5 comments about There is Eternal Life for Animals.

1. This is not the book to read to your children who are have just lost a beloved pet. You will have to read it yourself and share a few scriptures with them a little at a time. It is simply amazing how no preacher has put this Bible study together before. There are so many scriptures that support evidence that animals have souls and that animals go to heaven. She blew my mind when she quoted John Calvin. I didn't realize there were sermons of his documented. This short book is difficult because of the amount of Greek and Hebrew translation. It was well worth the effort to read it. Every day I pray for Niki's ministry with animals. She put her heart & soul in this book for her beloved Pete the Cat.



2. I decided for my review to include a little about this author's other 3 books (as of the time I am writing this) as they are all somewhat related and if you have just lost a pet you may be trying to decide which of them to buy. At a fairly high price per book, you may be torn about which ones to get and not able to afford all of them, so since this book has been pretty well-reviewed already, I will focus more on comparing it with the other 3 to help you decide which one(s) to get.
   
   This particular book is probably my favorite of the four, and if you really want a full, in-depth discussion of animals and scripture, this is the one to get. This is definitely a book intended for Christians that already believe in Jesus and the Bible as an authoritative source, but even if you aren't you may enjoy the information in here. The book is very easy to read and covers the material better than a couple others I read on the subject. Indeed, it includes much more scripture than some others I looked at did, not relying strictly on ones that talked about animals, but using many passages together to show a central message. It definitely would be a comfort to someone who has lost a pet and struggling with thoughts of them being gone forever, although you won't specifically find material on grief management here, you would rely on other books if that is needed. I wish the price was a bit lower, but the value of the information included is certainly worth it.
   
   Her next book, Animal Prayer Guide is one that any pet lover that is a Christian may enjoy. I had some mixed feelings about this book. It has a nice introduction to prayer and how it works, and covers a really nice range of animal-related issues and situations. There wasn't as many actual prayers included as I would have liked though, but many scripture passages, some stories, etc. I had hoped for more "ready-made" prayers from this book, and each subject heading generally has only one prayer included, and the memorial service included is all Bible readings with only a short prayer included at the beginning. Nothing wrong with Bible passages of course, but I just hoped to see more actual prayers included, especially for the memorial service. Still, this is the only book of its kind I've even seen and I did enjoy it and found it helpful in adding prayers for pets and animals in my life. If you are looking for a second book to buy, this would be a fine choice.
   
   Niki's book The Rainbow Bridge: Pet Loss Is Heaven's Gain is one is intended to cover a wider range of topics on grief and losing a pet, and does that well. A bit of amount of material from "Eternal Life" is repeated in this one as well as from her prayer book (such as the memorial service). If you want to get only one book of hers after losing your pet, and don't care about having a really complete discussion of the "life after death" in scriptures, this would be a good choice. It'd make a particularly nice gift for a friend that has lost a pet, or to offer for sale at a crematorium. If you plan to buy "Eternal Life" though and particularly if you also buy the prayer book, you might find that there's not quite enough additional material in here to warrant getting it.
   
   The last book, Who Says Animals Go To Heaven? I personally didn't get quite enough out of to warrant the relatively high price, but others I am sure will still enjoy it. It's an interesting take on the subject of animal afterlife, but really seems like more of a footnote to "Eternal Life", and probably could have been condensed and included into that book as an additional chapter or appendix. It basically has quotes from a wide range of religious authorities, ministers, etc. (along with bios on all of them), so it may be of interest to someone that may have had a more negative experience with "authority figures" that don't believe in animal afterlife, so as to get a differing opinion, and one strengthened by the amount of consensus shown here. Many of the quotes are fairly old (so not particularly easy for everyone to understand the archaic language) and there's a fair amount of repetition as most of them deal with Romans 8:19-23 in particular. If you are looking for a lot of quotes from famous religious figures that really unequivocally state that animals will go to heaven, you may be disappointed with this, you need to read a bit between the lines to find those sentiments through much of this. It's an interesting sample though that certainly would help strengthen an argument for pets going to heaven and it's clear she's put a lot of research into this. I personally didn't get as much out of this book as the others, but if you really like the discussions on scripture in Eternal Life and are interested in further discussion on the topic, you might want to pick this book up as well.
   
