1 comments about The Dog's Guide to Surfing: Hanging Ten with Man's Best Friend.

1. The collaborative effort of a large number of people who enjoy surfing and the company of their canine companions, The Dog's Guide To Surfing: Hanging Ten With Man's Best Friend is a unique guide to the surfing lifestyle from the perspective of dogs and their pet humans plying the waves together on their surf boards. Enhanced with a profusion of b/w photos, The Dog's Guide To Surfing is a compilation of stories, lessons, advice, movies, gear, and recommendations for surf wear while catching the waves with a four-legged friend. If you surf and have a dog in your life, then you will want to read The Dog's Guide To Surfing!

No comments about Otchum: A Companion in a World of Ice.

3 comments about All God's Creatures: The Blessing of Animal Companionship.

1. The book was a wonderful way of enforcing the love we feel toward the animals we live with and the love from God toward us all.



2. A rich and practical guide to reflecting on our relationship with the creatures who share our households, All God's Creatures is well-grounded theologically. At the same time, Debra Farrington has provided a wealth of practices and prayers for allowing us to see these animal companions as sacramental signs of God's own work and mercy. She invites us--urges us--to move beyond romanticized notions of "having a pet" and calls us to see the inherently holy connections between people and the animals who share our lives.
   
   I have already given this book to six other people, and have found it to be a needed resource.



3. Reading this book has not only changed how we treat the cats and goldfish who share our home, it has changed the conversations in our house with and about our animal companions. When my six-year-old asked about getting a hamster, I told her it is a big decision to invite another animal into our home. I would never have begun the conversation this way before reading Debra Farrington's book.
   
   This is a sound theological, practical and engaging examination of our relationship with the animals we invite into our homes, covering everything from naming to feeding to playing. The book also offers ways to be with aniamls who are sick or dying and includes rituals for burial. I'm planning on giving it to most everyone on my Christmas list!

5 comments about Wisdom of the Animals: Communication Between Animals and the People Who Love Them.

1. I am not a non-believer in animal communication. I believe whole-heartedly that animals can communicate, and that we can truly speak to them with our minds and hearts. This is great book material, and of course, the stories are moving. But having met with the author Rapheala Pope, in person, I really question her ability to intuit my animal or even me as a pet owner for that matter. I found it paradoxical after reading this book. The contents of this book sold itself to me, and I couldn't wait to meet with her. The person I met with did not seem like the same person who wrote this book! My dog has some serious behavioral problems, and I've worked religiously with her for the last 2 years. I love this dog with all my heart and soul, and I really would do anything for her. Rapheala had the audacity to ask me if I would ever consider "giving her away" because she felt we "were mismatched." This I felt, was ludicrous. This dog would surely be euthanized if it did not have such a dedicated owner as I. I am well educated, and have researched extensively the causes of behavior exhibited my companion animal, and was quite surprised that Raphaela did not "pick-up" on this. The gardener at my local cemetery said to me the other day "I can tell you really love your dog." I find this amazing that a telepathic animal communicator could not even read something so simple as the obvious dedication I have for this animal, and offend me so greatly by suggesting that I should perhaps consider giving her away. She could not have been further from the truth in her feeble attempt to intuit ANYTHING about our relationship. In relation to the book, of course it is great reading material, and I can see why dedicated animal lovers would want to purchase it. But then again, how would a book filled with experiences like mine fly off the shelves? Of course this is a very subjective review, but this book was the initial reason I sought-out her "intuitive abilities" in the first place. I may be a believer, but not in Rapheala Pope.



2. I first heard of Rapheala (when I still lived in Hollister, CA) through my mother, who is a friend of a friend of hers. I arranged a day with Rapheala, who came to my barn & spoke with many people. She is amazing! There were a few "non-believers" that day who left believers in a BIG WAY. And one who heard something they didn't want to hear, but years later realized the truth of what she had been told. If you have EVER wondered "What IS my cat trying to tell me" or had any similiar questions about the animal friends in your life, this book is for you! Talk about getting a new perspective, not to mention the laughs, insights and ok, some tears. And to anyone who's lost beloved pets, and wants to believe they are still alive in spirit...here's your proof! And, if you see this Rapheala, expect to hear from me soon...my mare is going to be a mommy!



