No comments about American Pit Bull Terrier: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series).

No comments about Complete Dog Care Manual (Aspca).

1 comments about A Buffalo in the House: The Extraordinary Story of Charlie and His Family.

1. This is a short afternoon read that is ultimately entertaining and heart-warming. The story of Charlie the Buffalo made me laugh out loud several times---and a couple times led to a catch in the throat. The dedication of Charlie's human family seemed to know no bounds---having a 400 lb buffalo calf running loose in the house would require more patience than I possess---I believe. Good story of love, perseverance, and courage.
   Great beach book---light and splendid---I liked it so much I gave a copy to someone who doesn't read too much--and they liked it too!

2 comments about Dog Body, Dog Mind: Exploring Canine Consciousness and Total Well-Being.

1. I intially purchased this book for myself. I read almost the entire book in one sitting. It is absolutely wonderful. I expected to learn more about my dog's behavior and needs but I learned much more than that. Read it and you will also learn something about human behavoir and needs. It is a must have for ANYONE but especially for those who live with a dog!



2. Dr. Fox has a wonderful grasp of animal psychology and what care they need. This book is tremendous.

3 comments about Cichlids (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. The subject of Cichlids is a study in complex social behaviors. Although this reference didn't have anything new to say about Cichlids, it is an accurate primer of the most popular varieties from the African Rift Lakes and Central America.
   
   Curiously, what caught my eye is the term "Pet Owner". Cichlids are indeed very much like pets. Strange though it may sound, this species of fishes goes through a bonding stage very early on and the bond continues to develop through the years, so they may watch what's going on outside of their tank and respond to familiarities.
   
   This is a good book for anyone considering the purchase of a Cichlid. It treats the species appropriately so that the reader comes away with a good understanding of the social structure that is so highly evolved within the Cichlid society, without the expense of a more detailed book the reader may not need before they commit to the fish.
   
   The book does not offer much to the advanced aquarist, but it does cover the basics of diet, disease, compatibility and behaviors. The authors are experienced with the species, but offered little by the way of expert advice.



2. I purchased this book awhile back when I was first getting into Cichlids. It has alot of useful info, and it's easy to follow and refer back to. It gives good tips, and informative basic overveiw. If you're looking for more detailed and/or species/region specific info, this isn't the right book for you. If you are just getting into the hobby, this is a fabulous choice!



3. This books gives someone wanting to learn about Cichlids a good starting point. It covers several varieties, explaining their origins, behavior, breeding habbits and so on. It also gives some pointers on what varieties can coexist and some that shouldn't be mixed. Not all-ecompassiing by any means, but gives a person a good beginning overview to to Cichlids and to help you decide if this is the type of fish you want to put in your aquarium. I've read it to completion, am still interested and now am looking for more detailed information.

5 comments about Animal Blessings: Prayers and Poems Celebrating Our Pets.

1. This book is excellent. It helped me after losing my precious beagle to cancer, and I got another to pass onto a friend after she lost her dog after a long struggle with a brain tumor. It is insightful, respectful, and an excellent book. A treasure if you have that special connection to animals. Those who do will know exactly what I mean.



2. For a pet lover - this is a book to have in your library. A rare find of poems and messages to comfort one in the loss of pet.



3. For anyone who has ever loved an animal, this is a heartwarming little book. No need to read it just once - pick it up anytime.



4. I was given a copy of this book after we lost our dog. I like it so much that I now get a copy for every friend who welcomes a new pet into their home or someone who loses a pet. Sometimes I cry and sometimes I laugh when I pick it up to read. I find myself going back to it every now and then and always find a page or two that brings a smile to my heart.



5. I have given this book a number of times. To friends who have lost their pets, to friends who have recently acquired new pets and have gotten the same reaction - Thank you so very much! I can't go through it without a dry eye or a smile.

5 comments about Good Dog, Bad Dog, New and Revised: Dog Training Made Easy.

1. This has great training info, but limited puppy information as compared to "Good Owners, Great Dogs". Good dog bad dog has a lot of temperment information if that's what you need.



