5 comments about Easy-Gaited Horses: Gentle, humane methods for training and riding gaited pleasure horses.

1. Excellent book! A great resource for anyone who owns, rides & trains the naturally gaited pleasure horse. Well written by an awesome woman who was an advocate & true friend of the naturally gaited horse.



2. A must for all owners of gaited horses. Very knowledgeable and great info on all the gaits. This book and Breda Imus's "Gaits of Gold" helped me tremendously. If you are having trouble fiding the gait, this book will help you.



3. This is a wonderful book on gaited horses. If your learning to ride or train gaited horses, this is the book for you.



4. A 5 yo Missouri fox trotter (my first ever gaited horse) came into our "herd" not quite three weeks ago. I've already learned a lot about how to work w/ him. The book is very helpful in learning some of the differences (from non-gaited) as well as how to humanely get the most from the innate abilities of a gaited horse.



5. I LOVE this book. Lee Z. (may she R.I.P.) did the gaited horse world a huge favor by writing this. She explains the mechanics of the various gaits in terms that virtually anyone can understand, and follows it with advice for enhancing and improving the gaits that your horse was built to perform. It is a must have for anyone who owns a gaited breed. I recommend it to all of my gaited horse clients.
   
   TWH's are my gaited breed of choice, but I recently adopted an OT STB that I thought had gaiting potential. Lee's book helped me to start this wonderful horse under saddle and she is well on her way to giving me an incredible saddle rack that should turn into a speed rack. This book is a phenomenal resource that I highly recommend.

5 comments about Hand-Feeding and Raising Baby Birds: Breeding, Hand-Feeding, Care, and Management.

1. Matthew Vriends HAND-FEEDING AND RAISING BABY BIRDS is of some use to me although I prefer Gayle Souck's PARROT BREEDER'S ANSWER BOOK. Vriend's book is not nearly as comprehensive, he goes deep whereas Soucek goes broad. However, I appreciate the detailed sections on the selection, care and maintenance of incubators including photos of the various types of incubators as well as text describing air filtration systems (`still air' and ventilation), automatic egg turners versus doing it yourself, and temperature, light and humidity considerations. Interestingly, neither author cites the other even tho Barron's produced both books and they are somewhat complementary.
   
   As well as incubation, Vriends book covers feeding in great detail with numerous photos of very small chicks being hand fed. I like this book because I needed more in-depth information about actual feeding practices, including a discussion of the different nutritional needs of different birds who require formulas. Whether you are raising companion birds or you are an animal rehabilitator/rescuer you will probably find this book useful.



2. This book was OK. It talks about all pet birds, so it really only gives a little bit of information about each. If you are looking to know about handfeeding ONE certain kind of bird, then I would look for a different book. The pictures are very cute though.



3. If you have patience, you can get a good "overview" of handfeeding pet baby birds here..

   If not.. I suggest you go elsewhere.

   Dr.Vriends thoughts are disorganized, self-congratulatory, and all over the place. He could of used an intelligent editor here.

   Each chapter has information that is right out of the authors head-- instead of organizing laying of eggs, incubating, feeding, etc. in concise chapters. The chapters repeat lots of information. I found it very hard to follow-- trying to turn forward and back to other chapters with "sort of" the same topic.

   I respect Dr. Vriends expertise on most everything...but, the points on this book are not organized.

   What if you don't want to feed the baby birds when they first hatch? What if you want to socialize them while still letting the mom and dad feed? There are lots of places here where I left scratching my head-- and re-reading the convoluted syntax in this book asking "what is he trying to say here"?

   This book definately is written from the standpoint of out of the incubator, into the breeders hands...

   Dr. Vriends, you have more experience on this to share, don't you? Too professional a book...




4. It's a good book and easy to read, but it's more focussed on professional breeding than it is for people who just bought a bird and want more information about raising and hand-feeding. Even though it's good reading material.



5. This book takes the novice from the very beginning. It covers every aspect of handfeeding. Concise, easy to read, with great colour pictures. I would recommend this book to the beginning handfeeder as well as those who are experienced.

