Animal Is Simply A Must-Have If You Own A Pet Or Just Love Wildlife In General
356206
Animal is one of those science books that are simply hard to put down.  This publisher does an excellent job in explaining the animals themselves, their habitats, how they acquire their food, their behaviors, etc.  Reading this book will also help you better understand our species (Homo Sapiens) since we are part of the animal kingdom.  We share many characteristics that are common to animals such as sensory organs, nerves enabling us to respond rapidly to stimuli, voluntary motion, and the ability to take in food.  The photographs and illustrations are also outstanding.  While not covering all species, the book gives a general overview of animal life by focusing on the better known vertebrates and providing a synopsis of the lesser known invertebrates.  All in all, a volume you will want to read from cover to cover if you simply love wildlife or own a pet.
4662837
If you own a dog then you really should have this book on your shelf.  If you have only one book concerning the treatment and care of dogs, then this is the one you should own.  I wish there were a way to give this one more that five stars.  The infomation contained in this volume enhances the ownership of these wonderful animals, can help make their, and your, lives so much better, and can literally save your dogs life.

This work covers everything from selecting your family pet, to diseases, injuries and disorders and what to do about them.  There is a wonderful section on first aid and emergencies and absolutely hundresds of tips on the care and treatment of your pet.  As has been pointed out, the bulk of this book discusses diseases, injuries and disorders and goes quite indepth in their discussion.  The text is quite easy to understand and is not overloaded with technical terms which usual need a different volum just to decypher.  There is also a very helpful seciton called "A Successful Partnership" which is suggestions and tips for living with yur dog.  Subjects such as training, feeding, lost dogs, care, grooming, etc. are extensively covered.

The photography in this book is wonderful, accurate and fits the text perfectly.  I have owned and been with dogs all of my life, actally liking them much better than I like most people.  This book, since its publication, has been a constant companion and often used book.  I have yet to have a question, not matter how complex or how obscure, that I was not able to find an answer to in this work.  Truth be told, there are around 445 pages in this book, and it really should be required reading for everyone before they even think about getting a dog.  It should be required reading for anyone who owns a dog at present.

Needless to say, I cannot recommed this one highly enough.  It is an absolute must for all dog owners and dog lovers.  You simply will not be sory for owning it.
3608185
Vladimir Dinets is a professional animal watcher.  If you're like me, you don't get to see many animals, except your pets, zoo animals, and the occasional squirrel or raccoon in your neighborhood.  Lucky for us, Dinets has spent his lifetime observing wildlife.  In Wildlife Spectacles: Mass Migrations, Mating Rituals, and Other Fascinating Animal Behaviors, Dinets describes a wide variety of animals and their habits.  As a bonus, he tells us where to go to see for ourselves!

A couple of themes show up throughout Wildlife Spectacles.  First, the danger man poses to wildlife and the subsequent impact on animal habitats and populations.  It's a reality that we use lots of land for living and farming.  Without moaning about overpopulation or misanthropy, Dinets simply describes the ways that migration patterns, mating habits and species survival has been impacted.

A more interesting and compelling theme is the interaction between species.  For instance, in North America the passenger pigeon is extinct.  That alone is tragic, but: "Since the passenger pigeon's extinction, tree species they depended on the bird for spreading their seeds, particularly the white oak, have gone into decline."  Who would have predicted this relationship?  Not me.  Similarly, salmon has a huge impact on the forest through which their rivers run.  "Salmon runs transport a significant amount of nutrients from the ocean to the coastal forests." The magnificent forests of the northwest are made possible by salmon sacrificing their lives.

You might not like bats much, but many of our crops depend on them to eat invasive insects.  A decline in bat populations can impact our food supply.  "Fungus causes a disease called white-noise syndrome, which dan wipe out entire colonies of bats in just one winter. Within a few years it killed eighty percent of bats in the Northeast (causing billions of dollars of damage to agriculture)..."

Dinets emphasizes the interconnectedness of life, as well as the mystery of it.  We think scientists know everything, but much of the natural world is still a mystery.  Dinets talks about the mystery of insect migration.  Sometimes the patterns are very clear, but in some cases, we don't know where they go when they migrate.  So much is unknown.