2. Before I give my review, a few facts. Dogs are the first domesticated animal, with humans selectively "designing" canis familiaris, beginning somewhere around 14,000 to 200,000 years ago. So it should come as no surprise that with that kind of conjoint relationship, we selected for attentive behavior. They've helped us hunt our food, herd and protect our flocks and us, and acted as companions.
   What's it all mean? It means that most dogs are really easy to train. Almost anything works. Food rewards, placing the animal into the desired position, operant or classic conditioning (clicker training) or punishment. The operative word in that last sentence is "most." I've read most books on dog training and almost any of the techniques offered will work with some dogs. But you don't want your dog trained! You want your dog obedient. It sits. Terrific. Does it sit when it wants to or when you want it to. Do you say sit, sit, sit, sit.... Do you plead with your dog to come? Do you have to lure your dog with a treat that's visible? Then you don't have an obedient dog. You have a dog that has been trained to do certain things and it will do them when it chooses to. I call those dogs dead. Because the first time that dog gets out of the house and sees little Tommy riding his scooter, your dog is going to take off and get run over. The dog is going to think, hmmm, piece of cheese or run after Tommy (or a bunny or another dog or an ice cream truck)Tommy often wins the toss.
   We seem to have developed a softer, kinder view of training. Hooey. K9 cops, the military and SAR dog trainers don't use these techniques. Why. They are not reliable and when you tell your dog to sit/stay or come, you want reliable. Your dog's life may be at stake. One of the more popular books, talking about R+, which means positive reinforcement, slips in a sentence in the middle of the book, that goes something like, "of course in certain situations where the dog's life may be in danger, corrections may be necessary..." As to Dolphins trainers who use clickers or whistles and are trying to convince you that the same techniques can work with dogs, don't you believe it. Let me see them go through their paces, with the tank filled with food fish. You are training so that your dog will ignore distractions and pay attention only to its handler, you. That's what this is all about. If you don't mind being pulled down the block or fighting your dog for your favorite position on the couch, then pass this book up. And if you are not prepared to really, really correct the dog when it lunges at another dog, then just go watch some tv. This book tells us to do with dogs, what we do(or should do) with our children when they don't pay attention. (No, I am not advocating choke collars for kids - but come to think about it, it's not such a bad idea!) The dog is "corrected" with a brief, but clearly recognizable (to the dog) snap on a choke collar. And when the dog does what we ask it to, we make an exaggerated and very loud, GOOD DOGGIE." We don't hit the dog, we don't destroy it's spirit, we are teaching the dog that it needs to do what it knows how to do, when we want it to do it. And the book makes it clear that there are different kinds of dogs and therefore different approaches. Pay attention to what kind of dog that you have. You don't correct an adolescent Lab the same way I would correct a 7-year old poodle you just took home from the pound, and I wouldn't correct a very sensitive, "soft" or scared dog the way I would a dog that is obstinate. This is a 5 star book. It isn't the only book you should have, though, It leaves out hand signals and I use them extensively and it leaves out, as one reviewer points out, the "leave it" command. It also leaves out the "get the tire" , "get the bone," "get the toy" and "move over" commands which I've taught my GSD after she went through obedience training with this book. Use food for tricks. If the dog doesn't do the trick, no harm done. But when you say, "Fido come." Fido should come - immediately, without a pause, without looking around, without deciding whether there's something else it would rather be doing. Once your dog has basic on-leash obedience training, the sky is the limit on what the dog is capable of.



3. These books relies entirely on the use of aversives (collar choking) with dog training and does not use strong positive reinforcers like food. The methods are 50 years outdated and did not work at all with my dog. If you really want to know how your dog learns and how to teach him what you want him to do, buy Jean Donaldson's Culture Clash, perhaps the best book ever written about dogs.



4. There is some basic good information in this book, but there are many out dated methods also. I like using positive techniques and this book suggests otherwise for some dogs. It also fails to mention many more of the techniques that we are using today. I would not recommend this book unless you have more background knowledge in dog training and can tell the good from the bad.



5. I live in Southern California where we hear Uncle Matty on the radio, and I got one of his trainers to come out and work with our dogs. It works!!

5 comments about The Rhodesian Ridgeback: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet.

1. The Rhodesian Ridgeback is an extremely intelligent canine full of fun, love, and stubburness. They live to love and be loved back and in return they will be your best friend, and family protector. An excellent family dog as they are very good with children. It takes a special person to raise a Ridgeback as they are very headstrong at times and are not for everyone. The author of this book covers everything you will need to know before you decide if a Ridgeback is for you.



