Reviews (14)

An excellent resource
When I first started thinking about starting my business in the early-mid 90's I picked up this book and devoured it.Then, it sat on my shelf as I pursued my 'corporate ladder' and took care of pets part-time.
MY SUCCESS STORY
When I took early retirement after 25 years in the Banking industry and began a career in pet sitting, I found a treasure in "The Professional Pet Sitter."It is a gem not only inthe useful information it contains, but also in the caring philosophy conveyed by its authors, Lori and Scott Mangold. Whether you are considering pet sitting as a full-time or part-time venture, this book is valuable.With time being a precious commodity in today's fast-paced world, I found that "The Professional Pet Sitter" provided clear-cut, easy-to-locate details on how to establish a successful service.As a further boon to launching a pet sitting career quickly and effectively, all appropriate business forms are included in the book.Thanks to the Mangolds' encouragement and expertise embodied in "The Professional Pet Sitter," my business is now in its sixth year and flourishing.

The Professional Pet Sitter
This is a wonderful book for anyone starting out in the business or for those who are already actively involved. It is full of useful information and can be used as a reference manual in multiple areas when business questions arise. I would highly recommend it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Nature/Ecology    3. Pets   

Reviews (21)

Sound advice that works
I have a lab, and originally purchased Labrador's for Dummies by Joel Walton -- since I'm not a very experienced dog owner.I was immediately impressed with how well the positive-training techniques by Joel worked.But when I went to purhcase other books, I noticed that many other authors took a much harsher stand on punishment -- and really fixated on the whole alpha dog concept.So I investigated further, and soon learned that many proponents of the "positive training" methods credited Ian Dunbar.So I knew I had to have Dunbar's book.
An OK addition to your library...
I recommend this book to new dog owners, as I wholeheartedly agree with most, if not all, if Dunbar's ideas and points.However, after reading many dog training books, I found it simple and mostly common sense.
MY DOG MADDIE
Hi my name is Caleb Berger when I first got my dog Maddie she was fiesty.I new I had to teach her some manners.I started right awy with a firm technique, using a leash,a prong callar and firmwords.she had to be taught that even tho I loved her she would have to obey.Now Maddie trust me she comes when I call.She follows me around the yard.I feed and water her all the time.Sometimes I'll spendhours with her.I want to enter her in a dog contest.I taught her sit and fetch.I admire my aunt Darge she taught me almost everything I now.I love my dog Maddie. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Dogs - Care/Health    3. Dogs - General    4. Dogs - Training    5. Pets    6. Dogs   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (10)

The most used book on my shelf
Whenever I encounter a new disease, or need to refresh my memory about one I haven't seen lately, I reach for this book first.I find it to be concise, informative, and useful.While other medical texts make for good fireside or bedtime reading, this one cuts to the chase, and is useful in the midst of a busy veterinary schedule.
must be on a vets library
very helpful in learning details about diseases and drugs we use.Easy to use the book and easy to understand.Thank you for the opportunity for me to receive this book to Turkey.

Great Resource
I got this book a couple of years ago on the advice of my mentor. This book has really helped me out in school(esp. in my Problem-Based Learning classes). It is pretty easy to understand, is very concise, and it includes many commmon and uncommon diseases of small animals. However, not all information about specific diseases is included. This resource should just be used as a starting point. The formulary is useful, as is the section about diagnostic test results. I just wish they would come out with a 5-Minute Consult-Exotics Edition ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Cats    3. Diseases    4. Dogs    5. General    6. Handbooks, manuals, etc    7. Medical    8. Medical / Nursing    9. Veterinary Medicine - General    10. Veterinary Medicine - Small Animal    11. CATS_DISEASES    12. DOGS_DISEASES    13. Medical / Veterinary Medicine / Small Animal    14. Veterinary science: small animals (pets)   

Editorial Review

An invaluable language manual for people who need to communicate with dogs, Read more

Reviews (37)