3. Wisdom of the Animals is among the first to go beyond demonstrating the validity of animal communication and recounting consultations for kitty potty problems and the like. For this book, the authors seek out wolves, whales, dolphins, and wild birds to learn about their lives and the impact of humans on them and the planet. They speak with domesticated animals too. The authors convey how horses, cats and dogs perceive human habitats and foibles.

   Wisdom of the Animals is unique for another reason. The readers see the process of learning to communicate with animals mirrored in the authors themselves. Elizabeth Morrison is much newer at it than Raphaela Pope. She shares her process of building confidence, learning techniques, and receiving clearer and clearer information. Animal communicators in-training will benefit from reading what Elizabeth and Raphaela receive from the same telepathic conversation.

   Best of all, this book is a heart-opening and heart-warming read. It was a treat to spend 240 pages in the company of two such wonderful people!




4. I was moved to tears as well as smiles by the stories in this wonderful book. I couldn't put it down until I read the very last page. Anyone who appreciates animals, anyone who has ever felt a connection to a favorite pet, will find a wealth of wisdom in this book. You'll never be able to look at animals in the same way, and you'll gain new insights into their behavior -- as well as your own! I highly recommend this book.



5. If you are an animal lover, you will find great pleasure in reading this warm and delightful book. Humans have known for years that we have the ability to communicate with animals, and psychological studies will prove that animals definitely are capable of communicating among themselves. We, as humans, can also learn much about life from our furry or feathered companions. Inhabitants of the animal kingdom need no manuals to teach them how to raise their young; they are masters at providing food, shelter and love; they are ingenious when it comes to calculating how to get themselves out of uncomfortable situations, and they most certainly know how to live within their means. They intuitively know the difference between what they need in life and what they want - their "wants" are few.

   This book reminds me of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books pertaining to animal and pet lovers. Here you will also find wonderful stories about cats dogs, birds, dolphins and whales which will warm your heart and make you want to hug your loving animal companion just one more time while he/she is still with you to enjoy and enrich your life. Though their time on this Earth is brief in the universe's overall plan, they are ours to love, cherish, and nurture. In return, they make us feel loved, needed, admired, accepted, and constantly remind us that we are never alone. As humans, we are truly blessed with the gift of animal friends both for their love and loyalty, and their intellect and creative wonder. The last chapter deals with the art of talking with animals. While I found this chapter to be interesting reading, I was not as impressed with this section as I was with the stories. For that reason, the book "lost a star" in the rating. There are several more in-depth books in print based on animal behaviour and psychology that explore the animal-human relationship and communication in greater detail, based on scientific research. In addition, communication between humans and animals is based, to a certain degree, on the individual bond between the two of you. There is no hard and fast rule that says this method will work and this one will not. The animal world is like the human world, each is individualistic in their own special way, and some feelings simply do not need to be put into "words." Look into your dog's eyes as he lays quietly beside you. You do not need to be an animal psychologist to understand the love both of you feel for each other.

5 comments about Animal E.R..

1. This book is great! The author strikes just the right balance between sad and happy outcomes. She gives you a great peek into the amazing stories that happen every day in a busy animal emergency room. I laughed and cried and couldn't put the book down. I read this book aloud to my eleven year old son who also loved it.



2. I'm very happily working in a pet profession, I just adore the vet & pet shows on animal planet (from popped out eyeballs, to beloved sick iguanas) , and I am a big sap for animal stories and moving stories of any kind. I guess I expected this to be more stories (happy and sad, but moving), maybe even like chicken-soup style but longer? I was very disappointed. The stories were often short (sometimes 1/2 a sentence) and few between. Lots of vet perspectives on life, and personal vet perspectives on the profession, and worldly views of everything. I was really bored. I kept reading hoping for the next story to come, but I ended up reading skipping more than 1/2 the book because after a while I just couldn't read the quotes from the vets & techs anymore, and the lists of things they teach the other techs, and their years of schooling and personal experiences (educational & interests - not animal stories) was redundant and boring for me. The medical descriptions were not detailed enough to be educational orinteresting, and were too detailed that they distracted from the emotionality of just telling a story. I still have 20 pages to go before I finish, and I can't even remember the last story I was actually moved by (it was somewhere in the first 30 pages. The book is organized by "topic", but it doesn't seem to really have any flow (it went from dogs & cats to much less interesting stories of wildlife & exotics - which are usually very interesting, but they left out all the emotions other than "we eventually had to put it asleep, that was really hard". A few times they didn't even list the end of the story, or what decision the owner made for treatment - I really hate that (what happened to the kangaroos eyen cancer???)!

