Animal lovers and sports fans were shocked when the story broke about NFL player Michael Vick's brutal dog fighting operation. But what became of the dozens of dogs who survived? As acclaimed writer Jim Gorant discovered, their story is the truly newsworthy aspect of this case. Expanding on Gorant's Sports Illustrated cover story, The Lost Dogs traces the effort to bring Vick to justice and turns the spotlight on these infamous pit bulls, which were saved from euthanasia by an outpouring of public appeals coupled with a court order that Vick pay nearly a million dollars in "restitution" to the dogs. As an ASPCA-led team evaluated each one, they found a few hardened fighters, but many more lovable, friendly creatures desperate for compassion. In The Lost Dogs, we meet these amazing animals, a number of which are now living in loving homes, while some even work in therapy programs: Johnny Justice participates in Paws for Tales, which lets kids get comfortable with reading aloud by reading to dogs; Leo spends three hours a week with cancer patients and troubled teens. At the heart of the stories are the rescue workers who transformed the pups from victims of animal cruelty into healing caregivers themselves, unleashing priceless hope.Includes an 8-page photo insert.Watch a video

    At the age of 36, Caroline Knapp, author of the acclaimed bestseller Drinking: A Love Story, found herself confronted with a monumental task: redefining her world.She had faced the loss of both her parents, given up a twenty-year relationship with alcohol, and, as she writes, "I was wandering around in a haze of uncertainty, blinking up at the biggest questions: Who am I without parents and without alcohol? How to form attachments, and where to find comfort, in the face of such daunting vulnerability?" An answer materialized in the most unlikely form: that of a dog. Eighteen months to the day after she quit drinking, Knapp stumbled upon an eight-week-old puppy at a local animal shelter, took her home, and named her Lucille. Now two years old, Lucille has become a central force in Knapp's life: "In her," she writes, "I have found solace, joy, a bridge to the world."Caroline Knapp has been celebrated as much for her fresh insight into emotional and psychological issues as she has been for her gifts as a writer. In Pack of Two, she brings the same perception and talent to bear on the rich, complicated terrain of human-animal relationships. In addition to mining her own experience with Lucille, Knapp speaks to a wide variety of dog people--from animal behaviorists and psychologists to other owners whose dogs have deeply affected their lives--about this emotionally complex, sometimes daunting, often profoundly healing alliance. Throughout, she explores the shift in canine roles from working partners to intimate companions and looks, too, at how this new kinship, this wordless bond, becomes a template for what we most desire ourselves.

    In fact, nearly three times as many Labs were registered in 2002 than any other breed. The Everything Labrador Retriever Book is the perfect introduction to America’s most popular pet. Written by dog expert Kim Campbell Thornton, The Everything Labrador Retriever Book is packed with professional, breed-specific advice that helps readers raise, care for, and train their Lab safely and successfully. Packed full of photos showing Labs in action, The Everything Labrador Retriever Book is perfect for new and seasoned dog owners!

    Original.

    From changing the misbehaviors and habits that upset us, to seeing the world from their unique and natural perspective, to finding a deep connection with another being, BONES WOULD RAIN FROM THE SKY will help you receive an incomparable gift: a profound, lifelong relationship with the dog you love.

    From the basics -- housebreaking, feeding, training -- to the latest on doggie day care, traveling with a puppy, and the new designer breeds, you get everything you need to help your puppy grow up to be a healthy, playful, well-mannered dog.Discover how to* Choose the perfect puppy for you* Socialize your puppy* Stimulate your puppy's growing mind* Use the latest training tools* Keep peace between kids and puppies

