1 comments about Saddle Fitting Essentials.

1. "Saddle Fitting for the Horse Owner" is an excellent introduction to the art and science of fitting saddles. It explains in great detail, the construction of various types of saddles, and the reason for that construction. It explains how each type of saddle needs to fit a horse, as well as the consequences of none-fit - which really explained a lot about my horse and his behaviour. I saw a lot of things fitting into place, which I hadn't understood before.
   
   I saw a lot of the mistakes I've made over the years - and some very big ones that I've made recently.
   
   This book should be a "pre-quirement" for horse ownership, most certainly a required reading for anybody who ever saddles or rides a horse. Excellent writing, great research, wonderful understanding of the topic.

5 comments about The Guide to Owning a Rat.

1. This book is full of information but unfortunately gives some very poor advice for any rat owner. Pine and cedar will both cause respiratory problems in rats, which can lead to ill health and secondary infections. Also, many of the pictures in this book are of mice.
   
   If you buy this book, please keep in mind - no pine or cedar bedding for rats! Much better is The Rat (An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet) by Ginger Cardinal (Howell Book House) or Rats! (A Fun & Care Book) by Debbie Ducommun (Bowtie Press) .



2. The author knows what she is talking about. You can tell that she has had a lot of experience with her own rats, has done the necessary research, has talked with other experts in the care and breeding of rats, and presents the information so that everyone can understand it. For the reviewer who commented on the "suggestion" that pine shavings be used, it should be understood that there is a lot of controversy about the use of cedar/pine shavings and when the book was published in 1996, the "experts" were still having their discussions about the subject. As far as the few photos of mice, it is unfortunate that the publishers did include them but that does not lessen the impact of the valuable information in the book. I learned a lot about rats from this book, which has more information in it than many other books on the subject. It's a great book, and people just starting out with pet rats will find it to be a great reference, one they will refer to many times.



3. This book is full of bad advice. She recommends using Pine which is almost as bad for rats as Cedar is! And some of the pictures in the book are of mice, not rats. ...



4. I found this great for me when I got my rats since i knew little or nothing about them. Now that i have had them a few years and have gone online for info. I can tell you, it's a great guide for NEWBIES but I also found there to be as much info online.
   If i read it now, i would say tell me something I dont know. But, if you have never owned one of the cutties..this is the bible of rats



5. If you know nothing about owning a rattie then this is the book for you. I knew essentially nothing so this was a great book. I must say, If you already have read up on owning a rat on the internet then you already know everything in this book.
   I feel the internet had as much if not more info.
   But the price was right and incase my computer goes down, it's helpful

1 comments about It's the Law!: Pets, Animals, and the Law.

1. This book was great! The author was very funny and I laughed at one of his stories for HOURS and Hours!If I had to pick a best author it would definitely be this one. Lots of very witty humor and everything you need to know including how to get yourself out of the classic mess My dog barks and my neighbors are going to the city council. I rate it full.

5 comments about Prisoned Chickens Poisoned Eggs: An Inside Look at the Modern Poultry Industry.

1. The author is very knowledgeable about the subject but she sees chickens as human beings which will be a point of view that her readers may not share. However, it is sad and unhealthy that chickens are treated so badly.



2. After reading this marvelous work, I can't help but wonder if imprisoned humans make poisoned license plates. Definitely something which should be researched.



3. This book does a very thorough job of being convincing about becoming vegan. The book talks about how chickens are crippled because their skeletons can't keep up with the enormous amounts of flesh they're genetically bred to grow. It talks about how unwanted male chicks are ground up alive as feed, how chicks are carelessly crushed underfoot when loading them, how the chickens uteri are forced out of their bodies to be pecked at by fellow hens because the eggs they bear are too big for their bodies. Even being lacto-ovo vegetarian is contributing to this cruelty because this is what happens so the egg industry can flourish and provide us with cheap eggs. It talks about how hens are de-beaked because they are stressed into cannibalism, they are starved and dehydrated to force them into another laying cycle, and how they are exposed to levels of ammonia that it drives them blind. After reading this book, I have concluded that unless one raises ones own chickens for eggs and meat, there is no way to eat chickens with a confortable conscience. Even ritual killing supposed to be more humane is cruel, letting the chicken bleed itself out in pain and panic. Even if it were not for animal rights, the fact that the chicken carcasses have huge amounts of antibiotics, hormones, cancerous tumors, pus-filled innards...would be enough to convince me that eating the meat does me no good at all, karma or no karma. I've heard it said that cooking something in your toilet is about the same as eating a chicken...after reading this book, I'm inclined to believe what I once thought was just hype.
   I would have given this book 5 stars but for the fact that the author doesn't really go into what eating these products over time could do to humans. I think that if she had gone into that, it would probably be more effective at convincing people. After all, nothing better to deterr people from eating too much meat than to tell them it's potentially cancer-causing. Which, considering they say you are what you eat...eating carcasses that had cancerous tumors...