   Hope that helps anyone looking for comparisons of these 4 books and trying to decide which to get. Niki has done a fine job in writing all of these and provided a great service to those that have lost a pet and deserves to be applauded for that indeed!



3. I have known for years that my pets would go to heaven when they died. This is the first book I've ever read on the subject that had so many scriptures to back it up. For anyone who has lost a wonderful companion pet, I recommend this sensitive and compassionate book as a source of knowledge and comfort to help you through the grieving process.



4. This book verified my belief that animals DO go to Heaven. You can't dispute what the Bible says. It's the word of GOD!!



5. Expand your horizons and be blessed, don't wait until you loose an animal friend before reading this MUST HAVE book. The Good News is really Good News after all.

5 comments about The Ultimate Dog Treat Cookbook: Homemade Goodies for Man's Best Friend.

1. This has a lot of good doggy treats, but it uses a lot of canned products (campbells soup, bisquick ect) and most recipes have cornmeal in them which is a dog allergen. Other than that it has lots of tips and lots of recipes. Just not from scratch..the semi homemade of dog cookbooks



2. I own a dog treat business as a part time keep me busy type venture. While this book has a lot of recipes and ideas, some are complicated and require a lot of time to be spent purchasing items that aren't otherwise in the average kitchen. While the book itself isn't horrible, being a regular dog treat/food maker, it isn't the most user friendly or beginner type book either.



3. I've purchaed several recipe books for my pups and used more recipes out of this book than any other. There are also helpful tips and nutritional information throughout the book. The recipes are fairly easy and my three pups have enjoyed every one I have made so far.



4. Couldn't be more pleased with this book - it has great recipes, tips, and nutritional information on ingredients.



5. There are lots of easy, healthy, fun to make dog treats with things you already have in your cabinets. It was worth buying and I am very happy to have it on my bookshelf.

5 comments about Family Dog.

1. Folks: I was so happy to find Wolters' _Family Dog_! I had used his _Game Dog_ (though not a hunter) on a previous dog about 20 years ago, but wanted something less for the hunting set.
   
   This book is it! Let me also say, I went to B&N and read Amazon.com and considered all of the other books that simply remind me too much of modern educational pedogogy. Alot of praise at the expense of a well behaved dog. Wolters' book has pictures, is simple enough for a kid to use AND he let's you say, "NO."
   
   This book feels right! And the proof is in the pudding--our 12 week old pup is learning to master the key commands and is already a great family member.
   
   BUY THIS BOOK; leave the other books for new dog owners who a) need excuses for their pups; b) who are scared to be the Alpha dog; or c) who would prefer to never utter the word "no" (really, I bought a book like that insising that you say "Agghhh..." rather than "NO" since "no" had so many negative connotations...)



2. I ordered this book for my son who recently got a house dog. The book was sent to him. But I know, from past experence, hhat richard wolters fooks are great. They are easy to follow and the results are outstanding.



3. I think the book is a good starting point. The video presents a different housebreaking method, and is far easier for the entire family to understand. The video is better for the entire family, but the book should be read by the main decision maker. We rewatch the video frequently to pick up pointers on our current stage.



4. I gave this book along with a lab puppy to my grandsons. It is perfect! The pictures in the book show a seven year old boy training a lab puppy. I have used Wolters' system for training hunting labs for years -- at first read, his system will also work very well for a pet. Don't be disconcerted with a 1963 copyright -- it's still very valid.



5. This book came recommended to me by brother who has a beautifully trained hunting lab (who does double duty as great big family dog in a teeny tiny house!). We are a dog family with many combined years of rescues and pure breeds (depending on who landed on our doorstep at the time). This current generation is the best ever thanks to methods in the Wolters books. Already our 13 week puppy is well beyond our resident geriatrics. I just bumped into the breeder we purchased her from and she stated even they are astounded just how wonderfully well-natured and confident our pup is and still retaining great drive. (The breeder, by the way, is not a fan of Wolters...due the popular criticism that floats around).
   
   
   
   It is naive to assume all children and all dogs should be treated in the exact same manner, regardless of temperament or behavior. Agenda based criticisms of this book are as shallow as this assumption. The author of this book offers a well guided technique for training, time tested for many years now, AND possible solutions to guide owners through problem behavior. Discipline techniques are there to protect the dogs and their owners...my mother with a lame leg could be greatly injured by her 95lb Poodle if he charges past her on the stairs...as well as my 2 year old daughter. A dog that bolts from the front door may have its life ended in moments by a passing car (ask my neighbor). These measures are also only recommended IF there is a problem situation. Overlooked in criticisms are the many warnings to not over train or over discipline (your children as well) and the constant reminders for consistent and logical discipline. (I found this book a great reminder as a parent as well).
   
