5 comments about The West Highland White Terrier (Terra Nova Series).

1. I was totally unfamiliar with the West Highland Terrier breed and I wanted to find a book that could educate me on numerous aspects, including training tips. I was very pleased with the content of this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about West Highland Terriers.



2. I love this book, is a quick guide about the most adorable dog breed.



3. One of the best dog breed books I've read. It's original. Really appreciated author's smart style and wit. Much more informative than others. Very contemporary with some interesting trivia.



4. Jill Arnel is definitely an expert when it comes to terriers, especially Westies and Cairns. So happy that this book is out there.



5. If you are a Westie owner or perspective owner, this book contains valuable information for you. This included information that I've never read before in any book devoted to Westies, such as why their claws grow so fast. I highly recommend it - plus the photos are wonderful.

4 comments about Pugs for Dummies.

1. Pugs are a delightful ancient Chinese breed. This book is for all pug owners from the breeder to those who raise show dogs to the happy pet owner. A plethora of information about the breed as well as the specific care pugs require is included. Readers learn to clean the curly tailed dog's facial folds and to finger curl their tails when they are puppies.



2. This book has taught me alot about pugs, especially because I am going to be not only a first time pug owner but also a first time dog owner. I have learned how to be patient in the training process and can't wait to put the skills and training ideas to work!!



3. this is not good enough for the serious pug owner - it is too general regarding dogs but not nearly specific enough regarding pugs. the format is haphazard - one gets the impression that the author has 'read up' on pugs in order to write this book, but i doubt if she had owned or shown a pug. the index is all over the place; avoid this book and buy one by a professional pug expert.



4. This book covers everything you need to know about pugs. From care all the way to breeding and showing.

5 comments about Breeding a Litter: The Complete Book of Prenatal and Postnatal Care (Howell Reference Books).

1. Breeding A Litter
   
   
   
   If you ever plan on breeding a litter or even if you have one by mistake, this book has some valuable information.
   
   I breed toy poodles and have found this book very useful. Along with advice from a good veterinarian, some background information on genetics, and a solid understanding of the AKC breed standards and you should be ready to go.
   It's not easy and it may take a lot of work, and there is definitely no money in it, but if you're truly trying to Improve the breed it can be a lot of fun.
   
   
   Highly recommended for anyone who breeds a litter.
   
   Gunner November, 2007



2. This book was written 1n 1993.... even though the basics remain the same, there are other books on the subjet like the ones written by Myra Savant-Harris that are 100% more updated.



3. I love this book. Great information wether you have a litter on the ground or are just thinking about it. I always reference this book. It's great to have around for everyday dog life as well. There's a lot of detail and I've had 2 litters and this book and The Joy of Breeding your Own Show dog were my staples! I couldn't have been more prepared without them!



4. I found the author's views on early puppy socialization to be wrongheaded and even dangerous. With a large potentially aggressive breed the responsble breeder begins handling pups AT BIRTH. The daily frequent contact with pups enables them to handle stress and bond with humans from the beginning of life. It is a very poor breeder who does not handle those babies every day or even several times a day. Cutting nails, etc. begins later but holding, cuddles, breathing on, petting must happen at once. Worst book I've ever read on breeding and puppy socialization!



5. I have been trying desperately to find a book that would give me complete and detailed information as far as breeding a litter. This was not easy to do, but Breeding a Litter is a wonderful answer all book. For the person just starting out in Dog Breeding this is a wonderful source. If you have a question this book definitly has the answer. Great Book!

5 comments about Clownfishes.

1. If you want to raise clownfish or just want to know everything about them, this is definitely the book for you. I lost my copy and tore my house apart to find it and finally had to purchase a new one - just can't live without it.
   For raising clownfish, she covers everything from spawning, hatching, catching, feeding, raising food, illnesses, selling, etc. It's amazing how many times I've had a problem, looked in the book, and she wrote about it.
   This is definitely 'the bible' for raising clownfish.



2. it was really informative. I feel when i am ready i may be able to mate my clowns successfully with confidence. i also appriciate the background the author went into.



3. This reads well and has great background on breeding clownfishes. It gives you the right level of detail to understand what you will have to do to be successful. I have been breeding clownfish with this and another book as my guides and this is the better one of the two. The other is more detailed but so scientific it is confusing. This one is reasonable as a resource. I have an M.A. in aquatic botany so I understand jargon, but breeding fish is a practical activity for many of us, not a scientific research endeavor. You'll like this as a resource if breeding these interesting fish.
   
   Good luck
   
   Tim



4. Of the many books i got, this is by far the most detailed. Also because it focuses on one kind of fish i guess.
   pretty detailed info is available on the various clownfish types, some of the behaviours are also listed to understand your pet a little better.
   
   not a book focussed on filling pages for sure. however, a bit more was expected for detailed trouble shooting issues concerned to behaviours.
   
   overall a nice book if you want to get to know your clown or the anemones.