5 comments about Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This book is a completely comprehensive guide to owning a Wheaten. However, the writing is silly at times and there are a few things that are really meant for show dogs rather than a simple pet. Still, it has all of the really important info that one would need if considering to purchase a wheaten.



2. The book has lots of great colored pictures, and is very informative on Wheatens. Worth the price.



3. I purchased this manual for my daughter, as she just purchased a Wheaten Terrier and couldn't find a Wheaten manual any place locally. She told me that is was a perfect & very informative manual.



4. Book shared some specific Wheaten info that I was not aware of but much of it was pretty generic information



5. We're getting our first SCWT in a couple of days and this book has helped us feel much more prepared. Good tips and tricks for dealing with this bred.

5 comments about Your Border Collies Life : Your Complete Guide to Raising Your Pet from Puppy to Companion.

1. Really good book about raising a Border Collie. It goes beyond the basics and gives examples from real-life Border Collie owners. One reviewer gave this book 3 stars and mentions that it's not specific enough about Border Collies but I disagree. To many people who have owned dogs before, the subjects will be familiar, if not "common sense". However, this book does take notice of specific Border Collie traits that as a first time Border Collie owner, I found very helpful.



2. An essential book for every new border collie owner. This book covers all the basics: from puppy selection to rearing, from training to feeding. This IS your reference manual. Call it 'Border Collies for Dummies'. I am new to the breed, and these dogs truly are differernt. So glad to have found this book. Don't let other reviewers steer you away: this book is definitely about border collies. I recommend buying 2-3 books on border collies, since there will be differing perspectives and opinions on some matters. Also, different breeders/experts bring unique insights to raising and owning a border collie. Either The Ultimate Border Collie or The Working Border Collie is a good companion to this book.



3. This is a well written, easy to read, guide. The authors are knowledgeable and expressive. Subject coverage is complete and this book is an excellent addition to one's BC library.



4. This book is okay, but I was disappointed to see how much general dog information is included in the book. This information applies to all dogs, not just Border Collies. I've got many books to use as a resource for this type of general info. I am looking for Border Collie specific information and found only a small part of this book dedicated strictly to Border Collies. Very disappointing.



5. If you have any questions on Border Collies,this is the book to have!I was very impressed.It is filled with all kinds of doggie tips & fun facts.This covers all aspects of this wonderful dog.It includes chapters on why you might want a Border Collie,preparing to bring you dog home,grooming,training, and for those of you who already have a Border Collie, curbing the herding instinct & correcting problems such as barking or biting. A wonderful book to have, I loved it.

3 comments about Cesar's Way Journal: A Resource and Record Book for Dog Owners.

1. this was bought as a birthday present for my mam and she absolutely loves it as it incorporates sections of both of his boks along with giving you space to write in how the training is going and any important information like vaccination due dates operation dates all the things you would need to keep regarding your dog and their health, it is a really pretty little journal inside and out.



2. It is 99.9% you and only 1% the dog and Cesar once again describes it all in this book. He is one of the first who proved to dog owners AND even to trainers that you CAN get results using your knowledge, technique, proper body language, attitude, and have the right goal and expectations from your dog and from yourself.
   
   Unlike clicker training or PetSmart training where you give your dog treats just for being alive and call it training, I have been compared to Cesar a lot. This is because I always tell my clients you want to rely on your Love, Leadership, Praise and Technique and NOT Hotdogs, Ham, Sausage and Dried Liver. Kevin "The Dog Prodigy" Salem.



3. When explaining the difference between Cesar's first two books I frequently use the following analogy:
   * 'Cesar's Way' by Cesar Millan is like when one learns how to drive a car (dog/human interactions), to successfully apply useful solutions for problem dog behaviors.
   
   * 'Be the Pack Leader' explains how the car (dog/human relationship)works, is applied to the understanding of WHY being a Pack Leader works (and which can also be applied to the human/human relationship!
   
   Cesar's Way Journal brings these pieces into an integrated whole by first helping us examine OUR real interactions with our dogs in Section one: "Know yourself, Know your dog" Concrete exercises help us to see accurately how dogs are our true mirrors, teachers and healers.
   
