5 comments about Top Horse Training Methods.

1. I'm glad I got this at Half-Price books and not at full price and that I was already farmiliar with most of the trainers' methods. The author is very biased, meaning she accepts Classical training methods and whoever agrees with her. Natural horsemanship is not acceptable in her eyes. She is also very hypocritical. It is okay if GaWaNi Ponyboy or Monty Roberts says something, but not if Pat Parelli or Richard Maxwell says the same thing. Maybe it is due to the fact that Ponyboy is a Native American and disagreeing with his ancestors' methods would be politically incorrect and becuase Roberts is held in high regard by Her Majesty, The Queen Mother (the author is English).
   
   If you really want to explore the top horse training methods read Natural Horse-Man-Ship: Six Keys to a Natural Horse-Human Relationship, The Man Who Listens to Horses, Horse, Follow Closely, The Classical Seat, The Tellington TTouch : A Revolutionary Natural Method to Train and Care for Your Favorite Animal, or any of the other books by the trainers mentioned in Wilson's book.
   
   In the beginning of the book Ms. Wilson states that new horse owners should let "The Experts" help them choose what training method to go with and continues on to fill the book with her opinions. I do not know what she based her assessment of herself on, but based on some of the things she said she seems to be no expert. She said something about foals following their mothers and not pushing on them. Foals follow their mothers for a few days but soon start pushing them around and leaving them. The mothers follow their foals and do not discipline them except at weaning time.



2. The author obviously has set opinions about the training of horses. Rather than allow the other methods be explained individually the author interjects comparisons and critiques based only on her experiences. This is not an honest explanation of the varying schools of thought about horse training. This is the author's grandstand. If you are already all about very classical horsemanship then this book will support your current methods.



3. Well prepared comparison of each trainer's methods/perspectives answering questions on the essentials of the horse-person relationship! Balanced. The book reveals a consistency in the fundamental interests for the horse's well-being, which is encouraging. Recommended as a catalyst to further explore & reflect upon our ways of communicating with our horses.



4. I have read and re-read this book, and have learned a lot from it. Ms. Wilson doesn't set out to teach you to train a horse, but rather looks at the training methods of top trainers comparatively. Reading about where she finds lapses in logic in training philosophies, has helped me to better apply training tips selectively.
   
   If you are serious about horse-training, and working with a variety of horses, this book is very useful.



5. I was thoroughly disappointed with this book. The preface describes this book as a book that gives you detailed descriptions of training methods so you can work with your horse. When in fact all it does is critique the training methods without actually telling you what the training methods are. I felt completely let down and wasted my money. I'm halfway through and I haven't even finished reading it and I'm making myself read on to PRAY there there is SOMETHING in this book worth reading. If you're considering getting this book - DON'T! You'd be much better off looking at who the top trainers are and purchasing THEIR books instead of this.

4 comments about A Life With Dogs.

1. This heart-warming work is all a book of doggy stories should be!!! Sometimes I laughed, sometimes I cried, but was always moved to thought by his deep insights into the canine mind. His liberal philosophies and mystical religious tastes aside, this book should warm the soul of all who have ever owned a mutt.



2. Having seldom been without a dog in our own lives, my husband and I were recalling the antics of many of our dogs from the book's beginning to end. This fun heartwarming book from a true dog lover, richly enhanced by the artwork of Linda Welsch, is one of those that is practically impossible to put down until it is finished. We have enjoyed Mr. Welsch's writings for many years and are very proud to add this book to our long shelf of other dog books.



3. As the official representative of Richard Lee Anderson, Jr...[the California Whiskey Heeler of Page 211] AND recipient of Roger's forgiveness...I have to tell you, after reading this book you'll probably want to trade your cat in on a dog, head to your Humane Society for more dogs or adopt your first.
   Dogs are good for your soul, Roger's books are great reading and Linda Welsch's illustrations are heart warming to behold.



4. There are a lot of books on dogs out there. Some are worthless, some are truely useful and meaningful (like Suzanne Clothier's 'Bones Would Rain From The Sky').
   This book is just completely enjoyable. You get a genuine feel for Mr. Welsch's love and regard for dogs, and for their love and regard for us. The frequency of laughs is no small benefit either.

No comments about Horse Breeds: 65 Popular Horse, Pony & Draft Horse Breeds.

