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!

5 comments about Havanese: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series).

1. This is a wonderful owners manual for anyone wanting to own this wonderful breed of dog. The book is very knowledgeable and clear to understand. Very good tips on being a good Havanese owner.



2. Interesting to read about the breed from the Cuban perspective. The history of the breed, however, seems to be skewed by a lack of free information exchange in Cuba...it doesn't quite mesh with the history as presented in other countries...but, it was an interesting book and worth reading.



3. I was very diappointed in this book. Having read the reviews I looked forward to receiving it but in fact I thought it no better than generic dog book descriptions of the havanese breed. So many of these books, like 'Puppies for dummies' for instance, just repeat the same old stuff. I really wanted to know more about choosing and raising a havanese puppy, but it was of little use as its main focus seemed to be for potential breeders. There was very little about health problems, temperament or behaviour. In fact the book's layout and presentation looks 20 years old and I have already given my copy away to a thrift shop.



4. Excellent book - especially for the first time owner of a Havanese. I would have liked to see a little more about the eye problems that pertain to this breed. Wonderful photos throughout. We enjoyed the section explaining the history of the breed.



5. This is a comprehensive and very informative book for anyone interested in learning about Havanese dogs. Its caught the attention of so many of my family and friends that I will be giving it out this holiday as gifts. Highly Recommend!! P.s. loved the extra pictures of Havana...

5 comments about The Tao of Maggie: The Sound of One Hound Barking.

1. I am a member of the Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue League - and although I am partial to the hounds, I am an equal opportunity dog lover.
   
   This book is amazing. Maggie is amazing.
   I particularly like the quote:
   "When you're going through hell...keep going."
   
   I find myself reading it over and over - it cheers me up!
   
   www.tristatebassets.org



2. This a good coffee table book. Just open to any page and a conversation just naturally begins. This book is touching,thoughtful,sweet, and has so much to offer visually. I bought a second copy as a gift for a friend who recently got a Basset Hound. I've been owned by this wonderful breed for 2 1/2 years now, so I could really relate.



3. This is a wonderful book, both the photographs and text. I liked it so much that I bought six copies for all of my friends and family who have Basset Hounds!
   Nothing, and I mean, nothing disappointing in this book! A must for Bassset fans!



4. ...so goes our mistress of zen - our goddess of the couch.
   
   Bill Stanton is back with another installment of the wonderfully elegant Miss Maggie, Basset extraordinaire. As a Basset Hound owner myself, the humorous and poetic photos of Maggie entertain and crackle with aspects of the comical hound so familiar in my household, and in the fur flecked, drool drizzled homes of others as well. (Just kidding, we Basset owners know the goodness of a rag at arms length). Whether Maggie is swimming, laying on the sofa or pondering the horizon, we find our little friend expounding philosphical quotations while contemplating the next meal, exploring her neighborhood, or preparing for the next snooze. Much like his first published pictorial on Maggie entitled "Maggie's Way", Stanton's keen eye for nuance of the Basset's personality shines through.
   
   And on a side note: My Basset - Baldrick, and I had the pleasure of meeting Maggie and Bill Stanton a few years ago at a charity picnic to raise funds for a local Basset Rescue group. Maggie was charming and sweet, and Mr. Stanton was a pleasure. His love for Maggie is indeed strong, and flows gently from his camera's eye in "The Tao of Maggie", and in "Maggie's Way". If you buy one, the other or both, you'll find joy within each page.



5. I gave this book as a gift. The recipient was truly delighted and she still shows me particular pictures (and captions) that she most enjoys. This is a great photo essay that captures the essence of the bassett breed and the strong bond between humans and animals. Funny, heart warming, and a treat to share.

5 comments about Tibetan Terrier: A Complete and Reliable Handbook (Rare Breed).

1. I found the book easy to read with loads of great photos of TT's. The first few chapters on the description, origin, living with a TT and Grooming a TT were great. The large section on TT's in the US was irrelevant to me since I am from Australia and I was dissappointed in the last few chapters because they were very generic and packed full with advertisments for a particular companies products.
   
   Still I think it is a good read for anyone considering obtaining a TT for the first time.



