5 comments about Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies.

1. An absolute must if you are planning on adopting a retired racing greyhound. No other book will prepare you more thoroughly.



2. This book is a fantastic guide for those looking to adopt a greyhound or even those curious about adopting a retired racer. Personally, I found it much more in-depth and helpful than the most widely recommended book by Cynthia Branigan. The "dummies" style of breaking topics down and highlighting common pitfalls really worked for us. Further there is great dedication to ways to train your grey and get through common fears, issues and behaviors which I feel is lacking in the other books. While no book can prepare you for the idiosyncracies of your racer when you bring him/her home, greyhounds' common background allows for this book to be rather comprehensive and instructional and it really attempts to be so.
   
   My only caveat is that the book was published in 2000 and could use some updating. There are so many web resources, meet-up groups, etc. which could be highlighted in a newer edition. Perhaps one is in the works because I know the author speaks often at "Dewey Beach."
   
   Your best resource will very likely be your adoption organization and your adoption agent(s). Foster great relationships with them and allow this book to complement all that they tell you (even though no one will ever agree on food) and you will be able to get through with as few bumps as possible.
   
   And for the record I couldn't recommend adopting a greyhound more. For dogs which have been all but tortured they survive to become goofy, soulful, respectful, devoted companions.



3. I had thought this would be a very simple, basic book, but in fact it has a wealth of information, with plenty of detail. It is easy to read and organized in a sensible way. I highly recommend this book!



4. I was brand new to greyhounds when I bought this book. Reading this book prepares you for the worst. In reality my greyhounds were very well behaved. I think they are amazing in how they conform and learn your lifestyle.
   
   Some personal gems I've gleaned from the book: Try and ignore minor bad behaviors. Also, ignore your pets when you come home so they learn to greet you properly. I love the lazy training technique where you just kinda watch your dog and if he lies down you say "down" and if he comes towards you you say "come."
   
   I think it's important to set your greys up for success by doing things like keeping the kitchen counters clear. My dog has learned that if I'm not defending my kitchen there's nothing good up there and if I am he should give up now because I'm quite good at body blocking.
   
   Many pieces of advice have not turned out so well. For example reinforcing my alpha gave him a narcissism complex. I regret being passive when he growled to steal a bed, a toy, a bite of food. If your dog isn't playing nice, you need to impress upon him that the other dog has certain rights by yanking the alpha's collar and tackling him if needed before things get out of control.
   
   I still find I could use more help in some areas like getting my dog's attention and getting my two dogs to like each other more. I felt like I didn't have a good baseline of what a greyhound acts like. An "is my dog normal" section would be useful.
   
   Stay close with your adoption agency and take the book with a grain of salt. It's not infallible.



5. an informative, non repetitive, common sense reference. greyhounds, while low maintenance as a pet, have unique requirements - this book informs in a practical way, on these issues.

5 comments about Spirit of Animals.

1. Silvia does it again, and gives us a book that truly spells out what most of the animal lovers already know; they are here for us, and they are with us for a purpose. Great book, easy to read, and a beautiful message with the truth we all know in our hearts.



2. The book is very nice colorfull full of pictures and stories not alot of info I read and looked at the whole book in 20 min kinda disappointing would have liked more info out of the 10 books i have read the worst.



3. This book was a bit disappointing. As I thought it would go more into detailing the animal world. Instead it has a lot of pictures with small captions on each page. Good for young adults.



4. I do not recomend this book to anyone.........unless you like looking at pictures.....two minutes of reading time at the MOST and it will not make anyone grieving for a lost friend feel any better.....in my case, made me feel worse!
   Check out Kim Sheridans book 'ANIMALS and the AFTERLIFE'...this one will help you..........



5. One of the best Sylvia Brown books I've read. A child would enjoy the contents. Sylvia and her son have done a wonderful job of allowing us a look into the souls of these beautiful animals. I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to share this experience with them. I highly recommend this book to any animal lover.

5 comments about My Dog Pulls. What Do I Do?.

