You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness


Julie Klam - 2010
    Julie Klam was thirty, single, and working as a part-time clerk in an insurance company, wondering if she would ever meet the man she could spend the rest of her life with. And then it happened. She met the irresistible Otto, her first in a long line of Boston terriers, and fell instantly in love.You Had Me at Woof is the often hilarious and always sincere story of how one woman discovered life's most important lessons from her relationships with her canine companions. From Otto, Julie realized what it might feel like to find "the one." She learned to share her home, her heart, and her limited resources with another, and she found an authentic friend in the process. But that was just the beginning. Over the years her brood has grown to one husband, one daughter, and several Boston terriers. And although she had much to learn about how to care for them-walks at 2 a.m., vet visits, behavior problems-she was surprised and delighted to find that her dogs had more wisdom to convey to her than she had ever dreamed. And caring for them has made her a better person-and completely and utterly opened her heart. Riotously funny and unexpectedly poignant, You Had Me at Woof recounts the hidden surprises, pleasures, and revelations of letting any mutt, beagle, terrier, or bulldog go charging through your world.

Retrieving for All Occasions


Elsa Blomster - 2015
    Retrieving for All Occasions could have been called "Retrieving for Fun and Function", referring to the fact that this way of training dogs works for fun and activation on your everyday walks or when you want to raise your ambitions to competitions and field trials. This accessible and inspiring book describes an approach to gun dog training that uses the clicker training philosophy and method in your gun dog training. With over 100 exercises to train for introductory field trial work for spaniels and retrievers this book is also useful for good all-around obedience and teamwork training for all sporting dog breeds as well as a fun activity to do with any companion pet dog.

Broadway Tails: Heartfelt Stories of Rescued Dogs Who Became Showbiz Superstars


Bill Berloni - 2008
    As a high schooler in 1976, Berloni had rescued an Airedale mixed breed only hours before it was slated for euthanasia. The terrier was cast as Sandy in the musical Annie and performed there for seven years. The bulldog currently starring in Legally Blonde and her bulldog understudy were rescued from Newark and from North Carolina. Berloni's story is completely engaging as he talks about being the first to train actors to work with animals on stage, his love for mutts over purebreds, as well as the four-acre animal retirement compound where he lives. With photos throughout this delightful book, we learn details about how his dogs are trained, how they react to Broadway life, and his own personal rise to fame. An enchanting writer (whose first book, Doga, has sold more than 350,000 copies for Chronicle) with an inspiring story for animal lovers, theatergoers, and anyone who loved books such as Marley & Me.

Team Dog: How to Train Your Dog--The Navy Seal Way


Mike Ritland - 2015
    His  unique approach uses entertaining examples and anecdotes from his work with dogs on and off the battlefield and direct tips from the Navy SEAL guidebook to teach dog owners how to: choose the perfect dog for their household, establish themselves as the “team leader,” master “command and control,” employ “situational awareness,” and to solidify their dog’s position as the family’s ultimate best friend.TEAM DOG introduces pet owners everywhere to the new and distinctive authority on how to train your dog. . . the SEAL way.

Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies


Lee Livingood - 2000
    Nowadays, Greyhounds are bred almost exclusively for racing. In the bad old days, prior to the 1980s, dogs that didn't make the grade at the track, and those past their primes, were destroyed. According to official estimates, 60,000 of these noble, mild-mannered dogs were destroyed each year! Fortunately, a number of organizations now exist devoted to rescuing these unwanted dogs and placing them in good homes.Thinking about adopting a retired racing Greyhound? Or maybe you're already sharing your life with one of these charming animals. Either way, this friendly guide tells you everything you need to know to:Understand the Greyhound personality Find a retired racing Greyhound to adopt Choose the right ex-racer for you and your family Educate yourself and your retired racer Give your new pal the diet and exercise it needs Keep your dog healthy and happy for years to come With plenty of good humor and straight-talk, Lee Livingood drawing on her forty-years of experience training adult rescue dogs to cover all the pros and cons of being a retired racing Greyhound owner, and she fills you in on:The amazing 8000-year history of the Greyhound Deciding whether an ex-racer is the right do for you and your family Physical and behavioral characteristics How to get a retired racer used to living in a home and be a companion Dealing with common behavioral and health problems Feeding, grooming, and exercising a Greyhound Fun things to do with your hound Bursting with expert advice on all aspects of living with an ex-racer, Retired Racing Greyhounds For Dummies is must reading for anyone considering adoption or who's already taken the leap.

