Even chimps and bonobos, our closest genetic relatives, are no match for dogs when it comes to social cognition. Jennifer Arnold understands this better than anyone, having spent the past 25 years training service dogs for people with disabilities at Canine Assistants. She is a pioneer in the emerging field of "bond-based" dog training, and her methods have overturned the conventional wisdom which holds that dogs must learn to obey external cues like "sit," "stay," and "heel." In contrast, Arnold's groundbreaking methodology, "Bond-Based Choice Teaching," rests on the belief that dogs are "social learners," and they can be taught to make choices and interpret what we want from them, as opposed to simply following commands.

    This well presented book guides the reader through the ins and outs of clicker training with graphic step by step illustrations that are ideal for beginners and intermediate clicker trainers. These books will show you the clicker way to train your dog to: Sit to greet people instead of jumping up Walk on the lead without pulling Come when called - everytime Stay home alone quietly Find the right place to "go" Play hide and seek and other fun games and tricks

    I can't recommend him highly enough." —Jeff Probst, host of Survivor"This is basically a 'perfect book'...with this knowledge there should be many more well-adjusted canine companions and far fewer dogs being relinquished to shelters. This book is an admirable accomplishment." —The APDT Chronicle of the Dog (The publication for professional dog trainers)Following the success of his book The Dog Whisperer, Paul Owens turns his attention to puppies. In this book, Owens and his protégé Terence Cranendonk offer a compassionate step-by-step guide to all things puppy, including how to:Evaluate temperamentChoose the right pup personality for your familyMonitor diet, play, and exerciseTrain and problem solveProvide early socialization and positive trainingPotty train, step-by-stepEnsure safety and health care, including the latest on vaccinationsPuppies can be a lot of work, but they can also be a furry bundle of joy. If you're thinking of bringing a puppy into your home, The Puppy Whisperer is your must-have guide.

    As a hardy, easy care, and potentially long-lived lizard, the leopard gecko is the perfect size, attractive in its velvety skin, and fairly easy to breed. The subject of breeding geckos is covered in multiple chapters in this book led by author and herp expert de Vosjoli, who is joined by gecko specialists Dr. Roger Klingenberg, Ron Tremper, and Dr. Brian Viets, who each contribute special chapters to this up-to-date and authoritative guide. Colorfully illustrated, Leopard Geckos provides excellent general guidelines for keepers who wish to add a gecko to their vivarium and maintain their pet in excellent health and condition. The authors provide an introduction to gecko characteristics including distribution, size, longevity, and growth rate, to help beginners better understand the anatomy and behavior of these fascinating lizards. This Advanced Vivarium Systems title includes information about selecting a healthy leopard gecko, handling, housing needs, water and feeding requirements, and shedding and tail loss. Dr. Klingenberg provides the chapter “The Recognition and Treatment of Disease,” which covers specific disorders keepers should be aware of. De Vosjoli begins the discussion on breeding leopard geckos, and then is joined by Dr. Viets for a chapter on “Incubation Temperature and Hatchling Sex and Pigmentation.” Tremper’s chapter on “Color and Pattern Variations” focuses on the genetic aspects of breeding leopard geckos. The book also discusses the African fat-tailed gecko plus other eublepharids, including the African clawed gecko, Japanese leopard gecko, Malaysian cat gecko, and the Central American banded gecko.

    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.

    Here's more of everything you love from author Jean Donaldson: snappy, research-based answers to common dog behavior questions, humorous insights into the human half of living and working with dogs all in the form of Q&As for easy reading.

    They will be the highlight of the day for both you and your dog! Short, fun sessions are ideal for a dog, especially when they end with success! Each 10-minute game will boost your dog's intelligence as his or her brain is challenged with new behaviors. Kyra Sundance teaches how to use positive, reward-based techniques that foster an anxiety-free environment where your dog is an eager and willing participant. Simple instructions and photos take the guesswork out of training, while tips and equipment suggestions answer your questions. Using both specialized props and things around the house, help your dog build:Confidence (Weenie Bobbing, Tunnel, Hoop Jump, Platform Jump, and more)Mental Focus (Memory Game, Treasure Hunt, Massage, Dog Yoga, and more)Coordination (Ladder Work, Seesaw, Wobble Board, Jumping Figure-8s, and more)Strength (Tug, Assisted Upright Walking, Sit High, and more)Direction-Following Skills (Roll out the Carpet, Soap Bubble Chasing, Paintbrush Painting, and more)Enjoy special time with your dog every day with this dynamic, engaging curriculum!Also by Kyra Sundance, learn to do even more with your dog with: 101 Dog Tricks; The Dog Tricks and Training Workbook; 51 Puppy Tricks; 101 Dog Tricks, Kids Edition; Dog Training 101; The Pocket Guide to Dog Tricks; Kyra’s Canine Conditioning; and The Joy of Dog Training.