2. The photography in the book is great. I also liked the history on the breed. I was, however, disappointed by the minimal information in the book about the breed's temperment, personality and the pluses and minuses of the breed. I was yearning for more information about this. The second half of the book is devoted to the typical puppy information that was very generic and has been written about in almost every dog book I've read. Anne, next time give us more!!



3. Its a very good book for new commers also for other breeds but not for breeders. Why are not included the opinions of other breeders? It hase also commercial announcements I don¨t like that.



4. I have read this book because I am looking for a Tibetan Terrier. I did lots of research, and read many books, but this one was the best. I found in all the other books that they were a little generic, and didn't give good advice, or was a little out dated. I found this book very simple to read, and I read it in one day. It gives terrific advice on the do's and don'ts of the Tibetan Terrier. The pictures are terrific, but I found the information even more fantastic.



5. I have read this book because I am looking for a Tibetan Terrier. I did lots of research, and read many books, but this one was the best. I found in all the other books that they were a little generic, and didn't give good advice, or was a little out dated. I found this book very simple to read, and I read it in one day. It gives terrific advice on the do's and don'ts of the Tibetan Terrier. The pictures are terrific, but I found the information even more fantastic.

5 comments about American Bulldog (Comprehensive Owner's Guide) (Comprehensive Owner's Guide).

1. ...my son to choose this breed of dog, it gives great background on the American Bulldog and what to look for in a well bred one.



2. its a little to text book for me... i noticed that the writer kind of rambled a bit but it does have some good info.



3. This book is a ok book has some good tips and info that you can find in most books on AB's .The guy has no Idea about AB's , I mean the many theories of the breed and his negative remarks about other people's theory about the breed and not to mention writting mistakes in this book.But that just my though's on it!



4. very good book helps me everyday understand my american bulldog. it is written so that things are easy to find and really easy to understand.



5. between his random babble, run-on sentances that lead nowhere, out of the blue paragraph openings and subject and not to mention his "theory" on the American Bulldog I wouldnt waste anymore time (let alone money) on this book. I mean come on, this guy spelled "organized" with an "s" for crying out loud. this book is an insult not only to the editors and publishers who helped put it out, but to the true American Bulldog lovers worldwide. I promise you that if you are looking for a good book on these dogs there are some out there - it's just not this one. after reading this i feel like i should write a book on space exploration - apparently you dont even need to know the subject on which you are writing about.

2 comments about Understanding Border Collies.

1. My fiancee and I recently made the decision to follow through with our dream of having a border collie. We've read other breed-specific books (after getting our other dog, a Shetland sheepdog) and came away unimpressed. Most of them provide basic, general dog-ownership advice and common sense. So, yes, we understand that we will need to give the border collie much more time and mental/physical exercise than a typical breed. We have also read plenty of horror stories of restless border collies destroying its owner's home to varying degrees. I bought this book, with limited information in the description, in the hope that it would have breed-specific information that I couldn't find just surfing the internet.
   
   ...And it really paid off! Clearly the author has great expertise with respect to border collies and is not afraid to share opinions and impressions that, while not necessarily universal, could be helpful to prospective owners. (e.g. The author believes that coat length and ear shape may give a hint on a puppy's energy level.) What I like, in particular, is that the author provides as much advice for owners seeking mere companionship (like us) as for those seeking working dogs.
   
   I just finished the section regarding specific dietary issues of border collies, and found it very helpful. (I was surprised to learn that the premium dog food we give to our finicky sheltie would probably send a non-working border collie through the roof!)
   
   If I was to find any complaint about the book, it would be that the photographs in the book are not in color. I also wouldn't mind if it were a touch cheaper, given that it's only 157 pages.
   
   These pages, however, are clear, well-written and chalk-full of valuable breed-specific information (and with almost nothing that is just general dog-ownership common sense). I'm sure that this book saved us any number of "incidents" (aka "learning experiences") and will only make our future border collie (and its owners) a great deal happier in the future.



2. Excellent contents, very explicit and specific.
   This book is the real deal in the BC world, I found it really complete and its really helpful, you need to read this in order to have a healthy relationship with your pet or working Border Collie.