1. Essentially, this book explains how to teach a dog to walk on a leash without excessive pulling. Though it implies that there is no pulling whatsoever, the methods used would not allow a dog to walk free of a leash all together--which is my idea of a well trained "Heel" command.
   
   To be fair, the author doesn't really suggest that a dog walk at "Heel." Although I can see her side of that argument, I had the (mistaken) impression that I would be able to better teach my dog(s) to "Heel" without any pulling on the lead and without any harsh devices. That is not the purpose of this book.
   
   This author contends that a dog should be free to walk anywhere it wants, so long as it isn't "pulling." However, if a dog isn't pulling ever so slightly while on a leash, why have the leash at all? In truth, I believe that this book teaches a dog how to be leash trained--meaning that when they have the leash off, they are free to go wild.
   
   At one point she brags about a time when her dog was agitated and jumping toward another dog but (supposedly) not pulling on the leash at all. My question would still be: Why have a leash if the dog knows that it can only get six feet away from you? The truth is, the dog obviously knew it had a leash on.
   
   My goal was to teach my dog(s) to heel better and ultimately remove the leash. I work with rescue Doberman Pinschers and many of them are quite strong yet have absolutely no training. There are people--such as this author--who contend that dogs do not need devices such as choke chains or pinch collars. Being the sucker that I was, I thought perhaps the author was right and that you could somehow use positive reinforcement in all cases in order to teach a dog--one who often weighs 80-90 pounds--to heel without pulling at all.
   
   That was not the case.
   
   Please don't misunderstand...I'm sure the author has lots of success teaching what she teaches--with the kind of dogs she trains. However, I do not believe that a dog--especially a large dog--should be able to walk wherever it desires. And I have found that some dogs respond very well to positive reinforcement (i.e., treats) while teaching them to walk on my left side. However, I have also found that some dogs don't care what you are offering them, they want to drag you down the road after that cat that they see as prey!
   
   Since I would rather, in those cases, use a little negative consequence (i.e., correction device such as a choke chain or even a pinch collar) to help them become adoptable, than have an uncontrollable (and unadoptable) dog, that's what I'll continue to use...because I prefer a dog that behaves even when the leash is off.
   
   In summary, if you want your dog to behave when it's on a leash, and be able to walk in front, behind, wherever it wants--only while on a leash--than this book is for you. However, if you want your dog to obey the Heel command without any pulling, there are better methods.
   
   All in all, it's a fair book; it's just not what I was looking for.



2. A third great book by Turid Rugaas. When I see a toy poodle or silky terrier pulling a 6 foot person down the street, it is a riot to behold. An easy read, plenty of photos which show the "How TO" in attaining a pleasant walking partner. The written portion explaining the photos is very easy to understand. I suggest every one contemplating buying a dog to purchase this book first. Information is a wonderful thing.



3. This short, readable, incredibly helpful book shows humans how to teach their dogs to walk nicely on the leash. Her method is scientifically proven to work, if you stick with the program.
   
   Turid Rugaas is humane, kind, and a real friend to dogs. Unlike so many other authors, Rugaas doesn't believe in "leash pops" or similar methods which hurt and frighten dogs. You will feel really good about this gentle, patient, and effective method for training your dog.
   
   Rugaas also has a WONDERFUL book and DVD called "Calming Signals", which teaches you to understand dog language. It really helped me understand my shy, traumatized rescue dog.



4. The author here lays out a simple, highly effective and *kind* method for teaching your dog to walk poilitely on a leash. No special collars, no beating up on your dog, no gimmicks.
   
   It's behaviorally sound and will have you enjoying loose lead walks with your dog in a short time.



5. Turid Rugaas' books should be issued with all puppy packets & adoption info. Her excellent insights into dog behavior bring fresh perspectives to owners/trainers of all levels. In this book, she reveals how so many handlers accidentally reinforce their dogs' tendencies to pull.
   If followed, her advice really works.

5 comments about All Things Wise and Wonderful.

