5 comments about Every Living Thing.

1. I have just finished this book after having read the other books in the series many years ago. The magic is still there. I would not ordinarily be attracted to a book of animal stories but the animals in Dr. Herriot's practice are a stage for something more. The author gives the reader a slice of life from a different time and a different place (Yorkshire). I was quickly enamored with the characters and the telling. This book is really about gentle spirits, kind humor, unpretentious people, dedicated lives. Reading it makes the heart glad.



2. This is my fifth review of a James Herriot title, and if you've missed my first four reviews because you live in a cave, I presume you've heard of the TV series called All Creatures Great And Small. That was based on the first collection of wonderful tales from a Yorkshire veterinarian, or possibly the first few. More than a decade passed between this book and the one before it, and I believe this was his last original book. At first there is a dip in the quality we've come to expect, but once he gets back into his groove, it's every bit as entertaining as its predecessors, and I hated that it ended. It's well worth reading and I enjoyed it immensely.



3. I read his books as a teen and loved them. Bought the whole set for my grandsons, [teens]. They laughed until they cried. [so did I].



4. I read this book many years ago, I enjoy animal stories, I loved books by James Herriot, I read all of his books, the one perchased recently was a gift for my grandaughter who likes animal stories.



5. As usual, I enjoyed the stories written by James Herriot; maybe not quite as much as previous books but it still made very enjoyable reading!

5 comments about The Simple Guide To Mini-reef Aquariums (Simple Guide to...).

1. This book is written by the same author as The Simple Guide to Marine Aquariums. These two books contain virtually identical information -- in some cases they're even word for word the same. I thought this book would be a step up for someone moving from a basic fish only tank to a reef tank -- it isn't. It spends chapter after chapter discussing the nitrogen cycle and basic filtration. He mentions a sump many times in the book, yet never explains what it is, how to use one, or even shows a picture of one...not the best move to skip this extremely important information when talking to beginners. I bought this book thinking it would have a basic 'intro to sumps', one of the most important pieces of reef keeping equipment and I get no information whatsoever. This book is completely worthless.



2. this is a very basic book about the care of corals. if one is new to the hobby, then this is a starter. i finished reading this book in 1 hour.



3. it has a lot of good advices and it's easy to understand!



4. This comprehensive book will allow anyone who follows the advice given, to develop their first miniature reef aquarium. I've been a hobbyist for over 40 years and I even bought a copy for myself. The author doesn't pull any punches, and gives a very clear description of what you should expect from your mini-reef aquarium.



5. This book is just what its title implies. A reader could set up and run a mini reef after reading this book. Very little other information would be required to do a mini reef well. The book is fun, easy reading.

1 comments about Training for Trail Horse Classes (Equi Skills).

1. This a good book on trail for the money. It covers some really good tips that I didn't know and had never heard of before. Using some of the advice in this book I was able to successfully traverse a complicated trail course with my three year old in just a few days. It is easy to read and easy to understand.

1 comments about Dogs: 101 Adorable Breeds.

1. Dogs: 101 Adorable Breeds is a photographic showcase for dog breed lovers. Each two-page spread features a striking, professional-quality photograph of a breed of dog on one page, and a brief amount of text concerning the breed's history, disposition, and appearance. Dogs: 101 Adorable Breeds is not a comprehensive guide to caring for one's pet, but rather a brilliantly assembled tribute to man's best friend in all his beautiful glory. A wonderful coffee-table giftbook highly recommended for dog lovers everywhere.

5 comments about My Life with George: What I Learned About Joy From One Neurotic (and Very Expensive) Dog.

1. This book is a must-read for any and all dog lovers.Some of the other reviewers thought that George,the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel,was not in enough.It is true that there are some chapters that he is not in.Many people compared this book with Marley & Me:Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog,and they said that it is better than My Life with George because Marley was in more than George,but Marley was not in some chapters,too.They are both great books.Please come to the Discussions to talk about dogs.Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog



2. I enjoyed this book. The best part of this book is with George (dog) and Monster Mog (cat). I really only connected with Judith in this book but I really enjoyed her a lot. It was a quick, fun read.
   
