One of the best dog memoirs ever!
351102
Before Marley there was Lucille. This is a  funny, informative memoir which will, alas, will empty your tear ducts. Knapp was a terrific writer and what a tragedy it is to have lost her.  Especially at such a young age.
831731
For David Nasser, becoming a "dog parent" wasn't entirely his idea; at the time it was mostly to placate his future wife, Christie. Back in 2005, Dave had no clue as to the impact that the couple's eventual decision to adopt a Great Dane puppy named George would have on him, his marriage - or his life in general. But in Nasser's brand-new book "Giant George: Life with the World's Biggest Dog," he chronicles his and Christie's - and George's - journey, from the first time Dave and Christie broached the subject of getting a puppy to George's eventual place in history as a Guinness World Record holder as both the World's Tallest Dog Ever and Tallest Living Dog.

In the world of dog ownership, there are many options to consider before getting a dog - to a non-pet owner such as myself, it seems downright overwhelming. Do I get an adult dog or a puppy? Pedigree or mixed breed? Do I buy my dog from a breeder or a pet store, or do I adopt from a shelter? Being a cat person by nature, of course, I'll probably never have to make any of those decisions. But for those dog lovers out there who are looking for a canine companion, "Giant George" answers all those questions and more.

To say that I loved this book would truly be an understatement - "Giant George" has officially carved out his niche in my top five list of inspirational animals. With George's current stats at six years old coming in at a staggering 7' 3" tall and 245 pounds - about one hundred pounds larger than your average Great Dane - I was left dumbfounded at how small George began life (the runt of the litter at seventeen pounds) and how quickly he grew (by 9 months he weighed 147 pounds). I laughed to discover that he is tall enough to fit his head into the kitchen sink to eat his meals, and that his front paws are as large as Dave's own adult human fists.

Seriously, Clifford the Big Red Dog has nothing on Giant George. And move over, Marmaduke!

Of course, just like the fictional Winslow family has their issues with Marmaduke, having a dog like George isn't without a down side. I found myself annoyed to read of how George was treated during his early days at the local dog park and out in public. But above all I was touched to read Dave's numerous descriptions of just how gentle a spirit George has both with his family and with people in general. He is, in all ways, one very unique dog!

So if you want to read a truly wonderful book that will make you laugh, cry, and ultimately cheer, then check out "Giant George: Life with the World's Biggest Dog" by Dave Nasser. I guarantee that from that very first sentence until the very last, you will no doubt find yourself inspired by George, the World's Tallest Dog...ever.

For more information on Giant George, [...] or friend him on Facebook at [...].
3130529
Cesar Millan once again amazes me with his book, Be the Pack Leader. He is not only instinctively insightful with his canine relationships, but perceptively aware of human behavior as well. I learned just as much about my dogs' behavior as I did about myself.

The writing includes many personal reflections and success stories, which makes the book an interesting read. I am not a huge fan of non-fiction, but the personal stories kept the book from being too dry and informational. I found myself laughing out loud several times and began reading selected parts to my husband.

Cesar's voice is present throughout the book. Fans of The Dog Whisperer will not be disappointed. In addition, he allows the reader to take a glimpse at his relationship with his wife, Ilusion, which reveals a different side of Cesar that we don't often get to see on the show.

I recommend this book for anyone with a dog or is planning to adopt a dog. Even if your dog is well-behaved, you will enjoy reading the personal and success stories. People with "behaviorally-challenged" dogs will realize how the human is often the culprit for the unwanted behaviors. Those that are considering adopting a dog will have a head start on training.

I have not yet read Cesar's Way, but I plan to pick it up immediately after finishing this book.
2798571
I hope author Stanley Coren sees this review. I have benefitted from several of his books, and this one came to me at the perfect time. It is a brilliant book, hands down. There has been a lot of disagreement about how to train dogs, so people can criticize some of the training he learned early on with his dogs--but that was the training then. Besides, he found ways to change it, and learned a great deal in the process. I've been involved with dog training for something like 30 years, so I've seen lots of backs and forths and ups and downs about dog training methods. He and his dogs learned, they did well, and he had wonderful relationships with them.