Wildlife Spectacles is enjoyable on many levels.  Just flip through it and enjoy the gorgeous photography.  Read more closely and be astounded by the miracles of wildlife.  Take it with you on your next road trip to observe the wonderful world of animals first-hand.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!
4823127
If you've ever loved an animal, you owe it to yourself to get this book. True "tails" of pet rescue enabled by the wonderful pilots who share their time & love of flying to move pets of all kinds from the "jaws of danger" to the safety of rescues, fur-ever homes or shelters where they will eventually find a loving home. My only regret is that every story can't be told in this book~~but that's because they are too numerous & happening EVERY day. If you loved the book, then treat yourself to more stories of rescues by Pilots N Paws by checking out their site at [...]
You won't regret it.
1549564
If you've ever "adopted" pets you know it really is a "roll of the dice" - a leap of faith.  Such an endeavor is not to be taken lightly.  Of course, human's are emotionally driven creatures who possesses eternal hope, but are certainly not able to predict come what may.  The book "Come Back Como:  Winning The Heart of a Reluctant Dog" by Steven Winn is basically about that great unknown of pet adoption.  Here's one pet that will provide plenty of fodder from which to write!

The Winn family have been very pragmatic about the time in all of their lives when they feel it is "right" to get a family pet.  The pet is suppose to be for their daughter Phoebe, but as with all pets only a "heart of stone" person doesn't get 100% invested...The decision to get a dog, therefore, is much more than for their daughter alone.

The Winn family wants it to be something more thoughtful than just going to a breeder or pet store and plunking down money for the proverbial irresistable puppy.  The have decided it to be noble to "rescue" a dog which is no longer wanted by it's former onwer.  Enter Cumo who is somehow drawing them to him even if he is a bit of a risk.  And risk the whole situation turns out to be.  This is one pet that isn't the easiest to love, especially because Cumo seems to have a bit of an aversion to everyone ,especially men, and in particular to Steve Winn.

Not only is Cumo only happy when he has the run of the house (he can actually knaw through a steel cage), but he has his sights on ultimate freedom! Of course, the "run-of-the-house" has plenty of problems inherent with a dog that is not truly trained and already past the puppy stage, but the real hijinx occur when Cumo sees a chance to escape the house and revel in his freedom in the great outdoors!  This behavior, and the Winn's challenges which accordingly follow are spun in a most enjoyable read that only a person who hates dogs/animals could find less than heartwarming.

This book is quite detail rich.  You really feel you get to know Steve and Sally Winn's back-history and how it relates to their desires to make a home that includes Cumo.  Having read several cannine owner stories over the last year this is one of the better ones and I highly recommend it.  It never drags and is wonderfully entertaining - just downright fun to read.  Recommended for both human interest and pet lovers alike.
1539787
This book is invaluable to anyone who is considering buying a Degu to keep as a pet, or even someone who already has one. It has everything you could possibly want to and need to know about Degus, from general information about the species, to how to go about buying one, to how to take care of them and keep them healthy and happy, and tons more.

With all of this information, I would have thought it would be tough to read. Quite the contrary, the entire book is logically organized, broken down into bite-sized subjects, and written in a way thats easy to understand. Even the paragraphs are spaced nicely to keep the information digestible. And there are even a bunch of frequently asked questions and additional resources that are really helpful.

This is not just a read-it-and-be-done-with-it book, this is something that you can  and should  keep around to refer to as situations arise with your furry friend. If you're going to buy a Degu, this is a must-have. Theres no doubt youll be an expert when you're finished with this, and your new pet will thank you for it!
1432617
The approach to storytelling and the story itself is just captivating and a wonderful read. I never read a book faster. I will be buying this one as a gift for many people for sure!! How you feel from reading a book is so personal and I have a hard time expressing that, but just trust me, you do not want to miss out on this. A Dog's Purpose is absolutely a must read for animal lovers and a perfect gift for your furry lovin' friends. If only we could get animal abusers to read this book. Maybe it could be mandatory reading for the ones that get caught!
4376688
You don't have to even like animals to fall in love with this book, and if you are an animal lover like myself, you will definately relate to the story of Seamus the beagle and his humans. All animal lovers will identify with the way our pets become our 'children', something most people that don't have a pet have trouble understanding but this story will win you over! Teresa J. Rhyne has written a book (which is a true story, by the way) that is funny, emotional, and uplifting, about her struggle with her life, her dog's life and their resiliance. You'll laugh out loud at times and shed a few tears also, but mainly you will be blessed that you read it and that Ms. Rhyne shared it with you!
1497770
Maia Madden has beautiful insight into human relationships that she has related to her lifelong love of dogs. This relationship is easily understood to all from our own past experience and love for any animal. All animals, and especially "Fido" (Which stands for "Fidelity") is an unconditional love that stems from a dogs standpoint of living in the moment and also, that happiness is the natural state of being.

