5 comments about Backyard Bird Identification Guide (T.F.H. Wild Birds Series).

1. Lots of good information in this book. We have used it often since receiving it.



2. It is a nice book but did not contain exactly what I was looking for - until you actually have it in your hands, there is no way to know. I am not sorry I bought it but this information was contained in other books I have.



3. This is a good book for the novice birdwatcher, like myself. It shows the most common birds in color photographs along with info on each. A great starter book for wild bird lovers.



4. This book was given as a gift and the receiver hasn't had it long enough for a comprehensive review. However, a brief look throught the book found it detailed and illustrated great. It is still hard to identify a bird if you are not aware of it's name. The birds don't remain at the feeder that long and to go through the book takes time.
   The suggestion for scopes and bins is helpful as these tools are needed. If the receiver is persistent in following the suggestions, I believe the book will prove to be useful.



5. This book does not amout to much. There is little information and not many birds.

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul: Stories of Canine Companionship, Comedy and Courage (Chicken Soup for the Soul).

1. This book is for you! Typical Chicken Soup fare but on the plus side, dogs are the lead characters. Lots of tearjerkers, heart warmers and amusing anecdotes. The format makes for perfect short reads (bathroom, waiting for appointments, lunch breaks). I recommend it highly.



2. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I love the stories and many of them bring me to tears. They're all great & really show the unconditional love of our dogs.



3. Bought this for my doggy-loving husband for Christmas. He travels a lot, so he says it will be perfect airplane reading material! He's already read a few of the stories and loved them.



4. I bought this book as a Christmas gift for my mom and step dad. They have a dog and I thought they would enjoy it. I have read other Chicken Soup book and they are good.



5. I am a total dog lover & this book made me laugh, cry & hold my dogs even tighter.

5 comments about Schutzhund: Theory and Training Methods (Howell Reference Books).

1. This book has a lot of information in it from some great trainers. Definitely a good one for a beginner.



2. Was very informative and helpful in understanding Schutzund. It gave good training methods if you intend to train your dog from the puppy level.



3. Told me what I wanted to know in great detail and with great clarity.
   I liked it so much I bought the follow up level II book.



4. There is only so much I can actually do with my 14-year old resuced GSD, but I really think that if more people understood the types of things these dogs were meant to do (which do not include sitting around all day and lacking a confident leader to follow), far lass would end up in rescues every year. Just the first section was really helpful. This applies to other working breeds too, of course, but this is one of several books that have helped me get inside my dog's head, helped me understand how he's been misunderstood all of his life, and is helping us tap into his brilliant brain the best we can in his golden years. Good stuff!



5. Whether novice or experienced trainer, anyone who desires to learn what Schutzhund is about - get this book! It identifies the short comings of the old school methods of training with objective, rational and real world proof - and this book opened my eyes. It is a pleasure to read and includes several photographs that pictorially represent what the author is discussing. It demonstrates the theory behind the methods of training as well as establishing objectives in training to accomplish the goals desired in formats that work.

5 comments about The Dog Listener: Learn How to Communicate with Your Dog for Willing Cooperation.

1. I've read many books on this subject and this is by far my favorite!Although I like Cesar Millan very much-I didn't quite "get it" with his book "Cesar's Way." Jan Fennell's "The Dog Listener" is fabulous!Though I haven't had a dog for years[due to living in an apartment and long work days]I just bought a home and am looking into Greman Shepherd rescue.As I've had many dogs during my life-I always seemed to have trouble with the simple commands....after reading Jan's book now I UNDERSTAND why!Amichien Bonding makes perfect since to me!!Jan's instructions are clear and easy to understand.She has also put in lots of good information about the special needs of rescue dogs.Now,thanks to Ms Fennell's wonderful book, I feel confident that when I bring my rescue baby home,I'll have the tools to make it's life as comfortable and happy as possible!!



