FURday PhoDOGraphy

Poor Schatze just had a bunch of teeth taken out plus a tumor removed and looks like she lost a prize fight.  She is really hurting right now, but should be good in ten days or so.  This has really wrecked my budget, so if you really want to help me out, click on the ads at the top of my page which I get paid a few cents for.  We would really appreciate it!   I will be back blogging in full force just as soon as she is feeling better.

Here is Schatze a few days ago when she was feeling good.

FURday PhoDOGraphy Happy Chinese New Year

Schatze thinks that horses are really big dogs. 

Review WHAT THE DOG KNOWS by CAT WARREN @Cat_Warren @TouchstoneBooks

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2013

Cat Warren is a university professor and former journalist with an admittedly odd hobby: She and her German shepherd have spent the last seven years searching for the dead. Solo is a cadaver dog. What started as a way to harness Solo’s unruly energy and enthusiasm soon became a calling that introduced Warren to the hidden and fascinating universe of working dogs, their handlers, and their trainers.

Solo has a fine nose and knows how to use it, but he’s only one of many thousands of working dogs all over the United States and beyond. In What the Dog Knows, Warren uses her ongoing work with Solo as a way to explore a captivating field that includes cadaver dogs, drug- and bomb-detecting K9s, tracking and apprehension dogs—even dogs who can locate unmarked graves of Civil War soldiers and help find drowning victims more than two hundred feet below the surface of a lake. Working dogs’ abilities may seem magical or mysterious, but Warren shows the multifaceted science, the rigorous training, and the skilled handling that underlie the amazing abilities of dogs who work with their noses.

Warren interviews cognitive psychologists, historians, medical examiners, epidemiologists, and forensic anthropologists, as well as the breeders, trainers, and handlers who work with and rely on these remarkable and adaptable animals daily. Along the way, she discovers story after story that proves the impressive capabilities—as well as the very real limits—of working dogs and their human partners. Clear-eyed and unsentimental, Warren explains why our partnership with dogs is woven into the fabric of society and why we keep finding new uses for their wonderful noses.

Buy on Amazon

About the Author
Cat Warren is an associate professor at North Carolina State University, where she teaches science journalism, editing, and reporting courses. She lives with her German shepherd, Solo, in Durham, North Carolina.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS:  ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

When Cat Warren gets a gorgeous German Shepherd, he is all parts uncoordinated, curious and needs a job.  Like most working breeds, shepherds are happiest when they have a job to do and when Warren takes her boy to a trainer she knows he needs a job, but she also knows that she physically couldn't keep up with a search and rescue team.  She had never really thought of a cadaver dog, but Solo, proves to be a standout early on.  And so, the pair have found a calling and not a likely one for the author.  Much like Mary Roach attacks a subject, Warren leaves no stone unturned in explaining the science and psychology behind these working dogs.  

First off, I got that "ewww" feeling when Warren describes exactly what Solo would be doing, but the whole story is just so fascinating and balanced between personal anecdotes with the science behind the skills, that I just couldn't put it down. The importance of these working dogs is not really that well known.  I have read Susannah Charleson's books about training service dogs and this gives a whole new facet to the interesting lives they have.  I admire people that have the time and patience to do the hard work that provide these services to help the public.  I know from being around my dachshund that the power of scent in dogs is amazing.  

Disclosure
I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review.  If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!  

Review DUFFY'S WORLD by FAITH McCUNE @duffysworldbook

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2013

Duffy’s World is part memoir, part dog owner’s manual, and narrated primarily from a dog’s point of view. As Duffy’s owner chimes in with her own perspective, readers will recognize their own joys and challenges that mark the territory of the human/canine relationship. From eating anything and everything, to a profound fear of needles and bee stings, to being “released” from dog training school, Duffy’s never-ending zest for new experiences is the source of his owner’s greatest frustration and most profound life lessons.

Get this book for only 99 cents! Limited Time Only! 

