1 comments about Portrait of the Dog as a Young Artist: Art from Scratch, by the World's Preeminent Canine Painter.

1. Just saw Tillie in action on Conan O'Brien last night, and it is really amazing what a true artist this little pup has become. The story of her life and work in Portrait of the Dog as a Young Artist should serve as inspiration to dogs (and cats) everywhere that they, too, can find fulfillment in art and create work that can stand alongside such modern masters as Pollack and De Kooning. A true collectible for dog lovers and art fans!!!

5 comments about Backyard Race Horse: The Training Manual a Comprehensive Off-Track Program for Owners.

1. Great little handbook, especially helpful in the area of medications for racehorses. Very useful!



2. I found this book to be honest, informative, and excellent. I don't own racehorses, but if I did I am sure Janet Del Castillo's method and advice would be excellent and very helpful. I especially was pleased with her remarks of "this is what works for me, but it more important that you find what works best for you and your horses". I find that refreshingly honest; many trainers seems to always say "this is the only right way, everything else is not" while Janet Del Castillo simply shares her experiences and offers ideas more than writing anything in concrete. I also like the explanation of what the various legal drugs used on racehorses can do to the horses.
   
   I find the review of "a reader" to be a little odd. They remark that Janet Del Castillo "only had one big winner" so her methods are faulty and useless. However, realistically the fact that she had a stakes winner as well as managed to keep her family fed and taken care of by racing horses that lasted for years is outstanding! Only about 7% of ALL Thoroughbreds to reach the track ever compete at stakes levels, fewer still actually win them! The other 93% are Allowance and Claimers. Honestly, how many trainers even get 1 big horse? Aside from those employed or possessing a great deal of money (as in the millions of dollars) and can afford to buy horses for huge sums of money, most trainers never get a stakes horses. Why do you think the big names at the Kentucky Derby and other such races are always the same? They are the ones that can afford to pay the large entrance fees, purchase large groups of young horses to find that one good horse, and can discard the others. Most of the Thoroughbred industry cannot.
   
   So I personally admire Janet Del Castillo and her methods: she races sound, tough horses that usually seem to pay for themselves and keep her in the clear as well! If I ever have the pleasure of owning a racehorse or two, I will definitely use her methods for my horses!



3. This is easily one of the greatest training books ever published. It teaches how to train your racehorses with both the horses and your best interest in mind at the same time. It argues clearly and teaches why the method of not overpushing horses and making them run by masking pain with medicine is stupid and offers viable options for trainers who still want to make money. It teaches that the greatest way to make money is to take care of the horse and let it rest when it needs to be cured for injuries instead of pushing it beyond its limits to eventual permanent lameness. One of my favorite portions was about 'carrotology', which illustrated that even racehorses deserve to be loved like a pleasure horse. This book also gives helpful advise to those not only in Thoroughbred racing, but barrel racing and QH racing. One of the greatest things about this book, though, is the fact that the methods described actually worked for the author. Kudos to Janet.



4. It takes an unbelieveable amount of time, effort, and money toget your racehorse across the finish line. Most racehorse owners turntheir animals and their money and unconditional control over to the racetrack trainer, usually to have the animal return to them injured, most permanently, within a 6 month period. Ms. Castillo, via this excellent book, provides an alternative in her own experience of training horses on her farm. The book is both a how to manual for the beginner and a comparative analysis for the experienced. Ms. Castillo takes you through her training, a to z in great detail. You may argue with her technique or you may question her methods, but I found the information provided invaluable and for myself inspirational to my own training efforts. Ms. Castillo relates how to overcome every obstacle an owner may face in training their own animals, and she is a welcome pioneer promoting her unique idea--instead of pouring money down the toilet with the local track trainer, a practice which ejects owners from the business usually within a couple of years, instead for those thousands and thousands of horse owners, train your own! It could hardly get any better than that.



5. I respectfully differ with the last prior review. Back Yard Race Horse very truly does aim itself more toward the horse racing novice, but that seems to be an intent, rather than a fault. The book is just superb in its all inclusive information on every aspect of horse care, training, and the race track. And for the experienced trackster Ms. De Castillo at the very least will provide you with comparative information by which you may either agree or disagree or evaluate your own program. Backyard Race Horse additionally sets out a program for those who are unable to train at the racetrack, and as such, rather than being pretentious or pushing a program, merely sets out the backyard experience of its author. She shows how she did it, and demonstrates that it can be done. And finally, and most valuably Ms. De Castillo pioneers the benefits to horse racing of recruiting the hundreds of thousands of potential backyarders into the sport. This is an excellent book, well written, informative, and highly recommended.