4. Karen Davis shows with passion, science, and close-up observations how we take billions of delightful, smart, social animals and put them through Hell each year because we like the taste of their flesh or eggs.
   
   It's all unnecessary and easy to stop. Veggie chicken, either out of the freezer case at your local grocery store, or made from a recipe, tastes like chicken but without the bitter aftertaste of knowing that you've supported severe confinment, mutilations, forced starvations and other cruelties.
   
   If you're thinking about reducing meat consumption, adding more vegetarian dishes into your diet, or just wondering how you can help make the world a more peaceful place, buy this book, and before you're halfway done you'll be saving lives.
   
   (Dr. Davis' book on turkeys is superb, also. It's amazing how we put animals down, and use that as an excuse to make them suffer.)



5. Dr. Karen Davis postulates "[c]an one regard a fellow creature as a property item, an investment, a piece of meat, an `it,' without degenerating into cruelty and dishonesty towards that creature? Human slavery was brutal. Does anyone really believe that nonhuman slavery operates on a higher plane?"
   
   The first portion of this very important book beckons the reader to view chickens as more than mere food, more than simply an aspect of agribusiness, but rather sentient beings capable of a wide range of emotions not too different from our own. Davis accomplishes this by incorporating various personal stories and anecdotes regarding her own chickens, as well as quotations from other chicken owners and those who have visited slaughter houses and hatcheries first hand.
   
   After making this key point, the reader is treated to the appallingly repulsive goings-on at hatcheries and slaughter houses, as well as other malevolent profanities we humans put chickens through so we can continue to eat "well." Davis describes in excruciating, brutally honest detail the horrid environment in which chickens (particularly egg-laying) spend their lives, in their entirety. This lack of a proper, more naturalized, environment leads to disease and malnutrition in these chickens, as well as "cannibalistic" behavior (in actuality a manifestation of their natural pecking instinct), which in turn lead to hideous vaccination and de-beaking processes. Furthermore, the actual process of slaughter is described in meticulous detail, including electrocution, gassing, and neck-slicing (all of which most chickens are still alive for). In addition, it isn't exactly news that broiler chickens are being genetically "engineered" to have larger breasts in order to enlarge profits, and that these chickens frequently suffer ill effects such as broken legs and orthopedic disorders.
   
   If the atrocities that chickens experience aren't enough to spur the reader into disgusted amazement, Davis points out ill effects for humans as well. For example, uric acid from the fecal matter abundant in the close confines of egg-laying hens releases ammonia into the atmosphere, which has been shown to absorb into the eggs slated for human consumption. Not to mention the illnesses and diseases running rampant in chickens that still find their way onto dinner tables across the globe. Is ignorance really bliss, or would you prefer to be enlightened as to what exactly goes into the chicken contents of canned soup, school lunches, pet food, and chicken nuggets?
   
   By the end of this book, Davis is stating that vegetarianism, or more specifically veganism, is the answer to the aforementioned problems. Though that may seem extreme for most people, Davis does make a thorough and well-researched argument.
   
   Though most of this information is somewhat dated (most data coming from 1995), the issue is no less pertinent. I would, however, be curious to see more recent data. This is a book everyone should read before their next flesh-devouring feast. Indeed, non-human slavery should not operate on a higher plane, and it would seem that there are those who need to be reminded of this.

5 comments about African Gray Parrot: Purchase, Acclimation, Care, Diet, Diseases With a Special Chapter on Understanding the African Gray Parrot (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This book is obviously dated as it was written back when wild caught birds were available due to the fact that domestic raised birds were difficult to find. Annette, therefore gives information on taming a frightened bird instead of on a new baby African Grey Parrot loving to be cuddled.
   
   She provides good information on the need for proper sized cages & play areas as well as information on making your bird's own climbing structure.
   
   She has listed a good selection of foods to feed your bird, although there is no mention of a pelleted diet, which has now become a good basic staple in many birds' diets.
   
   She has a section on diseases & how to keep your bird healthy with good information for you to follow.
   
   The section on Understanding African Gray Parrots is very thorough and informative. This section, combined with the good information in several of the other sections, outweigh the dated information in a couple of the other sections of the book.



2. The publications (books) will be rated as soon as I have read them 2 times. However I would like to write an ordinary paper for publication in a well recommended international journal.

