2 comments about Training the German Shepherd Dog.

1. This is very Excellent book for Professional dog training :) to e-mail me: myghost2000@hotmail.com



2. This is very Excellent book for Professional dog training :)

5 comments about Dog Health & Nutrition for Dummies.

1. first the bad: the nutrition aspect of this book a *really* lacking. while the author initially states that meat should be the base of any dogs meal, absolutely NONE of the recipes she includes have more than 30% meat (give or take). there is no mention of how to discern a good dry or canned food (if you want that try Dr. Pitcairn's books), and while I can understand her hesitation about raw diets, she completely fails to point out that common sense and basic hygeine can take care of a lot of those problems. in short, the nutrition sections were useless.
   
   the good: the health and first aid sections are top rate and those make this book a must have for ANY dog owner. Luckily the bulk of the book covers these issues (the nutrition section is very small), and that makes this book a worth while purchase. one of the most useful things is a list of things that is included is a list of what to have in a pet first aid kit.
   
   overall I'm only giving the book 3/5 stars because I feel that a book titled "health and nutrition" should thoroughly cover nutrition and this book just doesn't cut it. I highly recommend buying it used (which I did) and keeping it around just for the "health" information.



2. I found this book to be very useful for the layperson. It's written in simple terms and the author has done a good job explaining the "basics" of dog health, including nutrition. It's hard to find a non-bias reference book on canine nutrition that's not endorsing a specific feeding "style".
   Coming from an animal care background, I can easily recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about caring for their furry friend.



3. Overall a good book, although sometimes it is overly basic and at others lacks detail it does have a particularly good first aid section. It is well laid out, clear, and easy to read. Well worth the investment to have on hand as a reference. Definitely a good buy for the first time dog owner!



4. I reserached a while into various bokos on dog nurtriotn and health. the options I found were limitintg: one can purchase books for alrge sums on money giving me all kinds on information about rare diseases and symptoms or the opposite, very light and uncritical. this book is in the middle. It highlights the most important facts for both nutrition and health and whilst it does not go into too much detail, I feel that I would not be able to cope with that anyway and would need to refer to a veterinarian anyway. And this is from a "human" doctor, turned dog owner, where I would feel the same about a book on human health, too many details are too confusing and worrying for the reader.



5. This book, is an very informative read. I love it. It gives in depth details on how to care for your dog. If i were you I would order it !!

2 comments about Understanding Showmanship: Everything You Need to Know to Win in Showmanship Classes.

1. A very comprehensive approach to showmanship. I have asked that the youth in my 4-H group purchase this book. I am using it to help in teaching showmanship.



2. Showmanship was something I never understood when I was growing up. It seemed like it was unspoken gospel. People told me that this was the way to do things and that was forbidden in showmanship classes, but still I never really understood why. Finally now I have a concise guide to every question my students can ask me about this mysterious and until now dreaded class!!

4 comments about How to Train Your Shetland Sheepdog (How To...(T.F.H. Publications)).

1. I was disappointed in this book. It was a "read between the lines" kind of book. Was not helpful in training my dog at all.



2. Agree with with other reviewer that this is a great resource for sheltie owners, or propsective owners. She's correct in providing the background to why Shelties aren't the breed for everyone, as they demand attention.

   She provides needed tips on how to keep the Shelties in your life happy and you in turn happy with them! They do need to work and she provides training tips on doing just that.

   Info is provided on selection, stages of development, early puppy training, basic obedience, formal training, problem prevention and solutions, and advanced sports and activities.

   We have our two Shelties through obedience and now into agility and can vouch how much fun this breed truly is. This book will aid your enjoyment of this intelligent and loyal breed.




3. This book had great information about the Sheltie. I felt it was quite helpful to me. It also had great pictures!!



4. This is quite easily the most useful sheltie book that I own. Most books about shelties are slim volumes that talk about grooming, the breed history, and a little about temperment. This book dives right in to telling you how to housebreak your sheltie, how to train them to sit, heel, come and stay, and more. It covers a little about competing with shelties in obedience, agility, and herding, and has tons of wonderful pictures. It's full of great, practical, advice. If you're a new dog owner, you should really pick up this book and read it.

