Pet Books

This book was excellent for my 8yr. old. It contains lots of information on horses without being too overwhelming. The color photos and scale depictions of size really captured her interest. I would definitely recommend this book for kids who are not actively involved in equestrian activities but want to learn more about different breeds of horses. The one draw-back I found was that my daughter collects figurines of different breeds, and some we just could not find in the book.

The pictures are nice. But otherwise this is just your average guidebook to horses. The information is easy to understand and some of it, like the heights of horses, is represented visually. But if you are looking to know a little bit about a lot of breeds, this would be a good book for you.

This a really cool book! I read it from cover to cover. I learned stuff about horses that I never knew and learned about breeds of horses that I never knew existed! This a good book for beginner horsenuts.

I have been taking riding for two years.Just a couple of days ago my instructor said I was the smart intellect of my age group at the barn.I think getting this book really helped. It covers a lot of breeds and information on them.This book is great so if your horse crazy I would reccomend getting this book!!!

I am so glad that I purchased this book. I needed a reference guide to help me identify different breeds of horses and ponies for the Photo Model Horse Shows that I have been participating in. Since I will eventually judge a show, I needed to be prepared to classify horse breeds from the photograph entries that will be sent to me. It is easy to read, the photographs are lovely, and there were only a few breeds not listed. Good job!

My daughter is 20 months old and loves Elmo. We read this book every night in the bath to her. She loves books and has enjoyed having an Elmo book at bath time.

This is my baby boys favorite book...nice bright colors which really hold his attention. He LOVES it when I pull out the Elmo book and is not too interested in some of the other bathtub books with softer colors.

This book is six sentences long. I'm not looking for War and Peace, but six sentences? My son (12 months) has no interest in the the artwork or story, and the only value to me is that I know I can now have a career as a children's author with the bar this low. If you haven't bought Water, Water Everywhere (Baby Einstein), buy it and skip this waste of money.

A favorite of my 10 month old granddaughter. The
pictures, colors and rhymes are age appropriate!!

Great book for bath time or the high chair. It's easy to clean. It makes a great filler when you want the free shipping.

Dr. Loving has done it again with this comprehensive horse owner's "survival' guide. There is nothing left untouched and every horse owner needs to have this book in their library. I read it cover to cover and have dragged it out on many occasions for answers to questions. Dr. Loving converts equine science into lay terms with outstanding photographs illustrating the topic of discussion. I can't thank her enough for her concern for the horse and the years spent compiling this amazing book. I just wish I lived closer to her clinic in Colorado to utilize her vet skills 'hands-on'.

This book I have found to be very valuable as a reference book particularly for people who take their horse sport seriously. I myself am into endurance, and have found absolutely everything I needed to know about what can possibly go wrong with an endurance horse, whether it be training techniques, nutrition, lameness, etc etc. The detail is immnense, and I have not found any veterinary condition not written about, and yet it is easy to understand, and very readable. There are photos and diagrams on almost every page, and the book is 565 pages long, plus has a huge appendix, and bibliography section at the end. I would strongly recommend this book to any competitive horse owner.

This is an exceptionally good reference book, a must-have for horse owners. The photographs are extremely well done. Many are by Dr. Loving herself, and illustrate exactly the points made in the text. I gave this book only 4 of 5 stars because the information on infectious diseases and vaccines is not up to par.

Every horse owner should have a copy of this book. And with the price being less than a vet's farm call, it will pay for itself many times over. What I really appreciated about the book was that it isn't so technical that you need a medical degree to understand it, yet at the same time it is very thorough and the pictures, wow the pictures! For example not only are you told how to care for a deep wound, but how it should look at various staging of healing. How many times have you treated a wound and called the vet daily wondering if it's healing o.k. or getting worse?

The only thing that I was a tad disappointed in was most of the hoof shots showed shod horses and I am practicing natural hoof care and barefoot trimmning. But if you want a book on Barefoot Hoof Care, you should order a book specific to that topic. This book, it covers everything else you will ever wonder about with your horse and health related problems.

I don't call many of my 1000 books a "bible" of whatever subject, but this is my "bible" of horse health.

