5 comments about It's Not the Dogs, It's the People! A Dog Trainer's Guide to Training Humans.

1. This is an awesome book! If you have watched the Dog Whisperer at all, this book parallels Cesar's style and helps with the interview and talking to people one on one when figuring out what is really going on with the dog and human. If you truly want to help people and their dogs this a good book to get your confidence up and in their door.



2. Although I not a "clicker trainer" (I use those "mean methods"), I enjoyed this book. It has helped me to become a better group training instructor. The author and I might disagree on dog training methodology but we do agree on the people training methods. I have been able to manage the training groups better, with people and their dogs having better learning success. This is a good book for anyone who instructs the public in dog training no matter what method they use.



3. I have been working with dogs for over 30 years and a service dog trainer for the last nine. I have just started my own private training business and this book was a refreshing read. Having worked with many people and their dogs, I could relate to many of the personalities described in the book. Reading this book was positive reinforcement for me and helped me realize that I have many of the tools to get my business up and running. It gives lots of helpful suggestions on how to work "with" people, encouraging them to understand and hopefully agree with you even if your suggestion differs from what they originally thought; making them think it was their idea. Expect the unexpected when working with people and their dogs. Relax and get ready to smile and learn.



4. This is a good book to help teach those at the "other end of the leash." Information can be direct but most communication is by perception.



5. I've been a professional animal trainer for 20 years and I still found this book very helpful. I was a psychology major in college and knew much of the stuff in the book, but I was fascinated by the way Nicole applies many of the principles for dealing with people, to dog training. Everybody can learn something new from this book, and the tips on dealing with the individual personality types was described in detail and applied to a dog training setting. Even the concepts I already knew about were enforced in this book and it helped me to refresh my memory and once again work on my people training skills...because as they say...it really IS not the dogs, it's the people.

2 comments about Storey's Barn Guide to Horse Handling and Grooming (Storys Barn Guide).

1. The lay-flat binding and emphasis on visual step-by-step photos makes for an excellent guide to horse handling and grooming in Storey's Barn Guide to Horse Handling and Grooming: Essential Techniques in a Hands-Free Format. From approaching and catching a horse to grooming, braiding, tack and more, tips are presented in clear large-sized photos and illustrations perfect for any newcomer to horse care and management - and perfect for libraries catering to the new or young horse owner, in particular.



2. As someone who's been involved with horses throughout my life I've always sought a really thorough, easy-to-understand guide for newcomers to the world of horses and riding. This is the publication I've been looking for: It contains well-written and clearly illustrated step-by-step procedures for all the basic tasks in horse handling and grooming, plus a special emphasis on safety throughout. The friendly, "visual" format with photographs and detailed drawings is great for this kind of instructional text.
   
   Although aimed at new riders, the book will also be of interest to seasoned riders too as it not only provides knowledge and skills but also an informative guide to how horses think and how to more effectively communicate with them. The author de-mystifies horse behavior in the "Reading a Horse" chapter and shows how to understand the cues that show a horse's moods and important "warning signs". These are the kinds of things that experienced riders have spent a long time learning to see but the book provides a huge "leg-up" to people who haven't spent a lot of time around horses yet.
   
   The book closes with a really fun chapter on "Horse Play" with step-by-step instruction on how teach your horse some cute tricks.
   
   So I highly recommend this book for new riders, young and old. I've already given away a couple of copies and gotten rave reviews.

5 comments about Horses and the Mystical Path: The Celtic Way of Expanding the Human Soul.

1. I have just now started reading this book and am amazed by the material written. It is as if the writers are acknowledging what I have always felt about horses - the mystical connection throughout the years. This book is well written, enchanting and inviting to read. I firmly believe that horses are here to help us learn and grow spiritually as well as other areas of our life. In just looking into the eyes of horse, one can feel the connection that's always been there. The authors bring the mystical, magical, practical aspects of loving a horse and I am grateful for the gift they offer the world. I highly recommend this book! Karin Janin author of "Magic of Intention."