   
   
   I have discovered that many of Wolters fans are people whose lives depend on their dogs and their dogs lives depend on their training. His book has remained popular for many years for a good reason: it simply and effectively accommodates many people and many breeds and literally leads to a lifetime of happiness.

5 comments about Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats.

1. this is a quick easy read and a great place to start for raw diets, after reading I felt confident to start doing this on my own.



2. This book provides a very eye-opening and eventually obvious insight into what a dog or cat's diet should consist of. It alleviates all of those unwarranted fears of feeding the appropriate foods to our four-legged friends. I bought a bunch of copies to give out to people who needed to re-evaluate the way they are feeding their pets.



3. This book contains good information on how to feed a raw diet based on Billinghurst's barf diet. I think it would be helpful for people considering switching to a raw diet, as well as beginners.
   
   My problem with this book is that the author annoyed me. The first quarter of the book is about how wonderful she is. The last quarter of the book is full of amazing anecdotes about animals on her diet. I don't have the patience for either. It you like anecdotes about how wonderful the author and her diet are, you will probably like this book much better than I did.
   
   While I agree with most of the things the author says about nutrition and dog food companies, she doesn't back up anything she says. If I was starting out as a new raw-feeder, I'm not sure I would find this book very convincing. I definitely wouldn't recommend this book as your only resource.
   
   For beginners, I would recommend "Raw Dog Food" by Carina Beth MacDonald. For people who want to understand the nutritional principles behind a raw or homemade diet, I would recommend "Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets" by Donald Strombeck. They're a better investment of time and money.



4. If you are looking for straight forward, sound information on providing a raw diet for your pet this is a fine resource. The section on nutrients is very good. In it you will learn what food sources provide what nutients and what parts of the bodys health they aide and supportThe 'shopping list' is also a nice spring board for the newbe. There is a ratio guide that addresses serving size to weight balance. The book includes a significant resource guide as well. If you are interested in providing a Raw, natural, BARF type diet for your pet this is the book I would recomend.



5. This book saved my dogs' life. We struggled with a very serious allergy for years, one day I saw Kymythys' book and decided to go with the raw diet. My dogs' health turned the corner and he has never looked back. He will be 10 this year and I could not be more grateful.
   I have read loads of other books on raw feeding but keep coming back to this one.

5 comments about Four Paws Five Directions: A Guide to Chinese Medicine for Cats and Dogs.

1. If you want to get empowered to understand Traditional Chinese Medicine and help your cat or dog, this book will launch you into orbit with theory, charts, and information you can put to work quickly with acupressure massage, diet and supplements. The diagnosis charts are a great starting point for training yourself to observe your pet's symptoms. The only negative for me is that hypertension and blindness are not in the index.



2. Not necessarily the easiest book to follow for the lay person, but this book contains very comprehensive information on treating your whole dog rather than just a specific symptom.



3. Although I must say that this is a well-written book, and very useful for those people who don't know much about Traditional Chinese Medicine, the author did not seem to have an in-depth knowledge about TCM.
   
   Filled with little mistakes that can mislead a practitioner, I'd recommend picking up a different text to learn from. (For example, the author refers often to "Kidney Blood," which is NOT a term used in Chinese Medicine.)
   
   Fun to read, but too inaccurate for an alternative medical doctor.



4. This is an excellent reference book for both beginners & experts. It is well organized, easy to understand & contains a wealth of information.



5. This book is a constantly used handbook for me. I bought this copy to replace the one that I have given away most recently. It is wonderful to be able to help your pet feel better, in addition to what your vet can do, with relatively inexpensive remedies available at the health food store and with accupressure which also helps you bond with your pet. I was even able to get remarkable results from an inexpensive & common TCM patent remedy for my dog who had great difficulty moving her hindquarters after a life-threatening infection. it worked within hours!

5 comments about Training Your Labrador Retriever (Training Your Dog Series).