   --Gerard Zemek, husband of author of "My Funny Dad, Harry"



3. I thought this book was written about my Cavalier who is named "Georgiegurl". I could not put the book down after reading the first few pages and then never wanted it to end. I laughed, cried and most of all, loved every real description of the Cavaliers quirky and captivating ways. It would make a great movie. I have purchased it for my dog friends and they experienced the same. Great read.
   M.L.



4. 
   The book makes for not just a good laugh, but cleverly interwoven into the story are little nuggets of useful information for any cavalier owner. For the non cavalier owner, an open and no holds barred look at life and what shades it can assume after the passing of a loved one. Wittily written and thoughtfully provocative in terms of how life goes on.



5. I got this book as a gift because I own a Cavalier! I thought this story was very warm and thoughtfully written. It is about a woman, Judith, who loses her husband at a young age and has to maneuver life with an 8 year old son. The son begs for a dog and mom gives in. Little does she realize that this dog will soon take over her life! I know some other reviewers said that they didn't like this book as much because George isn't necessarily the MAIN character and isn't featured in every chapter. The book was more about Judith's life and how she deals with the loss of her husband, how she raises her son, and how she appreciates the unconditional love of her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, George. I loved reading this light-hearted book because I have my own Cavalier and so many times I caught myself laughing at George's antics! I also said several times, "Oh, my dog is JUST like that!" It was such an easy read and very touching. You will especially love this if you own a little lapdog!

5 comments about Yorkie Doodle Dandy: Or, the Other Woman Was a Real Dog.

1. Being a Yorkie lover, I really did enjoy the story. Smoky was quite a dog - they are an exceptional breed. I think any pet lover/history buff would enjoy the book.



2. I love this book about Smoky, and I almost didn't buy it, because a reviewer said it was poorly written. But I find it quite well done, and I have read some self published books that were not. This is really a lovely little book. I think anyone would enjoy it. Certainly, dog lovers will be most interested, but those who don't care about dogs might find themselves a dog lover by the time they finish this book. The photos are great, too. I have a little Yorkie, so I especially love this story. I'm going to buy the book for some older relatives who fought in WWII. I think they'll be charmed.



3. I first learned about Smoky through a Wikipedia link where she immediately captured my interest. Buying the book was the next logical step in learning more about this amazing and wonderful dog, but sadly none of my local vendors had it and was in fact greeted with several different smirks when given the name of the book to search for. Thankfully Amazon had it in stock, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone. The story of Mr. Wynne and Smoky seems almost unreal during the War and the story of their life home and on the road will keep you captivated to the teary end.



4. When Bill writes of his experiences with Smoky it feels as though you are right there along side both of them,experiencing what they are going through.Well written and he even gives you training tips to train your dog with.Yorkie doodle dandy is a must have for any family library.Way to go Bill and thanks for bringing Smoky back for us all to enjoy!!!



5. Yorkie Doodle Dandy is not just another story of a man and his dog. It is a real life story of a miracle and I guess what is meant to be will be. Mr. Wynne finds his little Yorkie literally in the middle of nowhere on an island during a war. I don't want to give the story away but it shows the bonding that can take place between owner and pet and what sacrifices will be made for each other. Be prepared to laugh and cry. If you have Yorkies, like I do, run and get this book. If you don't have Yorkies, read this book and you will want a Yorkie. My deepest respect to Mr. Wynne who is one of those rare people who truly understands dogs.

5 comments about Pets at Risk: From Allergies to Cancer, Remedies for an Unsuspected Epidemic.

1. This Book is a God-Send! I was always at the vet, literally. I was there sometimes multiple times in a week at the bad times, and in the relative good times only a couple times in a month. You see I have 3 dogs and 3 cats, and between them I was literally spending thousands of dollars on vet bills for their various ailments and afflictions.
   
   I was wondering why on earth my animals were always sick. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats that were diagnosed with IBD (Inflamatory Bowel Disease), and all my dogs had allergies with various sorts of secondary skin and ear infections that go with. Not to mention the occasional surgery to remove and biopsy a suspicious looking cyst, or lump that appeared here and there.
   