2. This book fills in what others have left out. Jan really understands how dogs think and act. I have read all of Cesar Millan's books. While they are great books, I needed more. This book gives specific things you should do to show your dog that you are the Alpha. I learned from Cesar that I, as the Alpha, must be calm. My dogs will react to that. But, Jan, goes on to tell you the things that signal to your dog that you are indeed the Alpha. The "gesture eating" works wonders! Speaks louder than any words you could ever use. And, her five minute rule, is very effective. Cesar tells you to ignore the dog when you arrive home after an absence. Jan, tells you step by step how to do this. Again, she takes it one step farther than other books. Read Cesar's books first, then Jan's for all the details. You'll be on your way to a calm and obedient dog. You won't be sorry if you buy this book!!!



3. I like a lot of the things Jan says in this book. She uses the dog psychology/wolf pack mentality to come up with ways to show your dog you are the boss. The principles are basically the same as with Cesar Millan, but she advocates totally hands-off approach. I've tried some of the things, but it is hard to implement the whole program when you work most of the day and don't have a whole week to do intensive conditioning. Overall- a good book I'd recommend to friends with dogs.



4. This book was reccomended to me by a friend when I bought my two puppies and I had them trained before they were 3 months old. You have to remember that the tecniques in this book are a way of life and you must continue to do them at all times. You get used to it and it becomes second nature and the outcome is very rewarding. Puppies can be very frustrating to train but by using this book, I am actually enjoying the energy of my pups and they are respecting me.



5. Jan Fennell deserves high accolades for this book and 30-day training manual! I have 7 dogs and after 4 weeks, the change is very noticeable. I have largely achieved the behavior I want with 7 dogs inside the home and they are much improved in the back yard. Soon I will move on to the car and the world outside. Traditional dog training classes just didn't cut the mustard - there was little if no discussion on how to have your dog look to you as its leader. I so enjoyed Jan's informative, fast-reading, couldn't-put-it-down book that I am reading it a second time. It's almost as if she could read your mind as to problems and questions we owners have with our dogs and the frustration we are faced with not knowing how to solve them. I only wish more people in the U.S. knew about Jan like they do about Cesar Millan. Maybe her time is coming!

5 comments about John Lyons' Bringing Up Baby: 20 Progressive Ground-Work Lessons to Develop Your Young Horse into a Reliable, Accepting Partner.

1. This book is a great book when starting your weanling on a course of training. Unfortunately for me I had already read Imprint Training by Dr Robert Miller and most of the training covered by John Lyons had already been covered in the Imprint Training book. However if you were to start training at weanling stage this would be an excellent book to begin with. Both methods are very similar the choice is up to the individual whether they wish to begin training @ birth or wait until they are weaned. All in all a very informative book. Highly recommended.



2. My baby isn't born yet but this book is easy to understand and should be very helpful in the future.



3. I find John Lyon's Bringing up Baby very informative! The pictures do a great job illustrating each lesson. I just purchased a filly, and I want to give her the best life possible. I think by following John's techinques you can't go wrong. His videos are great too!
   
   Sometimes we forget to use common sense when working with horses, and if you pay attention to them and learn to properly communicate, you will find a great new enjoyment with your horses!



4. this book is great for illustrating kind, consistent lessons to educate yourself and you young weanling. if you want to establish a good relationship, and have your youngster become willing, accepting and to like you, then buy this book.



5. This is a great book for those who need to teach a baby, an ex-racer, or any horse the essential basics. Each lesson begins with a description of that you're going to do and why. There's also a list of needed equipment (all of these lessons are to take place in a round pen or arena with the corners "rounded" off). Step-by-step, Lyons takes you through the lesson, providing a picture with each step and a description of what you are doing. I recommend this book to anyone who needs to teach any horse basic ground manners.

5 comments about Quick & Easy Crate Training (Quick & Easy).

1. we were having troubles training our new puppy until we read this book. We immediately recognized we needed a smaller crate and that it's ok to have the puppy stay there until we were ready for him. Once we changed crates he started sleeping through the night, he stopped soiling his crate and he's now about 80% on track for voiding outside. This is a winner.