    Even the sweetest owners can get stressed and frustrated with poor training results ...But before you do something you may regret, make sure you read this book. Most people who use old and ineffective house training methods end up frustrated and angry at their pup. Failed or long drawn out house training can be avoided by learning the correct way to house train your dog.Let's face it, no one wants to spend months housebreaking their pup when he's pottying all over the house. Especially when you realize other people are getting it done easily and painlessly in as little as 7 days.The old method of yelling, spanking, or even pushing your dog's nose into it's pee or poop is one of the worst methods you can utilize. This can cause your pup to become frightened of you. Plus experts have made very clear is that punishment is the least effective training method.In fact, it's been proven that in most cases dogs don't even know why they're being punished.The truth is, you don't need to use abusive, slow, and ineffective house training methods ever again. You're about to learn how you can house train your puppy quickly and easily, without any yelling, hitting or stressing you and your pup.Imagine being able to housebreak your puppy in as little as 7 days. You'll be able to soon, and it doesn't matter what breed you have or how "stubborn" it is. Here Is A Preview Of What You'll Learn... Why punishment-based training could leave you with the very opposite results that you are looking for in your pup. 7 must-know tips to getting your puppy potty-trained quickly and painlessly Why housebreaking your pup wrong teaches can teach him to be sneaky and do his business behind furniture. Why your pup uses the bathroom inside after you just took him outside How to avoid the 5 BIGGEST puppy potty training pitfalls. Why your pup still sometimes has accidents after he's trained and what to do about it The secret behind successful positive reinforcement training Much, much more! Download your copy today!

    After the mission, only one name was made public: Cairo, a Belgian Malinois and military working dog. This is Cairo's story, and that of his handler, Will Chesney, a member of SEAL Team Six whose life would be irrevocably tied to Cairo's.Starting in 2008, when Will was introduced to the DEVGRU canine program, he and Cairo worked side by side, depending on each other for survival on hundreds of critical operations in the war on terrorism. But their bond transcended their service. Then, in 2011, the call came: Pick up your dog and get back to Virginia. Now.What followed were several weeks of training for a secret mission. It soon became clear that this was no ordinary operation. Cairo was among the first members of the U.S. military on the ground in Pakistan as part of Operation Neptune Spear, which resulted in the successful elimination of bin Laden.As Cairo settled into a role as a reliable "spare dog," Will went back to his job as a DEVGRU operator, until a grenade blast in 2013 left him with a brain injury and PTSD. Unable to participate in further missions, he suffered from crippling migraines, chronic pain, memory issues, and depression. Modern medicine provided only modest relief. Instead, it was up to Cairo to save Will's life once more--and then up to Will to be there when Cairo needed him the most.

    In the days that follow, these dogs undergo a miraculous transformation as they learn to trust McMillan, master his 7 Common Commands, and overcome their behavior problems—ultimately becoming well-mannered pets and even service dogs. With his labor of love complete, McMillan unites each dog with a forever family. Now, in his first book, McMillan shares the knowledge he has gained working with thousands of dogs of every breed and personality to help readers turn their own pets into well-trained Lucky Dog graduates. Lucky Dog Lessons begins with the basics—building trust, establishing focus and control, and mastering training techniques. From there, McMillan explains his playful, careful, and kind approach to training the 7 Common Commands he teaches every dog: SIT, STAY, DOWN, COME, OFF, HEEL, and NO. Next, McMillan provides solutions to common canine behavior problems, including house training issues, door dashing, chewing, barking, and common mealtime misbehaviors. Lucky Dog Lessons includes easy-to-follow steps, illustrative examples, tried-and-true tips and tricks, and photographs to demonstrate each technique. Throughout the book, McMillan shares inspiring stories about his favorite students and gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the show and some of his most unique and challenging canine encounters, including some never-before-seen outtakes.Brandon McMillian believes that no dog is beyond saving, and the loving, positive, successful methods he offers will work wonders with even the most challenging dog. Create the happy pet family you want with Lucky Dog Lessons.

    The second part examines what most people describe as problem behaviour, which is just normal canine behaviour exhibited in the wrong place. The book concludes with an A-Z of common problems, their causes and cures.In the 1980s and 1990s John Fisher revolutionised dog training, first in England, then in the US. With his self-deprecating manner and 'Oh! So British' sense of humour he taught us to 'Think Dog'.