   I was also spending hundreds of dollars a month on various medications for their chronic conditions. Yet, they just seemed to treat the symptoms and no the cause as my pets still seemed to get getting sicker.
   
   Well, This book gave me the answer! 4 of my 6 animals (My 3 dogs and 1 of my cats) has tested positive for Low Cortisol as described in this book. After putting my animals on the Plechner Protocol (and working with my holistic vet does the testing and follows the protocol) they are now the healthiest they have ever been. So many of seemingly unrelated health problems in aniamls are explained by Low Cortisol and this book.
   
   Buy It! Everyone Pet owner should have a copy. It not only saved me money from tons of vet visits, it most importantly helped me to improve my animals health by treating the root cause, instead of just the symptoms of their health problems.



2. I read this book when my dog was so sick wth chronic ear infections (that were not responding to the typical prescription drugs) that she had to have 2 benadryl every 4 hours--and this is when she was already on a hypoallergenic diet. Three vets said she had food allergies (she did appear to react worse to some foods, and did somewhat better on duck and potato). Two vets said to try an elimination diet. We did, and could hardly add any thing back, as she NEVER seemed to get healthy enough after reacting to a new food to add another food. Well, I read this book in one sitting, and made an appointment immediately with the one vet in our state who is familiar with E&I dogs and Plechner. Our dog tested positive for the disorder--her cortisol levels were less than half than that of a healthy dog. She has only been on the medications for a few days, and she's stopped shaking her head and licking her paws. She's got her old playful attitude back--she hadn't wanted to play her favorite game for a couple of months. The best part is that she will very likely be able to eat well-rounded diet when she's better stabilized. What looked like food allergies was most likely food intolerances caused by her imbalance. Most E&I dogs can eat normal diet unless they have "true" food allergies.I'm in raptures because without this book, my dog would more than likely have struggled all her life with these problems, been treated symptomatically for what was a whole body glandular disorder, and continued to have a poor quality of life. This book is easy to read, compassionate and straightforward. Plechner pulls no punches- the test is expensive, and the medication regimen is usually for life. But he gives countless examples of diseases and symptoms that are often caused by E&I imbalance-- it's amazing and heartening to read that countless problems occur when the animal isn't making enough cortisol, and that these problems are fixable. He gives info technical enough to help any vet treat your animal--even if the vet has never diagnosed an E&I dog before. He sternly explains that E&I treatment won't fix true food allergies---but it will more than likely make symptoms caused by other kinds of allergies disappear. I am buying this book for friends who have chronically sick dogs, and lending my copy out to anyone who is curious. It's well worth the investment. My dog will be the first to agree!



3. Veteranrian Alfred J. Plechner (a practicing graduate from the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine with thirty-five years of clinical work experience), draws upon his years of experience and considerable expertise in Pets At Risk: From Allergies To Cancer, Remedies For An Unsuspected Epidemic spotlights just how endocrine-immune imbalances can cause or exacerbate multiple medical disorders in our beloved animal companions. Offering practical advice for helping imbalanced dogs and cats with supplements; natural remedies for a variety of possible ailments; diet replacement programs, and so much,more, Pets At Risk also stresses the responsibilities pet owners face, as well as exploring the implications these groundbreaking discoveries have for we humans. Pets At Risk is essential, accessible, "reader friendly", and very strongly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Pet Care reference collections and supplemental reading lists.



4. A friend sent me the Plechner book, "Pets At Risk". It went with me on vacation to Puerto Rico, where I read it cover to cover. There I was by the pool, reading avidly about canine endocrine disorders.

   This is an absolutely enthralling read for anyone who cares about their pets' health. Vets have significantly improved their abilities to diagnose diseases, but are still grappling with treating the result versus treating the underlying cause. As an owner who has dealt with issues ranging from cancer to skin allergies to Addison's disease, I found Dr. Plechner's observations and insights providing "Aha!" moments.

   I've already ordered books for each of my vets, in order to discuss whether this treatment could work with some long-term issues in some of our pets.




