Thanks largely to YouTube clips posted by the sloth orphanage in Costa Rica, sloths have attracted a vast audience of admirers. Instead of seeing them as ridiculous anachronisms of which we know little, they have turned into creatures considered by many to be the most endearing on earth.Over much the same period, scientific investigations have also changed our view of sloths. No longer are they seen as total misfits in the modern world but, in the words of one specialist sloth investigator, they are 'masters of an alternative lifestyle'.In this wonderfully entertaining celebration of this most unique of creatures, William Hartston reveals the fascinating history of the sloth, from the prehistoric ground sloth to modern pygmy sloths in Panama, explores the current state of the science of sloths and reveals the truth behind sloth behaviour.

    Sophia Yin, author of the Small Animal Veterinary Nerdbook, is a veterinarian, applied animal behaviorist, author, and speaker. Her passion for animals and their proper handling and restraint led her to spend hundreds of hours on this project - a new book and instructional DVD set focused on the most humane techniques that reduce stress for people and pets. The book and DVD feature: More than 1,600 photos that show practicing veterinarians and students how to handle dogs and cats correctly Explanations of what vets think they re doing right but may actually be doing wrong Three hours of video clips with voiceover narratives that show correct and incorrect handling proceduresBy using this training tool, vets will: Be able to implement the most up-to-date handling techniques Learn how to restrain animals correctly through behavior modification that does not involve coercion, dominance, or other negative training methods Increase efficiency because patients will willingly comply with procedures Stop perpetuating behavior problems in patients Create a safer environment for themselves and and their team with fewer bites, scratches, and back injuries Improve the bond between vet, pet, and clientThis new book and DVD quickly and painlessly teaches how to handle dogs and cats with ease and grace, showing veterinarians how to impress clients and create patients who willingly comply with treatments and procedures. This visual guide is the result of hundreds of hours of research and a dedication to intelligent and compassionate behavior modification in animals. Over 1,600 photos and three hours of video clips make it easy to recognize poor handling methods that can cause behavior issues for a lifetime. Dr. Yin shows the wrong way, and then the right way, to clearly illustrate exactly how and why a pet reacts the way she does.The benefits of low-stress handling are tremendous; practicing these refined handling skills will create a safer work environment, increase efficiency, and ultimately improve the bond between vet, pet, and client."

    In How to Clone a Mammoth, Beth Shapiro, evolutionary biologist and pioneer in "ancient DNA" research, walks readers through the astonishing and controversial process of de-extinction. From deciding which species should be restored, to sequencing their genomes, to anticipating how revived populations might be overseen in the wild, Shapiro vividly explores the extraordinary cutting-edge science that is being used--today--to resurrect the past. Journeying to far-flung Siberian locales in search of ice age bones and delving into her own research--as well as those of fellow experts such as Svante Paabo, George Church, and Craig Venter--Shapiro considers de-extinction's practical benefits and ethical challenges. Would de-extinction change the way we live? Is this really cloning? What are the costs and risks? And what is the ultimate goal?Using DNA collected from remains as a genetic blueprint, scientists aim to engineer extinct traits--traits that evolved by natural selection over thousands of years--into living organisms. But rather than viewing de-extinction as a way to restore one particular species, Shapiro argues that the overarching goal should be the revitalization and stabilization of contemporary ecosystems. For example, elephants with genes modified to express mammoth traits could expand into the Arctic, re-establishing lost productivity to the tundra ecosystem.Looking at the very real and compelling science behind an idea once seen as science fiction, How to Clone a Mammoth demonstrates how de-extinction will redefine conservation's future.