1 comments about Cats Are Better Than Dogs: From a Cat's Eye View.

1. I bought my mom this book for Christmas, and we both could not stop laughing at it. Definately get this book if you are a cat-lover.

1 comments about Puppy Training the Guide Dogs Way.

1. excellent reading - highly recommended reading for dog training. Very useful tips for understanding dogs and how to train them.

No comments about Clicker Intermediate Training.

5 comments about Michelle and Me.

1. What a great read. I was inspired especially when finding out that he not only volunteers his time to do search and rescue but that his K9 partner is a Doberman instead of the typical shepards. The stories were wonderful; I got a feel for what true search & rescue is like....not just all happy or gruesome endings. Hope he continues to write additional books.



2. An awesome book. Light and humorous, yet profound and wise; it takes you on a journey and you return inspired by the courage and faith of both man and dog, and the magic in trusting the invisible. It's moving and inspiring on many levels, and very zen: it's about the journey and not about getting there. It's a gripping read- excellent rhythm of suspense and amusement.



3. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are an animal lover. Readers will find that Tom Shelby seems to inhabit Michelle's brain and soul. Their relationship is amazing and touching. Mr. Shelby's training tips which follow each SAR story are practical and wonderfully simple. Thank you to Tom and Michelle (and all the other hardworking SAR teams) for your continuing work.



4. Tom Shelby brings the reader so deeply into the heart and soul of Michelle, you have to wonder if he is part dog himself (or is Michelle part human?). The telling of the very special relationship between man and dog is as compelling as the telling of the searches themselves. Tom's humorous interjection of his dog training tips between search stories makes this book hard to put down. A must read for any dog lover!



5. This is truly a touching, heroic,adventerous and even spiritual collection of events that illustrate a marvelous relationship of a Search and Rescue team: Tom Shelby and his dog, Michelle. The writer expresses rare and meaningful insites that trainer and dog can have for each other as they put themselves in harms way.
   Tom and Michelle share a connection that goes so much deeper than just a person with a pet. They are truly in tuned to each other.
   The searches are riviting with excitement, suspense and written with a sense of humor, honesty and an extreme passion for sharing his wealth of knowlege of training dogs. One can only better appreciate training, the Search and Rescue efforts and a deep mutual reletionship owners and their dogs must have. At least these two do! Thanks for a very meaningful and touching book!

No comments about Injury, Disease, and Equine Nursing: Injury, Disease, Equine Nursing (Essential Equine Studies).

3 comments about Book of the German Shepherd Dog.

1. I got this book when it was brand new, when I hadn't even bought an AKC dog yet. (Apparently they never updated it, though.) TFH put out just a few "Book of the..." series, and for the sake of other breeds, I wish they had done all! The GSD version is an excellent photo-gallery, giving a nice synopsis of the breed history, and numerous references to contemporary dogs via photos and also numerous pedigree pages. This was a superb reference if you wanted to get boned up on top American show dogs and lines in 1985. No other breed book ever did that. Thus, I learned alot about pedigrees which helped when checking out prospects. In fact, knowing the top dogs and top pedigrees is really the only major difference between breed discussions. Minor differences may be work/sport focus, and diseases/conditions typical for the subject breed. At best, other breed books cover the minor differences. My disappointment, on reflection, is that Nicholas is AKC-oriented, and unfortunately AKC GSDs leave a bit to be desired. (The dog I got was half German and American.) I would love to have a book like this based on "German" dogs so I could get a foothold in the contemporary German side; what are the top bloodlines, who are top dogs, what do they look like, etc. Also, the date on amazon still says 1985; TFH should update it after 15 years if it's still published and sold new!



2. if you're looking for a lot of pictures of champions both good and bad then this is the book for you. the section naming the different kennels in the USA was very informative.



3. Provides a comprehensive history of the breed in Germany, America, and throughout the world, while discussing such essentials as breeding, training, puppy selection and care, veterinary advice, grooming, showing, obedience and more.

No comments about How to Train Your Dalmatian (Tr-108).

1 comments about The Boxer (Terra Nova Series).

1. This book is excellent as it is not the typical generic product that you sometimes see. This book is filled with useful information, positive reinforcement training and wonderful tips.
   As a part of the American Boxer Rescue Association as well as the IAABC and APDT, I will gladly be recommending this book to clients who own boxers.