1. This book stresses that labs are foodies and will work and learn nicely for good treats. I found Purina One dog biscuits to match its Purina One food line so that my labbie puppy gets nice nutrition while mastering her lessons. I am getting nice training results by following the directions in this book. Do exactly what is outlined and don't let up. I am a first time puppy owner and all is well!



2. I liked the way this book communicates. well written.
   It actually explains how to train the dog by giving examples and steps.
   
   I tried some items and have seen them to work.
   A good amount of the tips I already knew about and follow out of instinct.
   So it is not totally impressive but surely it puts thoughts in a structured context and refreshes old concepts.
   
   Training is not only about when to sit and when to fetch, it is about being able to communicate with your poochie friend. If you cannot communicate, then, you cant train (not predictable results for sure) the poochie.
   
   This book gets to the basics of what actually is being communicated by each (a lot if not all) of general behaviours we go through with our Labs.
   
   All in All, a really good Beginer's book to training.
   
   cheers
   Ranjith



3. I wish I had bought this book first!! My lab is 3 months old - and I wish I had this book when I brough her home! It is excellent - great information for a first-time puppy owner! My husband has even learned a few things - and he has had dogs all his life! I highly recommend this book!!



4. Great book! Excellent condition. Was pleased with the overall timeliness of receiving the merchandise.



5. It is a good book but I think it should offer more alternatives, specialy on pups training

5 comments about Quick & Easy Crate Training (Quick & Easy).

1. This book has been helpful in its tips on how to: choose a crate, introduce your pup to the crate, and the schedule required so that your pup doesn't soil itself in the crate. We find that we still refer to the book every now and then for help on some issues. We found that a blanket or toy helped our pup immediately take to the crate. Also, Cesar Millan's approach to crating helped a lot too (like not making a big deal of leaving or coming home). Now our pup goes to its crate when it's tired or afraid -- or when it tries to sneak a shoe away. :-)



2. we were having troubles training our new puppy until we read this book. We immediately recognized we needed a smaller crate and that it's ok to have the puppy stay there until we were ready for him. Once we changed crates he started sleeping through the night, he stopped soiling his crate and he's now about 80% on track for voiding outside. This is a winner.



3. This really contained very info on actual crate training. The majority of the book talked about introducing your puppy to the crate not a lot of info on actual crate training process. You can get just as much info googling about crate training on the web.



4. We bought & read this book in anticipation of our new puppy - the book was insightful, helpful, and extremely fast and easy reading. The information worked wonders. We have since gotten another puppy and used the same techniques on him too. We continue get compliments on our well behaved dogs.
   
   My sister just welcomed a new puppy into her family and my first response upon hearing the news was to order this book for her. If the information in this book is taken to heart - it will work wonders.



5. A great booklet for teaching crate training in a positive manner! Great for the new dog owner or for giving in training classes!

5 comments about Dog Grooming For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets)).

1. Well written and informative.Fairly good on the "how to" subject and very good on general dog subjects such as dog health,dog maladies and the basics.



2. The book is good for beginner easy to read and understand,has a little of everything in there.



3. I really liked this book. It was helpful to me in all the areas that I needed a grooming book for. The tool recommendations plus the way the book was written itself I found interesting and helpful in grooming my pets at home.



4. This book does provide a lot of helpful hints and information. It is a good item for dog owners.



5. This was purchased just in time to supplement the adult Ed. Intro to Pet (dog) Grooming classes (10 hours) at the local JVS.
   The class is strictly an INTRO to dog grooming, BUT, was disappointed that instructor/school for our $150 fee did NOT give us an actual book on the subject. We got some printed copies of pages from insructor's book...
   DOG GROOMING for DUMMIES is a GREAT source for home groomer want-to-be's.
   I think it is well written and not at all boring.
   I am glad I got it for I have 2 new pups and two older dogs, and, I I have found out, I can do a LOT more for both me and the dogs' benefit.

5 comments about John Lyons' Bringing Up Baby: 20 Progressive Ground-Work Lessons to Develop Your Young Horse into a Reliable, Accepting Partner.

1. This book needs to be in every horseman's (and women's) library. Clear, concise, easy to follow, great photos and best of all AWESOME Advice!!!



