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The most comprehensive single volume dedicated to horses, The Original Horse Bible is a celebration of the long relationship that humans and horses enjoy, written by two highly regarded horsewomen, the late Moira C. Allen and Sharon Biggs. This 480-page volume, elaborately illustrated by world-renowned horse photographer Bob Langrish, is divided into eleven sections, covering topics that span the world of horses, from evolution and domestication to horse riding, training, competitions and more.Section 1: “History, Physiology, and Behavior” discusses the natural history of the horse, including adaption, migration, and domestication, how horses became integral to human kind, the role of horses in society (war horses, law-enforcement horses, race horses), as well as animal welfare and the plight of wild and feral horses. The anatomy and physiology of the horse are detailed in discussions of the horse’s bodily systems, structure, senses, gait/movement, and coat and color patterns. In terms of behavior, the authors discuss the life cycle of the horse and reproduction, intelligence and trainability, and horse mentality and natural instincts.In Section 2: “Breeds and Types,” the authors trace the evolution of modern horse types from three known ancient ancestors and archaic types and extinct breeds. They describe the modern types of horses based on their particular looks and specific uses (Baroque, Cob, Hack, Hunter, Polo Pony and so forth). A detailed discussion of horse color follows, explaining the differences between each and what specific characteristics define each (buckskin, palomino, and pinto).The extensive breed chapter offers portraits of approximately 175 breeds, alphabetically arranged, from the Abaco Barb to the Welsh Pony, including many rare and handsome breeds from around the world as well as favorites like the American Quarter Horse, the Shetland Pony and the Thoroughbred. Main entries provide alternative names, region of origins, brief history, and physical descriptions for each breed. Sidebars called “Breed in Brief” offer concise overviews of the lesser known breeds.The popular hobby of horse riding is the focus of Section 3: “Activities with Horses,” which describes English, western, and driving competition as well as rodeo, competitive trail riding, vaulting, polo, and other horse sports. Section 7: “Rider Instruction” continues the discussion on riding with chapters on riding instructions, safety and fitness as well as English and western riding skills.In Section 4: “A New Horse” and Section 5 “Horsekeeping,” the Bible becomes a primer for all horse owners offering detailed information about choosing the right horse for novice riders, families, and experienced riders and purchasing the horse and the proper equipment (saddles and bridles, boots, gear, and gadgets). The section concludes with chapters on transporting horses, stabling and boarding, and feeding and grooming. Section 6: “Health” discusses veterinary care and vaccines, recognizing the signs of a healthy animal, first aid for each area of the horse’s anatomy, hoof care, and winter wear. A complete chapter is dedicated to battling parasites and pests and avoiding poisonous plants in the horse’s environment. A chapter on alternative care completes the section.Section 8:”Horse Training” focuses on various training philosophies and early handling, training lessons, solving training problems (leading, bolting, biting/nipping, rearing/buckling and shying).Section 9: “Competition” is dedicated to horse shows and classes, preparation for various kinds of shows for both the horse and the rider, and what to expect at the show. These chapters are filled with priceless firsthand advice and pointers from the authors about how to succeed at each of these events.Section 10: “Breeding Mares and Raising Foals” offers a complete overview of the reproduction of horses, with details on choosing a stallion, live cover versus artificial insemination, pregnancy, delivery, and care, imprinting, and handling of the young. Section 11: “The Senior Horse” discusses the horse’s golden years, signs of aging, nutrition and care, retirement from activities, and general care for aging animals. Horse owners will find symptoms and treatment for sixteen of the most common equine aliments (found in the appendix) to be of great utility, as are the resource section and complete index at the end of the volume.

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The adorable conure, named for its conically shaped tail, is one of the world’s favorite parrots and the subject of this Complete Care Made Easy pet guide that presents new and experienced bird keepers with insight into every aspect of selecting, caring for, and maintaining well-behaved happy pet birds.Bird specialist and trainer Nikki Moustaki has written an ideal introductory pet guide about the boisterous conure, with chapters on the characteristics of the conure, the varied behaviors of these small macaw-like parrots in the wild, selection of a healthy, typical pet bird, housing and care, feeding, training,and health care.The chapters “The Many Conure Species” and “Selecting a Great Conure” offers potential owners excellent advice about dozens of species and how to select the best one from those available commercially, from the blue-crowned conure and the green-cheeked conure to the sun conure and red-fronted conure.In the chapter on housing and care, the author discusses selection of the right cage, placement of the cage, and all the necessary accessories. A bird’s diet is critical to its ongoing health, and the chapter devoted to feeding gives the reader all the info he or she needs about choosing the best diet .The chapter “Conure Behavior and Training” gives expert advice about how to train the very talkative conure to speak and be quiet, too. The book concludes with an appendix of bird societies, a glossary of terms, and a complete index.

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Complete Care Made Easy books address all the major concerns about owning and training a small pet. Each care book offers practical advice, emergency first aid tips, fun activities, and more! Look to the training titles for in-depth training techniques and helpful tips.

