Dog Life

Autorentext

JOIN Amy's Audacious Allies, SUBSCRIBE to her free newsletter, READ her pet-centric blog: http://AmyShojai.com Amy Shojai is a nationally known authority on pet care and behavior, a certified animal behavior consultant, a spokesperson for the pet products industry, and the author of 30 nonfiction pet books. She also writes THRILLERS WITH BITE! which includes the dog-viewpoint thrillers LOST AND FOUND, HIDE AND SEEK and SHOW AND TELL. Amy addresses a wide range of fun-to-serious issues in her work, covering dog and cat training, behavior, natural and allopathic health care, nutrition, first aid, aging pets, "the bond" and cutting-edge medical topics. In her nonfiction books, she empowers pet lovers by providing the information they need to make informed decisions for their cats and dogs. She specializes in translating "medicalese" into easily understood jargon-free language, making it accessible to all pet lovers. Oh, and she loves bling-icity! Her work has been honored with over three dozen writing awards and she is a two-time recipient of the "Friskies Writer of the Year" award. Her articles currently appear in the Herald Democrat newspaper, on puppies.About.com and cats.About.com, PetHealthyStore.com and PetSafe.net and she's published several thousand articles and columns during her career. She presents a twice-monthly "Pet Talk" segment at KXII-CBS, hosted the weekly "Pet Peeves" at PetLifeRadio.com and is an expert on Animal Planet DOGS 101 and CATS 101. Sometimes she has time to sleep. Amy has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and in The Wall Street Journal, USA Weekend, The New York Times, Washington Post, Reader's Digest, Woman's Day, Family Circle, Woman's World, and many other leading newspapers and magazines. She has also been a featured pet care expert on Animal Planet Dogs 101, Cats 101, Petsburgh USA/Disney Channel program, Good Day New York, Fox News: Pet News, NBC Today Show, WGN-Chicago "Pet Central" and "Animal Planet Radio" and many others. She is an active member of the International Thriller Writers, certified member of International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, founder and Past President of the Cat Writers' Association, member of the Dog Writers Association of America, and Past President and Honorary Lifetime Member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. She frequently speaks to groups on a variety of pet-related and writing issues, lectures at veterinary and writer conferences, and conducts training and behavior demonstrations around the country. She and her husband live with assorted critters at Rosemont, their thirteen-acre "spread" in north Texas. Find more information about her work at www.shojai.com and follow her Bling, Bitches & Blood Blog at http://amyshojai.com

Klappentext

Filled with beautiful color photographs of these furry friends, this book reveals virtually everything needed to appreciate this joyous, lovable companion. "No other animal has shared as much with humanity as Canis familiaris, the domestic dog. Indeed, for at least 32,000 years, this creature, but one paw-step away from the wolf, has willingly and happily traded freedom for an uncertain relationship with humankind. -From the Introduction. Chapter One, "Evolutionary Dog," traces the domestic canine back to the Paleocene Era, then introduces its canid relatives. Sidebars highlight the fascinating evolutionary differences between wolves, modern wild dogs, and other canid relatives. Dogs have been both revered and scorned throughout history. Egyptian law protected beloved dogs and worshiped a dog-headed god. But the dog's spiritual heyday came to a halt in the Middle Ages, when the Christian church declared dogs dirty and poisonous, due to rabies, and they were scorned and feared as werewolves and worse. Yet, in the seventeenth century, dog popularity rose again as European aristocracy celebrated and bred all sorts of specialty hunting dogs. The Renaissance brought dogs, including miniatures of hunting breeds, to all levels of society. Chapter Two, "Cultured Canine," is a survey of artistic homage paid to the dog. From Homer's Odyssey to Dickens, Kipling, Jack London, and Dean Koontz, dogs have been featured as analogy, metaphor, and hero. From the Egyptians to Leonardo da Vinci and beyond, the dog has been featured in paintings and other media. Notable dog lovers include President Roosevelt who loved his Scottie dog Fala, and General Patton, who named his Bull Terrier "Willie" after William the Conqueror. Working dogs are discussed, from shepherds and hunters to Search and Rescue and service dogs. Chapter Three, "Physical Dog," is a guide to understanding and caring for your dog. First, each of the dog's senses and physical attributes are described, to reveal how they see the world. Important care issues are discussed, such as whether you should get your "fixed," or his ears cropped, and what ailments your dog is likely to suffer from. You'll find information about dog behavior, tips for proper training, advice on when to vaccinate, and information about choosing and caring for puppies. Dog Life closes with a "Gallery of Breeds," a parade of fascinating canine types in pictures, with brief descriptions of their unique personalities and special characteristics. Overflowing with endearing photographs and enlightening, entertaining text, Dog Life is sure to capture the fancy of dog lovers everywhere.