1 comments about A New Owner's Guide to Labrador Retrievers (JG Dog).

1. I read this book knowing very little about the breed. We recently adopted an older chocolate lab, and needed information on how to care for her. This book was just the ticket! I recommend this book for general info about the breed, or for specific info on caring for your lab.

2 comments about Horse Housekeeping: Everything You Need to Know to Keep a Horse at Home.

1. The authors suggest that this book contains practical knowledge for the person thinking of keeping a horse. I found very little of their prattling useful. The authors have several full and part time employees and apparently, a limitless bank account to spend on their hobby. Along with the many ridiculous suggestions that would make you think that keeping a horse is rocket science, the reader will note a large degree of arrogance. This is mostly directed towards the "help".



2. Understand what you're getting into by owning a horse before it ever hits your pasture with Horse Housekeeping: Everything You Need To Know To Keep A Horse At Home. From setting up the barn and checking fencing to understanding feeding requirements, common health issues, and even how weather affects the horse, the authors provide a thorough, basic coverage for newcomers to the horse world. Adding interest to the practical information are stories about horses which offer case histories and often funny reflections.

2 comments about Bummer & Lazarus: San Francisco's Famous Dogs.

1. The story of two stray dogs who roamed San Francisco's urban streets in the 1860s is a classic which has been embellished over the years, and Bummer & Lazarus provides a new, expanded version of the author's 1984 publication which unravels legend and presents explanations for how and why the embellishments on the stories occurred. News stories, photos and a new introduction enhance this fun survey.



2. This book is great, if you love fun historical anecdotes about the old days in San Francisco. This book brings alive, through old newspaper accounts and great narration - the exploits of two of San Francisco's favorite dogs, Bummer and Lazarus. Noone owned them, they just roamed around old gold-rush era San Francisco, getting handouts from people at the rowdy saloons. But people loved these dogs, as they displayed very loyal bonds to one another, and their antics always made the newspaper columns. Highly recommended!

2 comments about Grizzly Kingdom : An Artist's Encounter.

1. I expected to see several drawings or sketches of grizzlies and found interpretive art - not what I expected, nor cared for.



2. From the Canadian Annual Book Review - by Patrick Colgan:

   This richly illustrated book opens with a map and chronology of artist Maureen Enns' travels in Western Canada. The flowing and candid accounts of these travels include discussions of the biology and management of bears; bears training aand relocation; the high wilderness and its wildlife; and the political, financial, and logistical frustrations of arranging filming and sketching (Grizzly Kingdom is linked with a televison documentary and a series of paintings of bears). The closing material includes a useful set of backcountry tips, a strategy for saving bear habitat, addresses of relevant conservation groups, and a bibliography.

   From the Saskatoon Sun - by Tom Loran

   People who have not had a lot of experience with bears seem, in general, to be petrified of them. That was the case with Maureen Enns. And her terror was magniied many times over when it came to grizzlies. But today, Enns can sit almost beside a grizzly in the wild and talk to it. What made the difference? Enns is a painter and wanted to do something about the big bears which are under threat across North America, even with very rigidly controlled hunting. To do something, she had to understand the animals, and to do that, she had to go out to them, and spend time with them. So Enns got permission to go into the backcountry of Banff National Park and use park facilities while there. The result was a greater understanding and appreciation of the silvertip, a collection of art and a book describing her fears and her experiences and including some of her art.

1 comments about English Springer Spaniels.

1. This wonderful book is the updated version of the one we bought when we 1st bought our Springer 7 years ago. It has very excellent photos, covers all the essentials, and is a joy to read. It covers the many available products for their health and enjoyment, too! When you need the basics, and more, this is the book for you!

2 comments about Our Pets In Heaven?.

1. Having just lost my best friend, Coco, this book was a great comfort. As I read the book, with many biblical quotes, it reminded me how important God has made our pets in our lives. I would reccomend this book for any pet lover.
   
   PS....I made a mistake in selecting the star rate and Amazon will not allow that to be edited. Fortunately they will allow changes to this text.



2. I read the proof copy and was seriously impressed with the great number of scriptual referances to animals. It may require us to rethink God's plan for His heavenly paradise. L.D. Lacour, Jr.

2 comments about Aqualog Extra: The Latest Apistogramma.

1. All of the Aqualog books are excellent value, although they are not particularly cheap. They are full to the brim with first class colour photographs and to reproduce these in a book is an expensive process. Whether they are about many of the different beautiful fishes now coming into the aquarist trade or in this case specifically the Apistogramma species of fishes many of which are among the most beautiful fishes. They are first class for identifying that fish that you have had for some time, but have not been able to put a name to.
   
   This is a really beautiful book with some stunning photographs and for anyone interested in Apistogramma in particular and fish-keeping in general it is a book to be treasured.



2. Its great to be able to identify or look up some of the newer finds. Any aquarist should find it useful.

3 comments about Parrot (Reaktion Books - Animal).