If only one comprehensive horse care 'bible' were to be chosen for a library, it should be the extensive and well-illustrated reference ALL HORSE SYSTEMS GO: THE HORSE OWNER'S FULL-COLOR VETERINARY CARE AND CONDITIONING RESOURCE FOR MODERN PERFORMANCE, SPORT AND PLEASURE HORSES. Written by a horse vet specialist, it packs in not only the anticipated horse care and health solutions chapters, but includes tips on fitness, conditioning, and much more. Small color photos throughout add interest but the meat is in the chapters of medical insights backed by a practicing vet's long-time experience: chapters which can save a horse's life whether consulted quickly in an emergency or used as preventative points. Over 600 pages of facts and a clear organizational structure makes it quick and easy for horse owners to gain immediate access and insights - or for library patrons to use it as an instant reference.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

As a first-time dog owner, and the owner of a cattle dog myself, I thought I would love this book. Katz is living my dream of farm life surrounded by a menagerie of animals. Even my dream wasn't enough to keep me going through this book.

There's no real plot, just random observances from Katz on the nature of animals and ruminations on his, according to him, declining health. To say he sees animals as mere products, work partners but little else, is an understatement.

This quote pretty well sums up how he feels about his dogs: "I can't for example, subscribe to the notion that the acquisition of every dog represents a lifetime commitment, a bond that must never be altered or broken... I don't believe that dogs possess much self-awareness or consciousness, despite a growing belief to the contrary. They're probably more intelligent than cows, and far more attached to people than sheep, but, like the other animals on the farm, they live in the moment, largely by instinct. They won't spend much time feeling miserable if a new owner provides affection, recreation, health care -- and dinner...I don't believe in taking extraordinary measures to keep dogs alive beyond their natural spans, not in a world where few humans have basic healthcare."

He grumbles a lot about his health, how his back hurts constantly from the work, etc. even though he has several hired hands who provide his animals with the love he seems unable to give. He chides one for feeding treats to the animals, for assigning human meaning to their bland world as products.

He lauds his collie, Rose, but mostly admires her work ethic. He admits she's a loner and has little to do with him. Meanwhile he sends her out even when she's sick, under the guise that she loves to work.

He spends a great deal of time talking about people who say the farm is so well-run, the animals so cared for. He admits he quickly kills or gives away any animal that doesn't fulfill his notion of running a tight ship. He has what he calls a beloved dog put to sleep for biting. He has an ailing donkey shot and calls a man to haul off the carcass, seeming to thoroughly enjoy the "efficiency" of the task. He gives away a loving dog because he's found a new one.

He calls his dogs sluts and whores because they seek attention from visitors. He frequently says he's unwilling to spend too much money on health care because these are, after all, only farm animals. He says he sincerely doubts there's anything going on inside his dogs' heads. He chalks them up to being motivated by nothing grander than the basic instincts of food and sex.

Beyond all that though, the book plods along like life on the farm. He repeats himself, sometimes on the same page. There's no clear direction of where he's trying to go, he just mixes together events as they occur to him.

This is one of the first books I've ever had to force myself to keep reading, and I regret that. I was looking forward to it. I grew weary of his complaints about how his perfect life was less than perfect -- so far from perfect as to almost be an annoyance. For all his supposed hard work, he comes off as exactly what he is, a spoiled big city author trying to pretend he's just "regular folk" while he stands among real farmers and talks about his "hobby farm." He admits he has no real reason to herd the sheep other than to revel in the "training" of his dogs.

His treatment of his farm as a grand experiment reminds me of a kid with an ant farm, occasionally throwing new kinks into the stability just to see what will happen, dumping animals out like the disposable creatures he believes them to be when they require too much time, affection, or money.

Anyone who loves animals and enjoys reading about them should try the James Herriot series instead. I won't read another book by this author not just because of his philosophy, but because he's a poor writer, and no one enjoys having to slog through a book, even in the last 15 pages.

I listened to the audio version of this book. The reader's voice had a bit of gravel in it which made for a believable autobiographical narrative. Jon Katz will entertain you with stories of his animals, the farm, and his expositional speaking on what it all means to him. Life is ironic because what he says he believes versus what he does are not always the same thing. This may grate some readers - that is why I give this book 4 stars. Also one chapter on how to talk farmer really was not necessary for the story. A plus is that you fall in love with the animals when reading this book.

Jon Katz writes dog stories from the heart. His warm anecdotes of life with multiple animals at Bedlam Farm, in upstate New York, fill the reader with peace. Wrung emotionally and physically from living in the big city, Katz has bought Bedlam Farm and become a gentleman farmer. His choice brings with it new realities. Life on a working sheep farm is a far step from that of an apartment in Brooklyn. His wife Paula, a working woman in her own right, respects her husband's move but does not embrace the radical change for herself. She keeps a home in the city and hibernates to the farm on most weekends.