2. The first book, Horse Sense and the human Heart I think set the tone for the whole work of horse therapy. This is just a bunch of hoo ha about being Irish and horses.
   
   Buy the first one in vast quantities. It's the gold standard.



3. Intimate. This book paralleled my own journey with spirituality through horses. Stunning to read in deep and historic context. Important work; well worth the effort. Emotional: Many "AHA!" moments. This work brings together the spiritual, the historical, the philosophical and psychological here on earth.



4. As the synopsis describes, this book is about a relationship with horses built around an inward and outward journey that the authors undertook and share with the readers. My knowledge of horses and equestrian issues is fairly small and for that reason I abstain from commenting on this book on those grounds. On the other hand, I do hold some solid notions on some of the cultural and geographical references the authors use (I'm Portuguese and living currently in Spain).
   The recurring ignorance showed by some American citizens concerning non-American realities has become a sort of established joke outside the US borders. Unfortunately, the authors of this book live up to such jest. The description of the Iberian Peninsula portrayed in this book is, at times, so absurd, it gets hilarious. However, such absurdity seems to take itself quite seriously which impels me to warn off unwary readers, lest they might fall in love with the idea of visiting the place where its habitants, «The Iberians staunchly maintain that the horse is a gift from God, a gift to help humanity see the light and the truth» (p. 18). After all, it sounds quite tempting to meet the natives, if we take into account that «The Spanish people live close to this myth» - none other than the lost city of Atlantis (p. 19). Indeed, that's part and parcel of the whole country «culture's mythology» (Ibidem). Not surprisingly, then, it shaped the character of the «Iberian horse community» (p. 17), whatever that means.
   No doubt that bringing up the topic of Atlantis with the indigenous man in the street might raise some interesting situations, if somewhat unexpected ones. Not to mention the outcome of a visit to Galicia, hoping to meet the natives wearing the kilt and speaking Gaelic (p.32). I feel obliged to warn such travellers that unless they are endowed with a strong sense of humour, they are in for a major disappointment.
   Suffice to say that from the moment I read such proclamations, I couldn't take this book seriously, much as I wanted to. In fact, I couldn't finish it. Still, I choose to believe that the authors are well intended in everything they say and their attitude seems, overall, a good one.
   The exercise of gathering and melting down cultural references and traditions, so abundantly used in this book, is in itself an ambitious endeavour, one that few people are capable of mastering with accuracy, seriousness and grace. In this day and age, the thirst for existential meaning has made this kind of venture very popular despite the fact that, most often than not, such attempts fall very short indeed. This work is such a case. The journey for spiritual disclosure, through our cultural mazes, is a most enticing quest, but it should not, under any circumstance, depend on the easy observing of appearances. On such journey there are no valid «short-cuts».



5. I read this all too brief book in a leisurely fashion over two months. Every time I entered its pages I soon had the feeling that I was talking with an ancient yet brand new spiritual friend. The mystical visitations by the Scottish shepherd, the Spanish waiter, the Mexican cathedral guide, and the sensitivity and sensible knowing of the authors' prized horses pierce the veil in the most profound mystic traditions, yet ground us with their practicality, their inevitability. Yes, great forces are available to us if we only open ourselves. Good will, the wish to benefit other beings, shines from every page of this book. The authors' refreshing passages about communion are inspiring.
   
   The moment I reluctantly finished this book, I handed it to my fifteen year-old son, Eoghan, who was born in Ireland. An hour later he was hooked, too, or I should say befriended. I would like very much to meet these spiritualist authors. I don't know how I can afford it, but I would love to attend one of their equine retreats. Yes, that would be a valuable component to add to my own spiritual practice. For now, I thank them for their visitation, so like an answered prayer!
   
   --Robert McDowell, author of the forthcoming Poetry in Your Spiritual Practice.

5 comments about From Birth to Backing: The Complete Handling of the Young Horse.