Duffy's World: Seeing the World through a Dog's Eyes on Amazon!


About the Author
Faith McCune’s beloved father passed away when she was eight. Her first dog, Prince—a gift from her mother—helped her cope with the loss and brought joy into her heart again. Many years later, Duffy came into her life and reawakened her passion for dogs.

Source:  Author

My Thoughts Loved it

McCune decides she wants a puppy, and like most people, doesn't really consider the breed and all of the training necessary to bring up a dog. This book is about her experience bringing home an adorable Australian Shepherd and what it takes to have a wonderful companion and good canine citizen. I don't think she realized when she picked out this cute puppy that Aussies are one of the smartest breeds around. I didn't either when I got mine.  This story is part memoir, part puppy manual and a whole lot of fun!

Interspersed with the author's odyssey to train her pup, Duffy, she relates what she thinks her dog is thinking.  I know I have done this myself.  And once you get to know your dog and really communicate with them, you really do know what they are thinking.  The parts where Duffy "thinks" and told in his voice are fun and sweet.  I really had to laugh at how accurately she describes how how an Aussie thinks, they really are so intelligent.  I had no idea what I was getting into when I got my Blue, but he turned out to be the best dog ever after going through much of what McCune went through to train him.

Disclosure  I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review.  If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!  

Review DEVOTED by REBECCA ASCHER WALSH @RebeccaAscherWa

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2013

Unlikely Friendships meets Marley and Me. In this heartwarming gift book, author Rebecca Ascher-Walsh presents a collection of inspiring dog stories and touching photos--dogs who comfort veterans, dogs who learn to surf, dogs who detect cancer, and dogs who save the day: Each one is devoted. These 38 uplifting dog stories showcase the most amazing dog rescues, accomplishments, and 

abilities that fascinate us and touch our hearts.

Buy this book on Amazon

About the Author

REBECCA ASCHER-WALSH is a writer who specializes in covering celebrities and lifestyles, but who also loves dogs and telling stories about amazing animals. She contributes to many newspapers and national magazines -- including Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, and the L.A. Times and is active in social media. She is a volunteer at a high-kill shelter in Manhattan and a founding director of the Deja Foundation, devoted to covering the medical care and training costs of dogs rescued from high-kill shelters. A native New Yorker, she shares her home with two rescue pit bulls, Desiree and Buddy.


Source:  Publisher
My Thoughts
Loved it

This is a wonderful book filled with heart-warming tales about dog and the people they rescue. In each little story, complete with amazing photographs of the dog, you find that sometimes the people need more rescuing than the animal.  The stories that really get to me are the ones about vets and how these dogs help them recover from PTSD.  There is such a calming effect that just having a dog around to pet and it helps people so much in stressful times.  Each dog and person had difficulties to overcome but found a way through each other.  

Review CHASER by John W. Pilley @HMHCo

Book Description

Publication Date: October 29, 2013

The amazing story of a very smart Border collie who is redefining animal intelligence.

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.

About the Author

JOHN W. PILLEY is an emeritus professor of psychology at Wofford College. He has been working with Chaser since 2004 and has published the findings from their work in the journal Behavioural Processes.

Hilary Hinzmann is a freelance editor and writer based in New York City.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Bottom Line:  Dogs are much smarter than they are given credit.  John Pilley explains exactly how quickly they learn and given the chance can communicate with us.  Pilley explains how he used his dogs as research subjects in his lab in his job as a psychology professor.   His students observed them and dissected their abilities.  After his last dog dies, his wife insists he is getting a new puppy for Christmas and they both agree that a local breeder of Border Collies is their best choice.  With infinite patience and his training as a scientist, he teaches his new pup to relate objects to words.

Border Collies are working dogs and love routines, without structure in their lives, they can be almost destructive.  Their natural curiosity and ability to be trained is both a gift and a curse.  I had an Australian Shepherd with a similar personality and if we didn't do our routine each day, he was a very unhappy dog.  I had taught my dog probably 100 words and he could easily follow commands to retrieve certain objects.  I never imagined that a dog could place names to over a thousand objects.