3 comments about Animal Healing and Vibrational Medicine.

1. As a Pet First Aid Instructor and Reiki Master the value of Vibrational
   Medicine is just now starting to take hold. This book is well written and the instructions are easy to follow and understand. A great book to
   get in touch with all your critters and contacts for resources as well.
   Great Job!



2. I found I was disappointed in the book. Put very few post-it note tabs on the books. Perhaps I expected more from it.
   
   I found the book "Animal Healing with Australian Bush Flower Essences" much more useful for use of a vibrational medicine with a practical emotional and physical repertory in it.
   
   Louise



3. Animal Healing and Vibrational Medicine

   by Sage Holloway
   Animal Healing and Vibrational Medicine by Sage Holloway,
   
   If you have ever wondered what you can do for your sick pet, besides the usual trip to the vet, this book, a resource and reference guide for over 1,000 remedies, has some answers. It's obvious Sage Holloway has a deep respect and love for creatures. As she says, animals serve us provide for us, rescue us, feed us, and are our companions, yet cannot seek healing for themselves. We, their caretakers, must learn to do that. Since animals aren't as complicated with their emotional baggage as we are, that's a relatively easy thing to do. Vibrational medicine is a gentle way to revive their energies.
   Holloway stresses the proper use of aromatic oils, the importance of using pure oils rather than the synthetic ones. A Vibrational Remedies Cross-Reference lists various types of remedies good for abuse, abandonment, cage stress, car sickness, depression and dozens of other conditions. A list of flower essence qualities, what they can do for your pet, is quite interesting, I could use a few of them myself!
   As if this is not enough, there are charts on animal chakras, how to use dowsing, the five Chinese Elements, The Doctrine of Signatures. The Appendix has a resource list of companies that produce vibrational remedies, suggested music for your pets, and a list of essences carried by various companies. Sage has done a beautiful and thorough job of putting this book together. I strongly recommend Animal Healing and Vibrational Medicine if you have any kind of animal.
    

5 comments about How Dogs Think: Understanding the Canine Mind.

1. A book that covers everything from mundane if-so-then type of advice to the theory and evidence for animal cognition. What this author does particularly well is combine both the 'why' and the 'how' into a single readable and very entertaining volume that is not very challenging to read (I read complex texts for work, and the last thing I want to do is decipher unwieldy scientific prose when reading for entertainment). I'm sure there are books that offer more dedicated training material as well as more in-depth literature on the biology and cognition of dogs, but probably no others that combine it all into one deftly written volume.
   I was less interested in the practical training advice (would be cruel to keep a Saint Bernard in my 600sqft apartment anyway) and more interested in an overview of the scientific evidence and was pleased to discover that roughly 3/4th of the book is dedicated to an exposition of dog (and often canid and primate) faculties, accompanied by a full list of citations.
   Bravo Mr. Coren!



2. If you love dogs, have ever wondered why and how they do some of the things they do, and enjoy science to any degree, then you should find this book as interesting as did I.
   
   It includes many fascinating discussions about how dogs perceive the world due to physiology differences, and does a good job quantifying those differences. (Their vastly superior sense of smell, in particular, is so amazing that I read a chapter twice to make sure I had it all correct.)
   
   The way that both instincts and conditioning affect their behaviors and personalities was also of great interest to me. This book goes to great lengths to precisely define a dog's personality, and it delves deeply into the many genetic, breed-specific and environment-specific factors that are of influence.
   
   As for whether I have realized any practical benefits of what I've learned, I must admit there are none yet, however, my dog and I already enjoy rich communication, and I can't imagine an aspect of his personality that I might ever want to change! But I'm sure when the time comes to find another dog, I will draw heavily on what this book has taught me -- and for even just that possibility, it was well worth the read.



3. Excellent! It is an interesting scientific book. It is easy to read and it would be very helpfull if you want to live harmoniously with your pet.



