5 comments about Training Your Pet Ferret.

1. I loved this training guide! I loved the tips, handling instructions, and reward hints the author wrote about! This is a must have for every ferret owner!



2. My ferrets are either too smart or too stupid to be trained. The pictures were cute, but I couldn't find anything in it that I didn't already know from Ferrets for Dummies or Modern Ferret magazine. I read it once and gave it to the local humane society's library.



3. This isn't the best book out there for ferret information, but it does have some interesting tidbits in it and a bunch of cute pictures. I haven't been able to successfully use many of the methods talked about in the book with my ferrets, but it's possible they work for someone else. Every ferret is different! I give it four stars because some of the information is good, and the pictures are adorable. For the price, I can't complain. :)



4. Do authors needing to start every thought with inane questions make you giggle more than thorazine? Do you have have commercial grade insulin handy for inoculations after every annacdote {which is on par with Elvis sightings?). Then this book is for you.
   Having raised seven and now that my girlfriend has added eight and nine ferrets I feel I a qualified to comment on the usefulness of this book - nil. We added this book to qualify for free shipping while ordering Ferrets for Dummies - a much better buy. {loads of valuable info}
   Read Ferrets for Dummies and if you have a bird line the bird cage with with Ms. Somerville's exercise in ferret dreaming.



5. Training Your Pet Ferret is the only book I have read that really does go in depth about how to train your ferret. It is filled with useful tips and advice on how to raise a better pet. Each page in the book has information that you can use. I have used many of the tips in this book and they all have seemed to work out perfectly for me. I am very satisifed with this book. As it says in the authors note, this is not a general care guide. This is a training guide. The only thing that I thought was bad about this book is the ferret pictures. The ferrets pictured in this book always look sad and unhappy. That is the only drawback, other than that, this is a perfect book for a new ferret owner or a ferret owner that has owned ferrets for many years.

5 comments about Schooling Horses in Hand: A Means of Suppling and Collection.

1. What was missed in the DVD is covered in detail in this book. Very concise, lots of instructional diagrams & photos - the exercizes in the DVD are clearly explained. Should be sold as a package!



2. Very easy to read and well explained book. Well worth a read. Reccomended



3. This isn't really a beginner's book - except as an example of something to aspire to, as it contains page after page of the most delicious equine eye-candy.
   However, I disagree with another reviewer that this book is only for the professional. As well as being to some extent a 'scholarly tome', it contains some delightful anecdotes and pictures of goats, dogs, ponies and horses not of 'classical' type performing "haute ecole" movements.
   In addition, it contains some simple exercises to maximise athleticism and suppleness that any eager horseman could try, whether their equine be a Shetland pony or a Baroque stallion.
   Well worth reading!



4. I'm a reader from Germany and I've met Richard Hinrichs a few times. He actually gives some of my friends lessons and I think he's one of the greatest horseman of the 21st century. His book is well-structured and easy to understand and you can almost "feel" the sensitiveness in his way to train horses, but it's necessary that everybody who want to go "his" way with horses had lessons in the past and experiences with this kind of classical dressage.
   So is this book really great for professionals and for look up in connection with a professional training but bad to get completely new in this science!!!!!!!!!!!



5. ...His book is well structured and good to understand, but it's better to have more experience in working with horses and especially in classical riding. Who don't want to ruin the horse has to take lessons by an well trained horse man, before...
   But: The book is really great, check this out!!!!!

5 comments about The Everything German Shepherd Book: A Complete Guide to Raising, Training, And Caring for Your German Shepherd (Everything: Pets).

1. it is a good book to get to know the breed, though not a lot of Info for training. I was expecting a little more detail on the training side, as I mentioned before for knowing the breed and what you are getting in to with a german shepherd worth it...



2. It is a good book, I bought it for my children to read because we have a new puppy.



3. This is a wonderful book which gives you a lot of knowledge about GSD training & care....definitely worth a buy if you're planning to get a GSD or even if you have one :)
   --gks



4. I thought it was a good book about German Shepherds with a lot of general information.



5. I bought this book to prepare ahead of time for my new german shepherd... and this book is absolutely outstanding! It mentally and physically helps prepare you before your GS comes home (and even after). All the information was very helpful... this book doesn't miss a thing. It also provides you with outside resources for information on finding breeders, trainers, etc. The chapters are also easy to navigate if you choose to only read specific sections. The best part is that the content focuses on positive-reinforcement training methods as opposed to negative-reinforcement. You can't beat the price for the quality of information this book provides!

