Paws to Consider: Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family

Paws to Consider: Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family
Average customer rating:

Great book!

SAVE YOURSELF & YOUR DOG FROM HEARTACHE

Absolutely Great

Informative and concise

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY

Paws to Consider: Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family
Brian Kilcommons , and Sarah Wilson
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Care & Health | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Dogs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Choosing a Dog for Dummies

Right Dog For You

Good Owners, Great Dogs

The Perfect Match: A Dog Buyer's Guide (Howell Reference Books)

Mutts: America's Dogs

ASIN: 0446521515

Book Description

Having trained 30,000 dogs for more than 40 years combined, Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson know a thing or two about North Americas favourite pet. They share their wisdom and experience in this easy-to-understand, user-friendly, and comprehensive guide to selecting a breed, including: which breeds are good for small children, the elderly, the allergic, and the city-dweller; the characteristics of each breed; and which dogs are most compatible with different lifestyles. In addition, unlike most breed books, Paws to Consider discusses medical and behavioral problems typical to particular breeds, and offers fascinating information about canines and their potential owners. Kilcommons and Wilsons Good Owners, Great Dogs (Warner, 1992) netted more than 130,000 hardcover copies.

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2006-07-01

I loved this book! I had absolutely no idea what kind of dog I wanted to get before reading this book. This book separates the breeds into very logical chapters and also cross-references other chapters that the dogs would fit in. I love dogs so much that I was only able to reduce the number that I'd love to 19, but it made me consider breeds that I never would have before. Once I reviewed my 19 with my family, we were able to bring it down to 6 and I'm now doing research on those 6 in order to determine which one we'll buy. This is a great read if you're toggling between a few breeds and want to make sure you consider the good and the bad in the breeds.

SAVE YOURSELF & YOUR DOG FROM HEARTACHE.......2006-01-23

I wish I could afford to give a copy of this book to every library in the country. I have been a volunteer for different animal shelters and rescue groups for many years. Most animals are turned in to shelters because of a mismatch between the owner and their dog, or because people are unaware of what's involved in pet ownership. The authors give a very realistic appraisal of different breeds. I love "Dog Fancy" magazine, but so many times when they profile a breed they will describe "good with children if they are raised with them." "Paws to Consider" will be straightforward in telling you that a particular breed is not good with children. This book also helps you decide when is the right time to add a dog to your household. Too many dogs are given up because the owners have decided to have a baby and don't want to have a dog around the baby. Or an owner makes an impulsive holiday purchase and comes to regret the decision. It is frequently devastating for a family, especially the children, to give up a dog. It is also traumatic for the dog to lose its home and most of these dogs will be euthanized. "Paws to Consider" goes a long way to promoting happy endings for people and the dogs who join their families.

Absolutely Great.......2005-09-02

This book should be mandatory for anyone even thinking of getting a dog. Even if that dog is ten years off. Since I became interested in dogs and dog welfare, I have heard and seen too many times the unhappy scenario of dogs being dumped because their owners just did not bother to do ANY reasearch. Families duped by Beethoven, Lassie, and 101 Dalmations decide tv never lies and buy one for their young children. People who want a guard dog buy a Rottweiler for "protection" and dump it out in the yard. A calm couple wants a "small, quiet, easy-going dog", so they judge on size and get a terrier. A jogger wants a partner and thinks a great dane will keep up.

I love that the book lays it out flat that almost half the breeds listed require more exercize than the average Joe is willing to give them. Sure, we're all charmed by those Weimaraner costume photos... but will you spend at least an hour every day playing with it? Do you even have space for it to do so? Lack of exercize spawns so many behavioral problems that it cannot be emphasized enough. I know another reviewer complained that "too many negatives" were listed for each dog; I prefer it that way. Better that someone realize that the dog they want is too loud, too big, too headstrong, too energetic, too needy, too expensive, or even too gassy, than to get one and then dump it somewhere because they did not realize the mismatch. Or, even better, it may give someone new ideas as far as what is a good match. (Everytime I mention I would love a sighthound, especially an ex-racing greyhound, the immediate reaction is that I shouldn't take something so hyperactive. I say, uh-uh, if I wanted hyperactive, I'd get a lab!)