Great Read
I had my doubts about this book. I am a professional dog trainer, and a animal behaviorist. I would not recommened this book for your average reader. However it covers the basics of canine behavior very well and I would recommend it to anyone who trains dogs, or works with groups of dogs and wants a deeper understanding of their social interactions.
Useful
I doubt that some of the examples were true to life.Some dogs were at first presented as knowing as much as a 3 year old human child.These dogs were presented as responding to long sentences and did things that dogs just cannot do.Then the book analysed these impossible canine responses.And I do not accept the book's analysis.These fantastic canine responses could not have happened as the book asserts.
Speak Dog
I don't agree with all that he says, but it is all interesting. Lots of information to integrate with practical learning. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Behavior    3. Dogs    4. Dogs - Breeds    5. Dogs - Care/Health    6. Dogs - General    7. Human-animal communication    8. Pets    9. Pets / Dogs / Breeds   

Editorial Review

As an accomplished doctor of veterinary medicine, Martin Goldstein is well respected for his 25 years worth of experience in the field--experience he effectively utilizes in conjunction with his expertise in holistic medicine in his new book, Read more

Reviews (78)

excellent book
excellent book for learning more about your pets and their nutrition and how to help them be healthy w/o a lot of allopathic intervention which sometimes does more to hurt than to help.

Wish I had this book years ago!
I have several books on natural healing and feeding of our pets. I started with an adopted puppy that was not doing well on any of the better commercial brands. This book has reinforced that I am doing the right things, and sadly I could have done more for my beloveds that I had before him. I am making sure that everyone in my family has a copy, as well as our veterinarians. If my current vet isn't willing to work with me, I will find another.

Excellent Book on Natural Healing for Animals
This was my introduction of sorts to the blessings of natural/holistic animal care and it has been an indespensible resource.I've given it as gifts to 6 different people, 3 of whom are veterinarians!
Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative treatment    2. Cats - Care/Health    3. Diseases    4. Dogs - Care/Health    5. Feeding and feeds    6. General    7. Healing    8. Health    9. Pets    10. Reference    11. Domestic animals & pets    12. Pets / Reference   

Editorial Review

Gina Spadafori, Universal Press Syndicate pet care columnist and host of AOL's "Gina Spadafori's Pet Connection," follows her educational and entertaining book Read more

Reviews (21)

If only cats followed the book--
If you're new to the animal, this reference book is certainly a start.And it's curiously complete in unexpected areas, such as what to do about those feral cats who show up in your garage, pull at your heartstrings, and become semi-permanent boarders.
If you love cats, buy this book!
I Love this book. It is good.
Five purrs!
If you don't have a cat and are thinking of entering the joys of feline ownership, read this book first. Gives an excellent overview of the breeds, how to buy or adopt, equipment needed, how to care for a sick cat and find a vet, how to breed (or not), and how to try to translate your beloved's bizarre behavior (cats are anything but "normal" - much like their owners). Also fun for the experienced cat owner ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cats    2. Cats - General    3. Pets    4. Reference    5. Pets / Cats / General   

Reviews (26)

A Godiva chocolate
I found this book at Menard's, of all places, but bought it through Amazon. I had no expectations beyond the title, subtitle and a sense that it was a good read. It was a Good Read! Thoroughly satisfying. Read it also with no expectations and savor each chapter like a Godiva chocolate. U'mmm!

A man who knows his Dogs
I thought this was a great book that showed how much he loved his dogs. I have read every book he has written about his dogs, and this book just gets better each page. I loved it. I thought that this was the best book I have read in a long time. I shows how much he loves his dogs, even to the extent of giving one up. This book was amazing and I would recommend it for anybody, especially the dog lovers.

What a great read!
I was given this book as a Christmas gift by a dear friend and enjoyed every minute of it. It's a heartwarming story of a man and his animals, and some of the lessons he learns from them. As I read the story it was obvious how much the author depends on his animals to meet emotional needs as much as they depend on him for food and shelter. If all animals were cared for and treated with as much respect as this man has for his animals, the world would be a much better place. For the most part, this is a light-hearted book and I highly recommend! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Behavior    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Dogs    5. Dogs - Breeds - Working & Herding Dogs    6. Dogs - General    7. Essays    8. Farm life    9. General    10. New York    11. Pets    12. West Hebron    13. Pets / Dogs / General   