5. If you're interested in keeping clownfish, this is the perfect book. The author goes into appropriate detail on what is needed to keep clownfish, what kinds of anemones can be kept with them (and their requirements), and how to breed them if you're so inclined. I found the book very easy to understand and not overly burdened with scientific and technical language. I also thought she had a very funny sense of humor that is sprinkled throughout. The pictures are great and she's actually had experience with most species in captivity and is able to make careful distictions to specific characteristics or needs of the different species. Some things I found especially helpful were the chapter on clownfish nutrition (she's really done her homework on that) and the common sense approaches to copepod cultivation for feeding baby clownfish. A great book for those keeping clownfish, even if you're not interested in breeding them.

2 comments about Focus Not Fear: Training Insights from a Reactive Dog Class.

1. This is a good book on a topic that needs much more information out there. that being said, it's basically just a diary of her training sessions. She takes you through each training session with her reactive dog class and describes the progress of each dog each day.
   
   Pros: Great to see the ups and downs of each dog. Also nice to see how different dogs needed different things
   
   Cons: If you're looking for things to do with your own dog, there's no apendix that explains the exercises she does. It's sometimes hard to get a good picture, even though there are diagrams. Also, it can be confusing trying to remember which dog was which. In addition, it's very repetitive and doesn't keep one's interest.
   
   Overall: I recommend the book Controlled Unleashed instead.



2. Ali's Focus Not Fear walks you through the classes of a group of dogs over a period of seven months. You get to meet the dogs and their issues as well as their handlers. Then Ali details how the classes went over that time, and the ups and downs that happen over that time.
   
   Training behaviors or dog behaviors are in bold through the sections, so if you wanted, you could skim for those in the training logs. They are also easily indexed in the back of the book for quick page finds.
   
   Photographs! Tons of photos in here and not hard to see black and white ones but full beautiful color ones. Diagrams are also in color!
   
   Ali was our guest author in November 2007 at CSDogBookReview for this book, check out our archives for that visit.

5 comments about Taking Up Riding as an Adult (Horse-Wise Guides Series).

1. I enjoyed the book. It gave me many good tips on excercising to help strengthen muscles I forgot I had't used in a long time. Also good tips on caring for a horse. It had been 35 years since I had owned a horse and I remembered not alot. I would recommend it for anyone taking up riding or brushing up on long forgotten skills.



2. Very good reference. Follows right along with my riding lessons. Written with a nice touch of humor.



3. After buying this book, you then discover that there is a WHOLE other series of books they want you to buy afterwards. This book barely covers the areas I thought it would. Almost the entire book preaches on where to learn, and where to buy, and board a horse. But doesnt barely, or not even, covers the step by step essentials of how to groom, apply tack, or even how to ride a horse. They want you to buy the other books to learn that information. Save your money.



4. I'm 43, and I bought this book after I'd been riding for a year, because I wanted to go over the basics again and make sure that I was doing things right! (I was pleased to find out that I am, thanks to a great instructor/school horse/farm.) I especially like the way the author stresses safety while also noting that, while accidents will happen, it's very unlikely that you'll be seriously injured--IF you ride safely.

   Another thing I like is that she plays up the social/fun aspects of riding. While I'm sure there are "horsey snobs," I've not yet met any here in Knoxville, and have found other riders to be friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic. If you love horses & riding, you're "in the club"; there's no need to be bashful about being a beginning adult rider!

   This is a great little book, and I recommend it to any adult who's new to riding or thinking about learning how to ride.




5. This book is well worth the price. It provides and excellent overview to the entire equestrian sport. Illustrations are clear; photographs, while not in color, are helpful (not just decorations); the copy is concise. The author has excellent knowledge of the sport and command of the english language. This book is great for any adult looking to take up the sport or parent seeking to better understand his/her child's passion.

5 comments about The Labrador Shooting Dog.

1. Mike Gould's style of writing brings you right into the book, like you are actually sitting at the kitchen table with him, drinking coffee, and discussing hunting dogs. When he discusses training, it is like Mike is right over your shoulder advising you what to do. He shows the would be trainer that a labrador retriever can become an excellent companion, that will hunt his/her heart out for you. Forget about the e-collars (shock collars), Mike Gould's method of training creates confidence in your lab without all the cruel negative training techniques.



2. The author clearly loves his work, the dogs and the outdoors and for much of this book we are entertained with his adventures.The rest of the book concentrates (loosely) on training your dog. I found it to lack the detail and layout to use as a training manual. Although it is a fine read I would prefer to see more of a reference manual and read the anectdotes with a cognac at the end of the day.



3. If you like stories then this is the book for you. Gould does not discuss training until you are half way through the book. The training starts with introducing the dog to the field and the waist cord. You will do better to look elsewhere for more in depth training information, especially if you need to start training at the basic level of come, sit and stay. I would recomend "Game Dog" by Wolters. He is precise and compasionate in his training techniques.