5 comments about Riding for the Rest of Us: A Practical Guide for Adult Riders (Howell Reference Books).

1. This book really should be called Horse Ownership for the Rest Of Us -- it's not about riding, really, its more about owning a horse, how to choose your barn, etc. But if this is supposed to be written "for the rest of us" I don't know who the other people they're referring to are -- this book still assumes that you have the time and resources to get to the barn and ride YOUR OWN HORSE every day or thereabouts -- I'm not poor but there's no way I have the resources to buy the horse in the first place much less pay for boarding and vet care -- how about starting there? What if you don't own your own horse and have a full-time job but still want to be the best rider you can be? It was an interesting read but I gave it away, if you're looking for actual riding tips and techniques for older riders you should probably look elsewhere.



2. From the title and information about the book it appears aimed at all adult writers, in giving us the information we need, but can't find anywhere else. As a beginning adult writer, though someone who has been around horses for nearly fifteen years, I beg to differ with that claim. If you're a new adult rider, someone fairly inexperienced with horses, then Riding for the Rest of Us is exactly what it claims to be--a practical guide for adult riders. For those of us who have some horse knowledge, it may cover new territory, but most likely the information we're looking for is better obtained from other sources.
   
   I rode both English and Western, yet I found the book's emphasis on English riding to be off-putting. Most of the basic information, horse care, time management, finding a good instructor, would be the same regardless of disciplines, but the book with its focus on the English disciplines pretty much excludes the many adult riders who ride Western. While I don't believe this to be intentional, it certainly restricts the audience and further undermines the claim that this is a practical guide for adult riders.
   
   If you're completely new to horses and riding, then you'll find valuable information in the pages. If you have some experience under your belt, you may be better off looking for more specific books.



3. I ordered this book and was full of expectation. But what a disappointment. The author just keeps on talking without getting to the point. I really learned nothing new from this book.



4. There are a lot of books about training, managing and caring for horses.
   This book fills a niche that is so empty that it's still my bible when working with adult riders.
   Ms. Jahiel has done a fabulous job.
   If you are thinking of riding for the first time or getting back on board after a long hiatus then think seriously about buying this book.
   Heads above the rest.
   Thanks from someone who gets quite a few folks who have hit their stride in a career and then decide to follow the equine dream.



5. This book is a disappointingly shallow treatment of the subject. It raises many good questions an adult rider needs to ask... but doesn't help at all in finding or interpreting the answers! Everything is dealt with in a single paragraph, and that's just not long enough. I just didn't walk away from this one with an improved point of view as I'd hoped.

No comments about American Pit Bull Terriers (Animal Planet Pet Care Library).

5 comments about Natural Pet Cures: Dog & Cat Care the Natural Way.

1. This book is one of 4 books that I have on natural pet care. I refer to it along with all the others every time I need guidance. I have found it useful for some health issues, and will continue to reference it in the future. I always cross-reference the advice against my other books, then make a decision based on my own gut instinct as to what's best for my animals.



2. Although I have yet to actually read the book. (I'm buying it today) I must disagree with all of you who were against the idea that animals should not be spayed and neutered. The owners, not the animals are responsible for the countless animals being murdered at shelters. I would 'fix' myself before I'd do such a cruel thing to my dog. Have you ever fixed an animal yourself? My family raises show goats and bands the young males when they're old enough. To watch the physical and emotional trauma these poor kids go through is enough to break your heart a million times over.
   Also, my mother insisted two of our cats were spayed. The emotional trauma there was also heartbreaking. No reaction? These cats dispised my mother for weeks for putting them through such a terrible thing.
   If animals were meant to be neutered or spayed, they'd be born that way.
   Perhaps all animals shouldn't have children, but removing parts of their body because their owners aren't responsible enough to look after their pets is never going to be alright. Especially as far as the animals are concerned.



3. I bought this book to use for a college course even though the reviews were poor. I found this book to be helpful. It had some different alternatives to the usual holistic and natural cures. Give this book a try.



