Pet Books

All dog owners could use this but for the Berner owner it is great...

We just purchased a new AKC BMD and we utilize this book often. Good purchase...

I heard this was a great book, and I ordered it May 1st . . . Amazon asked me twice over the next 2 months if I still wanted the book because it was taking so long to ship. The order was finally cancelled in July! I would certainly buy this book if I saw it in a bookstore - Amazon's "usually ships in 12 to 14 days" just didn't hold true for me.

Great foundational book for someone looking for useful information on living with a Bernese Mountain Dog. Well written, easy to understand and can be a quick reference.

Our kennel gives one of these books to every puppy buyer.

Anyone needing more info than this book offers.

This book is a general guide for all breeds and does have some photos of bernese mountain dogs and it covers all types of health problems, training, and puppy info and other important issues in owning dogs, however it is in general covering all dog breeds and I would recommend "Bernese Mountain Dogs by "Amy Christiansen". However, these are two of the top books that I would give to anyone who has an interest in the Bernese Mountain Dog. I presently own both books.
Garret DeGraff
Newton, NJ USA

Very humorous account of our dogs less than civilized behavior. Great little gift for the novice dog owner.

This is a great book for animal lovers. If you have a dog you may not miss Why Do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet. You can lern so much about dogs behaviour, etc. Very much recommended reading. I also liked
The Dog Who Rescues Cats: True Story of Ginny, The

This book not only taught us things about our dog, it did it with a laugh. There were so many different things stated in the book that my husband and I were suprised. Where I live sometimes there is a lot of thunder. The book explained to make the noise of the thunder game time so our dog does not get scared. We do that now. It is great. Whe does not get scared and we do not lose that much sleep. If it was not for the book, she would still be a little freaky about thunder type noises. We appreciate the humor of the book and the education it offers.

Marty Becker, DVM, combines his encyclopedic knowledge of dogs and a great sense of humor into a book that is both funny and useful in informing us of why dogs do and don't do certain things. The reasons for their different behaviors are explained in simple and easy to understand terms, but in a way that amuses us while it informs us. This book makes a great gift or Christmas present for yourself and the dog lovers in your life.

This book has helped me understand my dog, and I think he is happier too!

I second all the other 5 star reviews! "Ian Dunbar's books are the best in positive dog training available." Simple, straighforward, easy to read and easy to follow instructions. No new dog owner should be without this and his Before and After You Get Your Puppy" books! I've followed his methods and took some classes at Sirius Dog Training, which teach his methods, and couldn't be happier with my two happy dogs! They are a delight to live with.

Don't hesitate for a second before buying this and his other books. If more dog owners tried his methods, which are so humane, the dog populations at shelters would plummet! So many dogs are sent to shelters because the owners don't understand that dogs don't understand from birth what we expect of them - they have to be taught!!! The best way to teach is to understand the animal's nature and why it behaves as it does, which leads to understanding how to teach it what you want. People who tell you their dog is just stubborn or who tell you that you have to dominate the dog and show it who's boss are showing their ignorance about dogs and training. Give them this book!

Ian Dunbar's books are the best in positive dog training available. Easy to read, easy to follow instructions. Practical no nonsense solutions. All new dog owners should read this book and Before and After You Get Your Puppy!

My dog is a product of Dr. Dunbar's training techniques. He is a dream dog! Consequently, I give his books to all my friends and family who have puppies. These books are easy to read and follow and best of all, they work!

All I can say is that this book should go home with all new dog/puppy owners! It really is a must have, it's exactly what Dr. Dunbar say's "Efficient, Effective, Easy, Efficacious, Enjoyable, and Expedient". It's easy for kids to use too.

This book is written in a way that is down to earth and easy to understand, even for a first time dog owner. Dr. Dunbar's advice actually works! Just follow it and be consistent! It worked for my dog, it can work for yours too! Great pictures and even a training plan. You need this book!

The author writes from legendary experience as a thoroughbred trainer. Of course with any knowledge presented it can not possibly include every little detail regarding the subject but certain it can only enhance the experience one can acquire as a trainer.

