2 comments about Maine Coons.

1. We recently lost a dear Maine Coon cat that had been a friend for 13 years. There is no way to "replace" him, but we missed having no more than 1 cat(his sister) in the house. We found a breeder and now have 2 beautiful Maine Coons kittens that we delight in watching and caring for. This magazine was very helpful in getting us "up to speed" on the ways to handle kittens and their healthy development.



2. Very satisfied with the magazine/book about Maine Coons. Arrived in a timely manner and in excellent condition.

4 comments about Guide to Owning a Pit Bull Terrier: Puppy Care, Grooming, Training, History, Health, Breed Standard (Re Series).

1. I'm about to donate a Kidney to my mom. and after im done with that i wanted to get me a Blue Pit Bull. but b4 i did i wanted to get a lot of info about the breed. So i ordered this book. and i loved it. iv already red it. and ill still flip through it from time to time.
   And it give you great tips on owning a Pitbull. and warns you how people well give you Dirty Look when they see you walking with him/her and tells you to read and get as much info of the breed as you can. So that you can tell people about your dog. and defend the breed with facts.



2. I disagree with the other reviewers. This book is not substantial at all and does not give you any information that you couldn't get yourself from 5 minutes on the net. Not to mention there is a part of the book where the pages repeat themselves. I may be biased as I have not read other Pit Bull books to make a comparison. However, I read a LOT of books with many of them instructional, and I have to say, this one just plain SUCKS. Look for something else.



3. I bought this book at a Pit Bull wieght pulling show a few years ago & I loved it!! It was very well written, indepth & informative! I would recomend this book to anyone who is interested in learning the truth about the American Pit Bull Terrier, it is also a great referance book, I still find myself looking through it once in awhile. :)



4. AWESOME! This book gives the reader an in depth look at the Pit Bull. It tells you EVERYTHING you need to know about the Pitbull.If you are interested in getting a Pit, I HIGHLY suggest this book. It talks about EVERYTHING!

5 comments about The Little Dogs' Activity Book: Fun and Frolic for a Fit Four-legged Friend.

1. I frequently recommend this book to people with all sizes of dogs. It's really easy to fall into the routine of just playing tug and fetch and not doing much else to excersize and entertain your pooch... this book has lots of creative ideas to keep you both entertained.



2. We love this book! We have two little dogs -- a extremely intelligent poodle-mix who learns new tricks easily, and a Chihuahua-mix who is very sweet but has a learning disability. The great thing about this book is that it has fun tricks and ideas for both of them! There are tricks that are complicated enough to keep our poodle interested; and I wish you could've seen our Chihuahua's eyes light up when she discovered that she could do something better than our poodle could ("The Smell Game" and tracking.) Now, when we're teaching our poodle new tricks, our Chihuahua doesn't get depressed -- we give her a treat-trail to "track." They even play better together. They're both indoor dogs with lots of energy; and the ideas in this book really help to keep them busy and happy. And even when they get older and less physically active, there are fun ideas to help keep their minds alert and active. It's a great book for dogs of all ages, abilities, and intelligence (and fun for us, too!)



3. Pretty good book for non-creative type dog owners like me. Who would've thought to play hide-the-treat-under- the-cup-type games??? Maybe some of you, but not me. Recommended for people with lots of time on their hands who own small easily bored dogs!!!



4. I love Deborah Wood's books. This series for little dogs has a fabulous style. There are great pictures, great stories and great ideas. This particular book has a very cool section on setting up an agility course in your living room. For all of us who love our little dogs, Ms. Wood helps us to enjoy them even more.



5. This book is a fountain of fun things to do with your small dog, but the activities can be arranged for larger dogs also. With small dogs, these can be done indoors; some of them would probably work better outside for larger breeds.
   
   Besides fun activities, there's a wealth of information on traveling, shopping, dining and other outside-the-house things to do.
   
   It's a great book to have on hand on those rainy, snowy, miserable weather outside days when your best friend gets cabin fever.

5 comments about Dog Tricks: Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers.

1. I have no familiarity with who the author is, but am familiar with Carol Lea Benjamin's "MOTHER KNOWS BEST" which I've loved for 12+ years. I bought this book in 2006 when we got our most recent puppy. We love the book! It is SO cute, and we have had such fun teaching our young dog many of the tricks in the book. There is nothing inhumane or cruel that we could see in the techniques. In fact, our Puppy Kindergarten teacher was teaching some of the same tricks the same way. Highly Recommended! Lots of fun. And we bought a few copies as gifts for friends of ours who've added new dogs to their families recently. Wonderful book!