5 comments about The Labrador Retriever: The Dog That Does It All (Howell's Best of Breed Library).

1. Owning a black Labb....this book assures me that I got the right breed for me......and my LAB proves the writer correct!



2. I loved this book, which is no mean feat, given the fact that I am a person who's had the distinct pleasure of sharing his house and his life with as many as six Labrador retrievers at a time over the last 20 years (I now have four), I am acutely aware of the wonder and awe associated with getting such a wonderful companion can be. Yet, sadly, I am also aware of the profound ignorance many would-be labrador-people are regarding how to select, introduce, and socialize this new member of the family. In that sense, this book , along with a number of others (e.g. Richard Wolper's "Family Dog") can provide the wary would-be initate with all of the essentials on how to successfully transform that cute little puppy into a happy, obdeient, and well-integrated member of the household.

   This book does offer one the expert advice one needs regarding the care and nurture of what has now become the single most popular breed in the United States, with information ranging from an impromptu history of Labrador Retrievers to such topics such as adoption options. The book also delivers to the prospective owner a wealth of facts and details regarding Labrador Retrievers. It provides essential and vital information regarding nutrition, socialization, and exercise, and offers some sage advice about how to find and select a reputable breeder. In addition, it also touches on aspects of ownerships such as common illnesses and chronic problems associated with the breed. This is a book I can heartily recommend! Enjoy!




3. While patently not a training manual (and it does not claim to be) this book is something you should own if you're going to bring a Lab into your life. The book has lots of historical information on the breed, breed characteristics, and health issues which any Lab owner will find interesting and helpful. The book is particularly apt for those who have yet to purchase their lab, but are interested or have committed to taking a pup from a litter. Read it before hand, cover to cover, and you'll know more about where to find a pup, how to choose it, and what to expect when you get home. Oh, and the pics are great.

   You should, however, buy a separate training manual -- even if you plan to use a professional trainer (which I recommend) a training manual will help you get through those first weeks/months before obedience classes start.




4. This book does a great job tracing the history of the breed. Since I live minutes from the waters where the Lab originated I enjoyed the accuracy of the material. Solid all-round info on a variety of topics. Great insight into our goofy, intelligent and loyal friends.



5. A must for Lab lovers. Its a nice book with a lot of pics and info.

5 comments about Quick Clicks: 40 Fast and Fun Behaviors to Train with a Clicker.

1. My husband and I struggled to think of what kind of useful tricks we could train our dogs on. This is a good book if you want to figure out what to focus on - we wanted to be selective in choosing tricks that just weren't cute (although our dogs have figured out many cute things on their own).



2. After reading five clicker training books (including Clicking with Your Dog, Clicker Training for Obedience, and Click for Joy!) and still feeling like I had no idea what I was doing, I finally found this book. This is the only book I've read on clicker training that SPECIFICALLY TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO DURING EVERY STEP. For those of you who want to do things RIGHT and don't want to put your dog through an ordeal of bad training techniques while you decrypt your training book, Quick Clicks is the book for you. It's true there are very few pictures. However, a lot of pictures doesn't guarantee clarity. Reading a book like Clicking with Your Dog, which is overrun with pictures, is terribly confusing. You'll get a picture of the starting position for the exercise and then a picture of the ending position, along with some very basic explanation. What ends up happening is you have no idea if you are using proper technique. It's akin to reading a chapter in a book about hitting a baseball with only a small bit of text and two pictures, one with the hitter with the bat on his shoulder and the other of the follow through and the ball leaving the ballpark. Useless.
   
   Quick Clicks is different. It tells you everything you have to do during every clicking exercise. A wonderful book!



3. This is a great book for the serious clicker trainer, or for somebody who is serious about becoming a clicker trainer. Each behavior is broken down into tiny increments, so there's no chance of lumping (from my own experience, the downfall of novice clickers). The instructions are easy to follow, fun to carry out, and provide a basis for creative clicking for the reader.
   