The reality at Bedlam Farm is that much work needs to be done. Strong border collie stock, led by a dog named Rose, is the heart of the operation. Katz mourns the loss of his first dog-love, Orson, whose tumultuous life is chronicled in A GOOD DOG. Katz makes the best decision for the good of both the farm and the dog when Orson is put down. Orson's memory creeps onto the pages of DOG DAYS but in no way diminishes Katz's love for his remaining animals, of which there are many.

Katz realizes early on that the key to a successful operation is having good people in charge. Trained as a writer, not as a farmer, he sees in Annie DiLeo his strong counterpart. She's compassionate and a balance for his pragmatism. He has the ultimate say, however, when tough decisions are required. When Katz becomes impatient, Annie communicates with the animals. Pearl and Clementine are two lovable Labs, while Rose (and soon Izzy) claims a border collie's right to sheepherding. Elvis, a new arrival to Bedlam Farm, creates a clamor of his own. He's a lumbering piece of flesh, a gigantic, apple-loving Brown Swiss steer. Four donkeys, a herd of sheep, a rooster, chickens and a barn cat complete the menagerie at Bedlam. Katz's limitation is his arthritic back. He finds the feeding, care and clean-up an increasing chore, especially in winter, so Annie's help is a daily welcome.

When Katz receives a phone call from a friend, rescue-person Amy, he's hesitant to respond positively. Katz is drawn to rescue but realizes that it could become a preoccupation. He has helped Amy place a number of animals but has not welcomed one to Bedlam. A farm has sold; puppies need a home as does their parent, a three-year-old border collie named Izzy. Never housebroken, and raised mostly in a caged area outside, the dog's plight tears at Katz's sense of right. Izzy is an out-of-control hurler who thrives on human attention. His first ride in a car is home to Bedlam Farm with Katz. It's to be a temporary solution, but Izzy becomes a permanent fixture there. He even learns from Rose to herd the sheep and becomes quite good at it. According to Katz: "I loved him very much, and he had strongly attached himself to me."

The clever chapter titles mislead. "The Whore of Bedlam" reminds one of saloons and devious living. Katz's whore turns out to be a lovable Labrador named Clementine. By definition, Katz conjectures that a prostitute is one who sells his or her favors. Clem, according to her owner, "will give it up --- anytime, anywhere --- for a sliver of beef jerky." He sees her love of all people not as disloyalty to him but as the quality he loves most about her.

Katz's half-dozen books about animals throw his audience a bone that continues to please. His self-learned expertise on the rigors and joys of owning dogs, sheep, cows, donkeys and smaller farm animals is a story told with ease. I am an avowed Katz fan at present and eagerly anticipate more tales from Bedlam Farm. DOG DAYS is a book to warm the soul when one is weary.

--- Reviewed by Judy Gigstad

Wonderful series of Katz books. I saw the piece on CBS Sunday morning and immediately bought this book. Great reading!!

While Jon Katz is controversial in some circles for non-professional dog management, his Bedlam Farm memoirs are captivating and gritty. They detail the activities of the farm's dogs, donkeys, sheep, cat, steer, chickens--and the man himself, who gets by with lots of support from more country-wise locals.

With his flight from urban professionalism well-documented in A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me and Running to the Mountain: A Midlife Adventure, Katz continues the Bedlam Farm series with this book about his third year of "hobby farming" in upstate New York. He's been at it long enough to improve his lambing skills and to establish an Easter tradition (reading from St. Augustine to the dogs and then bringing the sheep down the meadow above the church).

Katz writes without undue sentiment about farm life. He counts himself as a newcomer whose animals are "somewhere between products and pets." (p 29) The sheep-herding border collie, Rose, and the affectionate Labs Clementine and Pearl (the "Love Twins") are his constant companions; when a second border collie joins the menage, things get complicated. His wife lives and works in the city but to Katz's satisfaction is learning to enjoy her visits to the farm.

I found this book more satisfying than the earlier The Dogs of Bedlam Farm: An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys, and Me because Katz is so much more assured in farm matters. An entertaining read.

Linda Bulger, 2008

My husband and I have really enjoyed this book. We are getting our new bulldog pup in a few weeks and can't wait!!!

This book offers alot on bulldogs. It's a must have if you're a first bulldog owner or not.

I liked this book both because it was easy and undertandable to read and because it is a source for many good tips.

I am in the process of getting my first bulldog and this book was a helpful introduction to the breed and addressed my initial concerns about adopting a bulldog. It has great pictures and helpful tips about bringing home a new puppy. My only disappointment was that it lacked substantial and glossed over many topics such as training. Overall, great book for beginners though!