2. This really contained very info on actual crate training. The majority of the book talked about introducing your puppy to the crate not a lot of info on actual crate training process. You can get just as much info googling about crate training on the web.



3. We bought & read this book in anticipation of our new puppy - the book was insightful, helpful, and extremely fast and easy reading. The information worked wonders. We have since gotten another puppy and used the same techniques on him too. We continue get compliments on our well behaved dogs.
   
   My sister just welcomed a new puppy into her family and my first response upon hearing the news was to order this book for her. If the information in this book is taken to heart - it will work wonders.



4. A great booklet for teaching crate training in a positive manner! Great for the new dog owner or for giving in training classes!



5. Quick & Easy Crate Training is both quick and easy to follow. It gives the complete rationale and best practices to ensure a happy relationship between owner and pet. Recommend reading before bringing home your puppy.

5 comments about Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds.

1. I found this to be very helpful as my family was searching for a new puppy. We were able to see and learn about breeds we had never even heard of.



2. IS THE BEST COMPLEMENT FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME, THAT NEED TO REMEMBER SEEING COLOR. IF YOU HAVE THE AKC BOOK AND NEED TO STUDY, THIS ONE IS A MUST TO ADD IN YOUR LIBRARY.



3. We bought this book to help us decide which breed would be best suited to us, and it was very helpful in that regard. It provides a two-page spread on each dog, discussing history, temperament, exercise requirements, health concerns, two photos, and a diagram pointing out aspects of breed physique (conformation). Finally, there is a chart that awards points from 1 to 5 according to how much a dog demonstrates, or lacks, a particular quality. The structure of the book is thus very sound.
   
   However, I do have criticisms of the book. First, the ratings chart, awarding points for sociability, cold tolerance, trainability, and so on, does not always seem to match the written description of temperament or exercise requirements. This sense of disjunction is reinforced for me by my own knowledge (gained since choosing a Boxer last year) of specific breeds, since I often find myself agreeing with the written statement but quibbling with the number rating: I just don't think, based on my experience and other reading, that those numbers are especially reliable. To name one instance that I'm very familiar with, I think that Boxers are actually friendlier to strangers and other dogs than the number rating would suggest: it gives a 3 rating, where I would make it a 4 (and I live in a neighbourhood bursting at the seams with dogs, including several Boxers).
   
   Similarly, the Boxer rating for 'watchdog ability' is a 3, but I wonder why: my dog knows when a delivery has been put by the door, or when anyone approaches, or even when the local cats are across the street. If there is a degree of watchfulness greater than this, such that a 3 is merely average and 5 is extreme, how so? Being more of a barker doesn't seem to me sufficient to up a dog's score, and this could all be misleading to someone trying to make decisions on the basis of the ratings. Most people that want a watchful dog would be well pleased with a Boxer, but the rating suggests instead that they are just OK in that department. But again, whether you agree with the specific ratings or not, they themselves don't seem to agree completely with the text.
   
   Another flaw is that, while each breed has two photos to represent it, some breeds are represented by only one individual. Going back to the Boxer again as my example, only a fawn Boxer is shown--apparently the same dog. It would have been more helpful to have a second photo of a brindle coat (dark streaks) and/or different white markings (flashing). Further, many dog owners these days prefer Boxers and other dogs with uncropped ears, but only cropped ears are shown, even in the diagram. That is just a refusal to show the dog as most non-show people see it! The problem is not just with Boxers; several other breeds I think are not represented with sufficient variety of photographs.
   
   In sum, this is a good book but it is far from being the best, and leaves much scope for competitors in a popular subject.



4. I bought this book for my son's tenth birthday. He is crazy about dogs. This is a fantastic book-very informative, great photos, good quality and basically a nice read. It is easy to pick it up and flick through it.My son spends hours reading and rereading it. We have similar books that are not opened now that he has this one. Well worth the modest price!