I laughed hard, and cried hard while reading this book. And there was a great deal of important beneficial information in it, too. I read every word, because it is so good, so interesting, and so well-written.

I have an assistance/service dog for my mobility disabilities. Since I have trained dogs for a long time, my Standard Poodle was able to come to me for me to train with him, after a solid puppy-training experience with A New Leash on Life. The director has come out to work with me and Worthy several times. Training with him has been very good for me. HUGE therapy.

Coren tells a story about the irrepressible Cairn Terrier Flint doing a therapy dog visit. It had a very happy ending. Happy tears for me!

I briefly majored in psychology in college, but changed my major when I got a pretty good idea of what life would be like for me in that field. Coren is NOT a typical scientific psychologist. He is a marvelous, HUMAN one! In this book he tells a lot about his life. Having his dogs--Flint, and others--with him and spending so much time with them was hugely beneficial to him.

I saw something of the difference dogs make for my husband and me when my last assistance/service dog died. I tried to wait for her breeder to provide a successor dog. Months went by with no dog in our house. I saw so many differences in our lives--not good differences.

When Worthy joined our family, it was love at first sight. And life went back to "normal"--paying a great deal of attention to Worthy, and doing a lot of laughing and talking. Dogs who are companions to humans, in all the various ways they do that, are gifts from God. This book is also a gift. Thank you for writing it, Stanley Coren!
227786
Poignant, inspiring, funny and a must read for all dog owners.
1639826
I loved this book! Bonnie is an incredible woman with a passion for fostering greyhounds. She has given so much to these dogs and those of us who have adopted her fosters are forever grateful for all she has done. She also has a gift for writing and is able to tell her "tails" with just the right amount of humor, which makes this book a lot of fun to read. She gives great advice if you are interested in fostering greyhounds or if you would like to adopt. But this book is for all dog lovers, because it is truly inspirational!
3002785
I loved the book. I learned a great deal about what is involved in becoming an assistance dog. What made it so special was reading it through Kessen's mind. It was interesting, funny, sad and everything else you could want in a book. The author has a wonderful sense of humor. I laughed so many times. The author, Jennifer Rae, wrote a great first book. I hope she will write more.

If you love animals, you will love this book.
4722832
This was a great travel memoir and a touching tribute to Dachshunds!  I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Lisa's dogs and her family's adventures through Europe and all of their dachshund spotting. I had a dachshund mix dog once and I love dogs in general and its always fun to read about other people's beloved pets. This book gave me all sorts of ideas for traveling with my own family to places that I never would have thought of going to before! I'm so glad Lisa shared her experiences with the world!
184812
I have 3 beagles and often wonder why they behave they way they do. This book answered my questions and then some. It is chock-full of information and is written in a chatty style that is easy to read yet does not patronize. I learned a lot - for example, dogs don't see particularly well, which explains why my beagle looks so puzzled when I stand very still behind a window. I was so impressed with the book that I bought an extra copy for my vet, who loved it. Every dog lover should read this book.
3108602
I loved this book.  A friend recommended it to me and I am so grateful to her. I am a fairly new dog owner and she has opened up such a loyal and welcoming world to me after the death of my beloved husband. Enzo, the doggy narrator of this book, is wise beyond words and his reflections on the human world were often humbling. I laughed out loud in places and cried in other parts but the whole story just went to prove that our lives are enriched by our four footed friends, and vice versa.
585693
As the owner of a "bawler" beagle as well as another beagle who is an apprentice "bawler", I totally enjoyed this wonderful book with all of its beagle antics and stories.  Its so much more than a dog story though.  The writer gives us a look inside being a single mom and her dating perils but always with a humor that makes the whole book a great read. I also enjoyed her other animals and I admired the author's ability to explain how she may have a problem finding a true "golden retriever" for her life but then, who needs one when she has Freddie and Shakespeare?