4. Like the writer from Memphis, I too bought this book in good faith. I had to re-read the author's comments on spaying and neutering a thousand times I was so dumbfounded. "Spaying and neutering deprives a dog from the joys of parenthood"? Are you kidding me? It is absolutely that kind of thinking that leads to the millions of homeless animals that have to be euthanized. My advice to the author, spend a few weeks volunteering at a shelter (I have volunteered at one for 3 years) Witness shelters that are bursting at the seams because of his logic. Maybe then the author would realize that the "joys of parenthood" mean nothing when faced with the realities of euthanasia



5. I bought this book in good faith that it would help me with three rotty puppies I rescued.One got sick with parvo so I started the treatment on the hour with the formula described in this book. I even started the well puppies on the formula on the hour.My puppies are so sick at this point,4 days later that I am putting 2 down today because they are to weak to throw up.I wish I could sue.My heart is breaking.

3 comments about Feng Shui for You and Your Cat.

1. In searching for a good "layman's" book on Feng Shui, I came accross this gem. Many other books on the subject were a little too scientific for my needs. This is a great introduction for a beginner.

   I also happen to be an avid cat lover, and think the theme of this book is wonderful! The ideas conveyed in this book about a cat being the perfect "purrveyor" (pun intended) of balance and energy is extremely intriguing.

   Along with informative and insightful content, the pictures add a beautiful element. This is a new favorite book on my bookshelf, and I would definitely recommend it to any cat lover who is interested in learning about Feng Shui.




2. I quite enjoyed this book, even though some readers will be more familiar with Feng Shui than the writer assumes. It includes the basic fundamentals of Feng Shui with observation of your kitty for better attunement to the flow of energy. You don't even necessarily need to think of your cat as a "familiar" to find this book helpful. If you believe that your animals are better in tune to Earth's energy than you are, than you can definitely use this book for more insight into Feng Shui and your beloved cat!



3. They are the cats of the house! and it is all about their favorite places to be...even if it means on top of my head! The book was great to read, gave us great ideas, and made us purrrrrr at the pictures! I had never thought about the fact that the kitties like to be in certain places in the house (ie their kitty bed, their litter box, and where they eat), and this taught me something new about them!

1 comments about No Foot, No Horse: Foot Balance: The Key to Soundness and Performance.

1. The first few chapters of this book are very informative and present a good amount of technical detail regarding the equine foot, as well as practical information. The author spends some time discussing why barefoot is so much better for the horse, yet the remainder of the book is all about proper shoeing. Contradictory!
   
   Worse yet, in the latter part of the book, various equines are shown or described, and the answer is always that propery farriery is needed. But . . . no one tells you exactly what is propery farriery. In many cases, it looked like a decent trim fixed the overgrown hoof, and the farrier slapped on a set of shoes. There was very little detail as to what the farrier did or why.
   
   If you're a barefoot advocate, the metal shoes will make you cringe, and if you believe in shoes, I'm not sure you'll gain an understanding of what constitutes a good farrier.

5 comments about Adoptable Dog: Teaching Your Adopted Pet to Obey, Trust, and Love You.

1. My husband and I had both grown up with dogs, but during college and our first few years in the work force, knew we didn't have time to give a dog the full attention it needed. So when I had some time off and we decided to get a dog, we were both a bit rusty. This book was a good refresher course, and had some good new tips. The training chapters were basic--but basics are really all you need if you're not going to be showing or putting your dog through agility trials. I thought that it was particularly useful that the authors talked about correcting ingrained behaviors often seen in adult dogs who haven't been given structure in their previous homes. In the end, though, there are a lot of questions I still have. I feel as though there was a lot of wind-up about what to expect in a shelter dog, but not as much detailed follow-through about some things. The advice on crate-training, for example, was pretty thin. All in all, though, I enjoyed reading it and it gave me enough information that I was prepared when we got the call about our rescue dog.



2. I have found this book to be helpful. I'm an experienced dog owner - of some great successes and some not so successful. I thought I knew a great deal; but I learned some new things. I have recently seriously considered adopting a dog, but this book made some of the trade-offs more clear (particularly the risks I would take with small children). It was worth the read just to understand better why a dog mounths.



3. This book was recommended to me by some fellow rescue workers. I'm an experienced rescue worker and dog breeder.

   I fully recommend this book to those who:

   1. Are new to rescue dogs.
   2. Need to know some of the typical behaviors a rescue dog may exhibit.
   3. Need a refresher course on foundational basics of rehabilitating rescue dogs.
   4. Need affirmation about good methods used in modifying negative dog behaviors.
   5. Want to rehabilitate any dog that exhibits negative or undesired behavior(s).
   