The book's organization is excellent. It starts off asking why you want a dog and what you want in one. It gives you a starting point as far as where to look for one, and I was ecstatic to see rescue groups mentioned, although I do not think the book went into them enough (it would have been great to say that you can easily find one by googling "[x breed] rescue [your state/area]", or, nowadays, on [...]). I understand that the authors assume the reader wants to buy from a breeder, because I think those people are the ones who will be perusing breeds, and the ones who really need the most assistance. (It's not mean, it's true.) Then the book does something essential - it goes over groups of dog breeds and what jobs they were INTENDED to do, and explains how it affects their behavior and temperament. I recently heard of a man lamenting that he bought a mini schnauzer who was obsessed with his rat cage and would not leave the rats alone. He had not read up that these dogs were originally bred for ratting!

There is a lengthy section going into individual breeds. There are always both pros and cons. Looking into my dog experience and research, I have to say these people know what they are talking about, even without looking at their credentials. The only drawback is that they do not touch on every breed, but then again there are so many it could make this book three times its size. I also think the "not for everyone" section is great, but could use more info. The more people are discouraged from getting Rotts and Pits on a whim, the better.

I personally think there is enough info here to find that dog you want, but it is always recommended that you look to other sources; the book itself says so. Spend time with members of your chosen breed, search the web, read other books. Then buy Kilcommon's/Wilson's Good Dogs, Great Owners, and you're on your way!

Informative and concise.......2005-08-06

The best thing about this book is the common sense advice the authors give--("If you live in an all-white house, don't get a Bouvier des Flandres"). The realistic expectations, both good and bad, outlined for each breed are infinitely more helpful than, say, the breed standards promulgated by the AKC. Most of us want a pet, not a show-dog. While the information on each breed is very specific, there is helpful information in the beginning for any dog owner or potential owner. I also bought "Good Owners, Great Dogs" by the same authors. Great book as well.

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY.......2005-03-31

DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK, BRIAN KILCOMMONS AND SARAH WILSON ARE BOTH COMPLETE IDIOTS. WE USED THIS BOOK AS A REFERENCE WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR BICHON FRISE, WHAT A MISTAKE. IN THE BOOK IT STATES A BICHON CAN BE A 9-5 DOG SO WE BOUGHT ONE. BICHONS ARE EXTREMELY HARD TO HOUSEBREAK,ALL THE BOOK SAYS IS THEY 'CAN' BE HARD TO HOUSEBREAK. THIS BOOK HAS COST US HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. WE ENDED UP GIVING OUR DOG AWAY TONIGHT BECAUSE WE COULD NOT GET IT POTTY TRAINED AND AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH FOUND OUT THAT BICHONS DO NOT LIKE TO BE LEFT HOME ALONE. THE BOOK ALSO SAYS THAT A SHIH TZU IS A NINE TO FIVE DOG BUT AFTER RESEARCHING THAT BREED THEY ALSO DO NOT LIKE TO BE HOME ALONE ALL DAY. THESE TWO AUTHORS NEED TO FIND A DIFFERENT LINE OF WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE COMPLETE IDIOTS WHEN IT COMES TO DOGS. THANKS BRIAN AND SARAH FOR WRITING SUCH A CRAPPY BOOK!!

Average customer rating:

Great if you like to pore over information--as I do
Good book but too few breeds covered
A little boring but it helps
Nice charts, bad data
tons of inaccuracies

Right Dog For You
Daniel F. Tortora
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

The Perfect Match: A Dog Buyer's Guide (Howell Reference Books)
Choosing a Dog for Dummies
Paws to Consider: Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family
Small Dog Breeds
Your Purebred Puppy, Second Edition: A Buyer's Guide, Completely Revised and Updated

ASIN: 067147247X

Book Description

How to Find the Perfect Match for You...

