For some people, the world spins on a slightly different axis, and life
is often dictated by a cold nose nudging for a predawn outing, a
stray dog hair in your coffee, and that daily race to get home after a long
day's work and be greeted by slobbery kisses.
Planet Dog is a jam-packed book of more than three-hundred lists
about raising, loving, and living in the world with man's best friend.
Combining the practical, the informative, and the entertaining, this
unique encyclopedic treatment addresses not only the care of dogs
but also their culture, their competitions, their breeding and behavioral
characteristics—even dog people themselves—all in a feisty and easily
accessible guide.
The "Just Pets" series of books are lavishly produced photographic tributes to the unique and lovable animals that warm our hearts and lives. The text and photos take an affectionate look at the dogs that brighten their owners' days and enrich their homes with their tail-wagging, heart-warming presence. Featuring the work of award-winning photographers, these books depict the irresistable behavior of these dogs at work, at home, and at play.
In The Nature of Dogs, Mary Ludington seeks to capture the true nature of dogs -- their beauty, character, and spirit. Any dog owner will tell you that there is a profound and mysterious connection between humans and their dogs. Our regard for these creatures undeniably runs deeper than mere gratitude for companionship: we respect the unknowable aspect of their natures and understand that at least a part of their true spirit resides outside the human sphere. Though they hunger for our affection, our pets are often most themselves in their natural habitat.
Mary Ludington's spectacular and sensitive photographs reflect this understanding, capturing the particular personalities of sixty different breeds, from the handsome and feisty Irish Terrier to the exuberant and hardy Labrador Retriever; from the sleek, high-stepping Italian Greyhound to the snub-nosed, princely Pug. Ludington has her subjects roam outdoors, observing quietly and letting the dogs dictate her shots. The striking collection of more than one hundred twenty-five photographs that results from this natural approach offers us a glimpse of the dogs in their element -- whether caught midstride or in an hour of well-earned repose. Of course, as Patricia Hampl notes in her foreword, though we may find ourselves drawn to a certain breed's characteristics, our love for dogs inevitably becomes deeply specific; a dog is an individual, not a bloodline. "There is only one dog," she writes, "mine...or of course, yours." This intense relationship between pet and owner is reflected in the set of original, personal essays that accompanies Ludington's photographs. The contributing writers include:- JAMES HILLMAN, renowned psychologist and prolific author
- MARY GAITSKILL, National Book Award finalist
- TEMPLE GRANDIN, PhD in animal science and spokeswoman for the welfare of animals
- KEVIN KLING, playwright, humorist, and regular contributor to All Things Considered
- WINONA LADUKE, Native American environmental activist and two-time vice-presidential candidate
- PETER TRACHTENBERG, poet, essayist, and short-story writer
Their personal perspectives combine to create a narrative that addresses the nature of the species we call "man's best friend" in a volume you will treasure for years to come.
- Why a dog's natural pack instincts are the key to your happy relationship
- How to relate to your dog on a canine level
- There are no "problem breeds," just problem owners
- How to choose a dog who's right for you and your family
- The difference between discipline and punishment
- And much more Filled with fascinating anecdotes about Cesar's longtime clients, and including forewords by the president of the International Association of Canine Professionals and Jada Pinkett Smith, this is the only book you'll need to forge a stronger, more rewarding connection with your four-legged companion.
A student of the renowned British trainer, Barbara Woodhouse, reveals the secrets of lifetime behavioral dog training techniques and provides information on everything from canine dietary needs to temperament testing
At the age of 36, Caroline Knapp, author of the acclaimed bestseller "Drinking: A Love Story," found herself confronted with a monumental task: redefining her world. She had faced the loss of both her parents, given up a twenty-year relationship with alcohol, and, as she writes, "I was wandering around in a haze of uncertainty, blinking up at the biggest questions: Who am I without parents and without alcohol? How to form attachments, and where to find comfort, in the face of such daunting vulnerability?" An answer materialized in the most unlikely form: that of a dog. Eighteen months to the day after she quit drinking, Knapp stumbled upon an eight-week-old puppy at a local animal shelter, took her home, and named her Lucille. Now two years old, Lucille has become a central force in Knapp's life: "In her," she writes, "I have found solace, joy, a bridge to the world."