1. This is a remarkable book I recommend to everyone who has a parrot or even just "likes" parrots.
   
   Carter discusses some history of humans sharing life with parrots, but this book is more about the parrot's place in our psyche; its mythology and its importance to us as a species (ours and the parrot). We need the parrot more than the parrot needs us.
   
   As one reviewer said, read when you're likely to be uninterrupted because Carter does not spoon feed this to you. But your efforts will be richly and doubly rewarded, and you'll never look at a bundle of feathers the same way again.



2. It would be a good idea to plan on reading this book at a time when you have little or no distractions. I found myself having to re-read a paragraph or even a page if I was interrupted, but I am sure you will find this book as fascinating as I did. See my website for full review.



3. I ordered this book months ago because I'm writing one of my own on parrots and thought it would be helpful in my research. It's much more than I expected. The color plates are fabulous, it's rare and unusual information incredibly well done.
   
   I'd recommend this to anyone -- not just parrot people (all of whom should have this). If you're fascinated by things you don't know and have an inquisitive nature this is for you. Check out the rest of the series they look equally interesting (ant, fox, spider, whale).

5 comments about Cats: Portraits of over 70 Pedigrees.

1. It's been over a decade since my little Tabby cat, Gretchen, died at 19; her calico sister, Chowder, lived 13 years (she got diabetes and, for 6 months, I had to inject her with insulin each morning until she finally succumbed to the disease). Some of the best friends I could ever hope for. . . . So, this book was a lot of fun. Those who have cats tend to think of them as clever and smart. So, it was with pleasure that I read the section on cat intelligence (pages 226-227).
   
   The book starts with a quotation about cats from Theophile Gautier, "Who can believe that there is no soul behind those luminous eyes!" The book begins by placing cats in perspective (domestic cats are probably the descendants of the African wildcat), including their evolutionary history and the variety of cats on each continent. Also considered are the ways by which different cultures treat domestic cats, how cats appear in artistic works and literature, and even cat collectibles.
   
   The next section examines different breeds of cats, including recent varieties (e.g., the Savannah originated in the 1980s in North America), and are divided into shorthaired and longhaired cats. Lots of photos and brief descriptions of each type. Just fun to rummage aimlessly through the pages.
   
   The final segment of the book is tellingly labeled "Keeping a Cat." Here are brief essays on cat biology, how to live effectively and in harmony with felines, and a final section on cat health.
   
   A fun book. Discussions of specific topics sometimes left me asking for more. But, that aside, this was most enjoyable.



2. I own several cats, and always enjoy picking up a book on cats because I find them so fascinating. This is a good book for the novice cat owner. I liked the many color pictures throughout the book, the history of cats throughout the ages and so much more. This book is more contains more information about cats, and their place in history than it does being a pet owner.
   
   The book has many different sections about where cats have come from, when and where they have been regarded in history, and so much more. This book will give you a good background on learning all about cats. The book does contain some information on owning cats, and how to take care of them.
   
   My copy of the book was a paperback book that is about 8 inches high. I know other reviewers may have had a different experience. I found this book to be very entertaining in learning about cats. If you are looking for a book about how to take care of cats, you may want to chose another book. Overall I found this to be an enjoyable and an entertaining read.



3. I'm submitting my review under this book as it is essentially -- almost exactly -- the same book in a beautiful thick little paperback. I adore this book! Of course it could be because I found "dead ringers" for both my Sabrina (pg60 -- Norweigian Forest cat) & my best friend's Gracie (pg 222-223 in my addition -- a Chartreux) We were both wrong on our cats' heritages. (Adopted.) I always thought she was mostly Maine coon because my neighbor's Norweigian was so much bigger. (Think he's just a tad overweight though.) 'Brina is a fit 15 lbs. I just love her long whiskers, big eyes & loving disposition. She is also good with my little grandchildren.

   Anyway, it's like a cat show in a book! Dr. Fogle knows his stuff.




4. There is some interesting information contained here but it is still a major disappointment. Unless one physically sees the book before ordering, one can easily take note of the 400 pages and feel they are getting something of value for their dollar. However, it should first of all be noted this book is less than four inches high! I found the book just too overwhelming small and frustrating to bother with and certainly not worth the price.

   If the reader truly wants value for their dollar, I highly recommend any and all of the books by Desmond Morris, such as "Cat Breeds of the World." Readers should not be disappointed in any of his books. They contain an endless wealth of information and beautiful photographs of cats. In my opinion, all of his books are worthy of a five-star rating and certainly worth the money.




5. This book was everything I would expect from DK - great pictures, good information, easy to search through, but I did not expect it to be only three inches high! Now I know to look for the dimensions with every book I order. A great book for children to look through, because the book is really to small for adults to use on a regular basis.

No comments about How to Care for Your Degu (Your First...series).