   Section 2, helps to decide how best to put Cesar's formula into practice by examining our unique environments, lifestyle, choices and individual dog's needs. There is a through check list to help ensure we address all elements of the dog's needs. One o the most important elements of this section for me was the exercise that got me to take a HARD look at how I work with issues around power - those who have power over me and how I react, as well as those I have power over - and how I treat them...on good days and bad!
   
   Section 3 has a system that is so easy to work with to help me keep track of all the history, vet care, and resources I rely on all the time in hard copy form so I can lay my hands on it right away! There were some interesting recommendations of new reading material in the back I want to follow up on too.
   
   I have helped to rehab over 25 problem dogs who were going to be euthanized if someone didn't step forward to help. I'm no one special or especially skilled - just a dog owner who cares that these dogs don't die! Had to use Cesar's way because the way with dogs that I was raised with never seemed to work with problem dogs, only dogs that were already good!
   
   I stepped forward to help because there was no one else - "professional" or not. All but one, the first one, were brought to me by rescue non-profits who had run out o options to change the dog's behaviors into something that could be adopted out. Did it using the solutions I learned from watching the Dog Whisperer on National Geographic and then buying and studying the season 1 and 2 episode tapes:
   Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan - The Complete First Season
   and
   Dog Whisperer With Cesar Millan: The Complete Second Season
   
   So for people like me - just people who want to help save dog's lives, one day at a time, this is yet another tool that is really helping me to up my game another level!

5 comments about Puppy Training: Owner's Week-By-Week Training Guide (Training Book Series).

1. I bought this book before we brought our new puppy home. It was great for my 12-year-old son, who has helped train two other dogs and wants to be more involved with this one. The program is fairly regimented, so if you are more go-with-the-flow and less step-by-step, you might end up feeling as if you are not 'on track'. She does have a lot of tricks to help puppies learn but does not provide alternatives if her favorite trick does not work. The best thing about the book is it shows you how capable a puppy can be at a very early age. The worst thing about it is that it doesn't give you much insight into how your dog is developing and how to know, besides sometimes frustrating trial and error, if it is ready for a particular skill.



2. the whole family is reading this book chapter by chapter in order to train our new puppy. The book is easy to read and understand. More importantly it makes sense. A solid read for beginners.



3. We recently adopted a mini schnauzer so wanted to raise him the best we could. This is basically a step by step training process with the help of this book.



4. Out of all the puppy training books that I have read, this one has advice that I will use and keep handy to continue using. I have lived with dogs my whole life and training is not a new idea to me. This book however is easy to digest, read, and follow! I have had my new puppy for two days..so wish me the best of luck!!



5. Charlotte Schwartz still believes that if you let a dog go out the door before you, eat before you or allowed up on the furniture, muchless sleep with you that it will take over ruling the household.
   
   Dogs totally understand who controls the food - the ones with the opposable thumbs. If you ask for a few simple things like a sit before being fed who cares who ate before whom? You give up many of the pleasures there are in enjoying the companionship of your puppy/dog if you follow Charlotte's advice to not allow them up on the furniture or up on your bed.
   
   There are better puppy training books out there like Pat Miller's books - The Power of Positive Dog Training and Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog. Much better training books for your dollars to spend on!

1 comments about A Buffalo in the House: The Extraordinary Story of Charlie and His Family.

1. This is a short afternoon read that is ultimately entertaining and heart-warming. The story of Charlie the Buffalo made me laugh out loud several times---and a couple times led to a catch in the throat. The dedication of Charlie's human family seemed to know no bounds---having a 400 lb buffalo calf running loose in the house would require more patience than I possess---I believe. Good story of love, perseverance, and courage.
   Great beach book---light and splendid---I liked it so much I gave a copy to someone who doesn't read too much--and they liked it too!

5 comments about Dog Years: A Memoir.