Here is a systematic and enjoyable way to choose a dog. This highly informative and useful book will take the guesswork out of choosing a dog while leaving in the fun. It will tell you about more than 110 breeds and help you to select a dog compatible with your personality, family, and lifestyle. Choosing a dog can become easy and enjoyable as you learn everything there is to know about the breeds, including:

* physical characteristics -- height, weight, strength, coat color and texture, tendency to shed, and food requirements

* temperamental characteristics -- indoor/outdoor activity level, emotional stability, sociability, training potential, and watchdog/guard-dog ability

* popularity, background, and unique qualities of each breed

This fully illustrated guide includes easy-to-read tables and pages of practical advice, plus a miniquestionnaire to help you narrow down your selection to the perfect match for you, your family, and your lifestyle.

Customer Reviews:

Great if you like to pore over information--as I do.......2007-10-10

This book's approach is to amass detail about dog breeds and to let you sift around for the breed that most matches your desires. I've looked at many books and other sources about selecting dog breeds (and I'm also open to mutts, but they're obviously impossible to generalize about). This writer clearly allows for variation in breeds and simply goes with the premise that breeds have regular tendencies. That's what breeds are!

It's true, as some reviewers note, that this book is not the most user-friendly; it lacks color pictures, high-end typography, etc. But it does offer a more detailed approach to thinking about dogs than ANY other book I've seen. How many books, for instance, go past addressing the issue of a breed's supposed "aggressiveness" and tell you that, well, you need to distinguish agressiveness within the family from agressiveness to strangers, agressiveness to passive as opposed to dominant family members, aggressiveness to familiar as opposed to unfamiliar children, etc. Concerning pit bulls, to take one example, Tortora says he would not leave one alone specifically with children that the dog was not familiar with. Some pit bull fans might call that breed slander, I suppose, but I see a writer willing to give the breed lots of credit while also cautioning about a very specific danger-zone that obviously gets plenty of confirmation in the press.

Also, a further advantage of this book: it can make you look into breeds about which you knew little or nothing. For my part, I found that the Brittany spaniel seems ideal for us--size, temperament, degree of shedding, exercise preferences, and so on. I had never heard of the breed before. When I looked via the AKC website, I found a premier breeder not ten miles away. Thumbs up here!

Good book but too few breeds covered.......2007-08-08

Check this book first to see if the breed(s) you are interested in are covered.

A little boring but it helps.......2007-03-29

When choosing a dog various sources should be used and this is one of them. Not a perfect book for a choosing a breed by any means but a great tool. The material is rather mundane, it lacks great pictures but has plenty of information to help you chooose your pet. It is not exactly children friendly but rather geared to the adult. I found the charts to be bothersome so I did not rely on them. The rest of the information on the individual breeds helps for making that important decision. Besides the information regarding the breeds there is valuable insight into the puppy process and the role of the breeder and litter in the formation of the dogs personality. All factors should be considered when purchasing a dog. This book is a nice companion piece in your arseanl of books you should examine when you are about to add a family member to your household. The section on each dog as an individual is very helpful when making a decision about a dog. Recommended for families to help them choose the right breed for their environment.

Nice charts, bad data.......2006-11-23

I love the charts. Reading through 3,643 pages of brief summaries of AKC stuff is not a way to find a dog and these charts help. That said, they're also wrong. The author clearly "labelled" most of the breeds and editorialized quite a few of his "objective" findings. A fun example was his "analysis" that Rottweilers should not be in a home with any children. I guess all those years of breeding them to protect family went to waste on him.

I also liked how he broke down the type of family/environment would best suit the dog/owner, even if again, it may not have been spot on.