    "BEFORE You Get Your Puppy" covers the first three developmental deadlines covering the period of puppy selection until your puppy's first week at home. 1st Developmental Deadline: Your Education About Puppy Education - Before you search for a puppy you need to complete your education about puppy education. You need to know how to select a good puppy and how puppies work. Selecting a puppy is similar to selecting a car: Do lots of research beforehand and "test drive" a wide variety. But first, you need to learn how to drive. 2nd Developmental Deadline: Evaluating Your Prospective Puppy's Progress - Before you choose your puppy, you need to know how to assess your prospective puppy's current socialization and educational status. Regardless of breed or breeding, if socialization, housetraining, and basic manners are not well underway by eight weeks of age, the puppy is already developmentally retarded. 3rd Developmental Deadline: Errorless Housetraining & Chewtoy-Training Make certain that an errorless housetraining and chewtoy-training program is instituted from the very first day your puppy comes home.

    In this book the Dutchers reflect on the virtues they observed in wolf society and behavior. Each chapter exemplifies a principle, such as kindness, teamwork, playfulness, respect, curiosity, and compassion. Their heartfelt stories combine into a thought-provoking meditation on the values shared between the human and the animal world. Occasional photographs bring the wolves and their behaviors into absorbing focus.

    Cesar Millan has become the household name in dog rehabilitation. His #1-ranked National Geographic television show "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan" has become appointment television for fans with dogs and often those without them, too. Millions of viewers tune in every week, host Cesar-watching parties at their homes, and marvel over last week's episode at their local dog parks. Now, following his bestselling books, "Cesar's Way" and "Be the Pack Leader," this episode guide will help newcomers and fans alike relive every moment from the show's first three seasons and learn some crucial dog behavior secrets in the process."Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan: The Ultimate Episode Guide" features 150 compelling stories of the dogs Cesar has met and mastered -- from NuNu the demon Chihuahua to Wilshire the firehouse Dalmatian. Easy to use and packed with Cesar's trademark wisdom, "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan" features: organization by behavioral problem (i.e., aggression, phobias, obsessions) notable quotes, advice, and tips from Cesarphotos of Cesar, the dogs he has met, and the people whose lives he's changed production secrets from behind the scenes of the showupdates on how the dogs and their owners are getting along todayReaders will be fascinated to learn how Cesar diagnosed and treated each dog's problem behavior and how he coached the owner to rectify it. The book's accessible format also includes indexes organized by breed and dog name. "Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan" is an essential addition to any dog lover's library.

    She explains how this bond forms the core of your entire relationship; if it's lacking, it's the primary source of any frustration you may be having with your dog.First, you'll take a quiz to help you gauge your current relationship with your dog. Next, you'll learn the building blocks for creating a positive, mutually rewarding bond-from granting privileges to being unpredictable to offering ample praise and playtime. You'll discover how a bonded dog:Listens to obedience cuesWants you in her sightlines, even in intriguing environmentsDoesn't escape through open doorwaysUnderstands and follows your house rulesWants to be close to you and work with youTruly trusts and respects youWhether you share your heart and home with a puppy, an adolescent, or a senior dog, it's never too early or too late to build a bond to last a lifetime-and this book shows you how.

    How is it that Homo sapiens formed such a special relationship with what, on the face of it, is a most unlikely ally? It is more than just a story of domestication but an astonishing example of the co-evolution of two species, man and wolf, to each others' mutual benefit. This co-evolution was a vital step in helping Homo sapiens overcome competition from other human species and to expand in numbers from relative obscurity on the margins towards the overwhelming numerical superiority and influence that we enjoy today. The book draws on the rich scientific detail of the genomes, both dog and human, that has accumulated over the past two decades. In each case we see a clear pattern of the origins of both species, resolving questions that have puzzled scientists for centuries. Sykes explores the breadth of this `special relationship' between man and dog. We know that dogs descend from wolves. We know that their domesticated descendants form close bonds with ourselves and there are a multitude of theories to account for our compatible social organisations. But to a geneticist, this is nowhere near powerful enough to explain this most peculiar situation. Many theories explore what it was that propelled Homo sapiens from the position of a scarce, medium-sized primate to the position of complete domination that we enjoy today. The ability to control fire, the evolution of language and the invention of agriculture are three prominent examples. Sykes crucially adds a fourth: our transformation of the wolf into the multi-purpose helpmate that is the dog. We owe our dominance and our survival to the dog.