   Can you recommend one? Or shall I surch for it myself?

   The topic should include: How to bye an African Grey. Do not mix up parrots and dogs. Dogs, the humans establiched contact with 14.000 B.C. (Boessneck, 1985). Coresponding time for parrots is 200 years. Education of dogs is based on punischment/reward. That does not work on parrots. The parrot indetifies the punisher as a hawk or an other kind of predator.

   Just a first idea of the content for a short publication from a beginner i this "field of science". Time for sending the paper to referees approx, April-01.

   I am a professor in metallurgy since 1983 (metals forming) and have written written other kinds of articles outside my professional discipline( Fish for aquarium, "Tropheus" from the lake of Tanganyika in Africa)

   So I am not a beginner in writing

   Ulf




3. This book has some good info if you dig really deep and know what you are looking for. It talks about things to do to your AG that are out of date, and could be bad to your birds health. It also speaks of taking the birds out of the jungle, which does not happen very much any more, if at all. If you want a good book about african greys, look at the copyright date, it says a lot.



4. I found that there was a lot of good information in this book, HOWEVER, the author speaks about the bird being "captured from the jungle" and brought into a domestic situation. I CAN NOT stress how much that this is the absolute WRONG way to obtain ANY bird. When purchasing African Grey's (and any other animal for that matter) make absolute CERTAIN that it came from a domesticated breeder, and NOT from the wilderness.



5. if you could direct me in the area of a author who writes about the african gray parrot in spanish, version i would be most thnkful

5 comments about Dog Training: The Gentle Modern Method.

1. I bought and read this book about 2 weeks before my Queensland Heeler came home. Within 2 days (he was 7 weeks old at the time) he was house trained and would "come" when we called him. Now at 8 weeks I began teaching him to "sit" and "drop". It literally only took about 5 minutes. I truly believe this is the best method of training a dog. I don't feel bad because I'm choking him or yelling or anything. He wants to do the exercises he's been trained to do. As a society we have been misinformed to think we have to train or dogs using archaic, somewhat violent means. I encourage everyone to at least try this method and if it works for you, pass it on to any pet owner you know. We can make happier, less aggressive dogs.



2. I highly recommend this book. It was very useful to me. Each exercise includes pictures to show exactly how it should look, including hand signals. There were several obedience areas where my dog was not responding to the way my obedience instructor was teaching the commands, and some areas that weren't covered. I tried using the methods in the book, and she responded very quickly and learned the exercises. This book is great for people who don't want to use harsh methods or who have sensitive dogs. This book is also very useful for training puppies, where only positive reinforcement should be used. The step-by-step directions make it good for beginners.



3. I highly recommend this book. It was very useful to me. Each exercise includes pictures to show exactly how it should look, including hand signals. There were several obedience areas where my dog was not responding to the way my obedience instructor was teaching the commands, and some areas that weren't covered. I tried using the methods in the book, and she responded very quickly and learned the exercises. This book is great for people who don't want to use harsh methods or who have sensitive dogs. This book is also very useful for training puppies, where only positive reinforcement should be used. The step-by-step directions make it good for beginners.



4. I really enjoyed this book as it shared my feelings of repect and care for animals. Especially our most domesticated friend the dog. I have used these methods offered in this book and know that they work.I would really love to know if there is an e-mail address for the auther of this book or his Kintala Club as I live in New Zealand and there is not a strong level of support offered here for this kind of practise. Particularly the socalising before tweleve weeks and immunisation. I would recommand this book to anyone considering a puppy or dog and to read it first so they know and understand their responsiblities as a dog owner and for the best they cangive their dog. Yours Helen from New Zealand.



5. David Weston's method of dog training follows right along in the modern tradition of "operant conditioning," which I had not heard of before reading this book. Therefore it was not a previous bias which caused me to discount the method as completely inappropriate to dog training! A dog is not a lab rat, to be "shaped" unwittingly by the presence or absence of food. It is disrespectful to your dog to assume so. However, if all you want is the behavior and you don't care about the rapport, or if you have a particularly sensitive dog that doesn't respond well to "traditional" methods, this book is an easy to follow manual of how to make it at least appear obedient.

5 comments about Jelly Bean versus Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde.

1. If you are looking for real advice on dealing with an aggressive dog, or sound dog-training advice in general, this is not the place to find it.
   
   Meisterfeld's self-published book is, like the rest of his output, a long advertisement aimed to get people to buy more of his stuff. It's also a straw-man attack on the alleged methods of some very effective authors who DO give sound and clear advice.
   
   Gee-whiz charts -- but they don't mean anything.
   