2. not really what I expected from the book. I could have used a few more prior reviews to let me know that I was actually looking for a book with more information on raising puppies and nuances inherit to this breed of dog. Good book for a true overall picture of the breed, but to much other non-essential information tossed in



3. I enjoyed this book to learn the history and concerns of RR's. It is a very good introductory book. The author is professional about the breed. I recommend this book to anyone considering a RR or just getting one.



4. I thought the first 6 chapters of the book were good, the first few great. However as you progress through the book the knowledge it presents is geared towards all dogs, to a point where I don't think that a RR was mentioned in the final few chapters, it was general knowledge about dogs.



5. I have owned one Ridgeback who passed away a year and a half ago, and now currently own my 2nd. I have several other books about the breed and really enjoyed Eileen's book the best. It does repeat some of the info I have in other books, such as the history of the breed and breed standard, but lets face it any book on the breed MUST contain those topics. But in some of my other Ridgeback books they seem to either cover a lot of info that is geared towards dogs in general or they tended to cover a lot of information on show dogs throughout the world. But in this book I found the topics to be more unique to our breed & very informative and entertaining. The author goes into details of her own experiences with some of the topics, like sighting examples of her dogs' sense of humor, how they have amused themselves when left alone, how she has trained her dogs for obedience competition etc. etc. AND that is just in the third chapter of the book! The endless pictures she includes in her book are beautiful as well. I just loved this book!

3 comments about Photographing and "Videoing" Horses Explained: Digital and Film: The Horse Owner's Manual for Improved Portraits, Schooling Tools, Sales and Promotions.

1. If you are a novice or beginner photographer this book will help you. If you are an advanced or professional photographer the book is no help. I recommend finding other equine photographers and asking their advice. Some of my best advice has come from clients, who already know what to look for in horse photography.



2. This book was a good overview of equine photography. I am an intermediate photographer with moderate horse knowledge. It was easy to understand and implement - even with my lower level skills. The pictures in the book were amazing! Most of the book covered photography, but the video part was very informative and simple to understand. I would definitely recommend this book if you are going to photograph or video horses even just for fun.



3. I am a fairly experienced photographer who has recently taken up horse show photography. I found this book very, very helpful--especially the sections on the particular phase of each gait which will result in the best photo. I purchased this and Lesli Groves' book, and found them to compliment each other--but if I could only buy one, it would be this one. Specifically, the 'troubleshooting' and 'planning the perfect shot' chapters are excellent; I am equally enthusiastic about the chapters he on computers, printers, and paper. The examples clearly explain the text. I learned a lot from this book, and my first photo practice session showed a significant improvement in my work.

4 comments about Dog Park Wisdom: Real-world Advice on Choosing, Caring For, and Understanding Your Canine Companion.

1. This was the most entertaining and informative dog book I have read. Great common sense tid-bits from people who are not trainers, vets or dog specialists but those of us who learn from the seat of our pants. Great work and a wonderful gift for friends.



2. The title is misleading. Dog Park Wisdom, by Lisa Wogan covers a lot more than just the dog park.
   
   This book is a handy guide for every aspect of dog ownership from picking the right puppy and choosing the right name, all the way to traveling with your dog.
   
   From breaking bad habits to understanding canine emotions, Wogan covers everything from potty training tips to grooming, proper playtime and off-leash etiquette.
   
   There are great anecdotal stories from the author, her friends, family, and sometimes from complete strangers. My favorite among these is why you should wear a belt when visiting the dog park.
   
   Photos by Bev Sparks make Dog Park Wisdom visually a pleasure as well as a fun read.
   
   Lisa Wogan continues to gather tips for dog care and share new tidbits at her blog, www.dogparkwisdom.com.
   
   Bev Sparks photography is used by ad agencies and greeting card companies, appears in magazines and books. See her portfolio at dogphotography.com.



3. This is a great book. Wogan's writing is vibrant and engaging and peppered with anecdotes from dog-lovers from all over. Doggie Yoga Classes, the best poochie sunscreen, a great 'deskunking' recipe, how to find rattlesnake avoidance training for your dog, how to ease a new partner into your pre-existing relationship with your dog...it's all here! A must-have for veteran dog owners and new dog-parents alike. Two thumbs up!



4. Wogan's book is highly enjoyable (and informative), from cover to cover. So many wisdoms, so little time. From "At Home" to "On the Trail" the chapters cover it all. It goes far beyond the Dog Park, and at times, into your heart.
   
   And of course, the amazing photography of Bev Sparks captures the true spirit of our canine counterparts. Tops!