Pet Books

I liked the way this book communicates. well written.
It actually explains how to train the dog by giving examples and steps.

I tried some items and have seen them to work.
A good amount of the tips I already knew about and follow out of instinct.
So it is not totally impressive but surely it puts thoughts in a structured context and refreshes old concepts.

Training is not only about when to sit and when to fetch, it is about being able to communicate with your poochie friend. If you cannot communicate, then, you cant train (not predictable results for sure) the poochie.

This book gets to the basics of what actually is being communicated by each (a lot if not all) of general behaviours we go through with our Labs.

All in All, a really good Beginer's book to training.

cheers
Ranjith

I wish I had bought this book first!! My lab is 3 months old - and I wish I had this book when I brough her home! It is excellent - great information for a first-time puppy owner! My husband has even learned a few things - and he has had dogs all his life! I highly recommend this book!!

Great book! Excellent condition. Was pleased with the overall timeliness of receiving the merchandise.

It is a good book but I think it should offer more alternatives, specialy on pups training

This book covers all the basics of Labrador care and more! I have had two Labs before and I though I knew everything, but this book helped me in many areas, especially training and obedience!

Earth Prayers From around the World: 365 Prayers, Poems, and Invocations for Honoring the Earth We are finding this book useful each week in our Mass readings and will continue to use it for reflection.

A friend of mine just purchased this book and we read quite a few of the prayers/poems together. They are exquisite; lovely, lovely poems that are a blessing to read and share. I highly recommend this book. Coming from a Christian faith, I found them to be a wonderful bridge to read and share of other faiths and honoring mine as well. I'm purchasing several for Christmas gifts. Wonderful gift for anyone who enjoys the outdoors.

I use this book frequently. It has many wonderful prayers that I share with others. The book was like new and arrived quickly in good condition.

This is an excellent selection of Earth-centered prayers. I borrowed an instructor's copy, and had to acquire a hard-bound copy for myself!

This eclectic collection of prayers, poems, chants, verses, and mantras from all around the world is worth keeping near at all times. A dear friend gave this to me many years ago and I've nearly worn out the copy carrying it with me while sauntering from the Rockies and high Sierra, to the depths of the southwest desert canyons, to the wild Pacific shore. This is truly a wonderful collection of wisdom and inspiration that should be part of everyone's library. Its strength is found in its extensive Native American selections. Its only shortcoming is a scarcity of poetry from the Chinese masters.

By Kyle Gardner, author of Medicine Rock Reflections

This book is a must read for all who are involved in any way with the "pet" bird industry, from the parokeet owner to the scarce macaw collector.
As a person who shares her home with four Macaws and an African Grey, I was certainly aware of the more uncomfortable moral aspects of captive birds, both from the individual bird's viewpoint and from a collection viewpoint. This book presents all the implications of the exotic bird trade in one package. It is well written and well presented. The facts seem to be accurate and impartial.
The topics included are not comfortable for we exotic bird owners, but this book will make you think about, not just the everyday living conditions of individual exotic birds in captivity, but our nation's and the world's public policies on unrenewable living resources like exotic animals.
Everyone who owns a bird should read this book and everyone who is thinking of acquiring a bird should be required to read this book.

Of parrots and people by Mira Tweti, is a vast collaboration of intense research and knowledge regarding parrots. I will have to say it has been quite some time since a book has held my interest so deeply that I spent two days reading it from cover to cover. I didn't want to put it down because I was so appalled at some of Tweti's findings. Tweti is an excellent researcher and has put together a single book that covers more than enough topics from avian history to avian future. Every current bird owner, prospective bird owner, and avian enthusiast should read this book. The stories are both heart wrenching and heartwarming. It really opened my eyes to the nature of bird economics, trapping, smuggling, and species survival/demise. Humans have really impacted the bird world by willingly torturing parrots and violently destroying their ecosystem. The end result is likely extinction of many innocent species. This book will make you truly think about the choices you make for your pets. My own feathered companions live harmoniously with humans, receive excellent care, and are regarded as part of my family. Tweti found that is not the case in most situations. Unlike many birds in unkempt breeding environments and unwanted birds I strive to meet the needs of my avian family members. I am a true animal lover and many of the stories were difficult to fathom. It is truly sickening to see and hear of such tragic situations. I too, have seen firsthand the disgust of neglected breeding environments on more than one occasion. It hurts me deeply. I truly cannot understand why people neglect and abuse such beautiful and intelligent creatures.