Be that as it may, my motive behind purchasing this material was not that of becoming a trainer, but rather to become an outstanding horseplayer. To me, the more a horseplayer can learn about the horses including important details about how thoroughbreds are trained, the better.

This book offers exactly the information desired about training. I truly recommend others reviewing this material and also let me know what you think about the information, perhaps we can dialogue about the sport of training thoroughbreds. All the best! --- Stanley Pall

If you are just starting out in this business, you should read this book. Preston Burch gives you a simple, direct and enlightening understanding of thoroughbred horses. This book may have been published almost 50 years ago but in every advancement man has made we constantly find ourselves going back to old knowledge and wisdom.

If every owner had a trainer like Preston Burch, there would be a lot more owners.

This is a cornerstone book for a racing library. There is a large amount of fundamental training information in this simply written little book.

The sections on conditioning schedules are invaluable. The degree of conditioning Burch afforded his horses is probably unmatched today.

Read this book, and then end it to your trainer (if he can read).

Impossible that present day horses would beat any horse trained by Preston Burch. Just read the exercise prescriptions in this book and be blown away. I certainly was. Here is carefully controlled training by a trainer understanding that his horses are participating in an athletic event. This is a book about conditioning equine athletes and also contains every other aspect of training and caring for thoroughbred race horses in a well written book by an individual who apparently understood the great care required. I held off reading this fearing it was dated, but what a pleasant surprise to find the extreme if succinct comprehensiveness here, every aspect is covered by a fellow who tried to do everything correctly. This is Ivers before Ivers, and one does wonder whatever happened to trainers like Max Hirsch and Preston Burch.

This book was basic but helpful. There are things in this book that my dog will learn to help assist my mom.

Teamwork II was easy to read. It presents options for each command, allowing anyone to train their own service dog.

This info not available elsewhere as far as I know!
Barbara Graham, Cloverdale, CA

I've just started reading Teamwork I. I am very impressed. I believe that the writers cover many concerns regarding training your dog as a disabled person. The book calms and gives you confidence that you can train your dog and gives you precise steps on how to train your dog. I would assume that Teamwork II would follow suit.

It is very breif, and lacks a lot of detail, which I would personally have found helpful. It would be useful for those with impaired mobility to find ways to achieve basic obedience and some other skills for their dogs. It is very poor in relation to public access skills and requirements.

I've trained 3 labs with this book, and am working on the fourth! Of course Labs are happy to please, but they also can remain perpetual two-year olds without training! I started my labs very young (even younger than Koehler recommends) because I was afraid they'd get too big to correct correctly. However, I'm now working on a hyper, all-legs 1.5 yr old dog and am so pleasantly surprised that the method works just as well as before!

I've received numerous compliments when out walking with my dogs and they are heeling well, not darting off, and returning on command when off-leash. I even had a two-year old in diapers neighbor girl "walk" my dog around the block on many occasions....she (the dog) was that well-behaved! (Well, the girl is a sweetie too).

If you really read the book, do what it says, CONSISTENTLY, you will find you have an animal that is happy, trustworthy, and who you can be truly proud to show off. There is nothing in this book that harms your dog....it is just teaching him/her who is really the boss. And there is an added bonus that your pockets won't smell like dog treats!

My husband and I got this book several years ago when we moved from the country, where our four BIG dogs ran loose, to the city where they had to be on a leash. I often had to walk all four of them myself and was used to being dragged down the street. It was a dangerous situation for them, me, and our neighbors.

We followed the instructions in the first Chapter. After a couple of weeks of preparing them (the preparation is key), they had their first real training session. After ONE correction they were like new dogs - NEVER pulling on the leash again. Our daily walks became so enjoyable for them and me. We did not use any further Chapters since we really just wanted to leash train them.

I'll admit I was initially squeamish about using this approach. I now believe it is more humane to use an approach like this properly, rather than spending weeks or months on techniques that frustrate the owner and dog. The results really were amazing and I highly recommend this book.

This is one of the best ways to train your dog. I used this method in a class taught many years ago and that dog was the best trained dog I have ever had. Unfortunately, the place closed. I tried another method of training on my new dog but got this book because nothing compares to this type of training.