Reviews (17)

Handy and Complete
Definitely a very good reference guide for any freshwater enthusiast. The mini-atlas has every freshwater species beautifully diplayed in color photo. Under each color photo is a group of symbols. These symbols are defined in the book itself. The symbols convey what water conditions are appropriate, size of tank, food, swimming level, breeding type and level of aggression. The mini-atlas also has separate chapters on breeding, fish diseases, aquarium plants and tank set-up.
A disappointment.
From the reviews, I expected alot from this book. I know that it is old, but I was really disappointed. The information is not consistent and incomplete. Here are my issues:
Occasionally difficult, but a great reference
Need to know if a certain breed of unusual fish is compatible with, say, your angelfish?Dr. Axelrod knows.This atlas is amazing in it's depth for a "mini-atlas," with page after page of freshwater fish.And then he gets into the real meat of fishkeeping after that!Although it can occasionally be difficult to use (the fish are listed by their scientific name in general, not their common name, which can make looking up a certain fish difficult), all in all this is an incredible book, and one every fishkeeper should have on their bookshelf. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aquarium fishes    2. Aquariums    3. Fish & Aquariums    4. Fishes    5. Identification    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Pets    8. Pictorial works    9. Fishes & aquaria   

Reviews (1)

complete guide for horse business success by Janet English
This guide provides most of the nesscesary tools and tips to start your own horse business.Providing information that allows one to confidently pursue this venture.This book gave me the confidence to proceed with mybusiness knowing all the facts up front.It allowed me to handle purchasesand tax formalities without feeling like I didn't know what I was doing. Great starter book!I have read "starting you own horsebusiness" by Mary Ashby Mcdonald.While her book is informative andgives examples not covered in the previous book, it serves basically tocomplement other books on this issue. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Accounting - General    2. Entrepreneurship    3. Higher    4. Horses - General    5. Pets    6. Small Business - General    7. Small Business/Entrepreneurship   

Reviews (14)

Pretty good.
Honestly, I would have given this book a 4 or 5 star rating if it didn't come included with a section on treating sickly puppies.Her misinformed view on this (and the fact that I didn't seek out a friend of mine who DID know what to do in that situation) caused me to lose a puppy.After reading this section, I was so convinced that "Pittsburgh" (Named because the father was named "Steeler") was too sickly to help.I unfortunately gave into the survival of the fittest mentality, and because of that, I lost the puppy.I did eventually seek help which only made it harder to take.My "sickly puppy" merely had a broken leg and therefore couldn't get to the food, water, milk, etc.He couldn't play, he could just lay there separated from the rest so to not get trampled on too much.I wish I would have listened to my friend.The little guy must have been in constant pain his whole life, and it was against what I'd read in the book to seek out veterinary assistance.Beyond that, this book is pretty good.But please, if you're going to bring a litter of puppies into the world, whether you meant to or not (mine was not a planned preganancy), do the responsible thing and at least figure out what the problem with the puppy is as SOON as you find out that there's a problem.The puppy is counting on you, and you'll never forgive yourself if you're going through what I've gone through with this.You owe it to the puppy to give it a chance at life.Even if it wasn't a "planned" pregnancy, if you never wanted a litter and you didn't get your dog fixed in the first place, you inadvertantly planned on having that litter, and it's time to do the right thing.

The Whelping and Rearing of Puppies: A Complete and Practical Guide
I'm not a breeder but I do foster dogs for a rescue.Recently I was asked to take a pregnant female that had come in.I was very nervous!Growing up on my grandparent's farm I had seen calves, foals, and piglets born but never a dog. Several breeders I talked to recommed this book and it is awesome!I read through it, got my supplies together, and had it in my lap turning the pages as mama dog whelped her pups.It is very thorough and gives a lot of information on what to expect, what's normal, and how to handle problems.Definitely two thumbs up!!