   I'd really like to give this book 2 or 3 stars at least, because they really tried. They talked to may vets, and plopped in tons of quotes and lists of things they "learned" (quoted) from them. But I just feel so disappointed (more every time I try to finish it) that I can't. I've been a lot more moved by the cat behavior books I purchased at the same time - more stories, more details on personal emotions, trial and error, and results, and much more follow up to the stories.

   I have to say I did like it when they listed the estimated prices for things. Although they did this infrequently, just for expensive procedures that may be ineffective. Sorry - I might recommend this book for the current used rate of under $2 if the shipping wasn't $4.99, but I can't justify $12.00 + shipping.




3. From an anorexic snake to a myopic kangaroo to a bloated akita, from the tricky diagnoses to the hopeless cases, this captivating paperback tells of the perilous situations that have occurred at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. Is it really right to spend all this time and effort on animals when some people lack food, shelter, and proper medical care? The veterinarians who unveil their heart-warming and emotional stories in this 194-page book, Animal ER, by Vicki Croke (copyright-1999) show us that the world is meant to be shared by animals and humans.
   Each chapter of this brilliant book displays and describes a different animal/pet and its unique problem. Biology plays a major part in this book because it's about the science of studying and curing living things. It exposes the drama of life in the emergency ward of a veterinary hospital, which is a biology-related occupation. The first chapter summarizes the atmosphere of the Intensive Care Unit at Tufts; it's sad and yet successful too. The next eleven chapters of Animal ER present various animals and their life-threatening problems. Some require complex surgical procedures, while others are solved by unexpected and simple means. The last chapter returns to the Intensive Care Unit and reveals what the animals teach the veterinarians. The main idea expressed at the closing of the book touched my soul as tears rose to the surface like a newly found spring. Vicki Croke wrote that the animals who are cared for seem to teach simple lessons about life. "Animals continue to surprise me with their patience, their level of tolerance, and their strength," Nishi says, "but most of all, with their ability to forgive" (194).
   I would strongly recommend this brilliant book to my friends or those people who are thinking of going into the veterinary field of study. Since I've never had a pet, I cannot relate to the owners of these sick animals; however, I can see this book as a slice of a veterinarian's life. It captures the essence of the Intensive Care Unit during first examinations, x-rays, surgery, and post-operative care. It is clear to see, as they treat animals, that Nishi Dhupa, Dr. Mark Pokras, Dr. John Berg, and other staff members at Tufts have the "healing touch". So even though some people don't have their primary needs met like food, shelter, and clothing, animals have a right to our care and concern.



4. Animal ER is a marvelous book for anyone who has an interest in animals or the world of Vets. Most of this book showed how these vets work everyday, but it also touches on the emotional side of the proffession. Vets have to decide when to put an animal to sleep and when to give them extra treatment . They also have a responsibility to comfort the owners. Find out more about the world of the vet by reading this fantastic nonfiction.



5. When my sister lost her beloved Great Dane, I mourned for her too. I'm a cat person, and this big black incredibly sweet baby was the first dog I ever loved. When I visited my sister last year and she showed me this book, explaining that the author had been there in the Tufts Vet ER with her when Azaria was brought in, I was amazed. I continued to be amazed as I saw my sister's very special love for my doggy-niece through the eyes of a total stranger. It would have been very easy to dismiss how painful losing a pet can be, very easy to miss the ties of love between a pet and her owner. My sister loved her dog, quirks and fears and vet bills and all. I loved her too. Thanks, Vicki. Your gentle presentation of their story is the finest tribute Zari could have had.

5 comments about Good-Bye My Friend: Tributes, Poems, Prose, and Other Ways to Remember Your Pet.

1. I love this book! From the moment I saw the beautiful images that adorn the pages of this tribute to lost pets and the memorials their owners have built I knew this was a book I had to own. The resources in the back of the book are also essential information for any pet lover.