This book is well written and gave me a whole day of entertainment since I couldn't put it down until I finished it.
1848417
I loved this book so much that I bought multiples to give away (always keeping one for myself) I read my own copy twice.  This is such a heartwarming story about a man and the trials in his life. This is not just a book about a talking dog. This book will make you laugh and cry, and you'll buy a copy for a friend!  Great book for bookclubs. Truly one of my favorite books. I highly recommend it!
95165
I'll preface this by saying I'm not a "dog person" and I'm not big into celebrity stories. However, to this day I think that the Taco Bell commercials with Gidget are hysterical, so I gave "A Famous Dog's Life" a shot. I sat down to read it after work and did not put it down until I finished it that same night. It is a tremendously well-written, engaging, heart-warming, and genuinely fun story. I was completely drawn into Sue's dog-training methods and how much these small stars truly love to work. This book provides an incredible look into how Hollywood's animal stars do what they do. You are going to love this book!
2868165
I love how Ted made the dogs laugh and smile in the book. So many ha ha ha's in the book.  I often wonder if they are laughing when they swing their head back and forth with their lips stretched and dance like they do.  It was so endearing to read how aptly Ted described the antics of his beloved dog Merle.  I admit I mostly skipped over the long passages about dog history and research.  I just wanted to read about Merle's life and adventures.  It was so sad at the end, I cried and having just finished the book yesterday I am still teary eyed today when I think of it.  I am reminded of the painful loss of my own dogs over the years due to old age or cancer.  I loved the personalities Ted ascribed to the dogs.  It was so humorous and yet touching.  Thanks for a great book, I highly recommend it if you very much love dogs.
4803621
I came across a review of this book in EW magazine and i've searched ever since.  Finally picked it up a local Borders and couldn't put the book down once i started reading.

Shelter dogs gives a heartwarming portrait of how life is like for a shelter dog.  There's not much writing in the book, but there's no need  for it.  The pictures speak a thousand words, the eye's and the portraits that these dog's seem to take on are amazing.  At the end of the book there's a little dialog telling something about what happened to each of the dog's in the book.  Some got adopted and others not, i can only imagine what it's like to be a shelter dog.

This book sits on my coffee table for everyone to see and read.  By letting them read and see the pictures, i hope it changes there ideas about what too do next time they think about adopting an dog!

Wonderful book.
2786696
I have not been able to put this book down!  It is so much more than I even expected - love the information about the dogs and Albert Lewis is a wizard at capturing the personalities of these dogs in pictures!  Awesome book!
2724305
Jennifer Arnold writes passionately and descriptively about something she knows extensively. As the founder of Canine Assistants, a non-profit that has been growing out of Atlanta for the past twenty years, you could say she has learned a thing, or maybe more than a millions things, about dogs. In this debut book, she weaves stories from her experience and provides insight from her Own findings as well as her in-depth research.
She takes you through the history and evolution of dogs, making a case for man's best friend through the ages. She describes the inherent nature of dogs backed by moving first-hand accounts. She packs twenty years of proven training into a concise training manual based on positive re-enforecement, proving there are better ways than the unfortunate dominance-based methods made popular by certain individuals. She gives plenty of examples of what people, including herself, can overcome when faced with what can seem like life's toughest obstacles, including illness and loss of physical abilities. Most incredibly, she shows how dogs can help people overcome such things. And to take it a step further, she proves how dogs can sense the slightest emotion or even something awry, able at times to prevent an impending disaster.
Whether you own a dog or not, you will enjoy reading this book. You get the sense that you know the author and will trust what she is writing. Her stories will make you laugh and make you cry, her research will leave you feeling like you couldn't have learned nearly as much if you googled "dogs" for a year, and certainly not as comprehensively if you tried. And, if you have a dog, the training tips and manual will surely prove essential. That being said, more than ever I wanted (and still want!) to become a dog-owner (for so many reasons) after finishing Through a Dog's Eyes.