3 comments about The Boston Terrier (Terra Nova Series).

1. This book seemed somewhat out-dated. All the information in the book I had already found by searching the internet. The pictures looked old, and it was a very generic book, it didn't tell me anything new.



2. This is a well written book that offers the history of the Boston bull, which is a hybrid breed. Bostons are the result of crossing old English bulldogs with small white terriers. A hardy, sturdy little dog, the Boston bull is intelligent and lively. Bostons are also excellent family pets.
   
   This book provides clear, concise information not only about the breed, but about care and training. Breeders will be especially interested in the special care pregnant Bostons require. Bostons more often than not have to have Caesarian deliveries because the puppies have extremely large heads. This is a reader-friendly book that all will enjoy, from owners/breeders to those who just love the Boston bull.



3. This is a very good book filled with background information on the breed, breed characteristics, and training suggestions. It is not very long which actually makes the book very readable. The training methods are very good, as well. Because the book provides just enough information for the average Boston parent on the numerous topics that it covers, some owners looking for extremely in-depth and lengthy explanations might want to look elsewhere. Otherwise, most owners who want a well-trained pet and who also want to learn a little bit about the breed would be pleased with this book.

3 comments about Finnish Lapphund: Special Rare-Breed Edition : A Comprehensive Owner's Guide (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series).

1. This was a fantastic book, with an incredible amount of information relating to the breed. This book will be a great assest for when i get my finnish lapphund pup.



2. The only book on this breed written in english. With that said, it is also a very comprehensive and thorough look at the breed. Toni Jackson's Finnish Lapphund is a 'must have' for everybody who owns or aspires to own a Finnish Lapphund.



3. An excellent introduction to the breed, with some very engaging photographs of some former champions.
   The breed history and characteristics chapters are clear and informative. There are also a number of chapters to prepare you for new dog ownership with some really sound advice on training and health, thus this makes a great book for new puupy owners.

5 comments about Old Friends: Great Dogs on the Good Life.

1. I purchased this book for my husband after the loss of his/our dog that he had adopted 15 years ago. The book is a beautiful look at why older dogs are the best and hardest to lose. I designed a page identical to those in the book with a picture of our dog and a list of a few of the items that made her life so great. It is a great book for dog lovers.



2. This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves dogs, especially people who understand the true beauty of older dogs. Asher's photographs are emotion provoking as they seem to capture the essence of the dogs' personalities. I bought this book as a present for someone and one for myself. I am going to buy at least 2 more as gifts. :)



3. good pictures of the dogs; I liked the captions for the pictures. another good book for dog lovers as our doggies get older.



4. If you are a dog person, you'll love this book. The pictures and short "sayings" from the dogs match perfectly. I've given this as a gift to friends who love dogs, and they have all loved it.



5. Mark Asher has captured, in a series of haunting photographs, the rare beauty and vast wisdom that old dogs give to those of us fortunate enough to love them unconditionally. If you have ever loved an old dog, this book is for you. Nothing here but fabulous pictures of old dogs and the secrets of their longevity expressed in brief but memorable phrases. This book makes a beautiful gift for the dog lover in your life.

5 comments about Your First Marine Aquarium (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This book features plenty of details on which marine fish and invertebrates can coexist. This book also has material on successful marine aquarium management. If you are considering to begin keeping a saltwater aquarium, this book is a nice guide.



2. Wonderful book as an "introduction" to the world of starting and maintaining a salt water aquarium. It is excellent in giving anyone who is think of starting a tank the basics of set-up and more importantly, what to expect as the tank matures. My 75 gallon tank is now 4 months old and has done great right from the start in large part due to the knowledge I gained from this book.



3. Strengths: Good beginners' guide, including a 30 gallon tank setup, start-to-finish. Reasonable "fish compatibility" guide.
   Weaknesses: Brief; the description of fishes/invertebrates for stocking your tank is pretty short. The salinity calculation is more complex than it needs to be, and lighting advice is dated.

   John Tullock advocates a setup with lots of live rock, and with a protein skimmer. This is the preferred saltwater setup nowadays, as it sets up a mini-environment for your fish. He closes the book with a walk-through of a 30 gallon "mini-reef" setup, including curing live rock yourself (if you don't live where a local fish store stocks pre-cured live rock), which also includes fish recommendations.




