December 2, 2010
Books are generally highly appreciated gifts at Christmas. We have spent many a holiday afternoon browsing through the stash we received. Definitely the gifts that keep on giving. Here are a couple of new ones:
Dogs
by multi-award-winning photographer Tim Flach is a follow-up to his critically-acclaimed Equus
. Through photographs of dogs in varied settings and locations, solitary and in groups, Mr. Flach creates an "engaging portrait of the physical and spiritual lives of dogs (breeds and crossbreeds of all types) around the globe."
Smells are powerful way that we remember events and emotions over the course of our lives. Mo Smells Christmas: A Scentsational Journey (Mo's Nose)
by Margaret Hyde is a sweet book for the little ones at Christmas. Readers will meander through the sweet smells of Christmas with Mo--"from the fresh-cut pine of the Christmas tree to sugary goodness of Gingerbread to the rich delight of a chocolate Santa to ultimately the JOY of Christmas."
For more books and other holiday gift ideas, browse our Super Cool Pets 2010 Holiday Gift Guide!
November 25, 2010
The National Dog Show Presented by Purina, the most widely viewed dog show in America, is broadcast nationwide in high definition on NBC today Thanksgiving Day immediately following the Macy's Parade, around noon. It reaches an audience of nearly 20 million viewers each year.
The Kennel Club of Philadelphia's two benched, all-breed dog shows were actually held this year on Saturday, November 20 and Sunday, November 21. The shows, sanctioned by The American Kennel Club, help raise money for the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine with support from the Purina ProPlan brand dog food.
The National Dog Show is one of the few remaining and oldest benched dog shows in the United States, held annually since 1933. A benched show requires the participating dogs to be stationed on assigned benches when they are not being shown in competition. Therefore, interested spectators, breeders, handlers and attendees can interact, ask questions, and share information about the various breeds present at the show. A non-benched dog show does not require all dogs to remain "benched" throughout the competition.
October 28, 2010
If you are contemplating adding a dog to your household, this book should help make the decision. Or maybe you have a pet and want to savour a humorous and poignant account of the experience. In You Had Me at Woof: How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness
author Julie Klan "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."
This book is available in Kindle edition. Don't have one? Check out Kindle Wireless Reading Devices
today.
October 24, 2010
Have you ever noticed that your dogs are always watching you? They notice details many humans overlook -- small things mean a lot. They know your routine and when you change your behavior. An engrossing article by trainer Lisa Hartman on dogs' obsession with their humans, Tell Me Who's Watching, will strike a chord with all of us who live with dogs.
"Every breath you take, every move you make, I'll be watching you." While this line from a popular song written by Sting was about obsessive love, the lyrics could equally be applied to your dog. Did you know you are training your dog even when you are not trying to train him? Every move you make sends a message to your dog and unofficially trains him to behave a certain way.
Lisa Hartman is a well known and respected New York and Miami dog trainer and author of DIAL A DYNAMITE DOG
, a dog training book that "cuts to the chase" and speaks to the pet owner in "plain english".
October 21, 2010
This book is on the top of pet lovers' most gifted and most requested lists. The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption
by Jim Gorant tells the before and after story of Michael Vick's dog fighting operation, a truly gripping tale of good and evil. Readers go behind the headlines to meet the dogs as individuals while learning about the suffering these pets endured and the persistence of the animal lovers who gave them a second chance.
Available on the Kindle Wireless Reading Device - Latest Generation
October 19, 2010
October 15, 2010
Have issues? Let Stanley be your guide. Lessons from Stanley the Cat: Nine Lives of Everyday Wisdom
by Dr. Jennifer Freed, a psychotherapist, a radio show host and a professor, offers insight and wisdom to help you keep your eye on what's important in life. Cat and dog lovers alike will enjoy this little book.
October 1, 2010
Did you know that our domestic dogs can successfully interbreed with wolves and coyotes? These three are all species in the genus Canis, to which the dog, as you likely know, belongs. This has led to a "genetic mess" that researchers sometimes refer to as "Canis soupus", according to a recent NY Times article on coyotes, Mysteries That Howl and Hunt:
Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), coyotes (or Canis latrans, meaning "barking dog") and and every kind of wolf, from the red wolf to the Eastern wolf to the gray wolf (Canis lupus), can mate and produce perfectly healthy pups.
It's worthwhile getting to know coyotes, the wily but misunderstood cousin of our beloved domestic dog, since most of them live in suburbia, where a lot of us live. And apparently there are more around than previously thought. This short article will get you started. Here's a clip:
For a better understanding of these mysterious animals, read Coyote at the Kitchen Door: Living with Wildlife in Suburbia
by Stephen DeStefano, a wildlife biologist with the United States Geological Survey's Massachusetts Cooperative Research Unit. He narrates the travels of a female coyote, portraying coyotes not as urban "pests" but as animals that deserve our respect.
September 28, 2010
We humans certainly are ambivalent about our relationships with animals. Ever wondered why dogs are food in some countries, but members of the family in others? Or why we happily wear leather shoes but condemn cruelty to animals? Most of us would say it's okay to feed a mouse to a pet snake, but not a kitten.
Hal Herzog, a professor of psychology at Western Carolina University, is regarded as a leading expert in the psychology of human-animal relations. He looks closely at the ethics and philosophy involved in our animal relationships in his new book, Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals
.
Here's a quick take on the book from Super Cool Pets favorite Patricia McConnell, author of The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs
:
The book combines stories and science in an accessible way. For example, researchers found that people really DO look like their dogs (at least, people can match which dog goes with which person, a fact I personally would argue is not quite the same thing) and that cat and dog lovers really do have slightly different personalities (dog people are more extroverted than cat people, but ironically, cat people are slightly more likely to be open to new experiences.)
But most of all, the book constantly reminds us that our interactions with animals are in part driven by genetics, in part by culture and experience, and as a result, are often irrational and contradictory. But if you're like me.... they are always fascinating.
Browse Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals.
August 8, 2010
Super cool find via The Big Picture
Amazon Hot New Holiday Gift Books -- Dogs and Mo Smells Christmas
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