5 comments about Hamsters (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals Series).

1. This book has been a great guide for my 9y/o. He has read it cover to cover and even goes back to it when he has questions. Highly recommended.



2. This books is full of high-quality, cute pictures of hamsters. But also, the information within it is very good. I've been keeping pet hamsters for over ten years. I read this book shortly after I got my first hamster, and I keep on returning to it for its useful information. The books is very well written. Any new hamster owner will find it full of great information.



3. The best guide to hamsters that we have found so far is this Complete Pet Owner's Manual. It also gave me the impression that the series had other successes besides this, after determining the quality of this one. The manual is most assuredly complete, covering: Maintainence, dietary supplements, dealing with the loss of a hamster, and specific behavioral signs. There are more sections in there that are also very interesting to know. These are very specialized and popular pets, and this covers the void for excited owners of their first hamster. If you already own other manuals about the hamster, this one is likely to be somewhat redundant.
   Ranks much higher in binding quality also. The "Happy Healthy Pet" owner's guide series has very cheap cardboard binding, and will fall apart in a matter of months from heavy use. "The Essential Hamster" has pretty good paperback binding, but not as firm as this one. There is a single other hamster manual being sold in stores and online, but it's paperback quality is not very good. Buy this first for good information and binding quality for hamster purchasers.



4. This is a good book that probably ought to be required when you buy a hamster for your youngster. You should buy this one for yourself, and TRAINING YOUR PET HAMSTER for the recipient of your gift! Then all of you can take good care of the hamster, learn more and more with each passing day, and have fun all the while without using a computer game 24/7!



5. This is a helpful guide if you are interested in keeping hamsters as pets or if you just want to become familiar with them. Written by Otto von Frisch, it was released in 1998. There are 64 pages, and it is in softcover format. Five chapters are included. I like the layout of the manual, the information, and the impressive color photos of the hamsters. There are handy charts, tables, and sidebars. Examples of topics covered are physical characteristics, sensory capabilities, buying a hamster, housing, breeding, handling (seven rules are included, for instance), nutrition (for example, ten important feeding rules are stated), behavior, and health. The tables--which are interspersed throughout--discuss hamster breeds at a glance, hazards for the hamster, and recognizing ailments and illnesses. There is a page that displays the ten golden rules for hamster care along with another page that outlines the hamster's body language. Also, two pages are devoted to an expert who gives answers to the ten most frequently asked questions regarding the keeping of hamsters. I find this to be a useful publication.

No comments about All About the Cairn Terrier (All About).

5 comments about Dogs Deserve Dialogue: Rover Should Hang on Your Words NOT on Your Leash.

1. This book really was a disappointment, the training methods are traditional, just pulling and pushing the dog into positions and even choking the dog for 5 seconds if it behaves aggressively.



2. Based solely on reading and using this training manual for more than two years, I have turned around a friend's dog-aggressive canine in a snap, and have calmed my own dog's mild anxieties.
   
   I'm convinced Judy Moore's method of communication works with every dog -- for every human who is willing to try it and not give up too soon. It happifies both hound and human!
   
   Dialogue is so easy to understand, easy to implement (if one will just humble his pride enough to do crazy-looking 180 degree turns at the start of walks with his dog) and sure-fire in its results that it can also be used on the most aggressive, destructive, terrorized/terrorizing dog. The book gives plenty of examples of dogs who were so beyond the pale that other trainers had recommended they be locked in a crate for life or put to death.
   
   The reason Moore's regimen is so successful with out-of-control dogs, I believe, is that it eliminates the underlying causes of bad behavior by giving crazed-with-fear or crazed-with-anger dogs such confidence, self-esteem, and peace of mind -- not to mention such fun! Hence, the dogs have no desire to act out their fears or aggressions any longer. That's because they no longer feel fear or anger.
   
   Unbelievably, I found that mastering Dialogue takes only a few minutes a day. The initial instruction begins only after the handler/owner has studied and practiced on his own until he is absolutely sure he understands the steps and can teach them to the dog in such a way that he makes the dog feel better about himself. After that, dog and handler need do only 10 to 15 minutes of daily practice of these exercises, which are the components of Dialogue and the structure for teaching the dog to respond to any situation with trust.
   
   I've found that if you decide to implement Moore's method, you have to lay aside all preconceived ideas and previous training methods. You have to banish your own fears -- for instance, a belief that you lack the ability needed to be a successful dog handler. Your confidence level is always picked up by, and passed along to, your dog.
   
   Exactness (following all Moore's instructions to the letter, and insisting in a kind way that the dog do the same) and consistency (refusing to revert to other methods, and sticking with Dialogue and only Dialogue, day in and day out) are two ingredients in this recipe for success.
   
   Also, you have to have -- or quickly develop -- unbounded patience. The human holding the leash ends up developing lots of good (latent) qualities in himself. In fact, I'd say he progresses as much, if not more, than his canine companion by the time the training "takes."
   
   Amazing changes in a dog's behavior sometimes come in a matter of hours or days. That's not to say that behavior modification is a quick fix, though. It usually takes at least six months - sometimes more -- of regular practice to ingrain Dialogue in both owner and dog to the point where the latter responds automatically to each and every command, even off-leash.
   
   I really like Moore's premise that there's no such thing as a bad dog. Better yet, her method proves her words!
   
   Every dog deserves this book. Every dog owner does, too. Dialogue is the only way to go, in my book!



