No comments about Dog Talk: Lessons Learned from a Life with Dogs.

5 comments about Clifford: of Drummond Island.

1. Clifford is a wonderful book for anybody who loves horses. It's also a great read for any animal lover, whether your favorite animal is a dog, cat, bird, or any other four-legged, furry friend. Nancy Bailey is a talented writer who is able to quickly bring the reader into her special world and share her love and connections with her animals. Clifford, the star of the book, is a comical, lovable horse who obviously adores Bailey but also insists on doing things his own way. Bailey isn't afriad to show these quirks and funny mis-adventures and that's what gives the book such a personal, enjoyable touch. Clifford and Trudy, another horse of Bailey's, also have a special connection with the many dogs that share Bailey's attentions. The book is made up of lots of short chapters, each one a new adventure. The horse/dog adventures are interspersed with stories about other animals that have touched Bailey's life. I particularly enjoyed the story about Rookie, the curious chickadee, Joe the Goat, and Frightful the Hawk. After reading this enchanting book, I feel like I know all of Bailey's special animal friends quite well. I highly recommend this book for a fun, memorable read.



2. If you love to read about animals, especially horses, this is the book for you.



3. This book gives us a peak in to the life of a very interesting, talented woman. She actually has time to ride her horse with her dogs running along beside. She has great adventures, thanks to a horse, Clifford, with a spunky personality. I think any animal lover will enjoy this book very much. References to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan are pretty interesting, also.



4. This is a story about a horse that has a mind of his own, another horse who is perfect, and one who isn't so right in the head. Clifford of Drummond Island is a great book. Clifford is a chestnut colored Morgan colt who is raised using "clicker training" a technique used on dogs. With clicker training Clifford learns various tricks including learning how to fetch a cone. Clifford wins the hearts of everyone on Drummond Island, especially Mrs. Bailey's dad. This a great book for horse lovers and non-horse lovers alike!



5. Nancy Bailey has written a wonderful book, for animal-lovers of all ages, about Clifford, her Morgan horse with TOO much personality. Her evocative and descriptive prose takes the reader on a journey to Drummond Island, Michigan, and encounters with family members, islanders, birds, dogs, "fudgies," and of course Clifford himself. By the end of the book, I felt that I had known all of the characters myself!

1 comments about The Power of Purrs: Reflections on a Life with Cats.

1. I couldn't put Gary Shiebler's THE POWER OF PURRS down. The honesty in his writing resonates. I laughed, I cried (and I'm not just saying that for dramatic effect!), and I remembered the cats that have come in and out of my own life. Even if you hate cats, you'll love the insightful stories Shiebler shares. Maybe you'll even change your mind . . .

5 comments about The Portable petswelcome.com: The Complete Guide to Traveling with Your Pet.

1. I bought this book and "Pets on the Go" both at Amazon.com. First I visited petswelcome.com's web site and thoroughly checked it out, looking for completeness by checking their site for motels/hotels that I know accept pets. Some places that I knew of were missing in popular tourist sites where people bring pets. I found their website very large (almost too large) for efficient surfing and for fast note taking/printing out. So I bought the book instead. Well, the book writing is "cutsy" to the point of being corny. That aside, comparing it with "PETS ON THE GO" (which I also bought), "PETS ON THE GO" wins hands down. The latter has more organization, more entries, more detail in the entries, and more current information. For example, checking "Lone Pine, CA" (a popular tourist town for Mt. Whitney climbers), one finds only one scant entry in "Petswelcome.com", whereas in "PETS ON THE GO" there are four entries, plus "PETS ON THE GO" gives you the motels' URL's! "PETSWELCOME.COM" does not give the URL's. (Go figure----they're a dotcom company!). Libby Montana has no listings in "PETS WELCOME.COM" whereas "PETS ON THE GO" has four. This happens over and over. "PETS ON THE GO" is twice as fat as the other book and it is organized alphabetically by State, City (in boldface). "PETSWELCOME.COM" was frustrating for me for fast, efficient use because the first boldface entry is not the city (rather the motel---which is not alphabetized!) and you have to squint to find the city in the listings. A pain! Of the two books I would get "PETS ON THE GO" (I rated it 5 stars for fast and thorough, complete information). I would be tempted to throw the other out the car window! One just gets the feeling of dotcom generic phoniness when reading "PETSWELCOME.COM". I feel like this book is like a maze-designed building with every other brick missing. I'm a dog person on the go with four dogs (one traveller) and numerous other pets and I have no involvement with the book. I hope this helps folks that are organized and ergonomics-minded like me.