Whelping and Rearing of Puppies
This book is wonderful.I am a first time breeder and this book provided so much information in just the first few pages, it was amazing.The author Muriel Lee is great and gives direct and concise directions on the birthing process and the raising and close watching of the pups.My 10 standand poodle pups are 2 weeks old now and are large and thriving - we almost lost 2 of them, but with our knowledge from this book we were able to revive them.They are all now happy, fat and very healthy.Thanks to the wonderful insite of Muriel Lee, photos and the wonderfully informative book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Dogs - Breeds    3. Dogs - Care/Health    4. Pets    5. Dogs   

Reviews (19)

You've got to read this book!
I received this book as a gift. There are quite a few books on this subject on the market and this one is the best. I too could not put it down and finished it in 3 days. It's a huge book, a great resource that is well researched and written.. I have a few friends who've purchased this book and really loved it too. I can highly recommend this book.
Don't get bogged down in the unimportant details.
I tried reading this book a few months ago, but couldn't get past the author's warnings about the perils of not having puppy parties and meeting a specific number of new people per day.I did just finish reading it, for real, and can say the author knows what he is talking about.My puppy went to a puppy class where Dr. Dunbar's methods were recommended, especially meeting new people and teaching bite inhibition.My 5-month-old puppy now has a soft mouth and meets a lot of new people happily.I do treat him whenever he does, and introduce him to new things all the time.If you plan on having a real canine pal for the next decade or so, read this book and pay attention to the appendix where Dr. Dunbar rates the most urgent things to teach your dog.I have had other dogs before, but not trained ones.There is such a big difference, and it's easy.If everyone would read Dr. Dunbar's book before getting a puppy, no one would need to read Cesar Millan's.

Can I unread this book?
Unless you can spend every waking moment training your dog please do not read this book.(And by training I mean following this book to the letter, there is no room for mistakes says Mr. Dunbar!Allowing even one will make your dog untrainable and horrendous!)
Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Dogs    3. Dogs - Care/Health    4. Dogs - General    5. Pets    6. Puppies    7. Training   

Reviews (3)

Raising the bar for agility books!
Masterfully worded with wonderful illustrations and diagrams, Jane Simmons-Moake has created one of the best books on dog agility training I've seen. This book covers obstacle training for all of the AKC/NADAC/USDAA equipment, focusing on excellence and doing things "the right way" from the beginning. Each obstacle is presented in an easy-to-read, step by step format. She provides tips for those who have troubles teaching a particular obstacle, and has special sections on fixing dropped bars and missed contacts. Not only does she show you how to train the obstacle, but also how to work from a distance with control and confidence... from the beginning! Many trainers leave distance training until the basics have been mastered, but this book allows even the novice agility enthusiast to get a competitive edge early on. Her method will produce consistent and satisfying results! Included in the beginning of the book is also a chapter on equipment and getting started. A brilliant read from start to finish! I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in agility, from the "newbie" to the seasoned competitor!

DogRead book of the month
This book was chose to be on the prestigious 'DogRead' as a book selection of the month.We only do 12 books a year and this was May 2000.The author comes on line for the whole month to answer questions on the book.It was very well received by our 3000 member email group.The author was very knowledgeable and easy to understand even though also very in depth. A must-have book for agility enthusiasts and neophytes alike
This book is an ideal starting point for anyone wanting to learn about the wonderful sport of dog agility and how to train their dog to compete in the agility ring.In addition, it can help the experienced agility handler train their beginning dog the right way from the start, helping to ensure success.Read more

Subjects:  1. Agility trials    2. Animals / Pets    3. Dogs    4. Dogs - Care/Health    5. Dogs - Training    6. Pets    7. Pets / Dogs / General    8. Training    9. Dogs - General   

Reviews (21)

dachshunds for dummies
Good book and informative.A must buy for anyone who is thinking of adopting/purchasing a dog of this particular breed.