5 comments about They Moved My Bowl: Dog Cartoons by New Yorker Cartoonist Charles Barsotti.

1. I bought this as a Christmas gift for a dog lover. She seemed happy to receive it.



2. The 'just okay' review is utterly baffling. I can understand expending effort on a rave or a pan, but why bother logging in and typing up a middle-of-the-road, neither-here-nor-there totally uninformative and uninformed 'just okay'? This is Charles Barsotti we're talking about, one of the true titans of cartooning. If Matisse could write funny captions, if Roy Lichtenstein could draw funny dogs, and if Raymond Pettibon had an internal editor they might be as great as Charles Barsotti. But right now, he's the best there is.



3. There's no kinder commentary on human/canine society than Barsotti's funny take on people as pups/pups as people. This is not just for dog lovers, it's a great gift or bedside pal for the down-in-the-mouth, stressed-out crankypants who needs to connect with his/her inner pooch. Would that be you? How do you beat a dog judge commenting to a doggy defendant, "As unbelievable as it may seem to you today, this court was once a puppy too." If you haven't collected Charley's works, start now! Add some grins to your goofball world.



4. I've always loved Barsotti; his intelligence, drier-than-dust humor, razor-sharp wit and economy with line is unmatched, in my opinion. But there's a special, perfect innocence to his Pup cartoons, a sweetness that always elicits an "awww" rather than "ergh." This collection is long overdue.



5. Five stars aren't really enough.
   
   I used to think that Charles Barsotti was James Thurber reborn in the mid-west,
   but that underestimated his extraordinary talent. His latest book, "They moved my bowl'
   appears to be about pups but, of course it isn't. It's about us, and about you.
   
   If you look in the mirror, like most people do at every opportunity,
   you absolutely have to buy this book and spend some time with it.
   It's a mirror in which you'll find both the essence of 'puppyness'
   and a discerning insight into you.

No comments about German Shepherd Dog: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series).

5 comments about The House on Bloodhound Lane (Bloodhound).

1. The idea is different enough to rate 5 stars but the stories and characters are also wonderful.I was very glad to find this as a series, which I love reading, and I hope the author continues the bloodhound books.



2. "The House on Bloodhound Lane," the second in the "Bloodhound series," has confirmed it. Virginia Lanier has just zoomed to the top of "My Favorite Mystery Writers'" list!! (Even better than Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, which is saying a LOT!!)

   I can't believe that I have just now discovered Virginia Lanier's great characters! Jo Beth Sidden is a feminist with an attitude and such a wonderful character! I love how she is always trying to improve and "fix" her friends' lives (because her own is so often in such chaos)!

   I couldn't put this book down. It has SO many intricate sub-plots and I love the dialogue. It is great to read so much about the dogs as well. I especially liked how Lanier took the readers back to Bobby tracking Mary Ann.

   Lanier is such a gifted and intelligent writer to devise methodically the reasoning that spews out of Jo Beth's character.

   I've already started "tracking" down the hardback editions of Lanier's books. They are keepers. Other mysteries that I've rated as 5 stars are good, but they don't come close to Lanier's Bloodhound Series! She is THAT GOOD!




3. This is *NOTE* the second book of a series. It is well done enough that you can pick up the series here but it will be more enjoyable if you start from the beginning. The books are; 1996-Death in Bloodhound Red, 1997-The House on Bloodhound Lane, 1998- A Brace of Bloodhounds, 1999-Blind Bloodhound Justice, 2000-Ten Little Bloodhounds. I'm not sure why we don't have books for 2001 and 2002, but after you read the first book and then run out and buy the next four that continue without dropping the pace and excitement, you'll mourn the gap in the series. I have a review in on the first book that gives you an idea about the series, which I won't repeat.