5. Good morning Dr. Plechner,
   Just a note to say thank you. "Cassie", my Irish Setter who brought us together, turned 6 on New Years Eve.
   If you recall, she became ill with terrible skin allergies at 5 months old. No veterinarian, including Dr. Goldstein, specialists at Virgina Tech or NC State could help. Then I called you. Today she has an excellent EI-1 and takes Transfer Factor Canine Complete by 4-Life Research. She is down to 2mg Medrol a day and .2 Soloxine twice a day.
   "Cassie" is happy and active. We call her the gate keeper as she escorts our other dogs in and out of their play areas.
   Thank you for all you do. My breeding program will benefit Irish Setters because of your help.
   Hugs!
   Arlene D. Pilcer
   1/8/04

5 comments about Real Food for Cats: 50 Vet-Approved Recipes to Please the Feline Gastronome.

1. There are no serving sizes per recipe of by weight of cat. Calories are missing. How can I feed my cats a healthy diet without this vital information?



2. I bought a copy of this book and haven't seen any recipes that call for onions. Granted, I've only made about half the recipes so far, but I've seen nothing that will harm our cats. Two of the recipes I've made did call for garlic but the amount was so small that it wouldn't have any adverse effect.
   
   I've made the Tuna Cakes and the recipe did not call for onions. The fish chowder recipe makes 5 servings - no mention of onion, and only one clove of garlic was needed.
   
   I'm also pleased about the various safety tips throughout the book. I recommend this book to all.
   
   Real Food for Dogs: 50 Vet-Approved Recipes to Please the Canine Gastronome
   
   The Kitten Owner's Manual: Solutions to all your Kitten Quandaries in an easy-to-follow question and answer format
   
   Cat Toys: How to Make Your Home a Feline Paradise (Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin, a-251)



3. I got a copy of this book, looked at the Tuna Cakes recipe and it did not list onions. Also in the back of the book with the human recipes it informs to leave onions out of the cat's meal. Not sure why there is a difference but just wanted to inform that I didn't find onions in the recipes. ????



4. Onions can cause Heinz's Anemia in cats. I would not take my cat to any vet that approved feeding onions to a cat. This book has dangerous recipes. Spend your money on better book.



5. UPDATE 5/14/07: Because there is a mystifying dispute between those readers who see onions (harmful to cats) in these recipes and those who don't, here's an easy way to see for yourself and make an informed decision. Use the excellent Amazon feature "Search Inside This Book." Either key in the word "onion" and click "Go" to see how many pages list onions in the recipes (I find 22) or choose the "Surprise me" option and click it repeatedly -- it took only 4-5 clicks for me to find "Kitty Tacos" with 1/2 cup onion listed as the second ingredient.
   
   Original April 2007 review:
   WARNING: Onions are toxic to cats, and these recipes are full of onions.
   
   While a few recipes in this book may be safe, it's hard to trust that because many recipes specifically for cats contain onion -- and ABBEY, whose review 32 people found helpful, is dead wrong that this is only the "people recipes at the end of the book." (Sorry, ABBEY, but I did read and comprehend the information.)
   
   Don't be swayed by my saying so -- please judge for yourself. With the pet food recall, we all need to watch out for each other and, more importantly, for our precious cats. Below, I have copied page 23 verbatim, and it is NOT one of the "people recipes" at the end of the book:
   
   "Tuna Cakes
   Cats will race even faster to the sound of a whirring can opener if they think you're about to prepare this tasty and nutritious dish.
   2 eggs
   1 6-ounce can tuna, drained, and flaked
   1 small ONION, finely chopped
   4 slices bread, cubed into kitty size bits
   1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
   1 teaspoon brewer's yeast
   1 teaspoon bonemeal
   2 tablespoons margarine
   
   1. Beat the eggs lightly in a bowl. Add the tuna, ONION, bread cubes, salt, brewer's yeast, and bonemeal. Mix thoroughly until moistened.
   2. Form into small patties. Melt the margarine in a skillet and fry the patties until golden brown. When cool, crumble each patty and serve.
   Makes 3 to 5 servings."
   