My boyfriend had an English bulldog as a child and wants one now very badly,so we have started the process. I thought this would be a good book to read and refresh him on being a bulldog owner. The pictures in the book are adorable,the information is thorough and gives you information on the breed history,how to pick the bulldog and the whole puppy process. I would highly recommend buying this book.

Although the arrival/condition of the book was perfect, the content was very limited. I learned nothing new and feel I wasted my money. My parrot is still obnoxious. I had so hoped I would learn techniques to change his behavior.

To preface, I'm a bit biased as I am seemingly more in-tune with my birds than most folks are with theirs. Most birds seem to like me, and the behavior solutions in this book are mostly second nature to me. A good book for the flustered who need reassurance to follow the right path.

This is a good book for advanced bird owners. Its not really clear enough alot of the time to understand from a beginners perspective. I would highly recommend this book to someone who already has some knowledge of companion birds.

A must read for all parrot owners. The advice in this book works. Barbara Heidenreich is one of the very best behavioral consultants in the world. Get this book so you can have the best relationship possible with your companion parrot.Even if you think the relationship is good now, it will become better after you read the book.

This book, along with Ms. Heidenreich's other book, The Parrot Problem Solver, are the best books I've come across dealing with companion parrots. If you understood why your bird is behaving as it does, you can deal with it more effectively. Kindness and reward go far with a companion bird (and, even though Ms. Heidenreich didn't mention it, 11-12 hours of covered cage/darkness a day does, too) than all the reprimanding in the world (which a parrot does not understand). A parrot, much like a cat, is not going to do anything he doesn't want to do, but unlike a cat, you can convince a parrot to want what you want, too. Tell him he's a good bird when he's quiet. Give him a reward when he says something nice. Understand you are his teacher, not his mate and not his slave. Punish him by turning your back, reward him by giving attention and praise. Parrots are a lot like toddlers - they need to be constantly taught how to be good and their companions need to be able to recognize the behaviors (sometimes extremely hard to see) that signal overexcitement, frustration and anger. Excellent book I'd recommend to any bird "owner."

This book was extremely interesting to me because I love cats and it explained some of the puzzling behaviors that can arise. I found it fascinating that this woman was able to actually think like a cat to figure out what was causing the strange behaviors. It is both humorous and educational. It gives great insight into explaining various cat behaviors. I highly recommend it to any cat owner.

I had the best experience while reading this book - a purring cat curled up in my lap. I laughed at some of these stories, cried at others (especially the one about Angel). The book also reinforced for me how important it is to have interactive play sessions with your cat each day.

I am the proud mother of three cats and two kids. Sometimes we all have problems living in sync with each other. This book let me know that there are many cat owners worse off than I am. All of the chapters were hilarious except for one. I wont say which one, but I cried for ten minutes after I read it. Everyone will really enjoy this treasure and it may tell you things about your kitties you never knew. According to the book, there are no such things as bad kitties, just miscommunications between kitties/owners.

My husband got this book for me for Christmas and the next day I sat down and read the whole thing in one sitting. It is very engaging, and it gave me some insight into the zany behavior of my own two cats. Some of the stories were funny, some were sad but all were touching. I would highly reccomend this book for any cat lover.

Excellent book, throughly enjoyed. The stories presented by Johnson-Bennett will make you laugh, even cry, and definately THINK! Reading these stories can give you insight in providing a more enriching homelife for your feline companion, maybe even tell you how your cat can tell you if your spouse cheating. This book is a page turner.

This is an exceptional book. I was intimidated by its size, but thought I'd just read the little part concerning the "cismontane" region which is southern California. I read the first line in that first chapter and was HOOKED! Schoenherr's writing is full of vitality and really draws a person in. I'll soon be taking a naturalist class at my local community college because I've found I really enjoy hiking and understanding the natural history in my area of southern California.

Discover the real world around YOU through this book, if you're visiting or living in California.

This book was an excellent resource for my research papers, and for my CA history classes. The details are wonderful! This book is a must read if you plan on majoring in History (in the state of CA) or if you are planning on teaching in California.

This well thought out introduction to the natural setting of California is a must for anyone that either lives in the state or is planning a visit. I used this book as a reference in a report I wrote on California's environment. The all emcompassing narratives about flora, fauna, geology, geography and the wonder of California, makes this book priceless! This is by far the most thorough book on California's native environment that I have seen. Augment this book with, Audobon's Guide to California, and you have a history, guide and interesting information about California to make any vacation or field trip into a journey of unfathomable wonder of California and the natural environment that most of us fail to take advantage of and appreciate. This book really is a must have for anyone who considers themselves a Californian.