2. The Portable Petswelcome.com book was a terrific gift for me and for our favorite Golden. The book's light breezy style made for easy reading of really useful stuff including how and where to find a vet when we're all on vacation. I've now recommended Portable Petswelcome to Arthur and JoAnn for their a new Golden Retriever so they can have the benefit of its complete and authoritative advice. You can tell that the people who wrote this Petswelcome really love their animals, and know what they are talking about.



3. The portable petswelcome.com book has been a tremendous resource for me and my pets. It's approach and completeness certainly surpasses any others on the market today. I also enjoy the insight and great sense of humor from the writers. The best part is that the book is also supported by their dynamic website which is constantly updated with new information. I would definetly recommend this book (or the website) to anyone who would like to travel with their pets, enjoyably and without restrictions.



4. Tired of sneaking my dog around the back of motels and hoping no one sees me, I came across this book and the related website. The listings seem up-to-date and comprehensive. The website is great to stay on top of changes to phone numbers, etc.
   Surprisingly, I found myself chuckling as I read through the book. Not just a typical directory, the hints, tips and anecdotes make it an enjoyable read. You can tell the authors are pet lovers and not just guide book authors. Anyone who travels with pets should keep a copy in their glove compartment. Once you start using this book, you'll find that you can actually check in during daylight hours :)



5. The cover looks nice on this book and the vet listings were helpful but I found the lodging entries sparse and outdated compared to other online sources like Takeyourpet.com

5 comments about DOG EAT DOG: A Very Human Book About Dogs and Dog Shows.

1. Very good stuff.Written in very language easy to connect.I had almost decided to give up showing dogs,and got this book.In the next month I had three of my terriers were on board.Yet I am sure I would not have been hurt as much as before the book even if they had not won.



2. Recently, a friend mentioned he was thinking about breeding puppies. Luckily, I was already reading this book. After mentioning the schedules, money, paperwork, heartbreak, and blood, sweat, and tears that goes into dog breeding, he said "never mind"
   
   Not only is Dog Eat Dog a brilliant expose on dog breeding, it focuses on the world of show dogs, a complicated place in which the slightest bump on a dogs shoulder can make the difference between winning and loosing, and where wirehair dogs have to be groomed by having individual hairs pulled out.
   
   Though many breeds and breeders are mentioned, the main focus is on Mimi Einstein and her All Star Kennels, which breeds and shows Bull Mastiffs, massive, loving guard dogs. Many of the stories are touching, some will make you cheer outloud and one made my eyes water.
   
   It's fast moving, well paced, and though a real tale it has a happy ending.
   
   If you're thinking about getting a pure bred dog, showing a dog, or breeding for profit, please read this book first!
   
   Highest recommendations.



3. This is an easy read - very entertaining. These folks know the dog world inside and out; they present it in a hysterical light.



4. I really enjoyed this look into the world of dog shows. The author doesn't hide the truths of the ins and outs of the world of showing and breeding dogs. Quick read--I read it in a day. Very well-written. Great little book!



5. 'Dog Eat Dog' is the 'Orchid Thief' of the dog show world, but the obsession in this case is with Bullmastiffs, not orchids. Jane and Michael Stern have written an interesting, sweet, and sometimes sad book about the 'dog eat dog' competition in the American dog show ring. The sadness comes in when the authors describe the problems that we humans have wrought upon our best friends, by breeding for a particular and possibly arbitrary trait (size or hairlessness) and ignoring the consequences (hip dysplasia, deafness, birthing problems).

   The authors suffered from the purebred dog syndrome themselves: "Some couples dream of a house, others of a baby; we could think of nothing more enriching to our tender relationship than the companionship of a drooling, flatulent Bulldog."

   Richard, the Bulldog was an utter failure in the showring but if he was the genesis of "Dog Eat Dog", then he was a very successful Bulldog, indeed. Please read this book. It is a droll, ingratiating, doggy slice of Americana.

No comments about Cow Tails & Trails: A Fun & Informative Collection Of Everything Bovine.

No comments about Treasury of Great Horse Stories: A Collection of Tales That Celebrates the Majestic Beauty of the Horse.