I think someone with a more scientific method should re-do the analysis and publish the same type of charts as that would be helpful.

tons of inaccuracies.......2006-04-22

I belong to a family who has owned a multitude of breeds: goldens, rottweilers, german shepards, black labs, yellow labs, poodles and various "mutts". A number of us have trained and titled dogs in obediance and schutzhund, and my mother has also been an instructor for a local club. What I saw in this book was a bunch of "labeling" of different breeds, whereas in my experience I have found that the breeders and owners have much more impact on what you get in a dog. If you want to know the general height, weight, etc, dog breed books are fine, but to tell you that specific breeds act this way or that way is not factual. The charts in this book made me both laugh and get angry. If you want a dog, go check out some breeders. Talk to owners of a specific breed. Visit local obediance clubs, but do not rely on books of this nature.

Woman's Best Friend : Choosing and Training the Dog That's Right for You

Average customer rating:

Interesting and Useful
Finally!
Research based?
It's about time
It's About Time

Woman's Best Friend : Choosing and Training the Dog That's Right for You
Babette Haggerty-Brennan
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Home & Garden | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Choosing a Dog for Life (Well Mannered Dog)
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Paws to Consider: Choosing the Right Dog for You and Your Family
Right Dog For You

ASIN: 0071417400

Book Description

The first book specifically written for women and their dogs

Expert dog trainer Babette Haggerty-Brennan looks at the special issues unique to dogowning women in Woman's Best Friend.

With warmth, humor, and expert experience, Babette explores the personalities of different breeds, and their needs as they relate to a woman's specific lifestyle.

Unlike other training books, this unique guide offers advice and suggestions specifically for women, whose needs and nature require special consideration. Topics include:

Choosing a family dog
Preparing and training for a new baby
Using effective commands
Dealing with embarrassing dog behavior such as sniffing, eating underwear, excessive barking, and more
Avoiding being overpowered by the dog, i.e. leash tugging, leash breaking, door crashing

In this fascinating and informative book, women get the advice and help they want to find a dog that fits their specific needs.

Download Description

"The first book specifically written for women and their dogs Expert dog trainer Babette Haggerty-Brennan looks at the special issues unique to dogowning women in Woman's Best Friend. With warmth, humor, and expert experience, Babette explores the personalities of different breeds, and their needs as they relate to a woman's specific lifestyle. Unlike other training books, this unique guide offers advice and suggestions specifically for women, whose needs and nature require special consideration. Topics include: Choosing a family dog Preparing and training for a new baby Using effective commands Dealing with embarrassing dog behavior such as sniffing, eating underwear, excessive barking, and more Avoiding being overpowered by the dog, i.e. leash tugging, leash breaking, door crashing In this fascinating and informative book, women get the advice and help they want to find a dog that fits their specific needs. "

Customer Reviews:

Interesting and Useful.......2004-10-22

The author presents several options for training situations and gives information on all stages of a dogs life. Very interesting and good information on various types of training and also has data on things like aromatherapy . . . well worth reading and a great gift for any woman thinking about adding a dog to her household.

Finally!.......2003-11-21

Finally a dog training book that explains training techniques in an easy, and creative manner. This book deals with realistic solutions to real problems. I blew a sigh of relief that finally the training methods that actually work and stand the test of time have been described in detail using actual examples of many training challenges that cannot be solved with a dog cookie. I am going to keep this book close by and use it as my bible when dog training.

Research based?.......2003-11-09

Given that a majority of dog trainers, and now a majority of veterinary school graduates are women, I suspect that there is no research that proves women have a harder time controlling dogs than do men.

It's about time.......2003-10-01

Woman's Best Friend
Babette Haggerty-Brennan

Bravo! Bravo, indeed. A lovely book, well-written, easy to read and on a topic too long ignored. It is a pleasure to find not just an author, but also a first-time author who found a tasteful way of talking about a formerly taboo topic. My hat is off to her for the writing, for braving the publishing jungle and finding a publisher willing to see her work to the print and market stage.