2. Written by a very old trainer with the old "make your dog do it or else" attitude. What fun is this for the dog?
   Motivational training has come a long way in the past 30 years, but this author has chosen to totally ignore new and more humane methods of dog training.
   If you used some of these training "tricks" in modern obedience classes, you'd be asked to leave the class - or else they'd call the cops on you.
   Cruel training methods and a lot of bad advice, all in one book. What a bargain!



3. Sorry, this book is total garbage. It was written as a cutsie atempt to package old training techs. that didn't work very well in a new shiny package to line the author's pocket.
   If you've attended *one* basic obedience class anywhere, you know more than the author - save you money, there are tons of good books about dog tricks. This is not one of them, however!



4. Great, a no talent AKC judge whose claim to fame is getting pets ( not his ) into the movies thinks he can train dogs. Well, he can't, and that's pretty obvious from his crappy writing.

   Save yourself some money and skip this one!




5. If you have a smart dog (like my Bo Diddley-LOL!) you will love teaching the tricks described in this book to the delight of your friends and family!! What a fun book!!

No comments about Small Animal Nutrition.

5 comments about Creative Canine Photography.

1. I love photographing my dogs and my skills had developed to the point that friends, family and fellow dog club members were frequently asking me to photograph their dogs too. I needed a book that would help me with two things. First, I had to learn more about lighting and second I had to learn the best camera settings to get the texture and detail in a dog's coat regardless of coat color. This book gave me both and much more. It's a very easy and enjoyable read. Parts of the book are a little too basic for me but that's a small price to pay for the great tips it contains. I definately recommend this book to anyone who wants to improve their canine potography skills.
   
   The author explains very early in the book that the use of the term "Creative" in the title is intended mean creating a photograph that captures the personality of the dog. The book is written to help the photographer do just that.



2. I found this book to be very informative and easy to follow. It has helped me so much with my photography. Hightly recommend to those just starting out.



3. This is a very good book to help any photographer properly pose and light dogs. Regardless of the shape, size or color, the author shares the tips and tricks for getting classic portraits that your clients will love.
   
   This is not a bunch of cute pictures taken by pet owners, but rather a professional approach for professional photography studios.



4. If you are interested in a very traditional approach from a professional photographer, this book will provide lots of information. It also provides valuable tips about controlling the dog. But for my taste, I found the photographic results to be uninspiring - too much posing, too much portraiture lighting, not enough of just plain capturing that wonderful dog as it is.



5. Creative Canine Photography is showcases expert photographic work from an award-winning animal photographer Larry Allan. Creative Canine Photography provides plenty of practical tips to successful canine photography, from capturing expressions and using correct lighting to avoiding red-eye and getting detailed exposures for all-white or all-black fur. Color photos throughout Creative Canine Photography illustrate all concepts.

5 comments about The Best Dog in the World: Vintage Portraits of Children and Their Dogs.

1. Of course we all believe that we have the single best dog in the world, but as the images in this wonderful book show, there have been and will always be children (and adults) who believe that their dog is truly the best. You can't help but get drawn into the lives of the children who are photographed a century and a half ago in beautiful sepia images with their beloved pet. Though I do not consider myself a true "dog person" I have the deepest affection for the dog I spent my childhood with and indeed was photographed with her in much the same fashion, although in color. This book brought back those memories of childhood and having a true best four-legged friend rushing back to me. I picked up off of the shelf and could not put it down.



2. What a great little book. I loved the photography and the history. Wonderful book for dog lovers and history lovers.



3. Ms. Long's daughter is in my class and so I got the oppurtunity to look at the book at length. The photographs are smile-inducing and original. Who can resist photographs of children with their dogs? But before you think its all about cute overload, let me say that the most interesting aspect of the book is actually the well researched text. It goes into the delination of breeds and their uses without being overly verbose or scientific. A lot of the photographs have inscriptions on the back and those long forgotten letters are included. This is the true selling point of the book because it give you insight into the lives of these people and the their lives with their loved ones (both human and animal). A worthy buy for not only dog lovers but lovers of social history.



4. I came across this book while looking for a gift for a friend. I wasn't thinking to get a dog book, but after seeing the pictures and the interesting facts about the various breeds, I knew instantly this was the book to get. It makes a great gift for anyone who owns a dog or for someone who wants to experience the loving bond that children have with their dogs. Who can resist!