2. This book is a great book when starting your weanling on a course of training. Unfortunately for me I had already read Imprint Training by Dr Robert Miller and most of the training covered by John Lyons had already been covered in the Imprint Training book. However if you were to start training at weanling stage this would be an excellent book to begin with. Both methods are very similar the choice is up to the individual whether they wish to begin training @ birth or wait until they are weaned. All in all a very informative book. Highly recommended.



3. My baby isn't born yet but this book is easy to understand and should be very helpful in the future.



4. I find John Lyon's Bringing up Baby very informative! The pictures do a great job illustrating each lesson. I just purchased a filly, and I want to give her the best life possible. I think by following John's techinques you can't go wrong. His videos are great too!
   
   Sometimes we forget to use common sense when working with horses, and if you pay attention to them and learn to properly communicate, you will find a great new enjoyment with your horses!



5. this book is great for illustrating kind, consistent lessons to educate yourself and you young weanling. if you want to establish a good relationship, and have your youngster become willing, accepting and to like you, then buy this book.

5 comments about The Power of Positive Dog Training.

1. Very interesting book. I wish I had read it before I got my puppy. It explains dog behavior and gives very specific steps for training.



2. Based upon reviews I bought this and 101 Dog Tricks. Both are excellent and complement one another.
   Positive Dog Training explains the whys of positive dog training through the author's experiences. And goes into great details about the hows, including suggested weekly charts to help you plan the training for your dog.
   Dogs want to be good citizens in our worlds. These books show us how to help them to be so.



3. No more choke chains, no more yelling.
   
   The last time we had puppies was almost 30 years ago. The puppies were taught with choke chains, correction jerks, and loud, assertive commands. I hated it and was never very good at the training methods we were taught, but these methods were considered the only way to show a dog who is boss and get obedient behavior back then. The puppies eventually learned and behaved fairly well. They lived into their teens, and then we got our first adult shelter dog, an already well-trained dog with beautiful manners whom we loved dearly until she died too early from malignant melanoma.
   
   When we brought Jazmine home from the shelter, it was another experience altogether. She had been a stray and in the shelter system for a while. She came to one of our local shelters on a lab rescue program--she is part lab and part ???
   
   She was around two years old, and very active, but a challenge. Fearful at first, she eventually relaxed into a bit of a wild child--very sweet but a handful. Fortunately, the shelter gives a one hour home visit from their trainer who uses positive training methods.
   
   She taught us the very basics, and we attended her classes. Jazmine has too poor an attention span to do well around other dogs, but we wanted to continue the training at home, so she recommended this book. I was so happy not to have to deal with choke chains, yelling and jerking the dog. I was amazed to see Jazmine learn things immediately, with soft, calm commands and a gentle, positive approach.
   
   The book is great. It explains the theory behind the approach so well, that I was later able to apply the principles to some of the behavioral challenges Jazmine presented. She loved to steal things, especially socks and run into the other room to chew on them. We would chase her and grab the object, and you could see the little wheels turning in her head while she decided what object would be next. Using what I learned from the book, I analyzed what reward she was getting from this behavior. I finally realized how much she loved the chase and attention. So the next time she stole an item, I totally ignored her. She came back with the object to taunt me--"lookie what I have!" she seemed to say. I ignored her. She dropped the item and went to lie down in a corner of the family room with a puzzled look on her face. We have learned to chase her only when she has her own toys, she loves that. Now, when she wants a chase, she chooses her own toys and leaves our stuff alone. I didn't have to yell, punish, or swat--all things we would have been told to do by trainers in the "old days".
   
   I enjoyed the chapters and worked through them with Jazmine. She seemed to really enjoy the training sessions as well. We used clicker training at first, but were gradually able to move away from that. Now a simple "yes" will do most of the time and we don't have to carry a pouch of treaties either. Unfortunately, there are still certain behaviors she will only do with a treat--more my fault than the method's I think. We lent the book to a neighbor who brought home a new puppy, and I'd like to get it back so I could learn more.
   
   I buy this book for friends and relatives with new puppies and they give it good feedback as well.



4. If you're training your dog, this is a good book to read; it promotes using positive reinforcements instead of scaring the animal with punishment. It works best too, that is if you like your dog to respect you and not fear you.
   
   It includes Bonus pages on Tricks with lots of instructions too.



5. I highly recommend this book, I had dogs previously to purchasing it, but I still learned a lot about dog behaviour and training tips. I would love a training session with the author she is highly knowlegable and it is clear she has a genuine love of dogs.