2. I felt happiness and sadness when I read this beautiful and unique book. Happiness when reading about all the joy the animals have given to their people, and sadness when reading about their losses. Only so many stories and pictures can be put in a book, but I feel that these stories also represent every animal of every person who reads this book. I am currently dealing with my 8-year old German Shepherd going lame, and it was very hard for me to pick this book up and read it again. But I did, and the story of Arlo, the German Shepherd/K-9 Hero from Oklahoma City touched me and made me cry. I know I will eventually have to deal with the loss of my dog, maybe sooner that I want to, but this book has helped me to think about that inevitible time, and what I will want to do then. This book also has a great list of resources that are available all over the country. I highly recommend this book to purchase for you and all of your friends/family members that love animals.



3. This was a unique and beautifully arranged book. It brought back so many memories of the pets I have lost. It's truly touching. I will buy this for my many animal lover family members and friends when that day comes for them too. It would make a wonderful gift!



4. This is such a unique beautiful book. If you love animals you would love this book. Those stories about pets inside this book made me cry. I lost 2 dogs in recent years and there are a lot of stories I can relate to. This book helps you to deal with your pets' deaths. It is also an art book. The pictures are all beautiful and artful. You can enjoy this book in that sense,too. I highly recommend it!!



5. A book that will let you know that there are others out there, just like you, who mourn the loss of their pet. Good-Bye My Friend shares sorrow, laughter and love. The pictures show how others have given tribute to their lost companions. A great gift to a grieving friend or a resource for a veterinarian's office.

No comments about Classic Cat Stories: Twenty Timeless Feline Tales (Classic).

No comments about A Scattering of Cats.

2 comments about Tales from the Dog Park: What Your Dog Can Teach You About Life.

1. Melinda Dille's "Tales from the Dog Park" is extremely charming, but mostly it shows us how much we can learn from our dogs as we observe their behavior. I love my dog, and those who have left me, and I know that you will enjoy and come to love each chapter of this little book that is filled with warmth and love.



2. Dog -lovers unite!This is possibly the most thoughtful, dear, book about man's best friend. The short essays are insightful and humorous and the artwork is adorable. This is the perfect gift book for all dog lovers. I have purchased over twelve copies to date because it is the perfect gift for all of my friends who have a doggie. And every time I show it to someone, they want to know "where can I get this book?" Seriously.

4 comments about Speaking of Cats.

1. This is a quick, easy read. Each chapter tells the story of a cat the author shared his life with for a period of time. While many books about animals focus on details and mannerisms of each pet, this one focuses more on personality. The author describes the personality of each cat, along with a few illustrations of each character trait, as if he were describing his friends (and indeed, I'm sure he is). Certainly there are references to the author's own life and the role the cats played in it at various points. The book is written with warmth, affection, and a good deal of humor. The death of the cats is not discussed - rather their lives are celebrated. Anyone who really loves cats should enjoy this easy read, which is certainly an enjoyable way to spend an hour or two (ideally with a cat on your lap as you read).



2. Speaking Of Cats is a tribute by novelist, playwright, and actor Harry Cauley to his beloved furry feline companions. Memories of their kittenhood, the means in which he came to know them, the joy and comfort they shared, and celebrations of their lives fill the pages in this heartwarming testimony which is very highly and very especially recommended for cat lovers everywhere!



3. This delightful book is now my stocking stuffer gift for cat loving friends. It was such a cozy read, I felt like I had a cat in my lap the entire time and was reluctant to let it go.

   Harry Cauley writes with humor, charm and grace of cat companions who have shared his life over the years. The unique personality and sensibilities of each furry member of his family are joyfully defined, so that each is a star in his own right. They shared his life and adventures running a summer stock company, touring in plays and writing for TV and theatre, which adds an air of feline glamour to the scene.

   This book beautifully depicts the evolution of love between the species: discovery - (usually a love-at-first-sight situation); adoption; testing - (sometimes akin to the terrible twos), and the bonding journey toward unconditional love.




4. Those who adore cats like nothing better than trading stories of their own pets' loving, independent, idiosyncratic personalities. Writer-entertainer Harry Cauley has been foster dad to a long list of felines who have shared his life and he, in turn, is enthusiastic about sharing their stories with us. Like an over-idulgent, proud grandpa wisking out the walletful of grandkids' photos (yes, the book has pictures too) Cauley charmingly and affectionately recalls the oddities, tricks, and foibles of the many little friends who have enriched his life.