5 comments about No Dogs in Heaven? Scenes from the Life of a Country Veterinarian.

1. Once I started this book, I could not put it down! I am a pre-veterinary student, so my opinion is of course biased, but I think that most animal lovers will love this book. The doctor's stories ranged from funny to sad, but were all enjoyable. Like another reviewer mentioned, I am hoping for a sequel! Worth every penny.



2. Dr. Sharp's poignant and humorous stories of a vet's life in a rural area remind me of the great Dr. James Harriott books that I have enjoyed. I highly recommend No Dogs in Heaven.
   
   Don in Chilli



3. I happened to pick up this book on my way to the airport. The title caught my eye. I have a 16 year old son that shares my love for dogs and I thought
   maybe he would also read it and we would have something to talk about
   during our trip. We were on the way to Hawaii and I finished the book
   before we landed. I couldn't put it down. It was so much fun to read.
   The lady sitting next to me said "You are truly enjoying that book. I have
   seen you laugh, sigh, giggle and even cry while reading it. I am going to
   buy it as soon as I get home.".
   My son now wants to become a vet his grades are good, especially science and math, and we live near
   "The Ohio State University", so he may even attend the same Vet school as
   Dr. Sharp!I have sent a copy to my parents and two neighbors.



4. On the surface this book describes the days of a small-town vet. But it goes well beyond that to illustrate the ambiance of this country when people and times were more personal, more gracious, and much more in tune with those things that still really matter no matter how "global" we are claimed to have become by the talking heads of the media and government.
   It will convince the reader that those "better times and people" really haven't disappeared, and that is tremendously Good News.



5. I think this book is adorable and well-written. I'm enjoying it!

5 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beagles.

1. As the owner of a rescue beagle, I found this book to be incredibly helpful. This book provides a full range of history about this delightful breed of hound. I was able to determine what materials and equipment my hound would need. It is an excellent book for all owners of beagles, from happy pet owners to people interested in showing their hounds. My beagle is a lovable and trusty pet, so I was mainly interested in the parts aimed at pet owners.
   
   A good book and no doubt beagle owners and those who love beagles will enjoy it as well.



2. This book is helpful to any beagle owner. It covers all of the basics and goes into plenty of detail for just about anything you might want to know about your beagle or to consider when thinking about welcoming a beagle into your family. The book does go into quite a bit of detail about breed standards and AKC events and whatnot. Unfortunately if you don't have an AKC registered dog none of this pertains to you. Good intentions abound, but the level of snobbery in the AKC will keep plenty of good dogs (maybe even better *gasp* dogs) from field and agility trials. This isn't a downfall of the book, but if you're like me and have a rescued or adopted beagle, or even one thats just been fixed, much of this book is useless as it pertains to AKC or Nat'l Beagle Club trials and events. I would have liked to see just a little more coverage of training and behavioral issues, but the information overall is pertinant and usefull. Whether you have a registered beagle or not this book is a good tool and packs plenty of bang for the buck.



3. Having grown up with a beagle, I thought I knew this breed, but author Kim Campbell Thornton pleasantly surprised me with new facts and insights into all that is Beagle. Her book covers everything you need from nose to the white tip of the tail. I especially enjoyed the Beagle Bonus pullout boxes. This is a must read for anyone blessed to have a Beagle in their life.



4. Just had to comment on The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beagles...a couple of years ago I decided that I'd like to have a beagle again...I had one during my teen years...and thought that a little research was in order. I was right and this book covered so many facets of beagle behavior that I realized that I would have to learn to accomodate if I was to have a meaningful realtionship with one of the little darlings. The book gave me a much better idea of what my expectations should be and what kinds of compromises and precautions I would have to make to make beagle ownership a joy and not a trial for both me and the dog.
   
   Both Poochie and I give it five stars!



5. Found this book to be the answer to all. Very enlightening!

2 comments about The Chinchilla Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks).

1. This book tells you EVERYTHING you need to know!
   
   I read this book cover to cover and found it was FULL of interesting facts and information about Chinchillas.
   
   I recently took in two chinchillas that the owner could no longer care for. Before I bought this book, I knew nothing. Once I read the last page, I have since been able to teach others about proper Chinchilla care.
   
   I HIGHLY recommend this book for every beginner!