5. I got this book on the recommendation of a friend who also loves dogs and was not disappointed. The pictures are amazing! I also learned a few things about the backround of some breeds I wasn't aware of and other tidbits like how to tell boys and girls apart in those vintage photos when they are all wearing "dresses". This book will stay permanently on my coffee table for visitors to see. I highly recommend it to anyone with a love of dogs, kids and history.

No comments about Doggin' Maryland: The 100 Best Places To Hike With Your Dog In The Free State.

1 comments about Bully Breeds (Kennel Club Classic).

1. David Harris, no stranger to the world of the Bully breeds, has written a wonderful book on these ever popular breeds - American Pit Bull, American Staff, Boston Terrier, Bull Terrier, the Mini Bull Terrier plus the Staffordshire BT. Excellent text that covers not only the great points of these dogs, but some things that one should be aware of before rushing out to buy one of these breeds. Beautiful photographs and an excellent section by William Secord on the bully breeds in art. If you have an interest in any of these breeds, this book belongs in your library!

5 comments about You Are a Dog: Life Through the Eyes of Man's Best Friend.

1. "You are a Dog" offers painfully funny, yet adroit, insight into dog-brain-logic (or relative lack thereof). Dogs really are man's best friend, and in Terry Bain they've found their voice.



2. Cute, clever, funny. Great bathroom reading. My dogs enjoy it when I read it to them.



3. YOU ARE A DOG: Life Through the Eyes of Man's Best Friend by Terry Bain is an entertaining romp with words as they might have been written by the family dog. Mr. Bain reveals to readers that the family dog is quite aware that you have many names for her; but more interesting is the dog's many names for the family members, names such as: He Who Leaves the Seat Up So That You Might Drink (it has been my experience with dogs that it is usually the male dog that drinks out of the toilet, not the female); He Who Smells of Garlic, Tastes of Salt, and Will Let You Lick His Feet (Grandpa?); She Who Does Not Allow Licking Ever (Mother-in-Law?); She Who Drops Food From Her Plate (and always has a diaper full), are but a few of these titles the family dog bestows on its family members.
   
   YOU ARE A DOG informs the reader of the dog's relationship with the household itself, including his relationship with the furniture, the sofa monopolizing much of the spotlight. Terry Bain speaks of the dog's ability to mimic human expressions, especially the smile, which the dog often uses to deflect a scolding when he has been caught sleeping on the sofa. (In my house, it is the love seat, which my Border collie, heeler, and Boxer mix mutt sleeps on every night. I need to share with you here, dear reader, that this mix of mutt is the nuttiest on four legs, sometimes two. Her name is Maggie Peppers; but as crazy as she is, she would never drink out of the toilet: However, the male cat does, every chance he gets.)
   
   Most significant of the household items to the family dog is the vacuum cleaner. While most all threats to the family members arrive from the outside in, the vacuum is already in the house, hiding in the closet, which is quite agitating to the family dog. She can smell the vacuum hiding in the hall closet, just waiting to burst, roaring, from its hiding place, intent on eating everyone and everything in its path. It is the dog's responsibility, therefore, to see to it this monster does not eat the kids, and that any food or nonfood items on the floor are eaten by the dog only. Hence, the vacuum is not only a danger to the family, but also a competitor for food, and must be destroyed, at all cost.
   
   Terry Bain writes humorously about Fido's perception of training, traveling, visits to the vet, health and hygiene, and even doggie politics. If you are a dog lover, you will love this book. Highly recommended.



4. Dogs are not JUST man's best friend. I think the title lacks... obviously. Ladies, if you are feeling a bit offended I would like to suggest reading: "Woman's Best Friend" By Barbara Cohen & Louise Taylor. Ever since I can remember dogs have always been referred to as "Man's Best Friend" so not true.



5. When I got this book for Christmas, I  thought I would treated to a sincere attempt to get inside the mind of my dog to view the world as he might. The jacket cover has this great picture of a deliously happy pup with his head out the car window. How many times haven't I tried to envision what a creature with a dog's sense of smell must be experiencing on our morning rides down to the town park.
   
   What I got, instead, was a series brief vignetts ranging from one paragraph to several pages in length. I have to say some were cute, but many were hard to finish. They were grouped into categories that really don't organize material in any meaningful way.
   
   Although you can certainly read 150 pages over a weekend, that approach doesn t work. But to be fair, the author might well have intended his readers to read one scenario each morning and to reflect on them throughout the day. That's an approach I can appreciate.
   
   Wasn't that what "Dogs Don't Bite When a Growl Will Do" by Matt Weinsteinand and Luke Barker was about?
   Let's put it this way, "It worked for them."