Having been involved with parrots for over 30 years and having now having my own Parrot rescue Sanctuary, I can say with conviction that this is one of the most amazing, well researched, delightful books I have ever read! The author covers alot of territory re: all aspects of captivity, abuse, behavior etc. it is a fascinating read and should be a keeper for all involved with parrots in any way or those contemplating acquiring a parrot. I congratulate Mira Tweti on a job well done!I am purchasing several copies for parrot friends. I could not put it down.A truly important and fantastic book! Sabra Brea, Sabra's Parrot Rescue

Love this book, gets you to think in terms of plant groupings & not just on a singular level.

I was looking for a book that would give me a comprehensive guide to xeriscaping with native plants. This book contains one section that approaches my needs but is more of an overview over the native plants of the many diverse vegetation zones of the states. For what it is, it is a nice book. Just not a match for me.

This book is a must have for the California native gardener. I'd say the book's biggest strength is in its' inspiration- contains nice photographs of natural landscapes and gardens modeled after them. It groups plants by communities which is nice, though maybe hard to do. I know I live in an area which doesn't fit exactly into of any of the communities they list, but I can still get the idea they are trying to convey, and look around at what is in my community. California is so diverse you almost want a bunch of more specific and in-depth books for different areas inside California, but I guess maybe those areas of interest are too small to sell enough books to make it worth the while.

It does a good job listing different kinds of plants, my only complaint with this book is that I would have liked more pictures accompanying each plant for which information is given- because you really can't tell from the brief physical description what the plant looks like. As someone else has mentioned, this book is best paired with California Native Plants For The Garden. However, this complaint should be taken with a grain of salt, for designing a California native garden I think this book is the best on the market. Together, these two books provide the backbone to build your California native plant book collection around.

-We need more books like this to make Native Gardening more amenable. What "Landscapers' Challenge" did for Landscaping, this book will hopefully start to do to open up the still rather arcane world of Native Plants. It is practical and full of detailed, appropriate, high quality photographs of sample materials. Visually on par with "Landscape Plants for Western Regions" by Perry.

This book is excellent, with many good photographic examples of complete native landscape. It also set for an excellent philosophy for landscape design for the both the use of native and non-native plants. However it really shouldn't be thought of as a complete source for native gardening. I would also suggest that you pick up 'California Native Plants for the Garden' by Carol Bornstein, David Fross, and Bart O'Brien. Even between these two books all of the possibilities for beautiful California native plants and landscapes created using them have not yet been fully explored, but these books are an excellent start.

Our son loves this book and so do we. We really enjoy reading it to him and it doesn't get boring like many other books. We got it when he was 6 months and now he is 11 months and he picks it all the time for us to read. I look for other books hoping they will be just as good but so far this is his absolute best. We very much reccomend it!

My Daughter is 3 - She loves this book! I don't know how many times I've read it to her!

Great book. Little physical interactions on each page make it fun for the kids. The rhymes are typical Seuss rhymes. How can you go wrong with Seuss?

Great story. I love that the book is set up to have the children interact with it and feel parts of it.

This is a great beginner Dr. Seuss Book.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home"

I got this book to help me identify the snakes we sometimes have in our back yard and pond. It did a good job helping to identify the snakes. When I wanted more detail, I went on the internet and I knew exactly which snake I was researching. It is a good general book that teaches you the basics. It is small, so it is convenient to carry while walking or hiking.