3. I have read Judy's book, seen her video, met her when she came to Milwaukee in 2001 to work with two dogs, and this year in May 2002 when she gave a wonderful presentation at the Wisconsin Humane Society talking about some of her successes which are also mentioned in her book. She did a live demonstration and as a volunteer at the facility, I received so much positive feedback from attendees. The book has helped friends of mine who recently acquired dogs and one person in particular refers to Judy's book as his "bible" when working with his dog. I do not have a dog of my own, but as a dog walker at the shelter, Judy's teachings have helped me to better understand the dogs I walk at the shelter to have more enjoyable quality time. The book is so worthwhile to every dog owner, both new and those who have had dogs, and this book should be associated on Amazon with other dog-related books (whether training or pleasure reading).
   Thank you.



4. I have read Judy's book, seen her video, met her when she came to Milwaukee in 2001 to work with two dogs, and this year in May 2002 when she gave a wonderful presentation at the Wisconsin Humane Society talking about some of her successes which are also mentioned in her book. She did a live demonstration and as a volunteer at the facility, I received so much positive feedback from attendees. The book has helped friends of mine who recently acquired dogs and one person in particular refers to Judy's book as his "bible" when working with his dog. As a dog walker, Judy's book has helped me work with the dogs I walk at the shelter. The book is so worthwhile to every dog owner, both new and those who have had dogs, and this book should be associated on Amazon with other dog-related books (whether training or pleasure reading).
   Thank you.



5. I have read Judy's book, seen her video, met her when she came to Milwaukee in 2001 to work with two dogs, and this year in May 2002 when she gave a wonderful presentation at the Wisconsin Humane Society talking about some of her successes which are also mentioned in her book. She did a live demonstration and as a volunteer at the facility, I received so much positive feedback from attendees. The book has helped friends of mine who recently acquired dogs and one person in particular refers to Judy's book as his "bible" when working with his dog. As a dog walker, Judy's book has helped me work with the dogs I walk at the shelter. The book is so worthwhile to every dog owner, both new and those who have had dogs, and this book should be associated on Amazon with other dog-related books (whether training or pleasure reading).
   Thank you.

No comments about My Dog Changed My Life (No Bones About It).

1 comments about Catnip: Artful Felines from The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

1. COMBINING HISTORICAL QUOTES WITH GREAT ART THAT INCLUDES CATS IS SOMETHING THAT ANY CAT LOVER SHOULD HAVE AND GIVE AS GIFTS.

No comments about Conformation for the Purpose.

2 comments about Schipperke (Comprehensive Owner's Guide) (Comprehensive Owner's Guide).

1. A very helpful book for the first time Schipperke owner (as well as a first time puppy owner!)



2. I was surprised to see Robert Pollet, a French specialist in BSDs and Schipperkes, writing a book for the UK/English language pet/show market. I met him over 20 years ago at the Paris Specialty for the Belgian breeds (all 4 BSD varieties and the Schipperke as well). He has a good solid grounding in the breed and its behaviour and the book addresses many of the basic backgrounds and problems in the breed. He was astute enough to utilize photographs of UK bred dogs for the main, so I would think that this book would do well with the pet market here in the UK, as it has been many years since a book was written about the breed. The standard laid out in the book is the UK Kennel Club's Breed standard for the breed.
   Mary Deats (Aradet Schipperkes, and international judge of the breed in USA/Canada/UK and Europe)

No comments about I Am Your Goldfish (Page, Gill. I Am Your Pet.).

1 comments about The Exotic Pet Survival Manual: A Comprehensive Guide to Keeping Snakes, Lizards, Other Reptiles, Amphibians, Insects, Arachnids, and Other Invertebrates.

1. The first thing that becomes obvious as you open the book is the brilliance of the fantastic photography throughout. It is also one of the book's shortcomings - this unrealistic beauty allows the reader to set unrealistic expectations. Considering the fact that this is a beginner's guide, this book contains a number of things a beginner isn't likely to need and that should have been relegated to an expert's manual. Among these things are the breeding guidelines that are present in every species' description. Likewise, several very important things have not been covered in sufficient depth. The section on feeding is quite limited. More space should have been alotted to heating and UV lamps. Vivarium construction isn't covered in nearly enough detail. There are no guidelines for picking out healthy animals at the stores, and the two-page "Health" spread isn't nearly sufficient. There are also descriptions of some 140 species of reptiles (including snakes and turtles), amphibians, and arthropods (tarantulas, stick insects, etc.). The sections on non-chordates (insects) are especially scant, given the degree to which the average beginner is unfamiliar with these. Each entry contains handy icons gauging aggressiveness, food preferences, number of offspring, environment, and the average difficulty of keeping the specific animal alive. And, of course, the ever-present, brilliant photographs. Generally, an underwhelming effort that nevertheless opens up several possibilities.

3 comments about Conversations with My Old Dog: For Anyone Who Has Ever Loved and Lost a Pet.

1. A wonderful collection of reflective conversations that slow a racing mind and heart, and provide an audience with some realities of life too easily ignored and neglected. Rob's conversations with Lucy are a gift from both that are best read and read again.



2. This book offers a charming and candid view into the sorrows and joys of pet ownership, love and loss. I strongly recommend it to anyone who is looking for an honest, emotional and witty read. My favorite of all the poems, "Squirrel Killer," put a smile on my face as I thought of my old dog Blackie. It's refreshing to read such a relatable and lovely compilation of poetry.



3. Dr. Pasick's conversations and poems remind us why dogs are known as man's best friend. The book is a warm leisurely read that you will want to share with friends and family members.