Humphrey Was Here: A Dog Owner's Story of Love, Loss, and Letting Go


Mark J. Asher - 2009
    Author, Mark Asher experienced losing his German Shepherd/Chow mix in the worst of ways: while out of his care, at a boarding facility. At the time, Mark had just finished work on his first book, Old Friends, a loving tribute to senior dogs, and his dog, Humphrey, had been the inspiration. The sudden and devastating loss sent Mark into a debilitating state of anger, grief, and guilt, wondering what he could have done to prevent the incident. Lost and empty without his four-legged companion, who had seen him through a divorce, relocation to a new city, and a new job, Mark decided to go to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, to volunteer and find his way through the pain. Humphrey Was Here is about how one carries on after the death of a pet that means the world to them. It is an emotional and cathartic story of grieving and recovery that will deeply touch any dog lover.

Don't Dump the Dog: Advice from America's Favorite Dog Rescuer


Randy Grim - 2009
    And dog rescuer Randy Grim has heard every reason under the sun. But before you load Fido into the back of your car, read this book. In it, Randy addresses the concerns of dog guardians everywhere by responding to letters that he 's actually received. With humor, and from his vast experiences with abandoned dogs, he reveals exactly what you can do to remain calm and fix every bad behavior problem. (Even if it means dumping your husband instead of the dog.)

Dog Medicine


Julie Barton - 2015
    She was one year out of college and severely depressed. Summoned by Julie's incoherent phone call, her mother raced from Ohio to New York and took her home.Psychiatrists, therapists and family tried to intervene, but nothing reached her until the day she decided to do one hopeful thing: adopt a Golden Retriever puppy she named Bunker.Dog Medicine captures in beautiful, elegiac language the anguish of depression, the slow path to recovery, and the astonishing way animals can heal even the most broken hearts and minds.

Always By My Side: Life Lessons from Millie and All the Dogs I've Loved


Edward Grinnan - 2017
    Edward didn’t know it yet, but Millie would change his life. In this moving memoir, Edward Grinnan writes about his life with Millie—from their first joyous meeting, through her struggle with cancer, and eventual heartbreaking death. Edward shares how her sensitivity, unconditional love, and innate goodness helped him discover those qualities in himself and put his complicated past in perspective. Edward also shares the lessons he has learned from other dogs he’s loved—like Pete, a poodle his father bought him in the wake of his brother’s death; Rudy, who introduced him to his wife; Sally Browne, a mischievous cocker spaniel who befriended the homeless in his neighborhood; and Marty, a hundred-pound Labrador whose behavioral issues challenged his and Julee’s marriage—as well as lessons he’s learned from the celebrated dog stories in Guideposts magazine. Poignant and insightful, Always By My Side is an inspiring book that explores the unbreakable bond between man and dog, revealing how faith shapes our love for our dogs, and how our dogs shape our faith.

Scaredy Dog: Understanding and Rehabilitating Your Reactive Dog


Ali Brown - 2004
    Well-illustrated with photos.

Chaser: Unlocking the Genius of the Dog Who Knows a Thousand Words


John W. Pilley - 2013
    Chaser has a way with words. She knows over a thousand of them—more than any other animal of any species except humans. In addition to common nouns like house, ball, and tree, she has memorized the names of more than one thousand toys and can retrieve any of them on command. Based on that learning, she and her owner and trainer, retired psychologist John Pilley, have moved on to further impressive feats, demonstrating her ability to understand sentences with multiple elements of grammar and to learn new behaviors by imitation. John’s ingenuity and tenacity as a researcher are as impressive as Chaser’s accomplishments. His groundbreaking approach has opened the door to a new understanding of animal intelligence, one that requires us to reconsider what actually goes on in a dog’s mind. Chaser’s achievements reveal her use of deductive reasoning and complex problem-solving skills to address novel challenges. Yet astonishingly, Chaser isn’t unique. John’s training methods can be adopted by any dog lover. Through the poignant story of how he trained Chaser, raised her as a member of the Pilley family, and proved her abilities to the scientific community, he reveals the positive impact of incorporating learning into play and more effectively channeling a dog’s natural drives. John’s work with Chaser offers a fresh perspective on what’s possible in the relationship between a dog and a human. His story points us toward a new way of relating to our canine companions that takes into account our evolving understanding of the way animals and humans learn.