Fantastic book covering all Florida wildlife. You don't have to get a separate bird book, tree book, fish book etc. It has all Florida wildlife in one place. A good deal.

This is an excellent field guide, with tons of color pictures, that cover lots of species of flora, fauna, birds and much more. Even though I am a Florida native, I have personally been using it for many years, and still carry it with me whenever I am outdoors. Our local Audubon chapter has also been providing it to local schools, teachers and children for many years. Highly recommend as a good, general guide to anyone interested in learning about Florida wildlife, plants and trees and much more. Co-president, Flagler Audubon Society

I sent this book to my brother who just relocated to Marco Island. I happened to call him before the date I thought it would arrive and he said he had already used it. It's a great reference book to figure out what kind of critter you're seeing.

I use this in addition to other books (Handbook of Nature Study-Anna Botsford Comstock) For nature Study. Perfect.

I bought the book to help me understand a dog I had adopted who had severe issues. I was on the verge of seperating her from the rest of the family before I read this book. Now with a better understanding of why she has these behavior issues and how best to deal with them, owner and dog along with the other dogs in the home all live happily together. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a dog with behavior issues and truly a desire to work through them. I gave it four stars only because it did not address every problem my dog had.

So many of us adopt a dog and then find out that he/she is aggressive toward other dogs while out walking. I appreciated learning the word "reactive" because it was so apt. This book should be in the hands of everyone who adopts a dog, particularly an adult dog from a shelter. I figured out how to manage without the book but loved reading Brown's book as a check on how well I handled my dog's spontaneous eruptions whenever he spotted another canine anywhere near. I wish I had read this book at the time I most needed it. My 50 pound ruffian still erupts when another dog gets in his face, but now I know what to do. This is a slim easy-to-read manual that gets right to the heart of the problem, explains it, and tells you what to do. And it works.

I read "Scaredy Dog" feeling overwhelmed with my newly adopted reactive dog. The book clearly explained what was going on with my dog, and the step-by-step way I needed to work with her to overcome her reactive behavior. I was very pleased with the common-sense approach and would recommend this book to anyone struggling with a reactive or aggressive dog. I would also recommend "On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals" by Turid Rugaas. It helped to explain what kind of signals I was sending my dog when she reacted to other dogs, and how to send the correct signals to calm down the situation.

I read this book right before meeting with a client with a reactive dog and the little bit I learned was critical.

Very good information in dealing with the difficult reactive dog. Not a textbook, but an easily read paperback.

We have been doing dog breeds reserach, and this book just have it all. Use it, is easy and complete.

I like that this book is easy to breeze through. Each dog breed is listed on a separate, glossy page and the book is set up with a spiral binder. It's better than other dog breed books in being aimed at the consumer who just wants to pick out a breed to buy, not to show. I thought it could go even further in its info about the positives and negatives of each breed as a family pet, for instance, known to bark a lot or being too active for the average suburban household. It briefly touches on these issues. Also, more info on the grooming needs would be good. It says how often to groom but doesn't explain fully if they mean take it to a groomer or do it yourself, and how much this would cost. Some of the possible diseases that each breed can be susceptible to are listed, but no info is given on the illnesses (fatal? possible cures? how often does it occur?). It does show lots of breeds, so that's nice.

THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK, ONE THAT I SELECTED TO BE AN INTERGAL PART OF MY SOON TO PUBLISHED WEB SITE "SELECTING YOUR PERFECT DOG, QUICKLY AND EASILY"

DON SCHULTZ

Sturdy, spiral bound features one breed per page and covers basic information on origin, temperament, upkeep and health. Each breed is rated from 1 to 5 on energy level, exercise requirements, playfulness, affection level, friendliness toward other pets, friendliness toward strangers, ease of training and grooming requirements. A color photo of the head and side view of each breed is included.

I was disappointed with the limited breeds represented and the photographs of those selected. The photographs of several breeds are of selected dogs which do not, in my opinion, accurately represent the breed as a whole. I was not impressed.