4. Once I started reading this book I couldn't stop until I was done. I have fairly good experience keeping a fresh water tank but I never had a marine one, or for that matter I never read anything about it. This was my first book on the subject and I found it to have
   all necessary information to get me familiar with what is required to start a marine tank and how involved is the process of maintaining it. The step-by-step guide on who to setup a mini-reef tank is also very helpful. I also liked the explanation of different filtration systems (Berlin, Smithsonian, Monaco).
   The book has more text than photos so it might appear a little bit overwhelming. But that is good because the text gives good information and is well written. Not that this book doesn't have any pictures, it does have good ones, but there are some pages that are just text.
   All in all I would recommend this book to anyone thinking about starting a marine aquarium. This book will tell you if that is something you can commit to or not. And if you choose to do it, this book would definitely be valuable as a reference.



5. I purchased this book as a "first exposure" to keeping a saltwater fish and reef tank.
   It presented a bit wordy for someone unfamiliar to saltwater--and that turned me off right away. There didn't seem enough information to really get started, but too much for a beginner, if that makes sense. His other book "Natural Reef Aquariums: Simplified Approaches to Creating Living Saltwater Microcosms" (while it did have a very long introduction story) was much better in this respect (it had a Step-by-Step Starter Reef section that I think would have belonged in this book instead.) While "Your First Marine Aquarium" may look like a typical beginners book that you might take home with a tank and equipment, I don't think it covers enough slowly, basically, and simply to serve in this capacity.
   Let me interject here that it is full of good pictures and has some useful reference tables.
   After reading both of these books, I still don't understand the exact mechanism or technique of feeding either corals or marine fish--something I think is very basic and always simply covered in freshwater literature. If I had picked it up and looked this book over in the store, I would have put it back and bought his other book "Natural Reef Aquariums..." instead.

2 comments about Birds Off the Perch: Therapy and Training for Your Pet Bird.

1. I agree with the other reviewer, that this book provides excellent advice on how to live with a companion bird, and that the book is well written. The authors are clearly well knowledged and review all facets of the different types of birds, which should be thoroughly reviewed before you purchase: playfulness, loudness, availability, size, care requirements, and whether the types are recommended for experienced or for beginners only. One of the things I especially enjoyed is that they did not say, like many books do, that every bird is perfect for every person or situation. They gave realistic examples of some of the harder aspects of living with companion parrots and try to emphasize that it is a life decision to purchase a large parrot, because it is a lifelong responsibility. Personally my lifestyle would not allow me to have a large companion parrot anyway, but if I were considering the idea, this book would have provided a well-needed reality check.



2. I got this a year after having my bird, and I wish that I had it from day one. The book offers great advice on how to live well with a compainion bird.

   It is written in a straight forward manner, and even gives examples of birds that they have worked with. There is also a list of birds and what personality traits they have. This is a good book to get when making a choice to get a bird, it will help you be prepared to bring your bird home, and it will help you get the kind of bird best suited to your situation and lifestyle.

2 comments about Lhasa Apsos.

1. Enjoyed the book, as our dog is new to us and we wanted to learn a little more about his background. The book was interesting in explaining the history of the breed. We were disappointed as we didn't see but one picture that actually looked like our dog. I guess he has a 'puppy cut' so those pictures were more familiar to us.



2. The Lsaha Apso is one of the lesser-know breeds which is increasing in popularity. This manual covers virtually every general topic on this breed that an owner (or veterinarian) would want to be knowledgeable of. It is, virtually, a brand new edition on the Lhasa Apso from Barrons, and has been entirely re-written from the earlier version.

   This book provides a comprehensive picture of what this attractive breed is like (personality, durability, loyalty, compatibility) and if it is suitable for your lifestyle (their exotic, flowing haircoat does require some dedication to proper grooming).

   Not a single page in this book has been wasted--each one is packed with relevant details on historical origin, breed selection,personality, purchasing, grooming, nutrition, training and medical care. The summary of useful groups of information into tables and side bars provides a excellent format that makes locating information easy and quick. The photos and drawings fit nicely with the well-written text and layout. A keeper for the dog-lover's library.

   Phillip T. Robinson, DVM

1 comments about Santa Makes Housecalls Christmas Stories from a Country Vet.