There is a science background to this book, so as well as being a memoir, it also has some wonderful information based on fact to go along with it.  Chaser was featured on a NOVA program about her unique abilities.  This is one fascinating look at how you can train a dog to learn more than you thought possible with a little extra time and energy.  Dog and memoir fans are going to adore this story.

Disclosure  I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review.  If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!  

Review DOGS WITH OLD MAN FACES by TOM COHEN @Running_Press

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2013

Sure, it’s easy to love a cute puppy with adorable eyes. But there’s just something about those dogs with old man faces, with mugs weathered by experience and wisdom. Dogs with Old Man Faces combines heartwarming photos with humorous captions, sure to make anyone laugh and love their old dogs even more.

About the Author
Tom Cohen is a multiple Emmy-winning TV producer with almost 20 years in the TV business. Dogs with Old Man Faces will put him on the map as the first person ever to win a Daytime Emmy Award and publish a photo humor book on dogs. He lives in Maryland.





SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

I can't tell you how many times I have said that owners begin to resemble their dogs as they age and this book proves it.  Me, I would love to look like my dachshund, since she is long and somewhat thin. Taken from several websites and brought together with a phrase, these photographs will have you laughing or thinking about how much a dog can express with one look.  Go to any retirement community and you will find the grumpy old man who wants you off his lawn, the former bodybuilder who is now sagging and the guy who is proud of his liver spots. This is a beautiful hardback book and a wonderful gift for that dog lover in your life.

Be sure to check out Babble.com's photos that are used in this book.

Disclosure  I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review.  If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!  

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER PREVIEW.... Lightbulb jokes for dogs.....

Golden Retriever - The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're inside worrying about a stupid burned out bulb?

Border Collie - Just one. And then I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.

DACHSHUND - You know I can't reach that stupid lamp!

Rottweiler - Make me.

Boxer - Who cares? I can still play with my squeaky toys in the dark.

Lab - Oh, me, me!!! Pleeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeae, please, please, please!

German Shepherd - I'll change it as soon as I've led these people from the dark, check to make sure I haven't missed any, and make just one more perimeter patrol to see that no one has tried to take advantage of the situation.

Jack Russell Terrier: I'll just pop it in while I'm bouncing off the walls and furniture.

Old English Sheep Dog - Light bulb? I'm sorry, but I don't see a light bulb.

Cocker Spaniel - I'm too cute to change a light bulb.

Tibetan Terrier - Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.

Chihuahua - Yo quiero Taco Bulb.

Pointer - I see it, there it is, there it is, right there....

Greyhound - It isn't moving, who cares?

Australian Shepherd - First I'll put all the light bulbs in a little circle...

Poodle - I'll just blow in the Border Collie's ear and he'll do it. By the time he finishes rewiring the house, my nails will be dry.

Now I've seen everything....Temporary Tattoos for your pet!

Ever feel the need to give your pet some temporary ink?
Well, no, me neither, but now you can!
There is a company that offers temporary tattoos for your pet!
Check it out HERE  I did see an Iron Cross that would look amazing on Schatze....

Countdown to Puppy Bowl

My favorite day of the year!

Up For Pups! Don't Kill Bill - A Celebration of Rescued Dogs

As you know, I am all about the dogs! I fell in love with Kyla's books and everything that Happy Tails Books stands for. Well, dogs need more help.