4. I have got the chance to meet the author myself as for my uncle helped Mike train his dogs and guided bird hunts in Northern Idaho and Colorado. I have got to read all of Mikes books and they are outstanding and can be seen in his view of life and nature. I have worked with a few of Mikes pups and own one today, Spring. All of these dogs are outstanding in attitude and loving passion. Mikes views on training are very humane and done in a loving manner. Mike has profected the use of love to train. I will never train any other way or buy anyone elses pups.



5. I think Mike Gould hits the mark training dog's with out shock collars or harsh discipline. His approach is easy to follow and very informative. His concept of building layers is true to life as well as training gun dog's. The only thing I see wrong with this book is that Mike tells a few to many stories and side tracks during a few training issues. All around this is a pretty solid book that I would recommend to any one who wants to train a hunting dog!

2 comments about The German Shepherd Dog (Terra Nova Series).

1. Although I'm not totally unfamilar with the GSD, this book is very useful and infomative, starting with the history of the GSD, which is pretty interesing, alot of facts I never knew. I owned a GSD 10 years ago, and in 2 weeks, will be the proud owner of a new puppy. I believe reading this book beforehand, I am better prepared in bringing a GSD into our home. I HIGHLY recommed this book to anyone who may be interested in owning a GSD!!



2. It has detailed information on every subject of the breed, including history and its differences in other countries. Some of it is generalized information in the training parts and a few other parts but most of all it is all GSD info. It explains many common health concerns and common parasites and how to treat common problems and injuries or what to do if something happens. It has some basic information on more advanced training options like tracking and search and rescue and my copy came with DVD on dog training, though I have yet to watch it, if it was anything thing like the book, it should be good. I would recommend to anyone wanting to know more about the breed and to lovers of the breed that couldn't get enough of GSD.

3 comments about Crystal Healing for Animals.

1. We have dogs that are of different ages 1,3, and 8. This book helps pick out certain stones for particular ailments, behaviors, and protection of self. Would recommend this if you are getting the Reiki for pets.



2. Well written, and a very good book with lots of information however a basic understanding of crystal medicine is necessary.



3. This book was so helpful. I love it, and use it all the time. It lists many problems with animals and the gemstones and crystals to use in their healing. I would recommend this one by far!

5 comments about Good Dog 101: Easy Lessons to Train Your Dog the Happy, Healthy Way.

1. My bookshelves are crammed with Dog Training books of all types and sizes. Most look unread without dog-eared pages or stressed bindings barely holding the pages in place. It's not that I haven't read them, it's that once read they become just silent clutter on my bookshelves, never to be picked up and pored over again.
   
   A few dog training books, however, are tattered and worn with little more then a rubber band keeping their pages together. Donaldson's The Culture Clash is one of these books, as will surely be my newest purchase, Cristine Dahl's Good Dog 101. I love the unique accessible style of Dahl's writing and the fact that it's a book you can pick up and read only as much as you need in order to fix a particular problem. But if you like you can read on into a depth of "why and how" far beyond the basic fix. History, humor, and practical solutions all combine with solid behavioral science in a consistently delivered elegant presentation that reveals a deep and sophisticated affection for the subject of canine behavior and training. These qualities will make this book a venerable resident of my shelves where it will certainly begin to show its age as I reference it again and again for years to come.



2. Every dog can be a good dog - just follow the fun & easy lessons in this wonderful, dog-owner friendly book! All training methods are humane & based on how dogs learn. The lessons are not only fun - THEY WORK! This book contains a wealth of information. It covers much more than teaching basic obedience commands - it addresses & explains - with insight and humor - the many things that dogs do which people consider undesirable. Most importantly, it gives the reader a wealth of tools to change behavior & make every dog a "good dog". Extremely readable, & arranged for easy reference, Good Dog 101 is a must for new dog owners & trainers alike.



3. I enjoyed the background information as well as the informative, scientific theories and recommendations. The book is readable and easily adaptable to real dog training issues.



4. The first part of this book gives a fascinating description of the history of dog training and a context to the current field that many of us dog owners try to navigate. This section is easy to read and entertaining! The second part of the book serves as an excellent reference manual for the varied challenges of each individual dog. We all know that our dogs are unique and of course nearly perfect in every way, except maybe those few little quirks! This book provides a detailed table of contents so that you can quickly get to the solution for each of those little quirks! The methods described are simple and based on principles of humane behavior training. And the best part is that they work!



5. I have three dogs, all of which have some sort of behavior problems. I have been to numerous training schools, own all of the popular books, have watched the Dog Whisperer religiously and have used many of the techniques I've picked up in these various resources. Until reading Good Dog 101, I would consider Cesar Millan *the* expert and not only used his techniques but also shared my enthusiasm for him with all of my friends and family with dogs. This book was enlightening to say the least. I learned more about dog behavior and training, and the science behind it in the pages than I have learned in many years living among and appreciating dogs. Perhaps most eye-opening part of the book is that it presents compelling arguments for considering an expert other than Cesar Millan. I'm not convinced that ALL of his techniques are useless, but the author of this book makes strong arguments for looking at behavior in other ways. I agree with other reviewers that pictures would be a helpful addition.