** a must have for every doxie owner **
It's a perfect book for first time doxie owners! For those who really wants to take good care of their dogs plus doing a more effective training: buy the book before having the dog! There are a lot of interesting & fun tips so... sharing your flat with a dog can be a pleasant experience!
Great For Dachshund Owners
This book is a "must have" for first time Dachshund owners and great for any Dachshund owner. It is written in the same format as all the other "for Dummies" books which is easy to read and offers pointers and suggestions along with the text. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals / Pets    2. Dachshunds    3. Dogs - Breeds    4. Dogs - Breeds - Sporting Dogs    5. Pets    6. Dogs    7. Pets / Dogs / Breeds   

Reviews (73)

Train yourself and train your dog
After reading the first few chapters of this great book I tried one of the simplest techniques and it worked!The book is well written and easy to understand.The author makes his training points by mingling the training method with interesting stories of problem dogs that have been corrected.
Great book!
We have implemented just a couple of the suggestions so far and have already seen improvement.

It just makes sense!
This is THE book for training your dog in my opinion. We have a very stubborn Beagle puppy who was showing many signs of thinking she was the alpha dog. After reading this book and applying the simple principles we have a changed dog! She is calm and responsive. We were at our wit's end and our obedience trainer recommended this book and it has been fabulous. I would recommend reading this book before you ever put a foot in a breeder's kennel. It will help you so much. It does work for older dogs too, so if nothing else has worked...try this book! This woman is a genius. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Dogs    3. Dogs - Care/Health    4. Dogs - General    5. Dogs - Training    6. Human-animal communication    7. Pets    8. Training    9. Nature / Animals   

Reviews (10)

Great information
All my questions were answered after reading this book. Helps you decide if horse ownership is right for you.

A Must-Have for Every Horse Owner
Cherry Hill has done it again. Horsekeeping on a Small Acreage is a must- have for all horse owners. It includes grooming tips, a barn-care schedule, and even a suggested layout for your farm! It also includes tips on choosing land.

Scratches that itch
Ms. Hill has written a book that fits in well with the psyches of horse-lovers--those who may have just one horse, a herd or stableful, or know that someday they will be a horseowner. It's a book to inspire, inform, encourage, and gently correct when necessary.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Agriculture - Animal Husbandry    2. Farms, Small    3. Horses    4. Housing    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Animal husbandry    9. Horses & ponies    10. Pets / Horses / Care    11. TECHNOLOGY / Agriculture / Animal Husbandry   

Reviews (44)

Not worth the money
Save your money.Spend time with your horse.Go to an actual clinic or trainer if you can afford it.Parelli's writing is difficult.The concepts are difficult to understand and there is little practical or useful information.Horses are fairly simple.Parelli makes it sound exotic.It's not.

Man and horse unite
I would recommend or even make it mandatory for everyone even thinking of going near a horse to read this book. Pat Parelli gets it from the horses point of view, and makes it easy for us to get it too. I have a 2, 3 and 4 yr horse. I have worked with all of them utilizing the theories presented in this book. I have also bought his partnership level 1 and the tools to go with it. It works, my horses are responsive and a joy to be with.

Popular but expensive and often unsafe
Mr Parelli writes in a self-opinionated, pompous style about horses, trying to give the impression that he is the guru of all things equine. While his methods have undoubtedly enabled a large number of people to improve their relationship with their horse, one must remember that there are untold millions who have a wonderful relationship with their horse which owes nothing to either his expensively-marketed system or the costly, cutely-named gadgets which seem to be an integral part of this.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Horses    2. Horses - Riding    3. Nature    4. Nature/Ecology    5. Pets    6. Nature / Horses    7. Riding & horsemanship   

Reviews (9)

Fantastic book for dog trainers
I purchased this book when I'd already been in business as a professional dog trainer for almost 3 years; I found so much helpful information, especially regarding contracts, lesson packages, and history forms and why I needed them. There were many other miscellaneous tidbits that transformed how I run my business as a whole. This book should be on every dog trainer's book shelf.

A must read before knocking on a client's door!
So many books are geared towards training methods and theory.This one is written for trainers planning on venturing into the realm of private training.It's well written and full of useful information, much of which one might not consider prior to establishing a business and taking on that first client.Especially helpful were Nicole Wilde's chapters on phone skills and scripts.These chapters would benefit anyone who conducts dog-related interviews on the phone regardless of whether you do private training or not.Shelter staff, volunteers and anyone involved in dog rescue can improve their interview skills with this book.Also included are business resources, sample contracts and sample history questionaires.A great return on the investment spent reading this one.Highly recommended.