Unique advocacy event needs your support 

After Kyla Duffy's first Don't Kill Bill performance at Blogpaws in September, the Blogosphere was abuzz with videos and reviews. It entailed an aerial fabric performance (think Cirque du Soleil or that hotel commercial with the lady swinging from the drapes) set to beautiful music by animal advocate Marilyn Milano and a slide show about puppy mills and volunteering with rescues.
Duffy, who is the founder of both Happy Tails Books and Up For Pups, has expanded that performance and is taking it to the stage for the first time on February 12th, 7:30pm, at The Dairy in Boulder, CO.
Through multimedia storytelling and aerial acrobatics set to Milano's music, Don't Kill Bill raises awareness about puppy mills and encourages people to get involved with rescue organizations. Rescues will be present in the lobby to talk about their adoptables and volunteer opportunities. Proceeds from the show will be used to further Up For Pups animal advocacy efforts.
Kyla needs our help, as this is the first time she's ever done something like this, and she would very much like to sell out the show to demonstrate the importance of animal rescue organizations to our communities. Purchase tickets here

If you can't make it to the event, you can still show your support and help rescue by purchasing an audio book. The stories presented in the show are drawn from the four-hour-long Best of Lost Souls: FOUND! audio book, which that take you on a journey through the hardships and joy of animal rescue through 55 rescue tales.
The Best of Lost Souls: FOUND! audio book is available now for download or as a 4-CD set mailed to your door. It's a great way to show your love for rescued dogs and receive something lasting and enjoyable in return.
PURCHASE AUDIO BOOK AND SHOW TICKETS HERE

So if you are in the Denver area, be sure to check out Don't Kill Bill!  

Scary Dogs for Halloween

I have pulled together a list of three books that have scary dogs (or werewolves - which in my opinion, are still dogs since they are in the canine family).

The first book in this list has to be Cujo by Stephen King.  That rabid monster is probably the scariest thing I have ever read. King brings the mental breakdown of a dog to life and the fight between human and nature becomes all too real.  You will avoid dogs after reading this one.

Next up, is Toby Barlow's Sharp Teeth.  This is written in free verse and the descriptions of the werewolves as they rip each other apart are very intense.  You get the full sense of the pack life in a lyrical form.  This one will keep you up at night.

This young adult novel will hint at werewolves, but you don't get to really read about them until the end.  The ending will shock you when you find that humans are the true monsters.

OK Go - White Knuckles - Official Video SYNCHRONIZED DOGS!

SY

Any band who puts adorable dogs in their video has my vote! And maybe my dollars.

Dancing Merengue Dog

You know this dog can dance better than me.

Through a Dog's Eyes Trailer

This is going to be on PBS tonight -- I can't wait!

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Katie Up and Down the Hall by Glenn Plaskin

Product Description

A personal memoir by bestselling author and celebrity journalist Glenn Plaskin, KATIEis a moving story about a man who discovers the true meaning of family after adopting a cocker spaniel puppy. Through the magnetic personality of his mischievous dog, the author soon makes powerful connections with several of his down-the-hall neighbors in a high-rise located in the unique Battery Park City neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. First, Katie trots into the lives of Pearl and Arthur, a warm-hearted elderly couple just a few doors down from Glenn. Later, John, a single Dad, and his rambunctious young son, Ryan, also move in and are seduced by Katie's charms.

All of their lives are profoundly changed as they are transformed from neighbors to friends to family, with Pearl as matriarch. The motherless boy finds a "Granny"; his Dad inherits a mother, Glenn discovers a confidante. Set in New York City, we witness nearly sixteen years of antics and family adventures spanning Hollywood high times, bad health, accidents, blustery winters, even the terrors of 9/11. Through it all, the family clings to each other, sharing a deep bond that give each comfort, support and security.

Based upon a widely-read article in Family Circle, here is an unforgettable story about the love that makes a family-one that transcends the hard realities of time, tragedy, and inevitable loss.

About the Author

Plaskin, a resident of New York City, is surrounded by more than 300 dogs in his Battery Park City complex, a neighborhood that inspired this book and the remarkable events in it.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Center Street (September 8, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599952548
• ISBN-13: 978-1599952543

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS:

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Glenn Plaskin writes about his dog Katie and how she unites a group of neighbors so that an apartment building of people truly become family.  I fell in love with the cover of this book and the story is equally admirable.  The story takes you through Katie's life of glamor as a model, meeting the rich and famous and a general bringer of good moods.  Katie even gets to meet her namesake, Kathryn Hepburn!  The story is much more than the life of Katie and includes the people she becomes close to and puts a smile on their faces.