No comments about Sleeping Partners: Cracker and Micky : Two Dogs With a Tale.

5 comments about Three Cats, Two Dogs: One Journey Through Multiple Pet Loss.

1. Mr. Conglaton took a heartbreaking event and turned it into a joyous remembrance. His skillful writing enables the reader to acquaint themselves with his pets. This is a moving testimonial to his best friends who were taken from him abruptly. Anyone who has owned a beloved pet and lost them before their time should read this book. It will make you cry, but the joy that he and his wife received from these cats and dogs will keep you reading to the very last page. I particularly enjoyed reading the newspaper columns that he wrote about his friends and felt I knew each one. Must Read!



2. First some background--A few years ago some stray and ferel cats started adopting me. Due to the life they led they all came with major medical problems (FIV, FeLk, FIP, kidney failure and more). I loved them all, I cared for them all through very long, painful, illnesses. I had to make agonizing choices, put them through painful proceedures, watch them suffer, and watch them all die. I loss 6 in the course of one year. And others before and after that year. That's why I bought this book.

   I don't want to discount the author's grief over the loss of his pets, which I can wholeheartedly understand and commiserate with, but his "journey" is so unlike anything that any other pet owner on the face of the earth is ever likely to go through, and he was so blind to the gifts that he received that the rest of will never even come close to, that I found myself incensed at his bad attitude and behavior. I could not in any way relate to this mans "journey."

   His animals died quietly in their sleep. He didn't have to live with long terminal illnesses, painful treatments, or horrible decisions. I don't want any of my pets to die, but as they have to, I would pray to have them pass as his did rather than suffer through illness. But was he even remotely grateful for such a quick and painless passing? No.

   He was a public figure so hundreds (no joke!)of people offered their sympathy and support to him. But there were two people who did not...and he was so angred by these two people that he felt it necessary to write about them, by name, in this book. A whole whopping two people were insensitive to his ordeal and this so enraged him that he felt it necessary to lash out at them? Poor baby. If I could find two people who understood what I was going through I'd feel blessed and lucky.

   He got to stop working, due to his grief. Have any of us ever had that luxury? Or did our bosses not want to hear about it? Again, was he grateful? or annoyed when people hinted it was time to come back to work?

   He held a public memorial service for his pets in a theater and it was standing room only. He got to talk about it, share it, let it go. How many of us get any opportunity to talk about our dead pets to anyone, least wise hundreds of people? Most of us know that no one wants to hear about it. We have to keep it inside. Again I feel he was blessed and yet he didn't see it.

   Despite his grief he got twice as many new pets within a very short period of time. But does he enjoy them? No, in fact, he refuses to even celebrate Christmas with new pets. And once again gets irritated when a couple of people don't understand this. This proved to me that he learned nothing from the deaths of the original five....life is short and can be taken at any moment. He should have celebrated joyously that he had new pets...but he "couldn't bring himself" to do so. I barely had time to grieve one death before another was occurring yet I assure you I celebrated Christmas and every other day I could with the new pets.

   The authors attitude annoyed me. He was given the best of everything and it still wasn't enough for him. If he had seen those five pets through long, painful, illnesses one right after the other, and had to grapple with painful treatments and surgeries, when to euthansize, digging a grave in his backyard one night and getting up and having to go to work the next day, all the while having no one to talk to about this...then he might begin to understand what the average pet owner goes through. I don't think he has a clue what it's like for the rest of us....and I hope he never has to.




3. Just finished another interesting paperback book I bought thru Amazon.com titled
   Three Cats and Two Dogs--One Journey Through Multiple Pet Loss by David Congalton. Copyright 2000 Publisher: NewSage Press

   It is a story about a writer who is also a radio talk show host and his wife who lose all their five pets one night in December 1997 to an accidental fire while the couple was out. In the months that followed, not only were they grief stricken and felt a deep sense of loss but also felt a sense of guilt and great emptiness. Within months and after lots and lots of tears, they started to "move on" as best they could. Within two years they had rebuilt their fur family including among them several handicapped animals. At the end of the book, their family consisted of a grand total of nine cats, one kitten and four dogs and they couldn't seem happier although they will always think about the night when all 5 of their pets died.
   This is a great book for anyone who has ever lost a pet and would understand the couple's grieving process. And happily the book does end on a joyous note.
   Happy Reading.