1. Coming from a person that has been riding and training horses for 21 years, I think this book was very well written. He explained exactly how to do things, the rationale for doing them, and then recapped key points at the end of each chapter. It keeps your attention and makes you want to continue reading. This is a great book for people who are raising and training their own horses. I highly recommend it.



2. I was searching for a book which would follow the same principles as Monty Roberts (author of "The Man Who Listens to Horses") and Cesar Millan (whose television show is the "Dog Whisperer"). I didn't expect to find another book on horse training so quickly which matches their psychological techniques as precisely as this book does!
   
   It appears that the reviews on this book are determined by what the reader is expecting from it. I personally will rate a book as being great when it instructs in a logical manner, contains good sense, and works when put to the test. Rare is the book that can tell you everything there is to know. This book seems to cover the basics to help one to understand the mindset of horses and that is very important, especially for younger horses since they're in their highly influential years.
   
   One word of caution: If someone appears to be copying another's ideas, don't forget how possible it is for more than one person to be capable of coming to the same conclusions on their own.



3. Young horses can be scary when you have only dealt with trained horses - even green ones and problem horses are easier to work with because you already have a common point of reference.
   Young untrained horses don't react the way you always think they should and they have different development stages just as young humans do - their behavior will change in each stage and you need to expect this. This book prepares you with telling you what is "normal" at what ages and how to deal with these everyday behavioral changes and problems that will crop up when raising your own horse. Books covering 6months - 3 years are hard to find and this was the best I found at covering the usual challenges you would face and showing you how to be a firm, kind and confident leader. This book is short and easy to read in one day, easy to use as a reference but I don't think its meant to be a one complete source - just a good starting point to get you on your way. Yes you can find bits of this information from other trainers, yes this book is not big or complete - but it is a good introduction and I still go back to it again and again.
   
   Young horses are a blank slate and as close as you will come to the wild horse mind without adopting a Mustang. Once you have reared a baby or two, you will never relate to any horse in the same way again - and it's a good thing.
   
   Combine with "Imprint Training", "Bringing up Baby" and "Right from the Start" for a complete reference collection on raising foals to young horses to be good and happy citizens.



4. While no longer a fan of Monty Roberts, I found this book very interesting. It is written for people who don't have access to a round pen. Richard did an experiment & made sure he was the only one that ever handled his 2 foals. He started them on a lunge line, and I think it was quite a few months later before he backed them & found that they were carrying themselves on a loose rein from the beginning of riding, which really impressed me. Lots of great photos. Sorry if this sounds infantile but it's late & I read this quite a while ago & couldn't believe there wasn't a review. I am definitely going to read this book again.



5. At first i was slightly put off by the review that was entitled "not worth a penny" as it was the most recent, however i carried on and read all other reviews and how glad i am. It was fantastic, a real bible, my horse and i have benefited hugely from the information given. I can only think that "Not worth a penny" was having a bad day.

   i can't wait to read richards new book, unlock your horses talents.

2 comments about Betta: Your Happy Healthy Pet.

1. I bought this book at a PetCo that was going out of business, this was after having owned my own fish. I had a Betta before, and had done a lot of research online, so I thought I knew what I was doing. When I started reading this book in the store I realized that this was a lot more complete and thorough than the hundreds of articles I read online. This books gives consistent advice, and covers such a large range of information. The advice Tullock gives is logical and great. I definitely recommend this book for all, especially for such a decent price!



2. We "adopted" our very first Betta fish, Ray, last July. We just love him but weren't sure if we were taking care of him properly. This book was wonderful and so very helpful. It is easy to understand and separated so that your questions can be answered quickly. A must for all parents of Bettas!

5 comments about Chinese Cresteds (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This is a great book on a fascinating breed of dogs. I'm interested in getting a hairless Chinese Crested(how could you look at one and not want it) and this book was a great source of information on the breed.