1. I was really looking forward to Doty's so-called memoir, Dog Years, but it just didn't deliver. While there are some fine and moving passages here and there about loss and loving an animal, this book doesn't really qualify as a true "memoir," and it's not much of a "dog book" either. If you want to read a good dog book/memoir, try Hal Borland's classic, The Dog Who Came to Stay. It's great. Doty's effort simply strays too far afield from either genre to suit my apparently plebian tastes. There are sections here, littered with quotes from Emily Dickinson and Doty's ruminations on same, or references to Cezanne or Heraclitus, which could have been lifted from his Freshman poetry lectures, which is not what I expected - or wanted. Maybe there is so little about Doty because he's already written two memoirs. Well, okay; but don't call this a memoir, because it's not. I'm tempted to read his first memoir; maybe that would be a real one, but this book is sub-titled under false pretenses. The narrative meanders here and there and sometimes I wondered where the hell he was going with it. It was a struggle just to finish it. Sorry, Mark. Write a memoir or write poetry, but don't try to do both at once. - Tim Bazzett, author of Pinhead: A Love Story



2. Mark Doty has penned an absolute gem of a memoir that touches not only on our umbreakable bonds with our animals, but also with our mates and the many places that we will call "home" throughout our lives - and the grief that we all must embrace and learn from in the loss of all of these. His story of Wally, Arden and Beau is a masterpiece of the heartfelt thoughts and feelings that all dog owners will experience if they are lucky enough to be loved unconditionally by one, or more, beloved human beings and furry angels.
   In Chapter 15, after the recent death of his mate, Wally, and one of his dogs, Beau, Doty tells us of an abandoned dog that he befriends on Calle Canal in San Miquel de Allende, a hill town north of Mexico City.
   He tries to rescue her and is heartbroken to have to leave her behind, writing, "I am grateful to have felt even this sharp sadness. The dog on Calle Canal awakens me; she shows me that I have come through something now. I write to bless her delicate head, the paw raised in hope. How should we know ourselves, except in the clarifying mirror of some other gaze?"
   I finished the book in one day. And if you aren't into full throttle tears by Chapter 16 & 17 (the final chapters), then you have never known the joy and anticipation of there being "someone at home, waiting to go for a walk."



3. The poet shares the relationship he had between his dogs and himself in "Dog Years: A Memoir". Mark Doty (born 1953 in Maryville, Tennessee) is the only American poet to have received the T.S. Eliot Prize in the U.K. He received his Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Goddard College in Vermont. Doty, who is gay, has written about his struggle with coming to terms with his sexual identity, and with the impact on AIDS on the gay community. In 1989, his partner Wally Roberts tested positive for HIV, which drastically changed his writing. Wally died in 1994. Doty is currently the John and Rebecca Moores Professor in the graduate program at the University of Houston.
   Mark Doty relates his experiences of his time with his two dogs, Arden the black retriever, and Beau the gold one. Mark also shares the passing of his long time partner Wally who was diagnosed and died of AIDS. Arden kept Mark alive, uplifted his soul and gave him will to live by its comforting gestures and by giving joy in his little ways. Arden and Beau became his true friends, became part of the household, and played a big part in Mark Doty's life. The dogs were his companions during his lowest moments, shared his grievances, and happiness as well.
   
   Mark starts a happy new life with his dogs and Paul, also a writer. But a time came when his dogs starts to decline because of illness. Beau developed a kidney disease, while Arden is having a high fever and showing unusual signs. Along with this is the devastating 9/11 where Mark continues to differentiate despair and depression. According to Mark: "Depression is always the consequence of despair, a despair one cannot feel one's way through in order to emerge from the other side, a despair will not be moved".
   
   The dogs' everyday struggle reminds Mark of how hard Wally's gradual passing was. In Mark's recollection of the years he spent with the dogs, Arden and Beau gave him unconditional love and companionship throughout their lives.
   Dog Years is one beautiful way of giving tribute to all dogs in the world, who are loyal and ready to accompany their masters until their dying day. The book depicts an unforgettable experience between a man and a pet. At first, I got confused between his dogs and his boyfriend, because he describes his dogs like human beings. I love the poems he puts after every chapter, it makes the book more interesting although I don't really understand some of them. I'll admit some of the chapters in the book were boring and depressing, but I was moved when his dogs became really ill and helpless. They really are like humans. I have a Shih-Tzu named Bruno, and I can't imagine losing him too when the time comes.
   