   In this second book Virginia Lanier develops the themes she began in the first book. As I mentioned she does an excellent job of giving you a wealth of knowlege about the south, the Okenofee swamp, and bloodhounds as trackers (not hunters). You learn still more and critically important, she manages to repeat some of the old knowlege such that you don't lose vital bits if you start at the second book, but is still interesting if you read the first one. Instead of boring solliques you get inserts that go with the action that end before you get bored, such as when she is explaining something to someone as opposed to an off the story line that reminds you that you are reading a book. As with the first book, I not only read it till it was done (about 3am on a night I had to get up and go to work at 7am) even though I swore to myself that really truely I was not going to do this like I did with the first one. Then once I read it through I went back and enjoyed a leisury read to pick up the information and the beauty of the story, after I happily reread the first book for the third time.

   I've checked out a lot of the information here with a friend that is from Georgia and so far she is 100% on accuracy. Since just because an author makes something sound believable doesnt mean it is, and I'm primary a science fiction reader so I'm always wary. The only difference is my friend knows bloodhound hunting dogs, but no trackers. But she did verify (and I can't remember which book it was in) where a monster gator was climbing a fence to get at the puppies, that while she doesn't know of any examples of them climbing fences, there are many examples of them getting into fenced yards where no one can figure out how they got in.

   Additionally in this book the long feared release of her ex-husband from prison happens, and I really enjoyed Jo Beth's revenge on the prison system for not telling her BEFORE. I'm not going to say what happens or if she found out 'in time' because I HATE a review that blows the plot by telling you the entire book like a bookreport. I'm going to let you wonder.




4. This book made a three hour airport delay tolerable - something that many books can't do. Jo Beth is back with her nice mix of sass and humor. The kennel is growing but there are a few problems - including a vicious ex-husband on the loose and a missing businessman. Romance is in the air for all the ladies at the kennel - or so it seems.

   The highlights of the book are two-fold. First, it's always nice to read a mystery that doesn't have a dead body. Second, and most endearing, is Bobby Lee, the brilliant, blind bloodhound.

   Bottom-line: Nothing extraordinary but good enough to pass along to my dog loving niece.




5. I have read all of Virginia Lanier's books (date of review 8/7/00). All five are full of excitement and suspense as well as romance and humor.

   Being a dog lover myself, I was fascinated by the nuances of caring for, training, and working with bloodhounds.

   I just finished her last book in the series and I will sorely miss Jo Beth and her adventures into the swamp with her magnificent dogs. I am eagerly awaiting the next one!

5 comments about Successful Dog Adoption.

1. While the author's test may not be 100% accurate, her premise is that one should be VERY careful in adopting dogs in order not to get an aggressive dog. This is something that most other adoption books gloss over. The author is concerned that many agencies seeking to have dogs adopted are more concerned with getting the dog a home than in protecting the adopting owner. Why adopt trouble?
   
   I've had 12 dogs in my life and am thinking of adopting when my 12 year old dog dies. I've been reading as many books as I can about adopting dogs and adult dog behavior and this is one of the best that I've found.



2. Dogs need our help. Thousands die every day simply because they do not have a home. If you are involved in fostering, breed rescue or simply love dogs, read this book to learn about how to evaluate dog temperament. If you are looking to adopt a dog, this book will teach a scientifically proven effective method of evaluating a dog's personality.



3. I bought two books on dog adoption, this book being one of them. I really didn't get my money's worth from this book. The tests that the author advised just are not practical. If people did what she said, no shelter dogs would ever get adopted. In general, other books on dog adoption have a lot more practical advice than this one. This book was not a total loss, I did learn a few things from it. But, all in all, it was not worth my money.



4. What a great book! It is very well written, authoritative without being condescending, easy to understand without being simplistic and sometimes downright funny. I started reading at random and just could not put it down. Recommended for anybody who wants to adopt a dog - even if you do not believe in or want to try the test described in the second part of the book, there is a wealth of information on the first 100 pages alone.
   I feel I have a much, much better chance now of finding the "Love of my life" dog we are all hoping for.



5. As a parent of 3 who is looking into getting a dog and has seen a very strong anti-family/anti-child bias among shelter and rescue groups, I really appreciate this book. Her section on reading the internet ads was especially enlightening, since all shelters within a decent driving distance from me do most of their advertising on Petfinder. If we do decide to adopt a dog, I feel much more confident not only evaluating the dog, but evaluating the shelter.