    The Thumper. Lazy Man's Tetherball. Bobbing for Treats. The Hansel and Gretel: for an afternoon of fun, scamper about the house leaving a trail of plain popped popcorn in your wake. 97 Ways to Make a Dog Smile is a gift of pure pleasure for dogs and the owners who love them. Created by Jenny Langbehn, a veterinary nurse who really knows what makes dogs happy, it combines the creative gift of touch--unexpected ways to rub, massage, scratch, tickle, and knead--with imaginative play scenarios that are just loopy enough to ensure that your dog will be amused, whether he's laughing with you or at you. And to heighten the pleasure of both reader and dog, adorable full-color photographs of smiling dogs accompany each entry. Just look at those dogs (you might say), what a tail-wagging, chop-licking, howling good time they're having. And see if your dog doesn't agree. Try In a Nutshell, the classic sleight-of-hand game, by hiding a treat under one of three plastic cups. The Lawrence Welk--dogs love to chase soap bubbles even more than toddlers do. Get fit while playing. Or use Subliminal Advertising, which works by sneaking a favorite word like cookie into an otherwise boring rant. You'll be surprised by how closely your dog pays attention to what you say, and how broad the smile will be when he hears that special word. Just be sure to have said cookie on hand.

    The reader comes away cheered, better informed, and with a new and deeper appreciation for our amazing canine companions and their enormous capacity for love.”—Cat Warren, New York Times best-selling author of What the Dog Knows Does your dog love you? Every dog lover knows the feeling. The nuzzle of a dog’s nose, the warmth of them lying at our feet, even their whining when they want to get up on the bed. It really seems like our dogs love us, too. But for years, scientists have resisted that conclusion, warning against anthropomorphizing our pets. Enter Clive Wynne, a pioneering canine behaviorist whose research is helping to usher in a new era: one in which love, not intelligence or submissiveness, is at the heart of the human-canine relationship. Drawing on cutting‑edge studies from his lab and others around the world, Wynne shows that affection is the very essence of dogs, from their faces and tails to their brains, hormones, even DNA. This scientific revolution is revealing more about dogs’ unique origins, behavior, needs, and hidden depths than we ever imagined possible. A humane, illuminating book, Dog Is Love is essential reading for anyone who has ever loved a dog—and experienced the wonder of being loved back.

    They vowed that they'd never become the kind of people who send dogs named Baxter and Sonoma out to get facials, or shell out for $12,000 hip replacements. But then they started to get weird looks from the in-laws: You hired a trainer? Your vet prescribed antidepressants? So Schaffer started poking around and before long happened on an astonishing statistic: the pet industry, estimated at $43 billion this year, was just $17 billion barely a decade earlier.One Nation Under Dog is about America's pet obsession the explosion, over the past generation, of an industry full of pet masseuses, professional dog-walkers, organic kibble, leash-law militants, luxury pet spas, veterinary grief counselors, upscale dog shampoos, and the like: a booming economy that is evidence of tremendous and rapid change in the status of America's pets. Schaffer provides a surprising and lively portrait of our country as how we treat our pets reflects evolving ideas about domesticity, consumerism, politics, and family through this fabulously reported and sympathetic look at both us and our dog.

    Injured and abandoned, he could have become another of the 7 million animals euthanized every year. Then Stephanie Williams entered the picture. A successful journalist, she had been diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer at the age of 30. On medical leave and living alone, she wanted a warm four-legged companion. When she saw Gus's soulful eyes and goofy grin, it was love at first sight: she would rescue him, and he would return the favor.Just Gus is about how much one dog did to make a dying woman happy — giving tireless love, comfort, and support. This extraordinary story shows how one dog brought joy and hope to a woman's last days.

    Then he met Joy, a woman devoted to the cause of canine rescue. "Love me, love my dogs," was her rule, and not having any better ideas, Steven took it to heart. Together with their pack of eight dogs—then fifteen dogs, then twenty-five dogs, then, well, they lost count—Steven and Joy bought a tiny farm in a tiny town in rural New Mexico and started the Rancho de Chihuahua, a sanctuary for dogs with special needs. While dog rescue is one of the largest underground movements in America, it is also one of the least understood. This insider look at the cult and culture of dog rescue begins with Kotler's personal experience working with an ever-peculiar pack of dogs and becomes a much deeper investigation into exactly what it means to devote one's life to the furry and the four-legged. Along the way, Kotler combs through every aspect of canine-human relations, from human's long history with dogs through brand new research into the neuroscience of canine companionship, in the end discovering why living in a world of dogs may be the best way to uncover the truth about what it really means to be human.