4. The first 1/3 of the book is probably the most interesting. Here Coren describes how dogs experience the world through their senses. As most dog lovers already know, the sense of smell is the most important to a dog and they also have excellent auditory abilities and are able to hear high pitched sounds that humans cannot. In contrast, their sense of sight is less developed and they see fewer colors than people do. I already knew much of this information from other dog books and my own common sense observations. But Coren does cover this aspect of a dog's life in great detail and it has been fun to try to imagine how my own dog is experiencing our surroundings when I take her out on a walk.
   
   The seconds 2/3's of the book is devoted to other topics. Some of these, such as whether a dog has ESP abilities and the aging process of a dog are of only limited interest to me. Coren also discusses traditional views of a dog's mental capacity and how dogs learn, explaining such concepts as classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Again this is stuff I have already read about and there is really nothing new or groundbreaking here. But I do appreciate that Coren is willing to challenge the ridiculous "animals as machines" ideas previously set forth by Descartes and some of the more extreme behaviorists.
   
   However, I am disappointed in Coren's comments on training. He offers the typical suggestions on how to reward positive behavior. But says virtually nothing insightful about how to discourage unwanted behavior. I currently have a very destructive and strong willed 7 month old Shih Tzu. I had previously tried Coren's "time out" concept to very little avail.
   
   Instead what has been of tremendous use are the techniques on how to assert yourself as pack leader in Caeser Milan's "Dog Whisperer" series available on DVD and the National Geographic Channel. I think Coren tends to anthropomorphize dogs, treating them as human children rather than a different species. In contrast, Milan encourages owners to understand how dogs view the world. For example, dogs are pack animals with a strict social hierarchy. Every pack has an alpha dog who serves as leader. In this way dogs are able to alleviate social conflicts and feel safe and secure with their appropriate place in the pack hierarchy. Every human owner needs to make sure they are respected by their dog as the pack leader. Otherwise strong willed dogs, such as mine, will be more difficult to train and more inclined towards negative behaviors. Using Milan's techiniques I have noticed that my dog is not only better behaved but is even more loving and affectionate towards me. I think this is because she now feels more secure that a clear pack leader - me - has been established and she is not experiencing the stress and anxiety brought on an uncertain leadership sitution. This emphasis on leadership and control may seem harsh to people inclined towards building a more egalitarian relationship with their pets. But dogs think differently from humans and are simply more relaxed, happy and better behaved when it is clear that a calm and assertive leader is in control.
   
   As for Coren's book, it might be a good choice for someone who hasn't done a lot of previous reading on dogs. But, for me, there is just too much information that has already been covered and his tips on training are rather weak.



5. I am only about half way through the book and already I can strongly recommend this book. The information and insight it provides regarding dog thinking in terms of sight and sound has allowed me to adjust my dog training. It provides fact based information and so rather than just skimming through it, I am taking my time reading it to ensure I absorb all of the information. Based on this I have bought another book by this author.

2 comments about Ride from Within: Use Tai Chi Principles to Awaken Your Natural Balance and Rythm.

1. I bought this book about two weeks ago. I read through the whole book in two days, and am now working on the exercises. I can already feel a huge improvement in my riding. My awareness of balance and where I am carrying tension is greatly heightened, and with the exercises I am able to correct these problems.
   
   The unmounted exercises are deceptively simple. As my proficiency increases the benefit I get from them increases exponentially.
   
   I would recommend this book to anyone who is serious about riding, or anyone who would just like to increase the pleasure of riding.
   
   Marvellously therapeutic!



2. Great book to help with your seat and "feel" for riding.
   Highly recommended for students and instructors of any discipline.

3 comments about Cat Body, Cat Mind: Exploring Your Cat's Consciousness and Total Well-Being.