   I was particularly taken with his use of Nietzschean language to describe dogs. I can just hear the Wagner in the background. I've never tried acid or 'shrooms, but after trying to read this volume, I'm not that curious anymore.
   
   Meisterfeld calls himself a "doctor," but never substantiates -- doctor of WHAT? From what accredited institution of higher learning did he receive a doctorate of what kind?



2. This book saved my dog's life. we got our dog from the pound as a youngster not a puppy. We quickly found out that she was a biter but had no idea what to do about it. All of the "trainers" we called to help suggested we put her down. I found this book in our library and we transformed her from a shy cowering fear bitter into a wonderful outgoing family pet. Just the concept of eye contact alone was more than worth the price of this book. I am not a natural with dogs, I needed the tools this book provided. This is not a book about what most people might consider basic puppy training, but if you want to understand your dog this is a great book. I am buying a second copy for my grand daughter who just got a puppy for Christmas.



3. Finally a dog book that was written by a professional trainers experience, not by authors/trainers that have copycatted the misconception that dog owners need to mimic the wild wolf and be the Alpha Leader of the Pack (that was originated by a United States Veterinarian in 1972)
   
   Like the Author of Jelly Bean Verses Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde (C.W Meisterfeld), I am sharing my personal experience.
   
   After one of my dogs bit me and my Veterinarian I was advised by a top New Zealand behaviourist to be the top dog leader of the pack and to use a shake can/throw chain. A veterinarian clinic advised my to grab my dog stare him in the eyes and shake him.
   
   The more I tried to be the Alpha Leader of the Pack the worse their behaviour became, in a few days 2 of my dogs started fighting each other and the other 2 became fearful.
   
   Then I located a University who's facility of Veterinary Science offers a course on canine behaviour it was expensive but I though it would be the highest level (scientific facility) of teaching animal behaviour, so I enrolled
   
   I was shocked. Their teaching of being the Alpha Leader was exactly what all the other experts advised.
   
   Jelly Beans rage was not due to genetics claimed by U.S top Veterinarian/behaviourists it was directly due to the alpha/dominance training.
   
   Then I read the chapter HOW NOT TO BE YOUR DOGS BEST FRIEND that Meisterfeld explains the danger of the alpha training, which is why all four of my papillon's developed serous behavioral problems.
   
   There's coloured (before and after) photos of Jelly Bean, Korean Fighting dog, Rhodesian Ridgeback,and unique discrimination safety period clock.
   
   This book saved my dogs from having to live a life of fear and aggression.



4. I followed this book right to the letter, mutual respect and all. The Pit bull came to me with aggression problems and I tried to correct it according to the book, and ended up having the pit bull put down because it cost me 36 stitches to my arm and leg. Follow this mans' suggestions and you will have problems as well.



5. I was disappointed with this book. True, it does have a lot of interesting information and I totally agree with his method of training with respect and trust, not using force or aggression. But I bought the book expecting to find the answer to an aggression problem I'm having with an adopted dog, who IS being trained only with respect and positive methods. Instead, the book is full of examples of dogs with behavioral problems, and if you find one that correlates with a problem you may be experiencing, as you hurriedly turn the pages to find the solution, instead you read "the dog was brought to me and I retrained him...and now he's a happy faithful friend." No where did I find any information about Mr. Meisterfeld's training program. He admonishes dog owners for causing their dog's behavioral problems by catering to the dog and treating it like a human, not giving it territorial and psychological boundaries, not giving it a job, but again no specifics are given. Just what is his definition of these boundaries? Dog stays outside? Dog is restricted to one room in the house? And psychological boundaries - dog's every move and waking moment are dictated by the owner? What constitutes a job? Are daily obedience lessons enough? I am not new to the breed that I have and my previous dog was obedience titled so I'm quite familiar with training. This new dog was put on the "nothing in life is free" program from the day I got him and it has been very effective in establishing me as his master and setting behavioral boundaries for him. However, an aggression problem is new to me. I was hoping to find the answer in this book but instead am no closer to a solution than before.

1 comments about Care and Management of the Older Horse.

1. Amazingly helpful and easy to read. Sound and practical applications for managing mature horses of all ages.

No comments about Dump Him, Marry the Horse: Why a HOrse is a Better Match Than a Man.

1 comments about The Encyclopedia of North American Sporting Dogs: Written by Sportsmen for Sportsmen.

1. I am anything but a hunter but I love the sporting dog breeds since we have own both an English Pointer and a Chocolate Lab. Book is very informative on all the various sporting dog breeds and characteristics(some of the breeds I have never heard of before). Highly recommended for dog lovers