1. The third book in the series and you know exactly what to expect. Yes, folks, it is every bit as entertaining as the first two, and that's probably all you need to know. But I'll go ahead and mention that he spends some time in the RAF during World War II, which we knew he would as the second book ended. I'll also mention that he and Helen have a baby, which you probably expected. One of the great joys of his writing is discovery, so I'd hate to screw that up with a spoiler, but these two tidbits are on the back cover anyway. Oh, and halfway through it, I predicted an ending in advance, and I only had to read 1000 pages by this guy before that happened. It's still great, great stuff, and you know you'll love it.



2. I read his books as a teen and loved them. Bought the whole set for my grandsons, [teens]. They laughed until they cried. [so did I].



3. If you like animals you will enjoy all James Herriot's books. This is one of a series of delightful books. Reading one will make you want to read the next one. I can read them over and over.



4. I have the complete series of All Creatures Great and Small books now. This was the last one and I loved it as much as I loved the others. He was a fantastic writer and having been born and raised on a farm I can appreciate a lot of what he talks about. I also have his cat and dog stories books and loved them just as much.



5. The books arrived so quickly that I got to take my time
   wrapping the books.

5 comments about Search and Rescue Dogs: Training the K-9 Hero, Second Edition.

1. In training any dog, the biggest challenge always is how to 'connect the dots' in the dogs mind for what you want to see repeated and ignore what you don't want repeated. You then move on to giving the dog space to make his own choices based on what you taught him. This book fits perfectly into the philosophy.
   
   I have owned two purebred dogs. Field Springers and Border Collies. Both breeds I had to trust to make their own decisions at one point as both had to ultimately operate off a lead. Establishing that connection is key with any dog to keep them safe, and to keep the enjoyment factor high. I give high marks to this book for making this point.
   
   I disagree with a previous reviewer that this is only about German Shepherds. Certainly the pictures are, but anyone who has ever trained a dog should know that personality, drive, and disposition are all factors in training and that trumps breed every time. If the dog is interested he/she is limited only by his ability to smell.
   
   The strongest part of this book is that it begins with simple puzzles for the dog, then offers more complex puzzles as they gain confidence. Like the writers, I agree that the dog has to want to do this. For my border collie it is now a passion. What I used to call 'hide and seek' with my dog has now jumped to a different level thanks to this book.
   
   I'm grateful to the reviewers of this book who gave this such high marks. It made all the difference in choosing the right one. AND, I chose the right one.



2. An excellent book on the role of dogs in rescue. Differentiates tracking dogs from the wider term rescue. Very well written.



3. This is a really good book. But, if you don't have a German Shepherd than you still might want to look elsewhere. The book can absolutely teach you a lot but the concentration on GSDs will likely grate on you. The bias is such that there is no mention of the fact that the public tends to be frightened of German Shepherds, and that Labradors and Goldens can do the work just as well without the unfair but widespread stigma of Shepherds. Or that Retrievers excel at this work BECAUSE they are retrievers and because they genuinely adore people! Anyway, it REALLY does have a lot of good information, I just can't give it five stars because there are lots of great breeds in the world, many of which are suitable for SAR work. Why discount and ignore them?



4. This book was great, it helped me be able to learn how to trian my dog to track using the air scenting method. It gives step by step instructions on how to succeed in training you dog to become certified in Search and Rescue. Published by the ARDA you know that the material it contains is up to date and current. The other great feature in this book is that is specializes in ground tracking, air scent tracking, disaster search, avalance search, cadaver search, and water search and rescues. Can't speak more highly of this book, the only book that compares with this book is Search Dog Training by Sandy Bryson.



5. A very well written book on the overview of the selection, training and care of the search and rescue dog. The authors provide addtional information on subjects such as how to form a rescue team (unit) and how to train for an actual incident. Wilderness searches, urban disasters, avalanche and cadaver training, and water rescues are all covered, and the case studies of actual missions make this a very interesting read.

5 comments about Herding Dogs: Progressive Training.

1. I first read this book when my first Aussie was about three months old. Frankly, I did not get it. I think it is difficult for the average person to learn how to work with a herding dog. Vergil Holland has not only put down all of the steps one might need to become successful at this activity, he has a lot of great advice in the book including very useful exercises and as the subtitle suggests, a progressive training method.
   