   On a scale of 1-10, I would give it an eight. The book failed to get my attention in the first few chapters, but the book helped me a lot in understanding my dog's feelings, and the last chapter was very moving that I almost cry. I would definitely read another book by Mark Doty, I'm planning to get the Firebird when I'm not busy. I'm recommending this book not only to dog lovers or owners, but also to anyone who has experienced attachment and loss.



4. This book moved me to write a review here, my first. I can hardly express how touching this book was for me. Sad in nature but told with such exquisite elegance it took me months to finish because though I enjoyed it throughly, reading it was an intense emotional experience, not unlike grieving. There are single lines and sections in this book that when thinking of them later, tears snap to my eyes. I am a true dog lover who can relate to the deep devotion and attachment to our dogs as expressed in this book. Mark has used language beautifully to tell his story.



5. (I read this book and was touched by it enough to write an email to my Dog Loving Friends) Here is what I wrote:
   
   Dear Dog Loving Friends,
   
   Over the past few days I read a book that I checked out of the library called Dog Years written by Mark Doty.
   
   The book moved me so much that I intend to buy a copy for me to keep as my own. (And I never ever buy books to own.)
   
   I recommend it to you (if you will endure the more poetic parts of it and seemingly random diversionary discussions), and I recommend it to Connie's hairdresser given that he owns 14 dogs. Susanne, if you can pass this on to Connie or make mention, I would be grateful.
   
   The book is told in the first person. It is a memoir of sorts - reminds me of a scrapbook in a way - with lots of "photos" (the photos being stories) of dogs, but other "momentoes" stuck in the book such as random musings on poetry and sidebar discussions on such non-dog related topics as Judy Garland, the difference between dispair and depression....and boy does he nail it when he decribes depression. I am not quoting directly but something like: "Depression moves in heavily and sits in the sink as the dirty dishes from yesterday" ....
   
   As strange as all the pieces were, it comes together quite lovely. Like a meal or a recipe in which I would have NEVER thought to combine all those ingredients, but it worked beautifully.
   
   This book all made sense to me (except for some of the poetry..ok, ok, so I admidt I am missing the Emily Dickenson gene along with the cooking gene, but I will go back and carefully re-read some of the poetry.) I especially liked the poem on the wind. See that is the great thing about this book. I just finished it and already I am eager to read it again.
   
   The book starts slowly and gets much better after a few chapters. I was momentarily confused between a dog named Wally and a man named Wally, and I was mildly irritated that the author used the word "fierce" or a very similar word 3 times on the same page. jeeze, picky, picky.
   
   But then on the other hand, I rather LIKED this "flaw" because I felt like he was not a honed pretentious writer following all those rules we learn in English and writing classes, but instead he was really writing from the heart. And I myself, of course, cannot even write one smidgen as well as Doty.
   
   Doty, an artistic insightful angst ridden gay man, recollects his past and how important his dogs were to him. He brilliantly perceptively and precisely captures what I think we see and love in our dogs. I was constantly saying "YES, YES, YES!" outloud to myself while reading. I wept copiously at the end.
   
   The manner in which he desribes his dogs "resonates" with me (I hate to use that overused word, but it really fits here).
   
   Because Doty is a poet, he sees his dogs through poetic artistic eyes.
   
   The book will make you laugh and cry. I hope you take time to read it. See the reader reviews in the link below. (and I copied in the link to Amazon for my friends to click to).
   
   - later -

5 comments about Dancing with Cats: From the Creators of the International Best Seller Why Cats Paint.

1. "Dancing with Cats" has excellent photography, entertaining text and is purrrfectly delightful. I couldn't have found a better gift for my friend. Everyone who comes through her door is shown right to the book. Then chuckles and mimicking abound.



