1. (d)-(b)-(d), select the cage(s) you want to strip down. Then hit (k) and remove the dump order from the cage itself.
2. (i) for zone, pit it over an open space and press (p) to make it a pit/pond. Hit P to select creatures to throw into it. For items, make a garbage dump zone next to an open space, and designate the items for dumping.
3. Some animals can be trained for war besides dogs. However, some animals cannot be trained at all, and some require a Dungeon Master, who currently shows up very rarely if at all. I believe there is a third-party program that makes all animals trainable.
4. No.
5. There is no foolproof way, however I usually keep most of my animals caged, and anywhere I don't want animals going (such as my danger room) get at least 3 consecutive doors.
6. Hospitals are buggy right now, but there are a few things you can do to make it work.
- Build containers, either bags or coffers, to contain hospital items within the hospital zone. You'll need quite a few (I use at least 25).
- Make sure there is a nearby source of water, either a well or a cistern, to use for cleaning and watering dwarves.
- Don't use gypsum powder casts; there is a bug causing the bone doctor to freeze up at the well making the cast for all time. Use splints instead.
- Traction tables are also a bad idea, as are tables in general. Anything doctors can do on a table can be done with the dwarf in bed.
- Keep your doctors nearby and not busy. Burrows help with this.
7. No. I believe Animal Care will be used for veterinary purposes in the future but for now if your animals get hurt, they're on their own.
8. Dwarves will ignore messes outside their fortress that aren't on constructed or smooth floors. Another third-party tool, dfcleanmap, is available as part of the DFHack toolkit. Check the modding section.
9. Not that I know of. Never had to deal with a FB using anything nastier than spittle.
10. The item will be listed among your artifacts in blue lettering, and the dwarf who named it will prefer to use it over anything else. Destroying the item will give that dwarf a bad thought. Nothing else.