   To the experienced dog rescue workers like me, this book offers nothing new. It may be obvious to some readers that this author has spent many years in dog training but not indepth actual shelter work. However,I was happy to see that, although the author lacked a lot of personal shelter experience, he had invested and employed a good amount of homework and research worthy of a useful book. Through his writing, I could read the experienced views of shelter workers he'd interviewed prior to writing this book.

   This book is written fairly simply. The author wrote very much as if he were standing next to you talking with you. His verbiage is simple and easy to understand. He uses case-in-point examples that are helpful in clarifying his point and method.

   Occasionally, the author would title a paragraph where I expected to get much more out of the following text than what was present. On these instances, I felt like I was left hanging and looking for more.

   On the whole, I was delighted to find the author's approach to be factual, experienced, compassionate, common sense and fairly comprehensive.

   I really enjoyed reading the author's common sense views when he addressed some of the dog world's trendy idealisms. I'm certain that many idealists will disagree with his views because he is common sense yet not abusive. His 'middle-of-the-road views' don't pander to either of the extremes in dog training (harsh discipline versus no discipline). I felt the author's views to be well balanced and obviously experienced.

   Overall, this book is a good type of manual for foundational dog training with an emphasis on how that relates to an adopted rescue dog.

   I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. And I hope people who either have adopted or plan to adopt a dog will read this book and keep it on hand for reference. I plan to keep my copy, too.

   To someone preparing to adopt, two other books you may enjoy are:

   -The Other End Of The Leash
   -The Adoption Option: choosing & raising the shelter dog for you




4. Adopting a dog is exciting; this book is not. Very very basic in its adoption advice and arrogent in support of its old-school training style, I found nothing compelling here. There are better books that don't have a "one method fits all" "only I know the right way" approach. Nor is it necessary (or mature) to insult others when advocating your own opinion.

   Stick with Andrea Arden and Patricia McConnell, and give "So Your Dog's Not Lassie" a try -- it talks about independent or submissive or dominant dogs (several of the personalities you'll find when adopting) and how to cater your training style to your dog.




5. As a 4 year volunteer dog walker/trainer at my local humane society and also the owner of two adopted dogs, I found this book useful and straightforward. At the shelter we see many people with unrealistic ideas of what to expect from our shelter dogs (this applies to any dog whether it's a shelter dog or from a responsible breeder or from any of the myriad of other sources.) This book explains some of the issues that can come up and gives practical advice on addressing the issues. I also like the fact that the owners give information on training a pet dog, rather than "obedience" training. This book gives solid advice to people who just want to have a good relationship with their new dog. The writers stress the importance of structure and clarity when communicating with your new dog.

   As the owner of two adopted dogs, I will tell you that it takes effort and I will also tell you that I wouldn't have it any other way. What you get back from these dogs far outweighs the effort that goes in. If you are thinking of getting a dog, whether it be "adopted" or purchased, please do some homework first and understand the type of dog you are getting and examine your expectations and then decide if you want to go through with the decision which is a long commitment.

   All that being said, if you decide you want to share your life with a dog, please VISIT YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER and check out what they have. You'll be surprised. You will find purebred dogs, adult dogs who have good manners, young adult dogs "who need a little training", puppies and some marvelous mixes of all shapes and sizes. Some of these dogs have "baggage" and "issues" which will need some work, but many of them just got dealt a bad hand and it just didn't work out at their first home.All of these dogs just need a second chance! If you have your heart set on a particular breed which isn't at your shelter, look into breed rescues (cruise the web--you'll find a rescue for just about any breed)who work on re-homeing specific breeds which didn't work out at their first home.

   Do some studying and if you decide to get a dog or add an additional dog to your pack, enjoy the journey--it's a very special adventure!! Not always easy, but always worth it!!

1 comments about Pet Owner's Guide to the Greyhound.

1. Although this book is relatively small (78 pages), Anne Finch has packed a lot of information into it...from greyhound history to adopting a retired racer to living with them to the last years of this noble creature. The pictures are lovely and are themselves easily worth the price of the book. This is not intended to be a comprehensive work on greyhounds, rather it is a more summarized overall view of them. It is an excellent resource for people considering adoption and a "must have" in the library of all who are owned & loved by greyhounds.