2. I think this was a great little book on the Chinese Cresteds. I learned new things about First Aid for dogs that I never heard before..loved the pictures of the True Hairless Cresteds, which seem to be extinct now a days with all the shaving that goes on in this Hairless breed.



3. good information.
   Was worried about some of the sourses but overall good for a beginner.



4. This is a very good book, easy to read for the Crested newbie. I fell into ownership of a powderpuff puppy and had not much of an idea of what to expect from the breed. I know dogs, just not the Crested breed. The only difficulty I had was to sort through the information to determine the quirks attributed to the Hairless vs the Powderpuff. All too often, these books mention medical problems for the breed, which are in fact only problems for the Hairless and not the Powderpuff. I'd like to see that separated out a little better. There was also some conflicting information that didn't seem to agree with other research I've done and I haven't yet determined which source is correct, but I guess time will tell with my puppy. Pictures of the breed are not completely representative of what you can see out there. None of the powderpuffs shown have had any trimming done on them, so they all appear like little sheepdogs. And there could be more information on the powderpuff. However, overall, this is a good, inexpensive reference for the breed.



5. The information given in this book is very subjective, and the dogs apearing in it are not the best. I wouldn't recomend this book as a first owners gide. I would only recomend if you want to complete your book collection .

5 comments about What the Dog Did: Tales from a Formerly Reluctant Dog Owner.

1. This is a nice book for light reading about dogs. It's amusing, but not laugh-out-loud funny. It tells you a lot about beagles, and reveals a lot about the emotions of the author. There is no logical reason to love these dogs, but people do.



2. Ms. Yoffe's wonderfully funny and sometimes poignant book of dog tales takes the reader on a tour of life like no other book I have read. Her hilarious wit and candor about both herself and her dog reveal the sweet, bittersweet and frequently quirky friendship between dog and human. Each chapter is like a short story all its own. The reader can enjoy this book leisurely by the fire as an after dinner treat, or as therapy for the latest dog adventure.



3. A great summer read - light hearted and makes me smile. Finished this quick read in no time and enjoyed every minute. I passed this on to my sister to read and she's also worked her way through it quickly and been thoroughly entertained. She said she was reading it on the plane and found herself laughing out loud. Of course, she also has a beagle who acts very much like the dog in this book...that's why I knew she'd love it. I'm getting copies for all my beagle loving friends!



4. I have been reading any book about dog/dogs I can get my hands on and this book is one I am glad I read. It is very funny- hysterical at times and I loved it. The author has a great style of writing and anyone who gets into dog rescue should write about it IMO....If you have a rescue dog you should read this.



5. I'm a big fan of Yoffe's "Human Guinea Pig" series for [...]where she subjects herself to odd tasks (nude modeling anyone? phone psychic? starvation diet?) This book is about dogs. Mostly about her dogs, and those her family takes in until they can be adopted, but also many hearsay stories. Some are funny, some tragic, some ridiculous. Most demonstrate the lengths a dog owner will go to, or stoop to, for their pet. As the owner of two English Bulldogs, I related to most of the stories in this book. The fact that a lot of them didn't seem that strange, or that the aberrant behavior of the dog owners in these stories didn't phase me makes me wonder what effects my dogs have had on my perception of what's normal. I think Yoffe's stuff reads better in a shorter format. This book seemed to drag at times, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

4 comments about Bulldogs (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This book was a good intro into what we needed to care for this unique breed however we got our Bulldog as an adult so there were about 5 Chapters that weren't applicable to us so I didn't read them- if you are a buyer considering purchasing an English Bulldog puppy this should help you get started.



2. I believe this book is great especially for the new Bulldog owner. I'm in the process of buying my first puppy and I think the information in this book will help me along my way.
   There's information on the breed history, health, grooming, training, and selection. Definitely worth purchasing.



3. This book is a nice, easy to follow guide for people interested in buying a bully. It gives basic care instructions, a short history, product info and such to help you make your decision and let you know if a bulldog is right for you, or, more importantly, if you are right for a bulldog.