An excellent resource for trainers!!!!!!!!!
I was so glad to find this book! I started out doing group classes and had wanted to do in-home training for some time but couldn't find anyone to apprentice with. I didn't have the confidence to do private lessons because even though my training skills are good, I didn't know HOW to do private lessons. This book not only gives you tests to judge whether you really are ready to do one on one training, but gives an amazing amount of information. It talks about structuring your sales, how to do a lesson from start to finish, how to handle coaching owners, and covered a ton of questions that I had been wondering about like what to do if you have to recommend euthanasia, how do I work with more than one dog in the home, and what do to if an owner just isn't getting it. One of the things I liked best (other than the book being an easy read and being written in a friendly, supportive tone) was the sections at the back that had liability contracts I could use, great handouts I could copy and give my clients, and a lot of helpful resources. This book is definitely a great resource for any trainer who wants to start to do private training and even for those who have already been doing it a while, as Wilde has a lot of great ideas and tips.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. General    3. Dogs   

Reviews (10)

Great for the Coffee Table
If you like Get Fuzzy you are going to love this book.I laugh everytime I read it.

Get Fuzzy
This would have to be one of the funniest books.I love cats, I have two of them but they are not the right animal for a lot of people and this little book explains why.I loved it.

Perfect for pet owners with a sense of humor!
All of the bad reviews for this book complain that it's not a normal comic book.Well, no - as it says in the description, it's a palm-sized gift book.It's not meant to be a gigantic comic strip book highlighting the best Get Fuzzy strips.What it is, though, is an excellent gift for a cat or dog lover that appreciates sarcasm.Darby Conley is a genius, and this book is perfect as what it's meant to be. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American wit and humor, Pictor    2. American wit and humor, Pictorial    3. Caricatures and cartoons    4. Cats    5. Comics & Cartoons    6. Humor    7. Topic - Business and Professional    8. Humor / General   

Editorial Review

In gloriously exuberant woodcuts and sweetly charming text, artist and author Stephen Huneck tells the story of Read more

Reviews (4)

peacful pets
For anyone who has loved and/or lost a dog, this book is peace for the soul. Since not many people know how to express condolences over the loss of a pet, this is a great place to make a memorial. Steve did a great job expressing the love and joy of having a K9 friend with his humor and expressive illustrations.

A Beautiful and Philosophical Book For Dog Lovers
While attending a conference in Vermont, I was fascinated by several woodcuts of dogs by folk artist Stephen Huneck which were displayed in a local craft store. The ones which particularly caught my interest involved labrador retrievers engaged in simple tasks which captured the essence of the breed, e.g. loyalty, friendliness, joyfulfulness, and perserverance. I then noticed that the artist also had published three children's books incorporating woodcuts of his black Labrador retriever Sally at the beach, in the mountains, and on the farm. However, the book to which I was drawn both by the storyline and the pictures supplementing and illustrating the text was THE DOG CHAPEL. I learned that the author and his wife in fact live in St. Johnsbury, VT with their four dogs and that he has constructed THE DOG CHAPEL on his farm as a place that welcomes visitors of "all creeds [and] all breeds, [but with] no dogmas allowed".
no one understands dogs like Steven Huneck
This book is amazing.I recently lost my beloved companion of 9 years, and when I saw this book I had to buy it.I am proud to say I'm originally from Vermont and have been a fan of Steven Huneck for years. He has outdone himself with "The Dog Chapel."The illustrations and simple phrases reflect the love between a dog and his person.I miss my friend, but Huneck's book has helped me to grieve and heal. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Dog Chapel (Saint Johnsbury, V    5. Dogs    6. Dogs - Breeds    7. Dogs - General    8. Dogs in art    9. Huneck, Stephen    10. Individual Artist    11. Pets    12. Subjects & Themes - General    13. Themes, motives    14. Illustration & commercial art    15. Individual artists    16. Pets / Dogs / General   

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Equestrian Sports    3. General    4. Horses    5. Horses - General    6. Housing    7. Pets    8. Specific Sporting Facilities Architecture    9. Stables    10. United States    11. Architecture    12. House & Home / General