This book is a big deal. It covers all the topics avoided by other authors on just living with a dog if you are a woman. What do you do if you are generously endowed with a large bosom and you still want to own and train a dog? What do you do with the dog when you are pregnant, nursing, or during that time of the month? These are real questions in need of real answers. Babette Haggerty-Brennan has managed to answer them all. She has covered these issues plus an entire book full of others. For any woman considering owning a dog for the first time, this book is a must. For any woman already owning a dog, this book is still a must, if for no other reason than for its ability to confirm and validate the problems you face as a woman dog owner.

I give this book 5 stars and say to Babette, "Well done, well done indeed."
Margot Woods, Dog Trainer
Applewoods Dog Training
International Association of Canine Professionals

It's About Time.......2003-09-30

I have read more dog training books then I can count. Not one has even stated corrections for offensive things dogs do to women and how to correct them. Love this book! Easy to understand, step by step info that does the job right the first time. Babette has definitely raised the bar on dog training books. A must have for any dog owner male or female!

You Can Save the Animals: 251 Simple Ways to Stop Thoughtless Cruelty

Average customer rating:

Good
Sound, practical advice.
You Can Save the Animals
Life-changing, still available used or through PETA
Shocking.

You Can Save the Animals: 251 Simple Ways to Stop Thoughtless Cruelty
Ingrid Newkirk
Manufacturer: Prima Lifestyles
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Ethics & Morality | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Animal Rights | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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Making Kind Choices: Everyday Ways to Enhance Your Life Through Earth- and Animal-Friendly Living
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When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals
Animal Liberation
Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, And Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.s. Meat Industry

ASIN: 0761516735
Release Date: 1999-01-27

Book Description

Every day, in labs, food factories, and industries around the world, animals by the millions are subjected to inhumane cruelty. The good news is that you can do something to help stop it. This inspiring book shows you how.
In You Can Save the Animals, Ingrid Newkirk, cofounder and president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), gives you hundreds of simple acts of kindness that can help stop animal abuse today. You will be amazed at how much of a difference you alone can make in the lives of the most innocent among us.
Inside, you'll learn how to:
·Buy from companies that don't test on animals or use animal ingredients
·Switch to clothing and cosmetics made without cruelty
·Change public opinion
·Eat healthfully and compassionately
·Put pressure on industry and government leaders
·Avoid films in which animals were harmed
·Adopt animals from a local pound or shelter instead of supporting pet stores
·Make safe travel arrangements
·And much, much more!

Customer Reviews:

Good.......2007-07-13

This book is ok. It has a lot of great websites and rescue orginizations. I would buy it more for the references than the writing.

Sound, practical advice........2006-06-16

Newkirk did the homwork, you just put her simple, excellent ideas into practice. That's it really. And, she lists these wonderful ideas in a non-threatening manner, so it's just a matter of using the ideas that you are comfortable with.

You Can Save the Animals.......2006-02-28

This amazing book begins with a chapter entitled "Who are animals?". In this chapter and throughout the book, Newkirk relates many beautiful stories that challenge our assumptions about animals' intelligence, emotions and experience of life. For readers who feel overwhelmed by the amount of cruelty in the world, Newkirk (the author) suggests simple actions we can all take to help animals. These include rescue of stray animals, purchasing cruelty-free products, adopting animals from shelters, and much more. Overall, this book is a good introduction to animal issues and will benefit anyone who has ever asked, "What can I do?"

Life-changing, still available used or through PETA.......2004-01-31

This book should be mandatory reading for everyone. It's easy to ignore the suffering of others (animals in this case, but this goes for people too) if you can tell yourself that you don't know about it, but once you're confronted with facts _and_ with a vast range of options to make a positive change, then the choice, and the responsibility, is yours.
Knowing that millions of animals are killed in shelters every year, will you put off spaying/neutering your pet? Once you're aware of the horrific fur farming practices, will you knowingly decide to put vanity ahead of the animals' welfare and choose a mink coat instead of an equally attractive and warm coat made of man-made materials?
This book is listed as out of print, but you can still buy it used here on amazon, or new directly from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) at www.peta.org

Shocking........2003-02-17

After reading this book, I feel happy knowing that by being a vegetarian, I'm not contributing towards the pain and suffering of animals.
At times, this book was really hard to read. It's hard to imagine that people can be so thoughtless and cruel to animals. I think that everyone should read this book because it will give them a better understanding of things like the circus, fur & leather, fishing and many other things involving animals.

