5 comments about The Souls of Animals.

1. A great book which makes everyone aware that there is a lot more to life,



2. I sent this to my brother who was mourning after the death of his best buddy, Smokey. He said he read it all the same day it arrived and it was helpful.



3. Do animals have souls, and do they experience spirituality as humans do? THE SOULS OF ANIMALS offers stories backed with science to show that other creates are sentient beings who also have spiritual lives. From the music of birds to the nature of elephants, THE SOULS OF ANIMALS utilizes numerous examples from nature to reveal evidence of animal spirituality.



4. This book is an easy read. At only 114 pages of large type it took only a short time to finish. Gary Kowalski is a Unitarian Universalist minister who tries to convince his audience of the existence of an "animal soul". Instead of animals being "biological machines", they have souls with the attendant feelings of love, grief, and awareness of self and others.
   
   Admittedly, the existence of a soul (even a human soul) can only be from empirical evidence as opposed to "scientific" evidence. But Mr. Kowalski's arguments are shallow and emotional. He plays upon his readers' sense of emotion and "fairness", "altruism" and "love" of God's creatures.
   
   Ok. I admit I agree with him. I DO believe all God's creatures have souls, are sentient, and experience emotion. It's just that Gary Kowalski's book disappointed me. I was expecting something a bit more compelling. Something more compelling than,"The eyes sometimes speak more eloquently (and more truthfully) than words". Phooey. That may be true but it's not much of an argument.
   
   So that said, the book is a nice book and I hope whoever reads it enjoys it. Jonni



5. After reading all the Amazon reviews, I thought I'd purchase this book. I came away feeling a little disappointed. Don't get me wrong - it was quite an interesting book, however I had great expectations due to the other reviewers.
   
   I think the thing that annoyed me, is that the author has not done his own researching for facts, but is constantly quoting other people's books/reports.
   
   It did have some nice moments - my favourite being the elephants chapter. And I guess a positive thing was that it made up my mind to become a vegetarian, so that's a good thing too :)
   
   So, it was OK....I was just slightly let down after reading all the previous glowing reviews.

5 comments about Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook.

1. The was is a great over veiw for people just getting started with the reef hobby. However if you are an intermediate hobbiest the book is very basic and you will most likely not learn anything that you do not know. If your new its a good book to start with.



2. This book was thoroughly disappointing. Provided OK information, but was entirely too technical in its approach. If you do not have a Ph.D. in biology then do not bother with this book, you will not understand it.



3. It should be rated at 5 stars but I give only 4 stars because of its technical nature and my beginner's comprehension. After that, it is a compact guide full of useful, hands-on info that helps the hobbyist create their own ideal aquarium environment.



4. Don't get me wrong, this book is good, however... while reading the book, it uses mostly the scientific names for everything. It would be nice if after the scientific name, it has a common name in parenthesis, you know, using the names the fish stores use. Other than that, it is a decent book.



5. Yes, 5 stars! Pound for pound (and dollar for dollar) this is one of the best books on marine reef keeping you can buy.

   I own several reef and aquarium books. They range from the brilliant, to the not-so-swift-waste-of-money types. The "Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook" by Robert J. Goldstein ranks waaaay up the list, kept from the top only because of its brevity.

   This book touches on a LOT of topics, and it covers them in enough detail to really help you understand and apply what you need to keep your reef (or any aquarium) running well. Due to its (somewhat) small size, it does not cover topics in great detail. Depending on what you want, that may or may not be a good thing. There is however, enough information, written in plain English, for any aquarium keeper--from rank beginner, to the Old Man in the Sea--to learn something new.

   No, this book doesn't contain the depth of information that one of those $80 marine reef books does. But it contains a wealth of information and will send you well on your way to starting up a reef or maintaining your current reef. Even if you're just looking for an interesting read, you can't go wrong with the "Marine Reef Aquarium Handbook" by Robert J. Goldstein.

5 comments about Perro De Presa Canario: Special Rare-Breed Edition : A Comprehensive Owner's Guide (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series).

