeping pets safe during travel.

The series also spotlights entrepreneurs who have turned their affection for animals into rewarding work and pastimes. In one episode, for example, viewers learn how trained therapy dogs enrich hospital patients' lives. Later, a woman describes how she has fashioned a business out of staging elaborate costume parties for dogs' birthdays, complete with priceless photo opportunities and personal doggie bags for the guests. (What, isn't your four-legged friend among the country's 600,000 pampered pooches who get yearly birthday celebrations?)

Lassie's Pet Vet gives families a reason to curl up with the kids -- and critters -- and celebrate our favorite animals. The true stories are both entertaining and touching, and you and your kids may learn something about responsible pet care along the way. Oh, and don't let the canine co-star's species fool you: Dogs aren't the only ones in the spotlight here. Pets of all shapes and sizes share airtime, and owners are just as passionate about their bearded dragons and pot-bellied pigs as they are about their canines and kitties.