I don't like the idea of using pain to train pet dogs. It seems that by using some of Koehler's methods you could win the battle, but lose the war;
that is, you stop the behavior, but the dog doesn't like you anymore.
What point is it to have a pet that doesn't like you or is afraid of you?
Does submissive urination make for a better dog? Also, many professional trainers don't recommend painful punishment techniques for beginner dog trainers.

Incredibly, this book lacks any discussion of socialization - essential for preventing fear aggression.

I also question Koehler's assumption that dogs have evil, vindictive motives.

I would recommend "The Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson. She relies on research that studies how animals learn. She also exposes many of the common myths - some of which I used to believe myself.

I've owned and used this book's approach to training my dogs for decades. The benefits of owning an OBEDIENT and well-trained dog cannot be fully explained - but I think it's the only way to live. The problems most of us have with dogs are due to the owners who refuse to do what it takes to get control of their animals and allow the animal to dominate everyone's attention due to the pathetic lack of discipline and respect.

This book teaches the essentials of good behavior, something that's missing in today's society. A little discipline and mutual respect is the foundation for this method of dog training, I've owned some of the most well-trained and respected Labrador retrievers that serve as the finest family pets AND guard dogs anyone could wish for. Well-disciplined animals only bark when there's a very good reason to bark...unlike some people's nuisance animals that bark at every person who walks down the street, or even going into spastic barking fits at the sound of an acorn falling off a tree.

This book builds a foundation that lasts a lifetime, use it and you'll never have a "bad dog" ruin your sleep again!

My roommate owns a cat so I bought this book as a gift for her birthday. She let me borrow it when she was done and I have to say, I learned a lot of cats! The book is very informative but very easy to read. The witty illustrations that accompanied it was just perfect. I also own the Dog manual and enjoy it greatly myself!

If you are looking for an informative book that is easy to read and comprehend, and enjoyable, this is the one for you. It covers practically everything to owning a Cat!

A funny and great book for the first time cat owner, or anyone who loves cats.

Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" editor "Of A Predatory Heart"

I read the book from cover to cover - it's an easy read for an informational book. I used it for a good overview and also have a more detailed "reference" book that I refer to if specific problems arise with my cat.

I picked this book up because I am a cat lover. When I started reading the book I found myself laughing as well as learning things I never knew about the care and training of my cat. It is formatted to read similiar to a automobile manual, which I thought was very humorous as well as a neat way to organize the information. I think it is a great guide for anybody who wants to learn more about the care and detail of having a feline friend.

I have come accross many cat books, dog books, and dog or cat books that are written in a funny style. This is one of those rare books that actually manages to succeed in everything it aspires to!

Not only is this book recent (2004), inexpensive, and hillariously written and illustrated, but it has all of the basic information a cat owner would need in an extremely USEFUL format. Man, how I wish I had this book when I first got my cat! It covers all of the questions other books could easily overlook, such as how to hold a cat, proper grooming, socialization, etc.... The format is just so... organized, it's easy to get an idea of where everything is, and the funny mechanical manual format is brilliantly integrated so that it does not interfere with either readability or clarity.

The only deficiency of this book is the lack of detailed medical information. This is not a bad thing in itself, though, as it allows for a shorter, clearer book. I would strongly recommend you to also purchase a veterinarian-written guide to cat health that covers all of the common medical problems. This would allow you access to information about vaccinations, what qualifies as an emergency or needs veterinary attention, and at-home solutions to medical problems without constantly questioning your vet. Such books include "Guide to a Healthy Cat" by Elaine Wexler-Mitchell, DVM (great, recent, inexpensive book - the only lack is that it doesn't go into as much depth as it should because it tries to be easy to understand), "Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook" (a classic, in-depth book about almost every problem you might face - but not very up-to-date as it was written over 10 years ago), or "The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats" (excellent in so many ways, but does not go into problems not treatable at home except to tell you when to take the animal to the vet).

This is a very informative and helpful book for any beginner who wants to set up a saltwater aquarium!

As usual, I was pleased with Amazon delivering in a timely manner just what I expected. The book was a holiday gift. He was pleased. It's very good in text and illustrations for someone just starting out in the hobby.