I Will See You in Heaven (Dog Lover's Edition)


Jack Wintz - 2010
    Every page is filled with reassurance that we will see our animal friends in heaven.  The death of a beloved animal friend can be one of the most difficult events we face, often surprising us at the depth of the grief and emotion we feel.  It can be very comforting to know that the animals we love so much are safe with God, who created and loves them.  Throughout his many years as a Franciscan friar, Jack Wintz came to know—the Bible gives us many clues that we will be with our pets in heaven for eternity! St. Francis himself shared a close relationship with animals, preaching to the birds, releasing Brother Rabbit from a trip, or letting Sister Raven awaken him for early morning prayer. Franciscan spirituality tells us that all creatures form one family of creation, and God’s plan of salvation includes the whole created world.  This new, expanded edition of the original bestseller includes:  Wisdom from Friar Jack, in 14 short and simple readings Blessings, prayers, and stories from Scripture  Special presentation page to personalize the gift Adorable photos and short memories of beloved dogs Sections of the book include:  Three Prayers of Blessing  The Happiness Principle  Noah, the Ark, and the Dove Jonah and the Whale The Song of St. Francis Jesus and the World of Creation Praying with Creatures The Soul of a Dog With it reassuring message of God’s eternal love and care for all creation, I Will See You in Heaven helps us to know that we are not alone in our grief, and that our “goodbye” is not forever.   Cover photo: Hollie Betzler (2001-2018), Michigan’s first grief therapy dog, served faithfully at her family’s funeral home and area nursing homes for 16 years, giving a comforting paw at just the right time to just the right person. Her family anticipates her serving the same role at the gates of heaven, where she now waits for them.

Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero


Michael Hingson - 2011
     Trust.  Triumph.I trust Roselle with my life, every day. She trusts me to direct her. And today is no different, except the stakes are higher. Michael HingsonFirst came the boom the loud, deep, unapologetic bellow that seemed to erupt from the very core of the earth. Eerily, the majestic high-rise slowly leaned to the south. On the seventy-eighth floor of the World Trade Center's north tower, no alarms sounded, and no one had information about what had happened at 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2001. What should have been a normal workday for thousands of people. All that was known to the people inside was what they could see out the windows: smoke and fire and millions of pieces of burning paper and other debris falling through the air.Blind since birth, Michael couldn't see a thing, but he could hear the sounds of shattering glass, falling debris, and terrified people flooding around him and his guide dog, Roselle. However, Roselle sat calmly beside him. In that moment, Michael chose to trust Roselle's judgment and not to panic. They are a team.Thunder Dog allows you entry into the isolated, fume-filled chamber of stairwell B to experience survival through the eyes of a blind man and his beloved guide dog. Live each moment from the second a Boeing 767 hits the north tower, to the harrowing stairwell escape, to dodging death a second time as both towers fold into the earth.It's the 9/11 story that will forever change your spirit and your perspective. Thunder Dog illuminates Hingson's lifelong determination to achieve parity in a sighted world, and how the rare trust between a man and his guide dog can inspire an unshakable faith in each one of us.

When Pigs Fly: Training Success with Impossible Dogs


Jane Killion - 2007
    But think again! Most kinds of dogs that people have trouble training (typically Hounds, Terriers, some Northern Breeds) actually have many characteristics that make them quite trainable - they are smart, they are good problem solvers, and they have strong drives to get what they want. If this describes your dog, then it's time to start working with your dog's nature, not against it. The key to training success with these dogs is to figure out what they find rewarding and then use those rewards to get the behavior you want. You'll be amazed at what your bad dog will do when you know how he thinks and what turns him on!

Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home & Other Unexplained Powers of Animals


Rupert Sheldrake - 1999
    After five years of extensive research involving thousands of people who have pets and work with animals, Dr. Sheldrake proves conclusively what many pet owners already know: there is a strong connection between humans and animals that defies present-day scientific understanding. This remarkable book deserves a place next to the most beloved and valuable books on animals, including When Elephants Weep, Dogs Never Lie About Love, and The Hidden Life of Dogs.