5. one of the best dog books out there, and believe me i've read quite a few. i think what i liked best was that each dog breed was given a review on a number of different qualities. 5 stars being the highest. they were judged on energy, "hair care", friendliness towards people and other animals, among many other things. being a dog lover and avid dog guide book reader, i thought i knew just about all there was to the different dog breeds, but this book proved me wrong. i learned more about dogs in this book than i've read in 25 other dog breed books.

5 comments about Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul: Stories of Feline Affection, Mystery and Charm (Chicken Soup for the Soul).

1. Being a Lover of Cat's when I saw this Book--it was a "must have" for myself. Each story is true and has its own uniqueness just as every Cat does. It is simply a fun book to curl up with, you will laugh, cry, sigh and definately agree with, for one way or another you will understand and learn through each story about how amazing "Cat's" truley are. If you are a Lover of Cat's you will enjoy adding this Book to your Home Library-------this one you won't regret. MEOWWWWWWWWWW.



2. My little one is a big cat lover. Although her allergies forbid her to own a cat, this book helps her to receive a better love for them. We have many of the chicken soup books and this one is her favorite. Also.... shop for the book "The Secret" it has some footnotes from this same author. The Secret is a must for children too. Of course, we all want our children to grow up with a world of knowledge, well it starts with what us parents buy our children. Books...Books...Books.... people. Turn Off the TV's...



3. This book is very touching! Have some tissues ready for this one! Lots of very nice stories that will make any cat lover misty-eyed at times, and laughing out loud at other times. Highly reccommended for any cat lovers!



4. An inspiring work for honoring a friend who was a real cat lover and her beloved (but eccentric) 'Molly B.



5. Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul: Stories of Feline Affection, Mystery and Charm (Chicken Soup for the Soul)

5 comments about Chickens: Tending a Small-Scale Flock for Pleasure and Profit (Hobby Farms).

1. I bought a lot of chicken books before I got my first day-old chicks this past spring; this is my favorite one! I keep referring to it over and over. Great basic info. for those of us who have never done chickens before, with lots of practical tips and tricks from those who have been doing it forever! A few goofy, annoying typos and such, but I was willing to overlook those for the good info.!



2. I would hate to hurt anyone's feelings, but I didn't really learn anything from this book and it didn't appear to have anything new to say. I should have returned it when I got it, but returning items are a hassle to me. I was just hoping for some new insight or something more daring or direct. hats off to anyone that attempts writing and the criticism that evolves from such work. I hope her next effort is more interesting.



3. Enjoyed the way the book is written and am pleased with all the good info.



4. I just began raising chickens a few weeks ago. I have learned so much from this book, such as why my chickens are losing their feathers. (They're molting) Who knew? Haha. I highly recommend this book for beginners.



5. A great book. Easy to read and full of useful information for a small scale operation.

5 comments about Bombproof Your Horse: Teach Your Horse to Be Confident, Obedient, and Safe, So Matter What You Encounter.

1. I deal with alot of horse's, This book is a easy to understand and use in the feild. It is written in such a way that everyone can get something
   out of it. If your just starting or an old waddie!



2. Great for all horse lovers from beginner to advance. It was easy to read and understand. It covered everything I wanted to learn & teach to my horses. I'll be using this book all through my training on my 4 yr. old Paint gelding. Great details!



3. Though I have not had a chance to sit down and read through it all, it appears to be very informative with a lot of pictures to help along the way. It will be a very handy tool to have around.



4. The idea of the book is good. In actuality, it is poorly written and not very helpful...unless you know absolutely nothing about horses. If you buy a horse that is difficult to train and easily spooked, you should already know the grand majority of information found in this book. I bought it and read the first couple chapters then skimmed through the rest. In my opinion, it's tedious and excessively wordy. It merely advocates patiently exposing your horse to various objects so that in time you desensitive your horse to things that could potentially spook it. Most horsepeople already know this. I was hoping for something more revealing and innovative.



5. Excellent guide for anyone that needs help with spook proofing your horse. I am sure with persistence this book will pay off. You must have access to certain materials before you will be able to make it work (ex: mattresses, cones)