    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.

    Even if you've had the dog for years and has "issues"this is your roadmap for success! Learn positive training and management techniques.

    Johnson-Bennett shares real cases to illustrate various problems and explains how she arrives at an appropriate solution through behavior modification. Her method requires a positive approach to correcting the behavior rather than punishment. She also uses interactive toys, which she believes helps not only to correct the behavior problem, but also to put the cat/owner relationship back in sync.

    Being Mortal by Atul Gawande - A 20-minute Summary Inside this Instaread Summary: • Overview of the entire book• Introduction to the important people in the book• Summary and analysis of all the chapters in the book• Key Takeaways of the book• A Reader's Perspective Preview of this summary: Chapter 1 Gawande grew up in Ohio. His parents were immigrants from India and both were doctors. His grandparents stayed in India, and there were few older people in his neighborhood, so he had little experience with aging or death until he met his wife’s grandmother, Alice Hobson. Hobson was seventy-seven and living on her own in Virginia. She was a spirited widow who fixed her own plumbing and volunteered with Meals On Wheels. However, Hobson was losing strength and height steadily each year as her arthritis worsened.Gawande’s father enthusiastically adopted the customs of his new country, but he could not understand the way in which seniors were treated in the US. In India, the elderly were treated with great respect and lived out their lives with family.In the United States, Sitaram Gawande, Gawande’s grandfather, likely would have been sent to a nursing home like most of the elderly who cannot handle the basics of daily living by themselves. However, in India, Sitaram Gawande was able to live in his own home and manage his own affairs, with family constantly around him. He died at the age of one hundred and ten when he fell off a bus during a business trip.Until recently, most elderly people stayed with their families. Even as the nuclear family unit became predominant, replacing the multi-generational family unit, people cared for their elderly relatives. Families were large and one child, usually a daughter, would not marry in order to take care of the parents.This has changed in much of the world, where elderly people end up struggling to live alone, like Hobson, rather than living with dignity amid family, like Sitaram Gawande.One cause of this change can be found in the nature of knowledge. When few people lived to be very old, elders were honored. Their store of knowledge was greatly useful. People often portrayed themselves as older to command respect. Modern society’s emphasis on youth is a complete reversal of this attitude. Technological advances are perceived as the territory of the young, and everyone wants to be younger. High-tech job opportunities are all over the world, and young people do not hesitate to leave their parents behind to pursue them.In developed countries, parents embrace the concept of a retirement filled with leisure activities. Parents are happy to begin living for themselves once children are grown. However, this system only works for young, healthy retirees, but not for those who cannot continue to be independent. Hobson, for example, was falling frequently and suffering memory lapses. Her doctor did tests and wrote prescriptions, but did not know what to do about her deteriorating condition. Neither did her family… About the Author With Instaread Summaries, you can get the summary of a book in 30 minutes or less. We read every chapter, summarize and analyze it for your convenience.