   The book was recommended to me because my "granddog" has a spinal injury and has to be crated for several weeks. I wanted to find some "quiet" exercises to keep him occupied and mentally stimulated during that time. My daughter has never used clicker-training with any of her three dogs; so I wanted something that would produce fast results without requiring much movement on the part of the dog.
   
   I was somewhat disappointed when the book arrived and I gave it a quick look-through. There's nothing "quick" about any of the behaviors described in the book. I'm sure that some clicker-savvy dogs can be lured or shaped to perform the activities more quickly than a newcomer to clicker training. But following each step for each behavior requires a lot of time and patience. As with every lesson taught with a clicker, the only way to be "quick" is to take as much time as necessary to master each step before moving on.
   
   I won't give this book to my daughter right away. I think she'd be frustrated by trying to follow each step while her stir-crazy pup begs for something safe to occupy him. I'll give her something that explains more about behaviors that can be captured rather than taught.
   
   While I don't think that the title of the book truly indicates the contents, I believe that the results of the training, as described in "Quick Clicks," will be near-perfect. I wish I had read this book before I started clicker training my dog. Maybe I would have learned right off the bat how to break down what I'm teaching into tiny steps that the dog can readily achieve. Maybe I would have realized that "quick" means slow and thoughtful.
   
   There's another reason why I don't want to give "Quick Clicks" to my daughter at this time: I want to use it first to go back and re-teach the behaviors to my own dog.



4. Maybe I'm just lazy...but a 250 page book with no pictures and just list after list of instructions with little format and order? I couldn't get through it, much as I wanted to. I have yet to find "the" clicker book as far as teaching behaviors goes (Click for Joy! is an exceptional primer).



5. This book is a great resource for both beginners and experienced trainers. It's well organized, easy to read, and loaded with fun and useful information. I've used it as a reference guide to review specific behaviors and flipped through it looking for new things to try, just for fun. I've even been able to make my (4 year old) daughter an active part of the training, strengthening the bond between her and the pup. Most important from a mother's standpoint, though, is that the training we're doing models many of the qualities I want to instill in my daughter: patience, kindness, problem-solving, respect for animals, using your imagination, trying new things, not giving up if something doesn't work immediately. It has been a confidence builder for both of them. Quick Clicks is the best training tool I've come across - for dogs and humans!

5 comments about World of the American Pit Bull Terrier.

1. Stratton writes books that glorify dog fighting. Anyone that truly loves their dog would read anything from Stratton!!!



2. I have raised and trained American Pit Bull Terriers for 16 years (starting in 1980). This is THE most intelligent and comprehensive book on the subject of APBT's. Anyone that can't stomach this book has no business owning an APBT...PERIOD.
   Kristi



3. I belive this book tells the true history of the APBT and anyone involved in this breed should read this book cover to cover but that is the inherit problem with a lot pit bull owners and breeders is that they don't know their dogs inside and out. The pitbulls I have owned are incredible farm dogs, I don't condone dogfighting but the realization is that dogfighting and dogmen kept this breed alive because 99% of the population didn't know what an APBT was before 1980



4. Unless you honestly think that any animal enjoys fighting another for his life, unless you enjoy the idea of animals abused for entertainment purposes or unless you think that "dog fighting" quaifies as a "gentleman's sport" then I'd suggest you look to someone other than Stratton for your information. His glorification of the past and present of dog fighting is both sickening and and frightening all at the same time.

   Calling the low lifes who get their kicks watching animals suffer "dogmen" in an attempt to sanitize this brutality does not change the facts. Dog fighting is not now, nor was it in the past, anything to be admired. His description of match details is enough to make any honest dog lover cringe.

   The book does provide some excellent historical information on the development of the breed. However, there are other excellent sources of information on the subject, which manage not to make dog fighting sound like an acceptable activity.

   Thank you Mr. Stratton for pounding one more nail into the coffin of this beautiful, loyal and misunderstoond breed.




5. Although I do agree that Stratton can be a little biased in his exaltation of the breed, I do say that this book is something those wishing to acquire a wealth of Pit Bull knowledge should read. It really is a good book, like Stratton's three other American Pit Bull Terrier books, and is something I enjoyed to read.

   Get this book if you like a good read!!