    The answers will surprise and delight you as Alexandra Horowitz, a cognitive scientist, explains how dogs perceive their daily worlds, each other, and that other quirky animal, the human.Temple Grandin meets Stephen Pinker in this engaging and informative look at what goes on inside the minds of dogs—from a cognitive scientist with a background at The New Yorker.With more than 52 million pet dogs in America today, it’s clear we are a nation of unabashed dog-lovers. Yet the relationship between dogs and humans remains a fascinating mystery, as no one really knows what goes on in the canine mind. Now, in Inside of a Dog, Alexandra Horowitz fuses her perspectives as both scientist and dog-owner to deliver a fresh look at the world of dogs—as seen from the animal’s point of view. Inspired by her years of living with her own dog, Pumpernickel, who was a constant source of delight and mystery, Horowitz’s mind became filled with questions and ideas. In crisp, clear prose, she draws on her research in the field of dog cognition to give readers a sense of a dog’s perceptual and cognitive abilities—and paints a picture of what the canine experience is like. Horowitz’s own scientific journey, and the insights she uncovered, allowed her to understand her dog better and appreciate her more.Containing up-to-the minute research and providing many moments of dog-behavior recognition, this lively and absorbing book helps dog owners to see their best friend’s behavior in a different, and revealing light, allowing them to understand their pets and enjoy their company even more.

    Tameness is the key trait in the domestication of cats, dogs, horses, cows, and other mammals, from rats to reindeer. Surprisingly, with selection for tameness comes a suite of seemingly unrelated alterations, including floppy ears, skeletal and coloration changes, and sex differences. It’s a package deal known as the domestication syndrome, elements of which are also found in humans. Our highly social nature—one of the keys to our evolutionary success—is due to our own tameness. In Domesticated, Richard C. Francis weaves history and anthropology with cutting-edge ideas in genomics and evo devo to tell the story of how we domesticated the world, and ourselves in the process.

    

    Mowat's account of the summer he lived in the frozen tundra alone—studying the wolf population and developing a deep affection for the wolves (who were of no threat to caribou or man)—is today celebrated as a classic of nature writing, at once a tale of remarkable adventures and indelible record of myths and magic of wolves.

    . . . This is an exciting book. Although Schaller feels that this is 'not an adventure book,' few readers will be able to agree."—Irven DeVore, Science

    Book annotation not available for this title.Title: Aggression in DogsAuthor: Aloff, BrendaPublisher: Dogwise PubPublication Date: 2004/10/01Number of Pages: Binding Type: PAPERBACKLibrary of Congress: oc2008089265

    The creature appeared as something out of New England's forgotten past. Beside the road lay a 140-pound mountain lion.Speculations ran wild, the wildest of which figured him a ghostly survivor from a bygone century when lions last roamed the eastern United States. But a more fantastic scenario of facts soon unfolded. The lion was three years old, with a DNA trail embarking from the Black Hills of South Dakota on a cross-country odyssey eventually passing within thirty miles of New York City. It was the farthest landbound trek ever recorded for a wild animal in America, by a barely weaned teenager venturing solo through hostile terrain.William Stolzenburg retraces his two-year journey--from his embattled birthplace in the Black Hills, across the Great Plains and the Mississippi River, through Midwest metropolises and remote northern forests, to his tragic finale upon Connecticut's Gold Coast. Along the way, the lion traverses lands with people gunning for his kind, as well as those championing his cause. Heart of a Lion is a story of one heroic creature pitting instinct against towering odds, coming home to a society deeply divided over his return. It is a testament to the resilience of nature, and a test of humanity's willingness to live again beside the ultimate symbol of wildness.