The Good, the Bad, and the Furry: Choosing the Dog That's Right for You

Average customer rating:

Saved us from our whimsical selves!
Terrific for family searching
Best help ever
Covers all the Bases (Though Not all the Breeds)
Excellent Overview Of Different Dog Breeds

The Good, the Bad, and the Furry: Choosing the Dog That's Right for You
Edwin J. Sayres , and Sam Stall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Right Dog For You
Choosing a Dog for Dummies
The Perfect Match: A Dog Buyer's Guide (Howell Reference Books)
The Original Dog Bible: The Definitive Source to All Things Dog
Choosing a Dog for Life (Well Mannered Dog)

ASIN: B000ENC43Y

Book Description

What's the perfect dog for you? It depends on your lifestyle. Are you a couch potato or an athlete? A city slicker or a suburbanite? Do you suffer from allergies? Are you paranoid about security?

With The Good, the Bad, and the Furry, author Sam Stall offers the inside poop on the world s most popular breeds and describes which ones are right for you. Stall has consulted with dozens of breed rescue groups to learn the best and worst perks, quirks, and personality traits of more than 100 different dogs.

You'll learn that, contrary to what you see on Frasier, Jack Russell terriers make terrible apartment dogs (they have tremendous energy and need plenty of open space to burn it off). A much better choice for apartment dwellers is the Greyhound. (Sure, they can outrun virtually anything on four legs, but they're also content to spend all afternoon lounging on the couch.)

Complete with more than 100 whimsical illustrations, The Good, the Bad, and the Furry make choosing the right dog a snap!

Customer Reviews:

Saved us from our whimsical selves!.......2007-06-27

My husband and I bought this book while we are deciding on a breed for our retirement. Much loved Standard poodles have ruled our hearts for decades but we want a smaller lower maintenance dog for our retirement, This book quickly eliminated 9 of our top 10 choices...concise and entertaining while pointing out MAJOR liabilities by breed, health problems and potential personality conflicts. No American Staffordshire or Jack Russell will be snoozing by our fire!

Necessarily limited in the number of breeds reviewed, readers will get this...research, research, research for a long and happy doggy relationship. Buy this!

Terrific for family searching.......2007-06-25

I'll admit he was a unfair to AmStaffs, pit bulls, and Chow Chows, but I think it was a fairly wise choice for his market. All the dogs he warns against are big, powerful dogs- not exactly something you want to encourage first time dog owners, or people looking for family pets to go for. Stressing the negatives was probably very helpful to the breeds- he also stressed the negatives of Dalmatians, so it's a pity this book didn't come out years ago.
Stall seemed very intent on showing that not every dog is good for every person, and I saw the book as being particularly aimed at newbie owners or families, and for that target market is just about perfect.

Actually, this book's article on AmStaffs made a friend of mine eager to get one. He had never heard of them before, was intrigued by the article, and went looking. He's just waiting to settle into his new place before he finds a rescue agency to adopt.

Best help ever.......2007-03-20

Provides a common-sense approach to choosing a dog. This is a must-read for any first time dog owner.

Covers all the Bases (Though Not all the Breeds).......2007-02-26

For its size and cost, this is one of the best, most comprehensive books on what breed of dog to get (or NOT to get) that I've never come across. No other book on the subject, at least none that I've ever seen, gives the reader every imaginable reason why (or why NOT) to choose a particular breed. This one covers all the bases (though not all breeds).