   However, the reason I did not get it when I first read the book was that the meaning of much of what he says is dependent on having the actual experience of herding. After many years of training stock dogs, I went back and re-read this book. It was very revealing in that I found myself agreeing with almost everything he said about training. I also found it helpful to get a clear picture of exactly what I wanted to do in a training session to read the portion of the book-- usually fewer than two pages at a time-- that was relevant to what I wanted to acheive in the session. So for me, this has become a valuable hands on training tool.
   
   I still recommend it to beginners and I think it would really help anyone getting ready for their first exposure to stock to have read the preliminary sections on getting started and basic commands. It would help the beginner become familiar with common training techniques and concepts so that a clinic experience would be more valuable than going in without the insights that are offered in this book.
   
   But this is not just a book for beginners. It can be useful at several levels. For the more experienced trainer/handler, the troubleshooting section provides very useful exercises for solving common problems that are likely to be encountered.
   
   I do think the section on herding breeds is a bit simplistic and in the case of Aussies not really accurate. But I think it is only there as a summary of what one might expect from herding breeds and therefore does not take into account the variance of different lines within a breed. I would not recommend the traits listed in this chapter to select your dog. However it does contain some very good advice such as basing your decision in part on the parents' abilities and characteristics.
   
   The diagrams could be improved as was mentioned elsewhere, but they are accurate. The pictures are not very clear and they could be improved to actually demonstrate better the points they are intended to make.
   
   Overall I give this book high marks and recommend it to anyone who is building up a stockdog library. But remember that there is a lot more information in this book than there appears to be at first reading. Go back to it often as your skills develop to really get the full potential of the book which really does offer a progressive training method.



2. I have always had an interest in herding dogs and have owned them and been around them most of my life; however I have never known anyone that had any real knowledge of training for herding, or had a dog that was trained for that matter. This book is fantastic for a total novice. It takes you carefully and "progressively" into the world of herding and explains everything from the very beginning, including the somewhat confusing language that is used to communicate with the dog while the two of you are at work. Thank you Mr. Holland!



3. Brand new book received in good shipping time.
   This book is very informative, easy to understand and clear as to how to apply what is presented.
   I believe it will help any level of sheepdog handler.



4. This book contains some really great information. The author gives details about all of the herding breeds, including many that I didn't expect. He gives insights about what each breed has been specifically bred for, i.e. driving, gathering, etc., that is very helpful in understanding your dog. A careful study of the personality types of dogs as it affects their approach to stock is also extremely helpful. He also gives several progressive excercizes that that seem very useful. Also, I appreciated the calm, quiet, but firm training style emphasized in this book.
   
   Despite that, I was disappointed with the lack of explanation and clarity. If you are just getting started in herding, as I am, this might not be the book for you. I was often confused and feel that this book lacks enough details about the training process to be useful for beginners. Also, the author's clear preference for Border Collies as the ultimate herding dog was emphasized at points in such a way that made me a bit defensive about my "inferior" non-border collie.



5. I suppose a person can learn to remove an appendix, fly a plane, or conduct a defense by reading a book; but I know I would prefer my surgeon, pilot, and attorney to have had some hands-on experience before practicing on me. Same thing goes for herding livestock - there just is no substitute for a good trainer who knows what they are doing. Having a background in obedience, tracking, and agility gave me no headstart in herding - and no amount of bookreading changed that. When I found a trainer who was able to read me and my dogs, communicate with us, and be fair but firm, we made great progress.
   
   With that said, I think this book is very helpful as a supplement to practice sessions. Learning to read stock and dogs, understanding pressure and release, draws, balance points - all those concepts have to be learned by the human and there is no substitute for learning in the field, in actual practice. If a friend wanted a basic herding book to look at to see if it is something they might want to do, this would be the one book I would probably recommend. Better yet, though, would be to have this person actually come out and watch dogs working stock.
   
   If you are doomed to be an armchair shepherd, then this book is fine. Otherwise, your money is better invested in a herding instinct test, a stock handling class, or a day spent observing at a herding training facility. Books are an adjunct, at best, to learning to work with your dog in herding.