4. If you are a new dog owner, may you like this book. It have a information about care, training...But if you love bulldogs and are looking for information about the breed, don't buy this book. The only thing that is about bulldog are the pictures and the standard.

   Also in portuguese: Se você é um dono de cão inexperiente, talvez goste deste livro. Ele traz dicas de higiene, cuidados, etc. Mas, se você está procurando mais informações sobre bulldogues não o compre. As únicas informações específicas da raça são as figuras, fotos e o padrão no final do livro.

3 comments about Your Healthy Garden Pond (Interpet Handbooks).

1. I used Interpet Products available from my local garden centre and I decided to check out some of the books advertised with their products and so ordered the "Your Healthy Garden Pond".
   I have read this book and found it a very useful reference,easy to read and with good illustrations. I would recommend it to anyone with a small garden pond.



2. This is a very good book for those who already have a pond. It does not get into the design and construction of ponds, but concentrates on maintaining the pond you have. This is exactly what I was looking for. I did not need to design or construct a pond; however, I did need the knowledge to maintain an existing pond, and this book fit the bill perfectly.
   
   It covers:
   * Water quality - the nitrogen cycle and what tests you need to perform
   * Filtration - types of filters, filter media, cleaning filters
   * Algae and plants - types of plants and how to grow them, how to contain algae
   * Fish - the different types of fish suitable for a pond and how to diagnose problems
   * Pond cleaning - when and how to clean the pond
   * Seasonal maintenance. - fall and winter preparations
   
   Also this book is illustrated with many full color pictures so you can see clearly what the author is talking about.



3. Borrowed this book from the library but have to buy it. It's a good reference and does great explanations. Real helpful for a novice like me.

5 comments about Keeping Pet Chickens: You don't need much space to Enjoy the Bounty of Fresh Eggs from Your Own Small Flock of Happy Hens.

1. My 8 year old daughter gave this to me for Christmas. I've kept chickens for many years. I don't believe the writers of this book know what theyre talking about. When I read that the authors worked for a company that sold henhouses, it made perfect sense. Anyway, if you really want information on chickens, buy the American Standard of Perfection and/or The Beginners Guide to Raising and Showing Chickens (DVD..its awesome)- both available from the American Poultry Association website.



2. I learned a lot about chickens from this book -- very informative, great pictures of different breeds of chickens, pictures and info about chicken coops, feeders, etc., lots of tips and information about how to care for your chickens -- this is a book I will go to a lot. Well written, I enjoyed it.



3. I know absolutely nothing about keeping chickens, so this book helped me alot. It is full of detailed facts about anything you would ever need to know about owning and keeping a flock of chooks in a productive and happy environment. Great for beginners like me!



4. This is a cute little book, but a very slim volume indeed. I've been considering getting some pet chickens for the backyard but I don't want to do it for some time (I want to wait and see how the whole bird flu thing plays out), so this was a fine introduction for me. It covers the basics of feeding, cleaning up after, and maintaining a home for your chickens. I have a better idea now of what kind of effort will be involved in keeping a few hens, how many eggs I can expect, and what kind of modifications the backyard will need. But I don't think you can rely on this book alone if you are already serious about adopting some chickens and need a thorough reference volume. There is very little information here about looking after the birds' health, for instance, and they only give information about a handful of breeds.
   
   Note: this book is written by the makers of the Eglu, which is a pre-fabricated plastic chicken coop for people who just want 2 or 3 chickens as pets. The writers do not identify themselves this way, but I have checked the Eglu website, and the same bearded guys appear on it. To their credit, they discuss how to clean and care for traditional wooden coops as well. But this book also comes free with any purchase of an Eglu. So if you think you might get an Eglu, you might as well not buy this book now since you'll get it for free later.



5. This is an excellent book if you are looking to have just a few chickens in your back yard for eggs and/or are a beginner. It also shows how chicken keeping has moved into the 21st century with the wonderful Eglu, as well as showing the different types of chicken housing available. Perfect and well recommended.