That's right, I was a bit dismayed to find my favorite--the English setter--missing. And there are a number of others not found here as well. But for the breeds that ARE included, the authors give pretty much dead-on, accurate descriptions of their basic temperaments, behavioral tendencies (pro and con), historical uses, grooming and exercise requirements (or lack thereof), not to mention potential genetic disorders, etc., etc, etc. That's a lot of valuable information crammed into a nicely packaged, cleverly designed, and well-written little book. To do that with absolutely every breed imaginable (including my favorite), you'd have a huge, 2,000 page, $300 book on your hands.

Four stars.

Excellent Overview Of Different Dog Breeds.......2007-01-23

My wife and me are in the process of deciding on a dog to bring into our home and have found this book to be very helpful and informative. In fact, I would consider it to be a good way to learn about different types of dogs even for those not currently looking for one. Very educational!

My only minor complaint is that the "Brains" category should be re-defined as "Trainability". All dogs are intelligent. But some dogs, like English Bulldogs and Basset Hounds, were bred to be independent thinkers. Therefore, they are typically more difficult to train than other breeds, like Labrador Retrievers, who were bred specifically to respond to human instructions. These "independent thinker" breeds are usually more difficult to train but equally intelligent.

Overall, this is still a terrific book and comes highly recommended!

Your Dream Dog: A Guide To Choosing The Right Breed For You

Average customer rating:

I worry about incorrect information
Looks like a winner to me!

Your Dream Dog: A Guide To Choosing The Right Breed For You
Bash Dibra , Elizabeth Rudolph , and Kitty Brown
Manufacturer: NAL Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Animal Husbandry | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0451208714
Release Date: 2003-06-06

Book Description

"Recognized as an authority and deservedly so,"* Bash Dibra explains to readers why finding the right dog for their lifestyle is so important-for the happiness of both pet and owner. Filled with personal anecdotes, Your Dream Dog includes detailed descriptions of all officially recognized breeds (plus some unofficial ones), tips on how to match the dog's needs with the owner's lifestyle, and hints on how to acquire a healthy dog, whether it's a purebred, a mixed breed, or an all-American mutt.

Customer Reviews:

I worry about incorrect information.......2005-08-09

I think this book would appeal most to folks searching for a dog with little knowledge of the breeds themselves. I won this book and paid little attention to it for a long time. When I finally browsed through it, I was shocked to find that the breed information given about "my" breed (Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs) is almost 100% incorrect. The breed history is inaccurate, the breed standards are misstated and the personality traits are totally wrong. It seems like Mr. Dibra didn't even do cursory research on the breed before writing a summary about it. I'm not as familiar with many other breeds, but did find some glaring inaccuracies about others as well. Please research breeds through nationally accredited breed websites. If you want to research a breed or breeds, don't trust this book as an accurate source of information. I'm sure Mr. Dibra is an expert on dog training, but he obviously is no expert on breeds or types.

Looks like a winner to me!.......2003-08-01

Before I really get into to this, one mild word of warning. In the past couple of years, I have become friends with noted dog trainer Sarah Wilson, who along with her husband, Brian Kilcommons, have written several dog books, including the one I consider the current reigning and undisputed champ of the "how to pick your dog" genre, "Paws To Consider"...it may be worth your while to keep that in mind as you read this...and with that in mind, how does Bash Dibra's "Your Dream Dog" stack up?

Pretty well actually. Mr. Dibra is well-known dog trainer himself, and to be honest about it, his book does offer a couple of advantages over "Paws" (although it feels slightly treasonous to me to say that...)To begin with, his breed listing contains more breeds than does "Paws" (over 160 compared to 147) and some may also find his straight alphabetical listing easier to use than the by lifestyle approach used by Brian and Sarah. Okay, no more comparisons to "Paws" or mentioning of other dog trainers...