1. A must read an a book that should be added to one home's library for those researching a possible family dog companion and guardian and or Dog Fanicer of Working Dog Breeds . In addition, beautiful photos of various Presas. Its author Manuel Curto Gracia is a breeder an expert from the Canary Islands who has played a part in introducing the Presa to Dog Lovers throughout the world .



2. This is the only book I have found on this breed of dog. Very informative.



3. This was a solid book on the breed. It was factual and mostly specific to the presa canario, although there was a lot of boilerplate in the training and health sections. But it was a good introduction for anyone interested in the breed. The pictures were top-notch.
   
   Although the training section was good, it is really just an introduction to the topics -- a novice should get a more in-depth book or professional advice.



4. This easy to read book provides all the information you need about this rare breed. It's complete with photos, training tips, diagrams and fascinating as well as essential information.



5. I purchased this book during the first week of owning my new presa puppy. Although I was somewhat familiar with the breed through internet research and message boards, it was good to have a hardcover book that covered the history of the breed as well as on that provided information to the presa owner on what to expect throughout the life of my pet. It gave excellent tips on how to deal with the behavior of a presa from the chewing and jumping my puppy does right on through to the aggression I hope I never experience with my dog. Thanks for the solid foundation. I wish there were more pictures on what the dogs look like each month from the time they are born until they are adults. All in all, I think it's a great book and I'm glad to have it as a reference.

5 comments about Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish.

1. When I first bought this book it was for information with fresh water fish and it covers them with a commendable amount of detail. The book contains almost every fresh water fish that you are likely to encounter in a -mart store and the majority of average local fish stores. There are large pictures of every species covered as well as information on what kind of tank requirements that the fish will need helpful notes on a lot of the "beginner" fishes on how to get them to spawn in your home and if they can be placed in a community tank of if the fish should be kept alone. There are a few areas that the book has slightly outdated information and a anyone that has ever had a tank of Discus will quickly find a number of inaccuracies with there two page listing. The only criticism that I have about the freshwater section of the book is that the kill fish section is small, while this is common in most books it is always a disappointment.
   
   The freshwater plant section of the book has some helpful information but is lacking light guides, but if you find a plant that is in the book and are thinking about adding it to your tank 30 seconds with google will give you all the missing information.
   
   I have been keeping fresh water fish since I was in grade school and now 20 something years later I am setting up my fist salt water tank. The book assumes that I know a lot of things that I don't and there are a number of items referenced but not explained that someone new to saltwater does not know often leaving me with more questions then answers, maybe when I have a little more experience with salt water the information will be handy.
   
   I rely can not comment on the pond fish area of the book, I don't have any experience with ponds or any idea if the information is complete.



2. This book is a decent source for an overview of a number of fish. It does seem to be missing a lot of fish that are somewhat common in fishtanks, such as puffer fish, etc. If you're looking for a general book with lots of pictures then this book can satisfy. However if you're looking for more in depth information or specific fish, this book can be hit and miss.



3. This book is one of the better books on aquarium fishes I have ever seen. It covers all kinds of fishes: freshwater, marine and pond fishes, but the tropical fishes section alone is worth the price. The photos are super. The information on each fish is concise; scientific name, origin, size, diet, water preference, temperament and a brief description are all in one place with the photo. That makes the book very easy to read. I particularly like the info on water hardness. Few books have this kind of information. Although it missed some very common fishes, it covers most of the fishes we likely find in the local pet shop.



4. This book actually has a section for salt water fish and a section for freshwater plants. It is trying to cover everything with limited pages and left out some very important information.
   
   Such as in the plant section, it does not list the information for lighting or CO2 requirement, which I think it is critical for any plant care.
   
   If the book can add some information such as easy/hard to care indicator for all fish and plants, that will be a great help too.
   
   I also find that there are some very common fish missing, such as shovelnose cats, some rainbows, rams (it does not list the rams but has some information scattered all over the book).
   
   On the plus side, the pictures are all good and I really enjoy them. Overall, it is an OK book. I just wish it has more information. Consider what I paid for this book, I guess it is not bad at all.