I got the hint from his wife and in 5 minutes online picked out what I wanted and off it went. I always look in Amazon first before making any purchase.

Author Marti Williams takes us on a wonderful journey as she shares countless stories of animals interacting with humans. In this book she tells of communication between many animals and humans. In these communications the animals; dogs, cats, horses, etc. share their feelings, likes, dislikes, worries and such with the person they are communicating with. Interesting! She also gives accounts where lost pets are found, and emotional problems are solved.
I am an animal lover so this book definitely touched a soft spot in my heart. I am not sure that I fully agree with how she communicates with the animals and nature, but I definitely know that everything living share a common bond. If what she is doing helps even one animal to have a better life, I say Amen and thank you to her! This certainly is a very well written book with some wonderful stories and information that I feel will help and touch many hearts along the way. Animal lovers and pet owners will appreciate this read and find it very beneficial.

Probably most folks who will look at this book are already believers in animal communication but even for those like me who are, there is an abundance of profound and amazingly touching anecdotes in it.

My wife and I have called on Marta for help with our cats on several occasions with great success. As a direct result of reading her previous book we can now often communicate directly with them ourselves. This new book is truely a gem and whichever book you read first, you will likely end up wanting to get the other as well! They are easy to read and understand, and make great gifts! Even children who are too young to be able to read on them on their own can learn to communicate with animals; actually learn more easily than adults.

Even if you don't have a live-in companion, animals are all around us and they love it when you make deeper contact with them. If you love animals, this book is a must have!

This book was so interesting that I read it in two sessions. Parts were funny and parts were sad, but it was all well done and believable. Makes me want to sit right down and learn how to do this myself. Money well spent.

In this book Marta Williams carries forward the concepts described in Learning Their Language. She gives many case histories, examples of how intuitive communication has been critical in the lives of the animals whose cases are described. This is both fascinating and moving. The implications are unnerving, but worth incorporating into your world view.

Marta shares many interesting stories in this followup to Learning Their Language. Understanding your pet is so important, and the more we can learn about and develop positive interactive communication signals the stronger will be the bond we share with our furry family members. Being "in-touch" with
your pet is an important part of enhancing the human-animal bond, and a critical part of a successful holistic health care program. Those clients whose patients I am proud to treat who are most in-tune with their pets have the greatest successes with both preventing and treating diseases.

Shawn Messonnier DVM
author, the award-winning The Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats, The Allergy Solution for Dogs, and 8 Weeks to a Healthy Dog

This book is a resource for anyone who is interested in getting to know our four footed friends better. If you haven't seen this book yet then your are missing a huge opportunity to visually SEE what could take you a life time of watching dogs every day. The alphabetical organization and numerous cross-references make this book one of the most useful and easy to use references for pet owners, dog professionals, kennel owners, shelter workers and veterinary technicians." Dee Ganley author of "Changing People Changing Dogs -positive solutions for working with difficult dogs"

You don't have to train dogs or even own a dog to find this book fascinating. I come to this book as a writer and artist. I find Barbara Handelman's book to be an exciting resource of vocabulary and images. The book is varied enough and detailed enough to excite the imagination of almost any reader. I am glad to have a new way to understand canine posture and behavior so as to understand dogs better. And I now have an even greater appreciation of how these animal behaviors can be adapted to enhance the lives of people, including people with disabilities. I have friends who live with service dogs and I am now better prepared to understand this human-canine interaction. I can not recommend this book highly enough.

I live with four big dogs, do training and work in rescue. This book has helped me become more aware of canine communications with other dogs and their handlers.

Dog and canine lovers are in for a treat if they pick up "Canine Behavior: A Photo Illustrated Handbook". Featuring one thousand photos covering everything from common dogs to wolves, foxes, and coyotes, "Canine Behavior" is complete and comprehensive in its coverage of canine species. Alongside the black and white photography are examinations of canine behavior with tips for dog owners peppered throughout. "Canine Behavior: A Photo Illustrated Handbook" is a must have for any dog person and for community library pets/wildlife collections.

Book is very interesting, information is easy to understand with the pictures. I'm still looking through it and enjoying it a lot.
June