Caroline Knapp has been celebrated as much for her fresh insight into emotional and psychological issues as she has been for her gifts as a writer. In "Pack of Two," she brings the same perception and talent to bear on the rich, complicated terrain of human-animal relationships. In addition to mining her own experience with Lucille, Knapp speaks to a wide variety of dog people--from animal behaviorists and psychologists to other owners whose dogs have deeply affected their lives--about this emotionally complex, sometimes daunting, often profoundly healing alliance. Throughout, she explores the shift in canine roles from working partners to intimate companions and looks, too, at how this new kinship, this wordless bond, becomes a template for what we most desire ourselves.
Pet owners come to the Dog Chapel in Vermont to remember and memorialize their beloved dogs. All along the walls and on every available surface, visitors leave pictures, letters, and testimonials about the dogs that have passed away. People who have just lost a pet find comfort in this outpouring of emotion, and use the walls to bid farewell to their canine friends. This book celebrates this affection and reflects on the life cycle of beloved dogs. It is the perfect gift for a bereaved pet owner, or anyone who believes that dogs have a special place in human life.
Life with a puppy is not all fun and cuddling, as Jane and Michael Stern make clear in this delightful book. After all, today's cute ball of fur is tomorrow's fifteen-year veteran of family life. But there's no reason a book that clearly spells out the pleasures as well as the vicissitudes of choosing and raising a puppy can't be as entertaining as it is informative. And that's where "Two Puppies" wins hands down against all other books on selecting and raising your dog.
As Roger A. Caras, president of the ASPCA, writes in his foreword to "Two Puppies," "Puppies are a promise so magical" we sometimes want to believe in them so much we overlook the realities of living with a fellow creature. Not so Jane and Michael Stern: "We searched in vain for a book that was honest enough to tell us that sometimes dogs, like kids, don't grow up exactly as you want them to, despite your best intentions. We couldn't find such a book, so we wrote this one."
"Two Puppies" follows two dramatically different dogs through puppyhoods that are alternately tumultuous, funny, emotionally wrenching, and ultimately happy. It is a journey that goes wonderfully right, as in the inspiring biography of Parnell, the Labrador Retriever born and meticulously raised to work hand-in-paw as a faithful companion and guide dog to a blind woman. On the other hand, through the antics of Clementine, the Sterns's own misbegotten puppy, we see in excruciating detail what can go hilariously but instructively wrong.
There are hundreds of things puppy owners should know before taking on the joys and responsibilities of dog ownership, and this book offers a full supply of solid information, from how to purchase yourperfect puppy to care instructions and training advice. Experienced dog owners themselves, the Sterns share their valuable insight into breeding and training as well as the magic bond that can develop between dog and human. They also remind us that puppies are never predictable and that a puppy's new owner should be prepared for anything. While remaining true to their credo -- first, entertain -- the Sterns have produced a classic book on canine care, a veritable "What to Expect When You're Expecting" for current and future puppy owners.
With the candor and wit that he's known for, Daniel Pinkwater shares heartfelt and often peculiar reflections on the dogs (and other assorted creatures) that have shaped his life and family traditions. Pinkwater begins with the tale of his colorful Uncle Boris, who sets off on a trek from Warsaw to the Yukon in search of gold. Along the way he strikes up a curious friendship with Jake, the lead dog in his team of malamutes, who, as it happens, converses in perfect Yiddish. This is the first in a series of delightful anecdotes that introduce a curious cast of canines, including a couple of wolf breeds, a Labrador retriever, a few more malamutes, a chow chow, a mutt, and even a Pekinese, among others.
A "mordantly funny and smartly entertaining mix of memoir and fancy" (Booklist), "Uncle Boris in the Yukon" shows us a world where, though Pinkwater is top dog, it's the four-legged companions who steal the show.