I especially enjoyed the author's writing style and how this book developed into a book about relationships and how not being related can still make you a family.  The greatest point in the book is the caring and commitment Plaskin shows to Pearl, an elderly neighbor.  He struggles to help her adjust to her old age and then makes sure she gets the care she needs.  On the other side is Ryan, a young boy who moves into the apartment and captures everyone's heart, including Katie who has a strict no child rule.  My biggest complaint is there are not many pictures of Katie, but I did find some on the author's site about Katie -- www.katiebook.com.  Any dog or memoir lover is going to really enjoy this one. 



WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK?

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Contest is open to anyone with a US or Canadian mailing address (sorry, no PO Boxes)
Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 9.23.10
Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen
This giveaway is sponsored by Hatchette Book Group and up to 3 copies will be available depending on entries.

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Hero! Dachshund seeks help after owner collapses - Health - Pet health - msnbc.com

Hero dog seeks help after owner collapses - Health - Pet health - msnbc.com

YAMHILL, Ore. — A small dog who refused to return home until a neighbor followed her helped rescue her owner after he collapsed at home following heart surgery. Charles Mitchell said he was working in his yard last week in the Oregon wine country town of Yamhill when an 11-year-old dachshund named Missy scampered up and refused to leave.
Mitchell told the dog to go home, but she refused, and when he decided to follow her across the street to investigate, he found his neighbor, Charlie Burdon, had collapsed inside his home.
The police chief arrived with paramedics, Burdon was taken to the hospital. Burdon suffered an attack of vertigo and is recovering.
But Burdon and Mitchell, who have known each other for years, both said Missy is their hero.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

For the next few weeks, I am going to spotlight books about dogs and authors that write about dogs. 

So be sure to check back for the daily post!

DOGumentary: Therapy Dog Encourages Reading

I just read about this idea in Scent of the Missing. Dogs can do anything! WOOF!

The Dangerous Book For Dogs by Rex and Sparky (Joe Garden) (Book Review 2010-117)

Product Description

A LAUGH-OUT-LOUD PARODY: AN lLLUSTRATED GUIDE FOR--AND BY--DOGS, UNLOCKING THE MYSTERIES OF DOGHOOD AND TEACHING THEM HOW TO DO THE VERY ACTIVITIES THAT HUMAN SOCIETY SAYS ARE WRONG.

The Dangerous Book for Dogs asks a simple question: isn't there more to being a dog than wearing a mini cashmere sweater and riding around in a $400 evening clutch? What about the simple pleasures of life -- feeling the wind in your fur, digging up the grass beneath your paws, smelling another dog's butt? Isn't that part of the great joy of being a dog?

Written (with help) by dogs and for dogs, The Dangerous Book For Dogs provides insight on everything from the tastiest styles of shoes to chew to the proper method for terrorizing squirrels. It also contains portraits of noble dogs throughout history, the mysteries of cats and humans, and everything else your dog ever wanted to know but was afraid to ask–like how to make toys out of human's household items, or how to escape from a humiliating reindeer costume.

Generously illustrated with drawings by cartoonist Emily Flake, this hilarious parody is for good dogs, bad dogs, and the millions of people who love them.

Rex and Sparky wrote this parody without authorization (because they are dogs and they do what they want.)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Villard (October 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345503708
• ISBN-13: 978-0345503701

SOURCE:  PURCHASED

LOVED IT

A perfect read for the dog days of summer.  Let Sparky and Rex teach you all of the proper methods for begging, digging and barking.  I think most dogs have already read this book and someone took notes to let the others know what they are missing.  The section on squirrels is probably one of the funniest things I have ever read.  A very enjoyable treat for all dog lovers.