5 comments about Living with Chickens: Everything You Need to Know to Raise Your Own Backyard Flock.

1. The recommendations in this book make it a waste of time, especially the nesting box design.
   Save your time and money and befriend someone who has healthy chickens. Learn from them.
   These men are not as well informed as they think they are.
   Frustrating.



2. Excellent for those who wish to have a home flock. Very informative on the subject and the "how to" of keeping a small flock.



3. This is a great introduction to keeping chickens, and I found it very useful.
   
   The author goes through all the basic info you need to know in order to raise chickens. It is a very easy and entertaining read - the author has a great writing style that is enjoyable. It is full of lovely photos that really add to the book. It is a fast read as well.
   
   It is not terribly complete - you will need another source for information once you get into the chicken care part. I would recommend "A Guide to Raising Chickens" by Gail Damerow as a companion to this book. The Damerow book is *very* complete, but it also has the dryness of a textbook and isn't nearly as fun to read [think "dense" and kinda boring].
   
   So, I would recommend buying this book if you are considering raising some chickens because this book will give you all the information you need to make an educated decision. Then, if you do decide to raise some chickens, get the Damerow book in addition to this one so that you have every single detail you need to know.



4. I have bought several books recently on this topic. This is one of the better ones. Enjoyed the pictures and the inserts in the book. It is just a thorough as all the other books on raising chickens. A good buy for anyone interested in staring a chicken flock. Very nice quality of the book. Probably one of the better of any books you will purchase no just in this topic.



5. This book has lots of nice pictures, but the information can very easily be obtained from the internet at no cost. not recommended

5 comments about Angel Horses: Divine Messengers of Hope.

1. Excellent horse stories about the human/horse connection. Good reading on how horses can mirror our emotions.



2. This book comprises a collection of 38 short essays, all submitted by different authors, about the special ways in which horses have impacted their lives. The essays are divided into four categories. "Love and Dreams" focuses on how a the love of horses can affect people; "Healing and Health" contains stories about lessons learned from equine health troubles, as well as ways in which horses have taught people about their own health; "Courage and Endurance" collects stories about equine heroes and horses that have inspired the people around them; and finally "Spiritual Connection and the Afterlife" explores the spiritual and religious experiences humans have had in connection with horses. After each essay the authors pose a question or two for the reader, designed to prompt reflection on how the story may relate to your own life. At the end of each section is a short, fictional "Ask Zeke" page, where the authors have posed a question to their friend's horse, Zeke, and then composed an reply as if Zeke himself were answering. The stories are a mixed bag of themes, and some impacted me more than others. If you aren't a particularly religious person, you may find a couple of the more supernaturally-oriented stories a little harder to relate to, but on the whole the essays presented here are heartfelt and touching. My favorite pieces were "Emily's Song," about a withdrawn, lonely young girl who finally comes out of her shell in order to help and even lonelier, more withdrawn pony, and "Miracles are Something to Believe In," written by a 12-year-old girl who's pony Lilly saved her life by, counter-intuitively enough, falling on her in a freak accident. The book is a quick and easy read, suitable for horse lovers of all ages, and well worth the time. "Angel Horses" would be a great gift for any horse lover, or a nice treat for yourself.



3. This was an inspiring book for a horse lover and Christian. Everything was as advertised.



4. This is a beautiful, inspirational collection of real life stories of the love, lessons learned and spirtiual connections that people have with horses.
   Each story is sensitively told in the own words of the horse's owner/or the person who has the story to tell.
   The book's major focus is on the spirituality and sensitivity of the horse and just how deep that goes in these beautiful creatures.
   A gentle plea for people to open their hearts and minds to the wisdom and love horses have to offer at all stages of their lives.
   I found the book to be touching and refreshing.



5. Moving, heart-tugging, heart-warming, encouraging. This book hits all of those emotions! A great gift for the animal Lover--especially of horses (of course!!) Short stories make it easy to pick up and put down for a busy schedule too.