2. When I first saw the cover of this book, I laughed out loud with joy and a sense of wonder about whether this book was for real. Surprisingly, DANCING WITH CATS is not a joke, and is an excellent primer on how to go about having some fun with your cats in a rather unusual way... by dancing with them. Since I don't currently have a cat, I borrowed one to get a feeling for how possible it might be to get a cat to dance. I succeeded in completely astonishing the cat as I began to notice the ways that the cat watched me moving around with movements that showed we were beginning to move together as one. Clearly, some cats enjoy dancing more than others, and this is one activity that may take a while to get fully into the swing of with your feline dancing partners. From the ancient history of cat dancing to modern age tips and techniques, this book provides a wealth of information about a subject most of us know very little about. The photographs are truly stunning, and you just might get some new ideas about what kinds of fun you can have dancing with cats. Highly recommended!



3. This book has appeared in my life several times, always with a mixture of joy and terror. The concept of the book is simple: through engaging one's cat in dance, a certain physical and spiritual equalibrium is achieved. Various people are interviewed and photos are shown of them dancing with their cats. Half of the time, though, it is not clear whether the cat is jumping or has been thrown into the shot by the photographer's assistant. Throughout the book you question yourself if cat dancing is "real"; by the end, it doesn't matter anymore.
   
   Each one of the "cat dancers" is borderline schizophrenic, but the images are so whacky that one can't help from laughing histerically. Some people have actually recruited their children into the cat dancing way, which makes you feel sorry for them. (They will never have a normal existence.) The text that accompanies the images, however, is cause for brief moments of terror: these people actually believe they are making a spiritual connection with air-born cats. One is even concerned about creating too much spiritual energy and collapsing an astral vortex. Regardless, the book is a perfect ice-breaker, a coffee table book for all ages that allows strangers to point and laugh and sigh collectively. To say with a smile: "At least we're not them!"



4. A pristine paperback copy of this extraordinary book. If cats are your thing, then this is a book for your shelf



5. My niece got this for me as a gag gift. After 30 minutes of looking through it, I was lmao. I am lauging right now just thinking about it.

5 comments about Goldendoodle (Designer Dog).

1. This book might be what you are looking for IF you are planning to get a Goldendoodle. The first 2 chapters are spent telling you stories about how Goldendoodles came to be and what great dogs they are. If you already know how great these dogs are, it's nice to read from someone that loves doodles so much, but it wasn't really informative. I was really hoping to get more specific insight for training tips, different stages in their lives, maybe more pictures of how they keep changing during their first year of life, how often to bathe, more practical tips. It has useful information on how to find a breeder and what to look for. As an owner of a Goldendoodle puppy, it was enjoyable to read but didn't get my questions answered :)



2. 
   perfect companion piece to the 'puppies for dummies' book, if Goldendoodles are your thing.



3. Interesting content on the development of this "non-breed" but not particulary helpful for what I was looking for. I would've liked to see the puppy coat types as they change develop into dogs...important for picking out a pup from a litter. The chapter titled "Breeding" shoud be changed to "genetics" or something, I was frightened it would be a "How-to" chapter...thankfully it was NOT.
   
   Also, I think it has some of the most disappointing Goldendoodle photography out there! I have been surfing the web and have found much better looking pictures and more variations of Goldendoodles (coat types, colors, sizes, natural/clipped coats) than this book offers. So if you are looking for pictures, I would just do an image search...it turns up much more satifying results.
   
   The "Puppy Aquisitions" assumes the only way to geta Goldendoodle is through a breeder. Some tips and info on finding one through a rescue or shelter wouldve been nice.
   
   Overall it was an interesting study of the recent history of this mixed breed.



4. I loved all the photographs and informative tips about goldendoodles that were in this book. We got our new puppy from the author and she did a wonderful job raising our pup for us until we took her home.



5. As the soon to be owner of a goldendoodle pup I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of this book. I couldn't find any other books on these marvelous dogs. I sat down to read a few pages and found myself reading it cover to cover. It is an easy read- packed full of useful information for someone considering a goldendoodle, as well as the new owner and some fun facts as well. I especially love the enthusiasm that comes through by the author. You can tell Kathryn loves these dogs and knows her stuff. The pictures are great too! Now I really can't wait to get my pup!