If you have an interest in natural history, especially of California's natural history, this is an excellent book. The reader learns all sorts of fascinating things, practically from page one. It is very comprehensive in its breadth while not requiring high-level courses in geology, zoology, botany, etc. to understand it. The writer does buy into a couple of ideas that I think are influenced more by eco-religion than ecological science, but he attempts to maintain scientific discipline and does not harangue the reader with political axe-grinding. He writes in a readable, objective, tone that doesn't get in the way of the interesting "hard" facts conveyed in a clear, interesting style.

The book is an excellent survey text of natural history, California's in particular. I'm an immigrant to California from the Midwest, and did not have the advantage of learning about my adopted state during my school years. I have been looking for a good comprehensive book explaining the formation of the geography and an explanation of the operation of nature here in this state. This is the best book I have found on this subject since I moved here five years ago.

If you are an amateur naturalist, like myself, even just to the extent of having a fondness for programs like Discovery Channel, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, and the National Geographic Specials, you'll like this book. If you're a California parent, the book is really useful for answering the questions kids ask about the world around them.

This book is a crucial reference for anyone interested in natural patterns, Southen California flora and fauna, and environmental design! Highly recommended! It should be on your shelf! How about we make it required reading for all California residents so everyone can appreciate the natural beauty and brilliance of this great part of the planet?!!

This was a great book and what made it even better was that it included resources at the end so you could get involved. The book is well written, draws you in and makes you feel like a part of each rescue and tragedy. I plan on reading this again and again. It gives you hope that one person can make a difference one or two dogs at a time

I loved this book! I found it very inspirational and motivational. Thanks to people like Randi, I have the most amazing little rescue dog and I love reading about other successful rescues as well. As a dog lover who also sometimes volunteers for dog rescue in the Bay Area, I was touched by Randi's stories. I also love her spiritual approach, of searching for divine order in a chaotic world. The book has inspired me to begin volunteering/fostering for rescue again, and to give dogs that might appear unreachable a second chance.

A current trend in books about dogs is that the dog(s) serve as a back drop for the author to talk about himself or herself. This book is not one of those books. And Randi Berger does a wonderful job telling the dogs' amazing stories.

I truly enjoyed reading this book about troubled dogs who are rehabilitated by Ms. Berger and end up as wonderful pets.

Berger's stories of her years managing her full-time dog rescue organization are not only entertaining, but inspiring and sometimes painful to read. This is real-life in the dog-rescue world. Very hard work. You really get a sense of the committment and the endless effort it takes to run a successful rescue organization. Berger laces her book with humor, wit, and lots of great dog photos so you can really get a feel for each of the dog characters she writes about. I recommend this book to ANY dog lover...but especially to those who've rescued a dog from the street, a shelter, or a bad situation. You will enjoy this book. A must-have for your dog library!

This is a most enjoyable book and the first I have read to tell how someone begins a dog rescue group. I got my dog from one and have wanted to know more about these groups. The writer should continue to tell her story of dog rescue and of other such groups as well. Her writing style is entertaining and informative.

I was recently found out that my great dane has extreme hearing difficulties and will more than likely be totally deaf within a year. I looked for books regarding deaf dogs. There were not many out there. I purchased this book and it was a wonderful beginning. I have gone on to purchase a pocket dictionary of signing and am working my own signs in with my dog. I recommend anyone who is just starting out working with a deaf dog to read this book.

The book was helpful and offered suggestions that I didn't think of. It was nice to hear someone's perspective on the matter.

I was freaking out when I found out my new baby(pup) is deaf. "Living With a Deaf Dog" was a life saver. I felt so more at ease after reading the first few pages. I also had family and friends that interact with Kiko read it. Kiko was my wild child and is now on her way to being a well behaved adult.

This book tremendously helped me understand my 3 yr. old deaf dog, Patch so much better. I didn't understand some of his behaviors and I could not find helpful books at the library. From the author's stories, tips, and advice, I have a much better understanding of what he goes through and why he exhibits some behaviors. I've had him for a year with trial especially with walking him. Since I've read this book, he and I have a much better understanding of each other. He is so willing to learn, the tips the author gave proved to be so useful! Great book! Thank you!

This book truelly provides an insight into deaf dogs and ways to assist ones communication problems. At last I have found a book that shares my awareness and provides deaf dogs with a chance in life for survival.