I wasn't impressed with the images or the format of this book. With so many horse books out there you could do better.

Great book

I just received this book and am so disappointed in it. I saw a few bad reviews, but most of them were glowing reports, many from experienced horse people about the information provided. I wanted a book about horse equipment, tack, care, etc. because I sometimes feel overwhelmed with all the "stuff" out there and what the purpose of using it is.
The day I received this book my farrier had suggested I try a "stud chain" on my horse the next time he is shod (he is a sweet horse but horrible in this one area). Yes, I thought, now I can look up "stud chain" - - but, NO, that is not in this book.
The book has black and white drawings, which are not very clear or detailed. For example, in the section on bridles there are 6 drawings of bridles, but several of them look very much alike, and although they are described there is NO information about why you would use one style instead of another. That is the type of information that I was expecting. If that is what you are looking for, don't buy this book.

It was very helpful and helped in answering the usual questions that you might be too embarrassed to ask =D It also was good because it had many pictures that aided as well.

I just received this book. I find it quite outdated. The drawings and illustrations are poorly done. There are only a few black and white pictures. Just beware that this is a 1998 book and I am sure you can find a more updated horse book than this one.

Here is a great book I think we all should read. Steingraber's thesis is relatively simple: environmental factors play a much larger role in the increase of cancer than hitherto assumed by individuals, public health officials, and regulators, and we should act accordingly. Her argument is well-researched and takes into account many of the pollutants we find in our air, water, earth, and bodies, and is presented intermittently as narrative and analysis.

I like the structure of the book, the organization into chapters titled "time," "space," "war," and the like. I also like her alternating personal narrative (she is a bladder-cancer survivor, a native of Illinois, a graduate student, a researcher--we find out lots of things) with the cold hard facts and sometimes the fuzzy facts of cancer research and regulation of chemicals. The only thing that holds me back, which is why I gave it four stars, is that the book is a bit too long for my taste at almost 400 pages--I, a layperson, could have done with a bit less detail (though I understand she's covering her bases) and a bit more politics (though I understand she's being careful, not naming too many names).

The best chapter is the final one: if you come across this book and have other things to do, at least read the last chapter--most convincing is her deconstruction of the public policy of 'personal responsibility': sure, some cancers may be associated with personal lifestyle, but more important are the things we have little individual control over, such as the air we breathe, the land our kids play on, the streams we swim in. Blame, Steingraber implies/states (she's not always so outspoken), lies less with us citizens, taxpayers, cancer patients, than with the companies that manufacture products and byproducts that may be carcinegous and are simply allowed to do so until proven otherwise, and the regulators (our government, at all levels) who let them do so. Bravo--it needed to be said, and I'm glad Steingraber did it.

There's an image that stands out from this book, that encapsulates its heart and soul... the image of a petri dish with a deceased nun's "immortal" breast cells. These cells live on in cancer research, continuing to divide and offer themselves up, though the nun has since passed on. Regarding these cells, Steingraber makes the comment, "This is my body broken for you."

A body broken for us. That is Steingraber herself, who was diagnosed with cancer, as a young woman still in college. A heart broken for us. Again, it is Steingraber, as she loses her best friend to cancer and reveals some of her most intimate thoughts about the experience. And it is all the bodies that still pile up in brokenness... one in three Americans now get cancer, she reminds us.

It is also the brokenness of animals, soil, earth, water, and air--each of which she examines with a keen scientific eye, loads of research, and surprising poignancy.

Reading this book, one questions not so much why we, or our fathers, or our sisters get cancer, but why we as a society let this brokenness go on and think we can be immune from its effects. I wish that we'd all read this book and begin to put the pieces together again.

Anyone who has ever wondered about the environmental causes of cancer will be fascinated by this book. Steingraber is a gifted writer and a solid scientist (a rare but good combination) and she weaves scientific research and personal story together in a skillful way. The gist is that damning results from initial studies on the environmental causes of cancer need further study, but when all these initial studies are brought together like this it surely seems we are our own worst enemy when it comes to these terrible illnesses.