   On page 25, the Fish Chowder specifically for cats calls for 1 glove garlic, minced and 2 tablespoons finely chopped ONION. On page 27, the Boogaloo Shrimp, again, in a recipe supposedly specifically for cats, the first ingredient is 1/2 chopped ONION. Page 32, the recipe for Chicken with Greens, there is a warning about introducing cats gradually to greens because they can be sensitive to it, but no warning about the 1 clove garlic in the recipe or on page 33, the Chicken Salad that calls for 1 tablespoon finely chopped ONION. The "people" recipes ABBEY refers to, called "Tandem Cooking" by the author, do not begin until page 81.
   
   I am extremely disappointed I bought this potentially dangerous book and applaud the reviewer Cordelia Wright who is researching the vet who wrote the preface.
   
   This is not a time to stand on ceremony when pet health is at stake from commercial food -- we need reliable sources of information about safe food, and this book is not it for the reasons previous reviewers have stated. Buyer, please beware.
   
   I have complained to Amazon about continuing to promote and sell this book in the face of the pet food scare (a sick irony that people avoiding tainted commercial food turn to a so-called "vet-approved" recipe book containing recipes that will harm their cats!), and I have written a complaint to the book's publisher. I'm also pursuing getting a journalist involved to warn the public and find out how this book's author can claim these recipes are "vet-approved" when no vet would say giving onions to cats is safe.

No comments about Agility Start to Finish.

5 comments about Dog Problems (Howell Reference Books).

1. I was intrigued by the title of this book, since I come into contact with all sorts of dogs regularly and am often asked advice about issues like possession guarding, dog-on-dog aggression, etc. However, the advice in this book is by no means anything I would ever pass on. Most issues are dealt with by correcting the dog harshly, shaking him, dragging him by the leash, and similar awful methods. The author's 'cure' for a dog that growls and snaps from under the bed is to daftly drag him out by the lead, and if he happens to bang his head on the way out, so much the better! She advises owners of dogs with fear aggression towards strangers to severly reprimand the dog with voice and leash corrections every time he becomes agitated around another person. This is a ridiculous way to 'help' your dog and will most likely only make the aversion worse. I noticed that Ms. Benjamin has also written a book that claims to use positive training methods, but unless her philosophy has changed from one book to the other, I would not recommend any of her material to anyone else. There are plenty of truly humane training guides out there, don't waste your money on this.



2. This is an excellent source for all first time dog owners and should be purchased and read, along with Benjamin's other book--Mother Knows Best--before the dog is purchased. Little problems remain small when dealt with quickly and efficently using methods that dogs understand. Training right from the beginning is the key. Benjamin also tells how to fix a problem before it becomes worse. I have had dogs for over 40 years--terriers--and can testify to the success of Benjamin's methods.



3. This is an excellent book for people who have mild or moderate dog problems. It is well written with a sense of humor, and with insight into the behavior of dogs. It is a book by a professional trainer, not for professional trainers.

   Carol Lea Benjamin does not advocate punishment. In fact, she advises to NEVER hit your dog. Appropriately correcting a dog is not a punishment any more than appropriately correcting a child when they run into a street is a punishment. In addition to describing how to properly correct your dog, she points out human behaviors that inadvertantly encourage dog problems, when and how to use praise to encourage positive behavior, how to redirect behavior, and that sometimes, we can eliminate a bad behavior just by removing the trigger.




4. If you have a aggressive dog who is over 10 pounds and need some seriouse help or advice, I would advise purchasing another book, this trainers advice for everything was grab the dog by the collar and shake it while saying NO NO NO. I have read better books..



5. This was a well-written book aimed more at the novice dog-owner or someone who's experiencing a problem they've not experienced before. The book is written with a good sense of humor; for example, her final comment about ticks. She also recognizes that there are some "problems" that can not be solved, they are just part of being a dog, while other problems that people say are just part of being a dog can be solved. I enjoyed the book and have started trying her method on my German Shepherd, who back-talks as bad as any teenager when told to do something.