5. I found this book to be very imformative and full of wonderful pictures and information on almost any aquarium or pond fish you could imagine! A big thumbs up!!!!

5 comments about Good Dog, Bad Dog, New and Revised: Dog Training Made Easy.

1. This has great training info, but limited puppy information as compared to "Good Owners, Great Dogs". Good dog bad dog has a lot of temperment information if that's what you need.



2. Before I give my review, a few facts. Dogs are the first domesticated animal, with humans selectively "designing" canis familiaris, beginning somewhere around 14,000 to 200,000 years ago. So it should come as no surprise that with that kind of conjoint relationship, we selected for attentive behavior. They've helped us hunt our food, herd and protect our flocks and us, and acted as companions.
   What's it all mean? It means that most dogs are really easy to train. Almost anything works. Food rewards, placing the animal into the desired position, operant or classic conditioning (clicker training) or punishment. The operative word in that last sentence is "most." I've read most books on dog training and almost any of the techniques offered will work with some dogs. But you don't want your dog trained! You want your dog obedient. It sits. Terrific. Does it sit when it wants to or when you want it to. Do you say sit, sit, sit, sit.... Do you plead with your dog to come? Do you have to lure your dog with a treat that's visible? Then you don't have an obedient dog. You have a dog that has been trained to do certain things and it will do them when it chooses to. I call those dogs dead. Because the first time that dog gets out of the house and sees little Tommy riding his scooter, your dog is going to take off and get run over. The dog is going to think, hmmm, piece of cheese or run after Tommy (or a bunny or another dog or an ice cream truck)Tommy often wins the toss.
   We seem to have developed a softer, kinder view of training. Hooey. K9 cops, the military and SAR dog trainers don't use these techniques. Why. They are not reliable and when you tell your dog to sit/stay or come, you want reliable. Your dog's life may be at stake. One of the more popular books, talking about R+, which means positive reinforcement, slips in a sentence in the middle of the book, that goes something like, "of course in certain situations where the dog's life may be in danger, corrections may be necessary..." As to Dolphins trainers who use clickers or whistles and are trying to convince you that the same techniques can work with dogs, don't you believe it. Let me see them go through their paces, with the tank filled with food fish. You are training so that your dog will ignore distractions and pay attention only to its handler, you. That's what this is all about. If you don't mind being pulled down the block or fighting your dog for your favorite position on the couch, then pass this book up. And if you are not prepared to really, really correct the dog when it lunges at another dog, then just go watch some tv. This book tells us to do with dogs, what we do(or should do) with our children when they don't pay attention. (No, I am not advocating choke collars for kids - but come to think about it, it's not such a bad idea!) The dog is "corrected" with a brief, but clearly recognizable (to the dog) snap on a choke collar. And when the dog does what we ask it to, we make an exaggerated and very loud, GOOD DOGGIE." We don't hit the dog, we don't destroy it's spirit, we are teaching the dog that it needs to do what it knows how to do, when we want it to do it. And the book makes it clear that there are different kinds of dogs and therefore different approaches. Pay attention to what kind of dog that you have. You don't correct an adolescent Lab the same way I would correct a 7-year old poodle you just took home from the pound, and I wouldn't correct a very sensitive, "soft" or scared dog the way I would a dog that is obstinate. This is a 5 star book. It isn't the only book you should have, though, It leaves out hand signals and I use them extensively and it leaves out, as one reviewer points out, the "leave it" command. It also leaves out the "get the tire" , "get the bone," "get the toy" and "move over" commands which I've taught my GSD after she went through obedience training with this book. Use food for tricks. If the dog doesn't do the trick, no harm done. But when you say, "Fido come." Fido should come - immediately, without a pause, without looking around, without deciding whether there's something else it would rather be doing. Once your dog has basic on-leash obedience training, the sky is the limit on what the dog is capable of.



3. These books relies entirely on the use of aversives (collar choking) with dog training and does not use strong positive reinforcers like food. The methods are 50 years outdated and did not work at all with my dog. If you really want to know how your dog learns and how to teach him what you want him to do, buy Jean Donaldson's Culture Clash, perhaps the best book ever written about dogs.