All persons could learn from dogs in that the amount of time we spend rehashing the past and wishing for the future would be better spent accepting our relationship in the moment, and the better our future would be if we did. "The actions and thoughts we have today create the world we live in tomorrow". "If we lived in the present moment, we would recognize most arguments for what they are: foolish displays of ego that waste precious  time and leave Ill feelings and lingering resentments in their wake" If you squelch an argument before it explodes, you are freeing yourself to enjoying the present.

Dogs add positive energy to the world and happiness is the natural state of being. Instead of asking what's wrong with your partner and remembering what was wrong in the past in your marriage, ask yourself what is right and hold optimism in your heart. Like attracts like. "If you focus your thoughts and actions on what make you happy, you will have more and more to celebrate."

While these concepts are obvious and straight forward this book lays them out in such a way as to make them easy to understand and thus easier to follow for the long run, especially if you have an animal (Fido) in the home to remind you. Take a lesson from your animals, "Treat your spouse like your favorite animal and live happily ever after."
918850
A must-have for all small-animal veterinary clinics and animal shelters, this quick read captured my heart immediately. It also provided great how-to information for those ready to bring home a dog from a shelter or from the wild, as author Lee Youde was determined to do. There is food for thought within these pages, and it also made me think of the Lassie TV show that I grew up with, a nice combination in all.
4471909
Video is most interesting, informative and a joy to watch. If a consumer likes animals (and especially dogs) getting a video like this is a good buy.
1662943
Animal lovers, especially those who share strong emotional bonds with their pets, are well aware of the special powers that a lot of animals possess. These powers are researched and discussed in Rupert Sheldrake's book. I find it reassuring that someone from the scientific community has had the courage to take these phenomena seriously, to give them the time and the research they deserve, then present the findings to the world. If you are an animal lover, are open-minded enough to entertain controversial ideas, or just want a theory based on research as to how your pet seems to be able to read your mind, then this would be an excellent source of enlightenment for you. I find it refreshing to read a book written by a modern scientist with an open mind.
4139426
Everyone should have a Sloth as a pet..... They.  Are.  Awesomeness
4563728
This is a book for all ages of animal lovers, a heart-warming story of human interaction with nature.  The pictures are so well done that one can imagine the interaction between the dogs, the humans, and Pumpkin (the raccoon) in the household.  The author is obviously an animal lover that understands the complexity of domesticating a wild animal.  Would make a wonderful gift!
3680797
This is the kind of book that makes you wish it would just keep going and going.  It's the kind of book that you enjoy picking up and leaves the reader feeling good after putting it down.  Hopefully it will make people more aware of how beautiful and intelligent these animals are, and give them the respect they deserve instead of treating them like inatimate objects and sending them to slaughter.  I was a vegatarian even before reading this book, but the book just justifies what I already know.  Sy is a wonderful author and very compassionate person.  She totally gets the concept of animals.
1896626
I just love this book. Well and eloquently written, it works it's way into the heart of anyone who is even remotely sympathetic to the plight of animals, a healthier lifestyle or the sustainability of our planet. It gives us all a pretty clear roadmap of getting to where animal lovers would like to go, often pushing us into a direction which might seem counterintuitive upon being confronted with it, but it all makes perfect sense before you flipped (or tapped on) the last page. After reading this book, optimism reigns supreme, not only because of being a somewhat part-time vegan won't feel like an absolute failure in the grand scheme of things, but also because there is still a ton of work that needs to be done, and this book will help us all get there.
4855988
One of the very best and most real life usefulness for you and your dog.