1. I bought this book thinking it would clue me more into my cats and their behavior, etc. The author goes off on several tangents and ends up spending time talking about farm animal welfare and his own pet rabbit. Even when he is supposedly writing about cats and examples of their empathic abilities, people being visited by their cats after death, and cats knowing when their owners have died....most of the examples he gives are of dogs, birds and even mice! He also repeats himself a great deal in his off-topic sections and talks a great deal about his mentor and his the "correction" made to his Encyclopedia entry about dogs. I didnt agree with everything he had to say about cats, but I did like some of the information he gave about them when he actually discussed cats.



2. I thought this book was supposed to be all about cats, but it wasnt..it was mostly about all animals. I also did not agree with some of the things the author recommended. I did not like this book at all.



3. It's a terrific book by a person who has dedicated his life to understanding animal behaviors, and although this book mainly confirms the things that I already know about our furry companions, I am learning a few new things, too. I'd like to get Dog Body, Dog Mind: Exploring Canine Consciousness and Total Well-Being, as well, because I find the author's approach to writing both entertaining and, more importantly, informative. It is Fox's goal to help people have better relationships with their animal companions by learning a bit more about their behaviors and how to communicate with them. The writing can be characterized as a mixture of philosophic anecdotes and actual explanations of animal behaviors and conditions which I find to be not unlike one of my most beloved authors, James Herriot.
   
   I highly recommend this book!

4 comments about Lake Malawi Cichlids (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. This book has a great overview of how to setup a Malawi Cichlid tank. It also has some specific information about some of the more popular cichlid species. This is a great book for anyone looking to setup a Cichlid tank or for people who would like some more specific information on Malawi Cichlids.



2. Good little book, but some stunning errors in husbandry descriptions which could be a potential disaster for beginning Mbuna keepers. I highly recommend that aquarists look for at least a second opinion before choosing individual species as described in this book.



3. This is THE best little cichlid book for Lake Malawi. But don't let the word little fool you, this book is packed with information on dozens of Lake Malawi cichlids. I especially like that the book breaks down the lake's cichlids into the two main categories of mbuna and Haplochromines. There are over 100 excellent color photos of the most popular species accompanied by descriptions of natural habitat, size, husbandry requirements, diet, and breeding. I always take this book with me when I go to a fish auction or my local aquarium society meeting. There are other books that contain information on more species but none that gives you this much information at such a great price!



4. Book Lake Malawi Cichlids describes natural habitats of Lake Malawi, different groups of cichlids and gives very good instructions how to set up aquarium that will match fish's natural requirements. It contains beautiful photos (some of them also taken in the nature!) and descriptions of some aquariums cichlids. It contains a lot of information given in very understandable way, I missed that in many other more comprehensive books. I recommend this book to all beginners and also to more advanced aquarists.

3 comments about 50 Games to Play With Your Cat.

1. We gave this to my 10yo daughter for Christmas. It kept her very busy over break coming up with new and creative ways to entertain our kitty.



2. I've always said that cats are more likely to play with the box it came in rather than the toy inside. Therefore, when I was asked to write the forward for this book, I was interested and excited. As the text and photos came to me, it became apparent that this book was going to be all I'd hoped for. It's a fun read, and I encourage readers to put their imaginations to work and add their own embellishments to the projects. In closing, I'd like to say that in fairness to Jackie Strachan, my name should not appear anywhere on Amazon as "co-author" of this book. It's Jackie's through and through and she deserves full credit. All I am is an admirer and forward-writer of the book.



3. My boss--er, cat--would give this book two thumbs up . . . if he could!
   
   The ideas are divided into sections, beginning with simple toys (such as a crumpled up piece of paper), and going into more elaborate toys made from cardboard.
   
   The book would get five stars *if* some of the toys weren't store-bought, such as: a toy glove, a ball that drops a treat when played with, circle ball track, a cloth tube/tunnel, scratching post, cat tree . . . you get the idea! These are toys/games you can find out about just by looking at the pet store, and some are pricey.
   
   However, overall, the book should provide inspiration and mostly (with some exceptions) low-cost, homemade ideas. Both cat and owner will mutually benefit from playing these games together. It's about time someone realized cats aren't aloof and do really want to interact with us . . . thank you, t.f.h!