5 comments about Woman's Best Friend: Women Writers on the Dogs in Their Lives.

1. These short stories cover about as much doggy-owner ground as you could hope for. Know up front that you won't love them all equally, and that some of them will seem repeats (a lot like the other owners at the dog park on a Saturday afternoon, really). Judgemental types like me might grind their teeth at some of these owner's behaviors/irresponsibilities, but you'll find yourself somewhere in this book. You'll giggle, you'll cry, you'll finish and think -- "hey, I should write a story about my dog".



2. I enjoyed this book a lot since it was written by women writers. Also, each of the writers had very different stories so I did not feel like I was reading the same story from chapter to chapter. As another reviewer stated, I also appreciated the fact that these stories were not overly sappy. Although I did appreciate that the stories definitely seemed true, I was shocked that one writer actually admitted to beating her dog, following her sister's advice. In the same realm, although I appreciated the writer's honesty, I could not believe that a writer actually wrote that she did not miss her dog once it passed away. I just did not feel that these stories should have been included in a book titled "Woman's Best Friend". Otherwise, I enjoyed the book very much and would have given it 5 stars.



3. This is such a great book I read It in one day because I could not put it down!!! The stories are funny,sad,sweet and cover just about every emotion. I loved it and would highly recommend it if you love books about dogs !!!



4. The best part of this book was honestly the cover. The content inside was pretty good but not fabulous. There was one story, I admit, that almost brought me to tears, but other than that, it wasn't what I would call great literature. Others might like it more, maybe it's just me.



5. Woman's Best Friend was a great collection of short stories about dogs. I loved the realistic nature of the book as not all the stories were about how great, smart or funny each woman's dog was. In fact there are a couple sad stories that remind you that dogs are ultimately animals with instincts and breed characteristics and some times they aren't a woman's best friend. I loved the thumbnail photos of the dogs within the short stories so you could really envision them in their setting. The story "First Born" by Lisa Vollmer was one that resonated with me in particular and would with any woman who considers her dog to be part of her family. Highly recommended for anyone - male or female - who has had a dog make an impact on their life.

5 comments about Animals and the Afterlife: True Stories of Our Best Friends' Journey Beyond Death.

1. As others have already stated, if you looking for definitive proof regarding your pets and an afterlife you probably will not find it in this book. If you already come into reading this book as a full fledged believer then it may reinforce your beliefs slightly but not drastically where you may use this book as a sort of reference for conversation. I find some of the Author's claims a little unrealistic without true evidence. I also have a hard time accepting all aspects of anecdotes truly free from bias. However without getting into too much detail of the actual contents, the book is a decent read but may not be worth the price tag attached to it.



2. When my beloved cat and best friend was tragically killed in Oct 2007, I was beyond devastated and came to Amazon to buy various materials to help deal with my grief. THIS BOOK SAVED MY SANITY. To anyone who has lost a pet of any kind, this book will help give you peace, will help you grieve and move on without ever forgetting your best friend. It shows you how to look for signs which your animal who has passed may be leaving you to tell you that he/she is still with you. During and after reading this book I had at least 3 signs from Floppy Tail that she was happy and full of humor even as she was in this life. I will buy this book for any friend who loses a pet. You do NOT have to be religious to appreciate this book. This book comforted me more than any people in my life did. HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION, best book on animal passing that I've ever seen.



3. I bought a couple of these books after my best buddy Tanner (minpin) graduated this thing called life on earth. This book is put together really well I have to admit. I like reading about the authors personal experiences as well as all the others. I have a few other books on NDE's and everytime I read these types of books it makes me feel much better. This book did just that. Made me feel much better. Made me cry at times to.
   
   I would highly recommend this book



4. This book really helped me through the loss of my dog of 10 years. It shows us that our beloved pets never really leave us. Their purpose on earth is over and it is time for them to more on. They are always with us, and are free from pain and suffering in the next life. This book brought me great comfort during this loss. I refer to it often. I highly recommend.



5. This book was comforting to read after losing my beloved dog of 11 years. I look forward to reading her future book coming out.