4. Having suffered pet loss in two different forms, ( as a result of death and as a result of a divorce) I could empathise and sympathise with David and Charlotte on losing not just one animal companion, but five. Although I do not by any means claim that I fully understand the depth of their grief, no one truly can. Grief is an individual process and experience, because of the relationships that exist between all individuals.

   As I read this book I could only do so a page at a time, stop to cry and grieve for David and Charlotte and then move on again sometime later, to the next page. Once I read up to Chapter Four (I think it was) I could proceed reading normally, although somewhat bleary eyed.

   This is a truly moving and emotionally draining encounter of love, connection, companionship, loss and grief in the truest sense.

   My condolences and my congratulations to David and Charlotte, not just on their loss and a wonderful book respectively, but also for being able to 'see the light' in a time of darkness, by showing the world how animal companionship is, in its most pure and deepest form, and for being able to 'move on' out of respect for five wonderful soul companions.

   As a result of reading their true story, David and Charlotte inspired me to commit 'deeds, not just words' to the animal kingdom. I have committed my spare time to my local animal shelter (Blue Cross Animal Shelter)...and as a result of that deed, I adopted two cats and a rabbit....(to add to my two canine companions and rabbit!!!!)

   You two should be proud of yourselves...your committment is infectious.

   Well done David and Charlotte.

   Blessings for all Animals. May they always have people such as yourselves to see them in peace and harmony, with love.




5. This book tells me it is okay to grieve and it does it very well. The problem is I already knew it was okay to grieve because I was grieving - terribly. I wanted to find out how to deal with my grief. I read a lot of reviews and a lot of books, but the only books that worked for me were Will Fido Be in Heaven and Cold Noses by the pearly gates.

5 comments about Cat Guru.

1. The Cat Guru is a beautifully-written nonfiction account of the
   author's adventures raising a family of ferral cats on an ashram in
   India. Guru means teacher, and the book describes what the author
   learned about the meaning of life from observing the cats and her neighbors. In the chapter "A Pile of Feathers", the mother cat brings a bird into Naina's living room to teach the kittens. Naina first watches in disgust as the kittens play with the bird and devour it on her living room floor; then she realizes the cats are simply doing what is good and natural for them. It is not a children's book. Naina reveals the ashram to be a microcosm of the world with some of the same insensitive bureaucrats as anywhere else. The book includes color photos of the cat family, starting with the birth of the kittens.



2. The Cat Guru is a wonderful parallel story of development. The book is not only about cats but also about human growth. I found the story to be deep, intimate, touching, and sometimes funny. I really could not put the book down. I became very involved with the cat family. Throughout the book you get a glance into the East Indian culture. If you didn't like cats before you read this book, you might start thinking about them after you are finished. I will never forget Maya. I really loved the book!



3. This beautiful book shows the importance of animals and the essential role they play in our lives. I enjoyed seeing how these kittens in India are brought up by their mother and their adventures on the ashram. People with cats will very likely recognize a lot of the scrapes they get into. These animals reveal so much in so many ways!



4. What I like about The Cat Guru is it's a good story with an interesting cast of characters--cats. It has a simple child-like tone with a lot of feeling. The kinds of questions the story raises are meaningful. But what touched me most is the life of the kittens in this unusual environment. A wonderful book for cat lovers and those with a spiritual bent.



5. Naina Lepes creates a microcosm that we enter willingly. We share her initial optimism for the health and happiness of the cat family, an optimism soon tempered by realism. Just as parents must learn to accept their inability to protect their children from life's sorrows, we learn, along with the author, that we have limited control over the health and happiness of the adorable kittens and their exasperating parents. As the author's perseverance is tested - and occasionally derailed - by cat antics, vagaries of fortune and the idiocies of individuals within the ashram's world, we remember our own frustrations when meticulously prepared plans were demolished by the unexpected. Through the author's interpretation of her experiences and their relationship to the greater spiritual universe, we learn to accept that the cat nature must dictate the way life is lived by this cat family - and that this, like the nature of fate in our universe - is not always readily understood by humans. As we work through the disappointments of our daily lives, sometimes overwhelmed by the tragedies we see in the world and uncomprehending of the personal and political choices of others, we take comfort in the knowledge that we can learn to transcend this reality to find inner peace.