2. "The Chinchilla Handbook" makes a great companion book to Dr. Vanderlip's standard, "The Guinea Pig Handbook," by the same publisher. Profusely illustrated by Michele Earle-Bridges to enhance the well-organized, straightforward text, this book covers everything the novice (and veterinarian) should know about chinchilla history, suitability as pets, anatomy, housing, feeding, behavior, health care and reproduction. This comprehensive book concludes with information about color inheritance and the fascinating world of showing chinchillas competitively. A helpful list of chinchilla affinity groups and recommended publications precede the detailed book index.
   
   Among the many user-friendly features of the book are the well-organized tables and summary boxes which condense the essential facts about these charming little creatures into easy-to-find bites. The health management aspects of the book point the reader to the most common problems likely to be encountered with chinchillas, and practical advice about avoiding them and deciding when to seek the help of you local chinchilla veterinarian.
   
   A great, but compact, book for chinchilla lovers and veterinary staff alike, and a welcome new addition to the Barron's series of pet owner handbooks. It goes alphabetically on my shelf next to Dr. Vanderlip's manual's on "Degus" and "Dwarf Hamsters."
   
   Phillip T. Robinson, DVM
   Dipl. American College of Zoological Medicine

No comments about Bull Elk 2009 Calendar.

4 comments about Tarantulas and Other Arachnids.

1. This is a good starter book for tarantula hobbyists with lots of great pictures to help identify various spider breeds. A good addition to any spider library.



2. This book has been extremly helpful. Recommend to all who have or plan on having Tarantulas.



3. If you are interested in owning a tarantula or are new to the hobby I highly reccomend this book. It is well writen to the point and covers a lot of BASIC care information without getting to scientific or to historical. Great pictures and it has a pretty good section on different tarantulas in the hobby (talks about the temprement, housing, etc,) which will help you to choose what tarantula is right for you. This is a must for any tarantula hobbyist. Well worth your money.



4. Whether new to having a pet tarantula, or a little further along in the hobby, this is a great book to have on hand. All the basic questions/concerns about keeping a tarantula are well-covered in this book. There are also many beautiful color photos of tarantulas that will make you want to keep expanding your collection! There is far less information on keeping other spiders and scorpions, but it is still very helpful if you are starting out.

5 comments about Getting Your First Horse (Horse-Wise Guides Series).

1. This book is very informative for someone who knows nothing or very little about horses. There is alot involved in owning a horse and this book explains everything you need to know. This book combined with a person who knows alot about horses is invaluable.



2. Not a very good book for a beginner. Very poor on horse breeds or lack there of, didn't explain the types of horses or their temperment.



3. This book does have some good information for true beginners, but if you know even a teeny tiny bit about horses, you probably are too advanced for this book. The book also has an odd habit of introducing more advanced topics all of a sudden, with no explanation about them. If you want to learn more about any of these important topics, the author reccommends you ask someone who knows more than you do, or read another book! She does this frequently throughout the book, and I feel that some of these topics are truly the most important things to know about horsekeeping! Some of the info is dated, and it is poorly organized, and she presents many controversial topics, but neglects to say that there are more than one school of thought about it and just gives you one opinion as gospel. I was quite dissapointed with the book overall.



4. I've always loved horses and have wanted to own one. I'm getting serios about purchasing and this book was a great start. It brings up things to think about what you will expect, as far as cost and experiences when looking to buy a horse. If you want more detailed information and are a horse owning beginner, I would also recommend Horses for Dummies, has a lot more detailed information on more topics as well.



5. I have always been drawn to horses. Since I was a kid, I always thought them to be storng, beautiful creatures. As excited as I was to have my first horse, I was also very nervous that I would not know all that went into it. There's a lot more you need to do than I ever realized! This book really helped me get over my first time jitters and let me know what I needed to do, and I could just enjoy the riding. Great book for anyone who has ever dreamed of having a horse.

5 comments about Eminent Dogs, Dangerous Men: Searching through Scotland for a Border Collie.

1. Having read McCaig's other books, I found this one fascinating, but I agree that you might have to be a border collie enthusiast to really enjoy it. The trip through Scotland and finding Gael held my rapt attention. I agree with the Publisher's Weekly review, that McCaig should have stayed on the theme of his new dog and her subsequent life. He left me hanging on that one and I'm hoping there will be a sequel. Despite that, I loved the book anyway.



2. The only problem with his books are that they seem to read far too quickly. I find myself putting them down just to make them last. He knows how to pull you into a good story. "Nop's Trials" is a particularly great story. Unfortunately for me I stayed up all night with this one in hand until the very last page. Tired but glad to have read this one.
   
   "Eminent Dogs, Dangerous Men" reads great but I'll lose no sleep from this one. A wonderful and captivating read. A real insiders perspective on working dogs and the sheepmen who work with them.