4. There is some basic good information in this book, but there are many out dated methods also. I like using positive techniques and this book suggests otherwise for some dogs. It also fails to mention many more of the techniques that we are using today. I would not recommend this book unless you have more background knowledge in dog training and can tell the good from the bad.



5. I live in Southern California where we hear Uncle Matty on the radio, and I got one of his trainers to come out and work with our dogs. It works!!

1 comments about The Book of the Greyhound.

1. Hello everyone!

   I wanted to let my readers know that The Book of the Greyhound was recently awarded the Maxwell Award as the best Single Breed Pet Guide for 2000. The Award was presented by the Dog Writers Association of America at a Ceremony and Dinner at the Southgate Tower Hotel in NYC on February 11, 2001. I was grealy honored to receive this award and want to take this opportunity to thank my Editor, Connie Isbell, and everyone at TFH Publications who worked so diligently to bring this book about.

   The Book of the Greyhound covers just about every detail related to owning and loving a Greyhound. It covers the history, standards, performance activities, showing your Greyhound, adoption, top show dogs and producers, and breeders from all over the world. This is the most comprehensive book published about the Greyhound and has been very well received and reviewed by its readers.

5 comments about Becoming an Effective Rider: Developing Your Mind and Body for Balance and Unity.

1. This book was very helpful to me in terms of developing an attitude and approach towards my riding. Not only were the technical aspects of riding covered, the mindset that allows one to gain confidence and control was addressed at length. As a high-beginner rider I found the information in this book very useful for taking the next step, into intermediate riding skills.



2. I am an absolute beginner in horseback riding and I have really appreciated the attention that the Mrs.Hill gives to the mental side of riding.(maybe due to the fact that I am not so young even if I started riding only some months ago...)
   It's very useful to see and understand that beyond your posture in saddle ,also your mind approach is important to get the best from the equestrian activities.
   My personal target in equestrian sports is to have relaxed riding and in this book you may find important suggestions in starting with a relaxed (but not careless) approach to the horse, to the grooming, to the riding etc... having the best , avoiding to transform a anti-stress activity in full-of-doubts-and anxious-one.
   This doesn't mean that also worrying features (like injuries) are not considered: on the contrary there are many parts treating about the potential dangers in riding, the wrong approach to the horse, the best way to ride safely .
   ...To be prepared is the best defence and gives you a stronger and safer confidence when you're going to ride...
   I strongly recommend this book to the beginner-riders who are searching for a good source of suggestions to prepare "their souls" to face without worries and approach with self confidence the"obstacles" in riding horseback.



3. I have read quite a bit of Ms. Hill's books and have found them very helpful. However, I was a little disappointed in this book. It is geared for a beginner and isn't very useful for the more experienced rider who needs improvement. She had a few useful points here and there but I felt like I was reading a motivational and/or human anatomy book. I would recommend Swift's Centered Riding as a wonderful source instead.



4. As a beginning adult rider I really appreciated the value I got with this book. I wanted to make the most of my weekly riding lessons and I feel I really already learned so much from this book. I got it as a gift from my husband but, if you buy it it is definitely worth the money. It prepares me for my lessons and also clarifies things very well. The most astonishing thing about this book is how it addresses every issue in a way that can improve skills and understanding for everybody- Beginner and Advanced, Western and English,etc.). It is very easy to read and understand. I really like Hill's writing style and will try out some of her other books.



5. This was one of the first books I purchased for my riding library five years ago; at age 33 I was a rank beginner just starting lessons, and I wanted to supplement the physical experience with some off-the-horse studying. Today it's pretty dog-eared, which reflects how often I've gone back to it. It covers just about every aspect of riding one can think of(the aids, body awareness, feel, creative imagery to help position, psychology-even proper attire and tack!), and is written clearly and concisely, never getting dull or overly technical(wish I could say the same for some of the others I've shelled out for). It is also very reasonably priced-a good "value for money", as the british say, which is why I've rated it so highly. I would give it as a gift to any novice, adult or otherwise.