Mr. Dibra does all dog lovers a favor by listing in his dog "groups" (or types in this case) the most common of all breeds/types/ call it what you will...the common everyday mutt. And along those lines he echoes the feelings of other noted "dog people" that the potential new dog owner not be fooled by the current fad of matching one breed or another to a poodle, calling it a "something-a-poo" (cockapoo, pekeapoo, whatever) and billing it as a new breed. They not. Period. Cute, yes, adorable without a doubt, but folks, these guys are just plain mutts. Don't pay pure breed prices for a mix.

"Your Dream Dog" also deserves applause for mentioning that your dream dog maybe one of those unfortunates abandoned at the shelter. Yes you can get pure breds there too, and the number of dogs (and cats) that are killed each year in this country is nothing short of criminal.

More credit must be given to Mr. Dibra for including the "puppy temperment test", a more or less standard test used to be the right puppy for you out of a liter, mentioned in dog books by..er...other dog book authors. (See? No names.)

Other pluses includ what to have ready when your new puppy comes home, something so many of us forget, until you raise a frantic shout "Oh my god, I forgot to get...(what?") He also lists activties that you can share with your dog, (and there are a lot of them) and the fact that your dream puppy may be and need not be a puppy at all. Adult dogs can and do bond to their new owners. Our own West Highland White Terrier( ada "Westie), Sally, was five when we got her, and it has been a great match-up.

So what is wrong with the book? Well, a few things, minor for the most part. The brief breed description are a little too brief, especially in regard to the diseases that various breeds are subject too. Mitral Valve Disorder is listed as a problem for the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, with no mention that this problem is a real killer in these cute little fellows. The national breed assocation for the Cavvy estimates that as many as 50% of the dogs may have this. Breeders are working hard on curing the problem, but starting out so far behind is real handicap. Skin allegeies are real problem, especially in summer for Westies and their owners, but this is not even mentioned in the breed description, although it is in the appendixes dealing with medical problems, but the potential owner of these dogs would not know that without specifally looking for it.

Which brings me to what I think is the major flaw in "Your Dream Dog." There is no index. I was actually more than a little surprised to see that, since this is a book intended to be used, and used hard. It's not fair to blame Mr. Dibra for this of course, but someone sure dropped the ball here.

Still the book is a worthwhile additon to a dog-lovers library. "Your Dream Dog" doesn't merely lecture, it teaches. All dog trainers, breeders what have you, will agree that research in arugably the most important of the first steps in getting your canine companion and this book will be a good one to begin your search.

Would have given it a 5, but since, you know, there ain't no-stinking-index, I took away a point, (actually a half, but Amazon won't let me do that) for a score of 4 1/2

What Fish? A Buyer's Guide to Marine Fish: Essential Information to Help You Choose the Right Fish for Your Marine Aquarium (What Pet? Books)
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What Fish? A Buyer's Guide to Marine Fish: Essential Information to Help You Choose the Right Fish for Your Marine Aquarium (What Pet? Books)
Tristan Lougher
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Binding: Paperback

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What Fish? A Buyer's Guide to Tropical Fish: Essential Information to Help You Choose the Right Fish for Your Tropical Freshwater Aquarium (What Pet? Books)

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Up to Date Care an Feeding Guide

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Up to Date Care an Feeding Guide.......2007-09-27

I put off getting this book for it was not reviewed.but my other options on SG were not up to date..this is a Wonderful book that covers all the important information about Sugargliders..its 2007.....and its 120 pages all full of information.this is not a one evening read..it has all the diets listed that are a must..it has a lot of information about the care and breeding of SG..and then the care given to a SM..and a distress signal that is sounded that one never wants to hear..This from my point of view is the Best Most complete book on SG other than the lists forums on the internet..the pictures are in black and white and not all are good quality..but if your even considering getting a SG or have one and dont have an up to date manual...your hunt is over...My apprects go out to the author for getting the most important information out there in print.youve done a great service to these little ones..and to anyone thinking about adding them as part of your family..they are very very specialized and a lot of $$ and knowledge has to go into them for them to survive happily...B.W.

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