   I not only reccomend this book to you but I reccomend Stratton's books "This is the American Pit Bull Terrier" , "The Book of the American Pit Bull Terrier" and "The Truth About the American Pit Bull Terrier"

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

1. A great book for anyone who wants to understand more about Rotties but doesn't want to have to look at a dictionary to understand every other word. This book covers their history, their temperment and behaviors, how to care for your Rottie, and how to train your Rottie the simple commands. The training segment is the most informative. It walks you through how to crate train and how to give commands and even provides step by step pictures.

5 comments about How to Live with a Neurotic Dog.

1. The problem with most dogs lies not within themselves but with thoughtless owners who hog bedcovers, force dogs to make nice with cats and children, and think feeding time is something less than 24/7.
   
   It's good to read a book that at last exposes the base self-centeredness of most dog owners, by which I mean of course all dog owners except myself. I still remember the day I was humiliated at a so-called pet store when I asked a giggling woman at the counter if they sold baby slings for dogs, so I could bring my dear pooch-pal Cassidy (pet is sooo demeaning a term) along for work and shopping. Alas, I was forced to try something with gaffer's tape, which did not suit Cassidy as well as I hoped.
   
   Author Stephen Baker is my kind of writer, judging from other books of his like "The Complete Unfitness Catalogue" and "Playing Golf In The Low 120s". Although published in 1988, there is plenty of timeless advice on offer: "Dogs, like human infants, learn by imitation. Show him what you want; whether or not he performs, he will be duly pleased by your hilarious attempts to please him."
   
   The book contains many illustrations by Fred Hillard; unfortunately I was less pleased with these as they tend toward a humorous bent not at all in keeping with Baker's sober text. In a section about why dogs prefer beaches to mountain retreats for vacationing (which has to do with the absorbent qualities of sand), Hillard shows several dogs wearing sunglasses, not optimal accessories for dogs as they, unlike humans, know well enough to sit in the shade. More helpful is Hillard's diagram of a dog's brain, a complex organ divided into three equal parts: Sleep - Food - Play.
   
   Elsewhere there are useful tips on bathing your dog: "Refreshed by the bath, and glad that it's all over, dog will want to work off pent-up energy. Encourage him to roam around the house a bit, to be himself. Let him shake himself. Then wipe up the puddle he leaves behind."
   
   Frankly, if more people took the time to read Baker's book, there would be far more well-adjusted dogs in this world, or at least better understood ones. It should be handed out to every new dog owner, followed by a government-mandated test.
   
   One caveat: The use of the male pronoun throughout was obviously sexist and demeaning to my own dog, who happens to be a female. Baker tries to explain this in the beginning as not offensive, but it's a bit too much like those ethnocentric bigots who use the hateful term "mutts" instead of "Cockapoo", "German Husky", "Bedlington Rat Terrier", and Cassidy's breed, the "Beagle Jack". It gets me so riled up that I need to compose myself with some bedside reading of "How To Live With A Neurotic Dog".
   
   Unless of course Cassidy is on my bed already. Then the floor is just as nice a place to read from.



2. Of course I am a bit partial. But my dad has caught all the bow-wows at their funniest. For a good laugh, a good gift, you won't be sorry. How to Live with a Neurotic Dog continues to be published in new languages (over 20 so far), and sell briskly. Million of dog owners - or is it the other way around? - can't be wrong.



3. I have a dog. My dog is neurotic. I always used to say I had a puppy, but at seven months, heck, let's go the dog route, y'wanna? So this dog, I'll call her Chocolate...no, wait, that's her name...I'll call her Jane, yes, Jane to protect her anonymity. Anyway, she's cute and overall just great, but she has some issues. Yep. One of these is thunder and another is vacuum sweepers. The first hint of thunder and she dashes for the closest person and plows into that unlucky soul, seeking comfort. And as for sweepers, best to lock her outside or beyond the range of hearing the sweeper unless you want to spend about ten minutes picking up whatever item she's shredded into confetti. Now my first theory was she had some sort of past life trauma. Last time around, she might, say, have been done-in by a vacuum sweeper during a thunderstorm. Or maybe the sound of a sweeper just subconsciously reminds her of her father and activates a dog's normal, otherwise latent "my-daddy-abandoned-my-mother" issues, I have no clue. But the nice thing about this book is its level of compassionate understanding. Sure dogs can be neurotic little challenges to sanity and a happy home, but heck, can't we all? I found a lot of "yeah, me too!" moments in this chipper book and the laugh therapy chapters were a much needed relief after my third fragrant cleanup of the evening during a recent electrical storm. I'd recommend this for light reading (with helpful suggestions) for anyone whose dog has more neuroses than Woody Allen and Oedipus Rex combined. It's a hoot.