Because of the immense importance of the subject matter- chemical contamination of our environment, this book was written for a general audience and Ms Steingraber's writing style flows with easy to understand, but alarming expose' of the hazards of chemicals in our environment.

It is a beautiful continuation of Rachel Carson's work of environmental responsibility and the examination of the dangers of chemical contamination of our shared world.
Ms Carson's famous book, "Silent Spring", published in 1962, opened up to the public the hideous side-effects of chemicals, i.e., cancer causing, biome pollution and disruption, and killing of non-targeted species. Remember the Brown Pelican and Bald Eagle almost being killed-off from DDT poisoning? Carson's work eventually led to the banning of that harmful chemical, but as Ms Steingraber so expertly points out, there is a plethora of other dangerous chemicals on the market that tests have shown should not be.

Sandra Steingraber wrote her book over 35 years after "Silent Spring" and having the benefit of a huge amount of accumulated evidence of chemical side-effects and personal experience with the serious health problems caused by chemical contamination of our environment, she has put together a powerful indictment of the irresponsibility of industry and government alike in their continuing agenda of down-playing the dangers of chemicals and this constitutes one of the most irresponsible and insidious snake-oil scams ever perpetrated against life.

Huge corporate profits from the sale of deadly, often-time untested or inadequately tested chemicals purchase lackadaisical government over-sight and slick advertising on the "benefits" of chemicals.

This book is well researched and concise, yet will give simple explanations of such topics as "biomagnification"- the accumulation of chemicals the higher up the food chain we go. Most importantly, is the topic of "risk as recklessness" in taking dangerous chemicals to market without proper safety testing, but especially allowing known carcinogens to remain on the market long after they have proven to be harmful, hence, government complicity.

And the governments stand on this? They publish guidelines for changing one's "lifestyle" to help reduce chemical exposure! In other words, they attempt to shift responsibility for health on to the public who has no control over or proper warnings of where these chemicals are and most ludicrous of this is the fact that the spread of chemicals cannot be controlled once released into the environment, so they're everywhere and unavoidable. A good summation of this irresponsible nonsense is quoted from the anthropologist, Martha Balshem: [In the end, Balshem came to believe the lesson she was transmitting-"accept authority and accept blame"-was the wrong one]. (p 262) Indeed!

The Epilog starting on page 285 is a good resource guide for finding out more about chemicals, government agencies "responsible" for monitoring their use, where chemicals are concentrated, educational materials, etc.

Sandra Steingraber has put together a beautiful, important and educational statement in this book and it is one of the most profound publications of it's type since "Silent Spring". I found it to be a great honor to Rachel Carson's legacy- thank you Ms Steingraber!

This is a powerful and moving account that dissects, piece by piece, the system which allows cancer-causing chemical agents to be released within the United States, primarily by corporations.

Cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber is a poet at heart, and a scientist by trade. For me, the weakest parts of the book were the ones in which the poet takes over, speaking in deeply personal dramatic tones that, quite frankly, made me a little uncomfortable.

Much more interesting is the scathing indictment of the processes by which chemicals are regulated in the United States. With impeccable logic, Steingraber frightens the bejeezus out of us by demonstrating that, when it comes to protecting the environment and public health, no one is driving the bus.

The vast majority of chemicals released into the environment have not been held up to proper scrutiny. For chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or other problems, there is an almost impossibly high burden of proof put on those who seek to have the chemicals banned.

Steingraber builds the case, simultaneously removing all doubt that certain chemicals are responsible for cancer outbreaks in certain areas while showing us that the case cannot be proved to the satisfaction of the regulatory agencies (who are themselves heavily influenced by the offending companies).

A detective story, an expose, and a lyrical narrative all in one, Steingraber has given concrete form to the sometimes-vague notion that Corporate America is behind many of our country's biggest threats.