    Yet despite promises of complete and balanced meals, most commercial pet foods contain chemical preservatives, indigestible fillers, and dangerous by-products. If your pets are overweight, ailing, or aging‚Äîor you just want them to be as healthy as possible‚ÄîTHE WHOLE PET DIET offers a straightforward plan to achieve lifelong health and well-being. Featuring twenty-five easy recipes for homemade meals and treats, a guide to natural supplements, and practical tips for no-stress grooming and play, this holistic approach to pet care creates optimal health for dogs and cats‚Äîand it just might changethe way you eat, too.Reviews‚Äú. . . this book is your pet's ticket to pristine health and longevity.‚Äù‚ÄîTails Pet Magazine‚ÄúAndi Brown writes from the heart with years of experience to her credit. Her information is logically developed and her advice is clearly presented. This book empowers you to take control of your animal's health.‚Äù ‚ÄîAnitra Frazier, author of The New Natural Cat ‚ÄúIf you believe, like Andi Brown does, that pets are as integral to the family as they are to the ebb and flow of life, then this book will dramatically improve the health and vitality of all your four-legged family members.‚Äù ‚ÄîDr. Marty Becker, veterinary contributor to Good Morning America and author of The Healing Power of Pets ‚ÄúTHE WHOLE PET DIET is a must-read for any pet owner.‚Äù‚ÄîAnn Martin, author of Protect Your Pet and Food Pets Die For ‚ÄúAndi Brown is on a mission to bring the best health to every pet using one of the most fundamental and important of medicines: good, wholesome food.‚Äù‚ÄîGregory Todd, D.V.M. ‚ÄúBravo to Andi Brown, who makes animals happier, sweeter smelling, and less itchy without hurting the environment and without animal tests.‚Äù ‚ÄîIngrid E. Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals review in New Age Retailer

    Natural food can enable dogs to live longer, healthier lives, just as it can for humans, and with these meals, treats, and cookies, dogs will never miss commercial kibble.Rick has researched nutrition for dogs and has used the same manuals veterinarians use to develop his recipes. Feed Your Best Friend Better makes the transition to homemade dog food simple, so you can make natural food for your dog every day. From nutritional value to portion sizes, these recipes will help owners know what their dog is eating. The meals are healthy, and dogs love them.Rick Woodford wants dogs in every family to be healthy and happy. His recipes use a variety of herbs and spices for their antioxidant properties but they smell so good everybody in the house will be drooling. Recipes include:* Puppy Pesto* Bacon Yappetizers* Barkscotti* Mutt Loaf* Gingerbread MailmanIn addition to 85 recipes other helpful chapters include:* How to Pick out a Commercial Food; making the ingredient label easy to understand with a breakdown of ingredients that are good for the bowl and those that are best left on the shelf.* Determining Portion Size; information on body type and size help readers understand how much food their dogs need to be in the best shape* Problem Mealtime Behaviors; how to deal with the early morning wake up call, reluctant eaters, counter surfing and more

    Not all of them showed human courage. Some of them could only show that they were truly man’s best friend. German Shepherds, Labradors and Spaniels accounted for the majority of the four-legged heroes.Over three hundred search and rescue dogs worked the pile at Ground Zero and the crash site at the Pentagon. For hours they searched, fighting off exhaustion with sheer determination and they continued every day long after the hope of finding survivors had passed.There were faithful Guide dogs who helped their sightless owners out of the Twin Towers and led them to safety showed unstinting devotion in the face of adversity. And later, therapy dogs arrived to bring comfort to the bereaved and confused. At every stage of the operation, dogs were there helping humankind in various roles. And invaluably, they provided comfort and reassurance and lifted spirits by their pure presence.Sadly many of the dogs are no longer with us but their achievements will never be forgotten. Isabel George was fortunate that the people close to the dogs were pleased to be asked to share their stories. This book is to honour the dogs and their people.

    Stocked with cleverly named canine confections--from SnickerPoodles to Scotty Biscotti to Big Scary Kitties -- the pooch patisserie has grown into an international operation, featuring its fresh-baked, all-natural bakery treats for dogs.Three Dog Bakery's 1996 autobiography, Short Tails and Treats from Three Dog Bakery, tells all about how Dan Dye and Mark Beckloff, with inspiration from their three dogs, came to run 12 retail bakeries around the world, as well as wholesale and mail-order divisions. Now, Three Dog Bakery is sharing its secrets with dog devotees everywhere. With this new Three Dog Bakery Cookbook, readers will be able to concoct the kind of tasty treats that canines crave.Featuring more than 50 recipes--from Banana Mutt Cake to Great Danish, and from Fiesta Bones to Gracie's Megapizza--the Three Dog Bakery Cookbook will have dogs salivating like Pavlov's proverbial pet. Full-color finished dish photographs give human cooks a look at what they're making, while health tips and canine trivia sprinkled throughout the book both educate and entertain.Arranged into six chapters, Three Dog Bakery Cookbook covers the dog-snack gamut, from savory morsels to carob-coated treats, from luscious entrees to chewy soft-baked confections. Readers will find recipes for all doggie occasions, from birthdays to obedience school graduation.