4. I enjoyed reading it 'til end.
   It really make you feel the joy of having, more than a pet, a good companion in your life.
   Entertaining book and give you some clues to build a better relation with those tender-annoying-wonderful four legged.



5. I loved this book. Everything in it reminds me of the fun and antics that I experience with my two Pugs. I would highly recommend this to any dog owner or soon to be dog owner. It is a lot of fun and has many "out loud" laughs.

5 comments about The Evans Guide for Housetraining Your Dog.

1. Checked this book out first from my local library. Was so impressed with the advise in it that I bought it. Clear easy to follow training advise. Also an explanation of WHY dogs do what they do, beginning with the whelping of the pups. The author trained dogs in a monastery for years and has many success stories to back up his methodology... No shortcuts here - just sound advise.



2. NOt sure why one reviewer mentions positive and negative reinforcement since Evans clearly states the need for ongoing positive reinforcement. In addition I just shelled out $150 for training which gave almost identifical recommendations regarding how to motivate your dog. I love this book. After 4 days my dog has already gotten the message and we have not yet had an accident today. I'm happy with this purchase! It appears that Evans was the "first", and probably still the best. I wish he was still publishing now!



3. If you follow this method, it's flawless. I've recommended this book to no less than 25 people, and no one has said it doesn't work. It's short, to the point, and if you consistantly follow it, you will have a housetrained dog in no time.



4. While there are some good tips in this book, I find most of the training methods to be outdated. The conventional wisdom these days is that positive reinforcement, not physical discipline, is the most effective dog training method. I would agree with today's conventional wisdom. There are many more up to date books on the subject of canine house training available today. No need to spend your money on this one.



5. Clearest, easiest, most effective house-training book I've seen. I had a lot of trouble house-training my dog: it was my first dog, and a shelter puppy, plus I had a roommate trying to housetrain a dog of his own and we didn't see eye-to-eye on how to do housetraining. Difficult situation: it dragged on for months, with ruined carpets etc. I picked up this book, and I swear resolved the situation very quickly after that. Good stuff.

5 comments about The Complete Idiot's Guide to Horses (The Complete Idiot's Guide).

1. I disagree with the last post. This book is the best resource book for everything about horses. It is well-researched, well-written, and easy to read. It is very easy to find the exact information you may be looking for and explains it all simply and clearly: the perfect book to have on hand for the beginner or even the experienced horseperson, especially when you're looking for accurate and concise information. It is also clever, humorous, and interesting. And yes, the sidebars are fabulous!



2. As a first time horse owner and long-time animal lover I found that this book touched so lightly on subjects related to horses and horse care that I found it frustrating. It skimmed over subjects that warranted more information. I didn't feel after reading it that I had the information I needed. There certainly is some good information in the book but left me searching for better books on horses and horse care.



3. This is simply the best book on the subject for anyone thinking of owning or learning to ride a horse, period. Any beginner should start here, and if you buy only one book, make it this one. Yet anyone can benefit from the accumulated wisdom.

   The sidebars and boxes are particularly great. 5 Stars!




4. This is a well-organized, comprehensive, and engagingly written introduction to all aspects of horse lore and horse ownership. The authors are as friendly as they are entertaining. It's worth a read just to see what the next clever heading will be! Fortunately the text is also succinct and clear. All topics are presented in straightforward, highly readable prose. A detailed contents list provides easy topic-specific access, and there are appendixes to guide readers to information from other sources. A thoroughly enjoyable read, and a great gift for all age groups and interest levels.



5. This treasure is jam-packed with basic info as well as trivia tidbits, such as "From the Horse's Mouth" and "Horse Lore" highlights. Covers everything from "accessories" to "zoning," and is easy, informative and entertaining reading.