3. This is a fascinating read for dog lovers.
   
   I have occasionally had friends decide they wanted a Border Collie - friends I knew should not get a Border Collie. I give them this book and it does a great job of changing their minds. And it entertains them at the same time.



4. I liked this book so much and it stuck with me so when I first read it - the many comments of his "wee bitch" and naming her Gael that my Gael was named from this book. Border collie enthusiasts who see just names on the papers of their dogs may well see some of those names in here. Wonderful people and dogs in real life and an enjoyable read of working dogs, both trials and every day dogs, in Scotland. Loved the book...as someone else mentioned if you're not a fan of border collies you might not find it quite as engaging. Recommended reading for border collie owners!!



5. A Border Collie owner, I could hardly wait to read this book, and the author's other books, Nop's Trials and Nop's Hope. A one-time visitor to Scotland who can't wait to go back, I eagerly looked forward to this book. And, I was not in the least bit disappointed on either count! The author's style is easy-going and readable, with a subtle humor throughout. His images are brilliant and I just felt like I was present for each scene that he wrote and a part of the action. Someone who has no interest in the working Border Collie might find the book dull. So also might someone who is not particularly interested in the very different lifestyle of the shepherd of Scotland. But for us who love the working Border Collie and find the life of the Scottish shepherd and his/her dog intriguing, this is an absolutely must-read book, over and over again!

5 comments about Breaking and Training the Driving Horse: A Detailed and Comprehensive Study (Wilshire Horse Lovers Library).

1. I have actually trained my horse according to Ms. Ganton's book and it took virtually no time at all. I did not use a bitting rig - as my horse was already being ridden. I had virtually no driving experience and found the book easy to understand and the techniques simple. This is an excellent book for the novice driver. As an added note: my horse was always ridden bitless and no bit was used to teach him to drive. He goes bitless and blinderless. Aside from her strict use of blinders (never used by fire horses back in the day and used very little in Europe and horse farming)I will use her method with every horse I teach to drive.



2. Unfortunatley with this book, it didn't give me the information I was looking for. I have driven before, but have never broken a horse to harness, and wanted to make sure I was taking all the right precautions to do it right the frist tim.. I felt this book left alot of questions unasnwered, especially with the grainy and unclear drawings. The insctructions were very unclear and there was no concise "to the point" aspect about them. Honestly, I basically got a review of what I already knew, and felt this book would not be a help for someone breaking her horse to drive. If anythign it is a usefull reference for those already having experience in driving. After reading through it, this book is going in ebay.



3. There is one significant part of this book with which I must take issue. After one succeeds in harnessing and then hitching the green horse to the cart, do NOT, under any circumstances, follow the book's advice to then lead the horse with the empty cart behind. I did this and the horse was so alarmed by the noise behind him that he took off with me running alongside, hanging on to the bridle, trying to get a badly frightened running horse to stop. We finally came to a fence, much to the relief of us both. Since then, I've spoken to several 'driving' trainers and all of them, without exception, say to never, ever lead a horse with an empty cart behind. If I had been unable to keep up with my panicked horse (and it was a miracle that I could) he would have wrecked and most probably his driving days would have been over. Following that horrible event, he had to go back to square one in his training and be brought slowly forward again.



4. Did I read the same book as the rest of these folks? Wefound the "illustrations" to be amateurish drawings with very little clear detail and the photos were from afar and grainy with no discernable detail. The sections on how to harness, and particularly the fit of the harness, were poorly organized and without enough details. Basically, the book is very wordy but without giving enough clear step-by-step instructions and sharp diagrams and photos to really make the reader certain that they are proceeding correctly.
   
   In reading and preparing for the first few lessons I felt secure that I had JUST enough information from the book to carry out her instructions. In practice, we got as far as the training shafts. We constructed them per her measurements, and tried to follow all of her instructions. Unfortunately for a rank novice there was not enough detailed information about how long the traces ought to be on a correctly fitted harness or how far and high from the horse's back legs the cross member should safely be positioned. Our first session in the "poles" was nearly disasterous. We were left with many questions regarding the correctness of our harness and/or should we have modified it in some way to make the exercise more successful. We found ourselves peering at the grainy photos straining to glean some detail that might explain why our set-up didn't fit her description. In reviewing the material we found that should we survive to hitch the horse to a cart, we would be uncertain as to similar details about distances, heights, lengths, etc.



5. Doris L Ganton presents all of the wonderful information in this book in a clear, easy to understand format complete with pictures and detailed drawings to depict exactly what she is talking about. Great book for the first time driver, or someone new to training. This is an excellent buy!