2 comments about Boston Terriers For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets)).

1. This is not really a book about Boston Terriers - it's more of a general book about dogs. There's less in this book about the breed than you would find on the first page of a Google search. This was a waste of money.



2. This is an excellent book for people who own Bostons or those who are interested in the breed. You will learn about the origins of this spirited little hybrid dog (Bostons are the result of crossing old English bulldogs with small white terriers) as well as how to train and care for your Boston throughout your pet's life.
   
   Bostons are delightful, high spirited little dogs. Small and compact, they have bulldog faces and hardy, sturdy bodies. They are extremely intelligent as a breed and need a lot of one-on-one handling. Bostons are generally eager to please and make wonderful family pets.
   
   It is important to know how to care for pregnant Bostons. Fortunately, this book has a good section on pregnant Boston bull care. More often than not, pregnant Bostons have to have their puppies delivered by C-section because Boston puppies have extremely large heads that would make for a difficult delivery. Feeding and making a place for the pregnant Boston is included.
   
   This is an excellent book for anybody who owns or just plain loves a Boston bull.

5 comments about Help Your Dog Fight Cancer: An Overview Of Home Care Options.

1. This book arms you with the information you need to know in order to be able to help your dog fight cancer. It tells you what to expect, so that you're not caught unaware about things that can and do happen to your dog with cancer.
   A Must!



2. When my Siberian Husky got leukemia, I did not know what to do. Do we treat it? Is it the right thing to do? Will my dog suffer? Money was not an issue, I just wanted to do what was best for my dog. This book answered my questions and helped put my mind at ease, and we went on to treat my dog for her cancer. She lived another year and a half to age 13 (she died from an unrelated illness). She had a high quality of life, even while being treated for her cancer (her treatment was primarily oral chemo - yes, just pills! I put them in Pill Pockets and she thought she was getting extra treats!!), up until the last couple of weeks. I am indebted to Laurie - thank you for writing this book and giving us more time with our beloved Sheena. Her efforts in this book and The Magic Bullet Fund are nothing short of extraordinary. If your dog is diagnosed with cancer and you want to learn more, this book will help you become a more educated doggie parent.



3. This book is full of insight, information and the love of a wonderful dog. It is written by the dog owner, who in not a vet. Therefore, the information comes from opinions and research of many professionals and trial and error of the owner/author. It was very helpful for us.



4. after reading the book, I found it to be very informative and am hoping things work out for anyone who has a dog with this disease.



5. A friend loaned me her copy of this book when my sister's dog was diagnosed with cancer. Now that I've read it, I'm buying my own copy to have as a ready reference. This book will not tell you how to treat your own dog; it will help you devise a plan which is appropriate for your own dog and your own personal situation. The author reviews all of the things you need to consider, and shares her own decision making process by telling Bullet's story. It's a good story, one you'll want to finish. Even if your dog is healthy, buy this book, read it now, and you'll be prepared if your dog, or a friend's dog is diagnosed with cancer.

5 comments about Living with a Shih Tzu.

1. Another great book if you own a Shih Tzu! The book has a lot of great information on the breed of dog! Lots of tips and suggestions!Good pictures...



2. This book was somewhat helpful. It was interesting to know about the personality of this breed. But I have a lot of unanswered questions now that I have had the puppy for two weeks.



3. The book is a great manual for Shih Tzu owners. From day one it was helpful for us to understand how to handle our puppy. She is now 8 weeks old and is healthy, active, curious, mischievous and sometimes seems to have read the book before we did. The author perfectly describes the usual behavior of this breed and, best of all, she provides useful hints and instructions on how to deal with specific situations and problems such as feeding, discipline and playtime. We recommend the book with enthusiasm.



4. As a trainer and breeder of Shih Tzu for over ten years I highly reccomend this book. It has great practical advise and is full of great pictures and stories. I give this to all my Shih Tzu puppy buyers. Enjoy your bundle of joy!!!



5. As the owner of an eight week Shih Tzu, the book provided many good ideas on raising my puppy. This book was recommended by the breeder as a "how to" book.