1. Another great book by Dr. McCormack! This time, the stories are centered around Christmas. Dr. McCormack's tales of his life as a country veterinarian in the rural south evoke nostalgia for life in the rural South. This is a great bedside book or gift book!

No comments about Critters of Minnesota Pocket Guide (Critters of...).

5 comments about The New Work of Dogs: Tending to Life, Love, and Family.

1. What kind of person stands by and watches as another person beats an innocent and helpless dog? Doesn't that make you an accessory to the crime?



2. MR. KATZ NOT ONLY UNDERSTANDS DOGS,BUT UNDERSTANDS HOW WE HUMANS FEEL ABOUT OUR PUPS. I TRULY LOVE HIS BOOKS AND HAVE READ ALL OF THEM....



3. I've read many, many good dog books. After reading this one I can say without reservation that this is not one of them. It's formula based and predictible and poorly written. Seems like I've seen a lot of this "stuff" before.
   
   If you love good writing and dogs and books about dogs don't crack this book. Don't make me say I told you so. Yuk!



4. I really enjoyed reading this book about the new work of dogs. Jon Katz writes what I always see in the lives of people with dogs, but can't exactly put into words. He does a great job of that by writing about the lives of people with dogs and how their dogs serve them. Yes, there are actual working dogs in the world working on farms and such. But the work he writes about in this book is more emotional, even spiritual. It is about how we see our dogs, what we expect of them, and in turn how we treat them. Some people in the book relied on their dogs for emotional support, companionship, unconditional love. Others only needed them for a season of their lives, then discarded them, or didn't see their dogs as in need just as we are for just being dogs and having human companionship. I see people like this everywhere. Jon Katz does a fantastic job of writing about real-life examples of this new work. Some stories are heartbreaking, while others make you smile. It's a great book.



5. Other reviews of this book have done a good job of summarizing its thesis, which is that dogs were "previously" bred for physical labor and are now primarily in the business of serving their owners' emotional needs.
   
   I've really enjoyed some of Katz's previous books. I am not a "dog person," but I have found his analysis of dog/human interactions to be well-documented and surprising. This book, however, was a big disappointment. Katz provides little evidence for his historical generalizations, and, by focusing largely on suburban owners who have unbalanced relationships with their canines, he overstates the significance of the "new work" he identifies for dogs.
   
   Katz focuses almost exclusively on middle-class American dog owners, with little attention to urban dwellers (save one chapter)or rural dog-owners who still use their dogs for farm labor or hunting, not "show" sheepherding. What about dogs in other countries and locales, who still perform work in a variety of contexts? We don't even have to leave the US for examples. How are dogs in Alaska or Wyoming or the Jersey Pine Barrens different from dogs in the smug 'burb of Montclair?
   
   Dogs have labored as part of the family for centuries, and they still do in many parts of the world. But that doesn't mean they also haven't served as loved and loving companions as well. Literature from previous eras is full of examples of how domestic pets have meant more to their humans than just "go get the sheep, Spike." (And not just in children's books; check out poet Christopher Smart's seventeenth-century poem "In Praise of my Cat Geoffrey.") Katz doesn't talk about the history of dog/human relationships in depth; he simply argues by assertion that dogs were "previously" used for physical labor and are are "now" primarily engaged in emotional labor.
   
   I think a wider perspective and a "both/and" focus would be more informative for Katz to pursue. Today, serving humans' emotional needs may be the primary task of suburban dogs - but it's not the ONLY THING. Sometimes humans' relationships with dogs are balanced rather than pathological or subtly abusive (like many of the owners he portrays in his book). Some dogs aren't just "used" by humans, but develop powerful attachments to people - in spite of Katz's assertion, based on advice from a breeder friend, that dogs will forget a vanished human almost immediately.
   
   Finally: when humans observe emotional responses in animals, this doesn't necessarily mean we're anthropomorphizing. Perhaps emotions aren't a uniquely human province. Perhaps humans as a species aren't as exceptional as we like to think we are. Perhaps there is a much wider territory out there than Katz maps here.

1 comments about The 100% Horse: How to Create the Go-Anywhere, Do-Anything Horse.

1. This is a great book for someone with a youngster to bring on or a older horse or pony. Great photos to help you visualize what to do. Author Michael Peace has assisted the police force with training their horse, what more can you ask for !!! It will enable you to have the confidence to do more with your horse or pony.
   Highly recommended!!