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

1. This is a great book for Frenchie owners looking to get an idea about the breed and a good resource to keep on hand.



2. I only gave this book one star as this book seems geared strictly towards new dog owners. The Frenchie photos are cute, but not much info that I could use.



3. This is a great book for any Frenchie owner. Unlike some books which claim to be breed specific but aren't this book contains lots of information on French Bulldogs. It covers housebreaking, Feeding, Grooming, Health and so much more. There are lots of great photos as well. I got this book shortly before getting my Frenchie, and it was so helpful. It's written in a way that someone new to the breed like me, or someone that is intreseted in a pet rather then a showdog can understand. This is a book written by a true Frenchie lover, for Frenchie lovers and newbies.



4. I have read and reread this book numerous times. I have owned Frenchies for nearly ten years and this is hands down the single best overall basics on the breed. The author presents important information in an engaging, straight forward manner and is a world renowned expert in Frenchies. If you are considering a frenchie or have recently added one to your family, this book will be an invaluable resource.



5. I bought this book when we were leaning towards getting a French Bulldog and wanted more in-depth information. The author is a well-respected breeder of Frenchies with many years of experience. She knows what she is talking about first-hand. This is a great book for anyone considering adding a Frenchie to their family. It is full of all the information you need without excessive information that would overwhelm someone trying to decide if this is the right breed for them. Read this book and you will be well prepared for your flat-faced family member on arrival!

5 comments about Cat Women: Female Writers on Their Feline Friends.

1. If you love cats then this is the book for you! Very enjoyable and light. A series of delighful short essays by women writers about their cats. Many parts will have you laughing out loud. I loved it.



2. There's a reason this book was on the mark-down section. It is horrible. It is trying too hard to be edgy when its target audience wanted pro-cat stories. From the owner who let her cat get frostbit then brags about it, to the other stories of neglect and hatred of all things feline, this bunch of essays deserves to quietly get tossed in the recyle bin. It's actually not even worth the cost of printing nor the paper it was printed on.
   I happen to love cats, and fully expected to enjoy this book. I suppose I'm out of the demographic for this book anyway. It's aimed at 30-somethings who got a cat because they were lonely then were afraid to admit it.
   Yada yada yada.....bunch of hot hair by people who don't really understand cats.



3. I picked up this book for a very specific reason: to help me decide if I wanted to become a cat woman again. It had been a few years since my two feline loves had moved on to that bottomless bowl of cat treats in the sky, and it seemed time to welcome a new meow into my life. To be sure, I wanted to revisit that special, mysterious, hard-to-articulate-without-sounding trite relationship that develops between felines and females without the risk of falling in love again. And for this purpose, the book deserves five stars. More than the evocative prose, the funny stories, the intimate details, hearing the range of feelings -- physical and emotional -- that cats have evoked in other women, helped me realize I wasn't yet willing to dive into a new relationship with even the prettiest kitty. Special thanks to Megan McMorris for her right-on introduciton and Sophia Dembling for an unforgettable opening essay.
   Jean Fain



4. I can not say enough about this book without almost gushing. I found this book "staring" at me one day only days after my Mistie had passed away. Reading other people's stories about their cats unique habits and unique personalities and the bond that was there for him made me feel comforted somehow during this grief period that I am experiencing.
   
   I loved all the essays to one degree or another but two top favorites were about a little man named Murphy aka Murph dawg and how he wedged himself a place in the heart of his owner's significant other and then the editor's. Megan McMorris, own essay on trying to get her Lucy and her boyfriend to find some common ground.
   
   If you want to read how cats can affect your life...this book is the perfect place to start.



5. To me, cats have always been as mysterious as women--they're elusive one moment, playful the next, and you never know what's going on behind those eyes--so I read this book in the hope that the pairing of the two species together would offer some insight, that like with mathematical signs, the shroud of mystery would be cancelled out when multiplied. I wasn't disappointed.
   
   There's a lot of variety in the essays, some humorous, some sad, but all very genuine. My favorites are "Strutting the Catwalk: Seven Habits of One Sexy Beast" by Jennifer Jalalat, which compares the innate sexiness in cats with female sexuality, and "Saved by the Cat" by Melinda J. Combs, which tells a tale of how saving a cat saved a friendship.
   
   I haven't read all the essays yet, but the ones I have are great, and while they haven't taken the mystery out of women or cats--nothing ever will (and I think I like it that way anyway)--there are a lot of insightful and touching moments.