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Author Nikki Moustaki certainly cannot resist the splendid lovebird, and her valentine to this irresistible avian wonder is the subject of this Complete Care Made Easy pet guide. This colorful guide offers vital information to both new and experienced bird keepers about this hookbilled parrot, covering all aspects of selecting, caring for, and maintaining well-behaved happy pet birds.Bird specialist and trainer Moustaki has written an ideal introductory pet guide about lovebirds with chapters on the history and characteristics of lovebirds, selection of a healthy, typical pet bird, housing and care, feeding, training, and health care.The chapter “A Look at Lovebird Species” gives readers a glimpse into all nine species. Although nine species exist–ranging from red faced to black collared lovebirds —only the peach-faced, black-masked, and Fischer’s are widely available to pet owners.The selection chapter offers potential owners excellent advice about the three main species of lovebirds and how to select the best one from those available commercially.In the chapter on housing and care, the author discusses selection of the right cage, placement of the cage, and all the necessary accessories. A bird’s diet is critical to its ongoing health, and the chapter devoted to feeding gives the reader all the info he or she needs about choosing a proper diet for the lovebird . The final two chapters of the book will be useful for bird fanciers interested in learning more about the breeding and the basic color variations and genetics of this beautiful small parrot. The book concludes with an appendix of bird societies, a glossary of terms, and a complete index.

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Thirty of America’s most talented gourmet chefs reveal themselves as unabashed dog lovers who cook for their own dogs. Thanks to the talents of author Kathryn Levy Feldman and photographer Sabine Louise Pierce, The Culinary Canine brings forth the stories of these chefs, portraits of their spoiled, well-fed canines, and over thirty unique (and doable) recipes! Among the chefs interviewed and featured in this book are restaurant owners and professionals from coast to coast—from New York City, Boston, and Chicago to San Francisco and L.A.—some of whom were former contestants on Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America, and Chopped!The chefs include: Cosme Aguilar, Karyn Calabrese, Steve Chiappetti, Dominique Crenn, Roberta Deen, Geraldine Gilliland, Carmen González, Troy Graves, Todd and Ellen Gray, Cornelia Cochrane Churchill Guest, Mya May (Christine) Gyaw, Kerry Heffernan, Diane Henderiks, Phyllis Kaplowitz, Nick Lacasse, Matthew Levin, Anita Lo, Tanya Nunes, Marc Pennvenne, Melissa Perello, Georges Perrier, Keith Roberts, Harry Schwartz, Amaryll Schwertner, Nicholas Shipp, Jay Silva, Guillermo Tellez, Dana Tommasino, Eileen Watkin, and Eli Zabar. Keeping the health as well as the gastronomical satisfaction of their canines in mind, the chefs’ recipes focus on natural, organic ingredients and sound nutrition. For example, Georges Perrier, the chef proprietor of Le Bec-Fin and Georges’ in Philadelphia, offers “Isabelle’s ‘TouTou’ Food,” and Eli Zabar, owner of six chic eateries in New York City conjures up “Bread Soup for Dogs.” Each recipe is unique, healthful, and fun to make (and chow down on).You don’t need to be a chef (or even a terrible good cook) to master the recipes in this book, and your dog won’t mind if you accidentally double the chicken, cheese, or quinoa!

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This Complete Care Made Easy title offers first-time cockatiel owners insight into every aspect of selecting, caring for, and maintaining well-behaved happy pet birds.Angela Davids and her flock of bird experts have put together an ideal introductory pet guide, with chapters on the characteristics and history of the charming cocktail, selection of a healthy, typical cockatiel, housing and care, feeding, training, and keeping the bird healthy.The selection chapter offers potential owners excellent advice about owner suitability, selection of the color and sex of the bird, and also addresses legal and health issues about which all pet bird owners should be aware. In the chapter on housing and care, the author discusses selection of the right cage, citing of the cage, accessories, toys, playgyms, and more.A bird’s diet is critical to its ongoing health, and the chapter “Feeding Your Cockatiel” gives the reader all the info he or she needs about choosing the best possible diet, the different types of seeds, fruits, veggies, as well as human foods to avoid. The final two chapters of the book will be useful for bird fanciers interested in learning more about the breeding of cockatiels and the basic color variations and genetics of this handsome tropical bird. The book concludes with an appendix of bird societies, a glossary of terms, and a complete index.

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The book Joan Rivers calls “my dog bible,” Woof! is the quintessential queer guide for dog lovers, offering a hilarious take on gay dog ownership unlike any other book out there! Author Andrew De Prisco and illustrator Jason O’Malley have created a LGBTQ classic that defines the 28 “breeds” of gay men and recommends which breeds are best for each. From Drag Queen and All-American Boy to Twink, Leatherman, and Log Cabin Queer, every gay man will find advice and hilarity on every page of this award-winning gift book. (For gay men who are not sure of their breed, there is a temperament sorter to help determine their homo DNA.) In addition to being a breed-selection guide for the dog-loving Q-set, Woof! provides no-nonsense information about how to purchase a dog from a breeder, bringing the puppy home, training, caring, and feeding for the dog. It also offers tongue-in-cheek pointers along the lines of choosing the best gay name for the puppy, shopping for extravagant accessories, throwing a gay puppy shower (for the gifts!), hiring the right staff to take care of the puppy, and using the well-cared-for dog as a man magnet. DePrisco, who has been actively involved in the dog world (and gay world) for over two decades, has tapped all his doggy resources to bring readers the most fabulous advice from some of the nation’s Top Dog Men, including breeders of Westminster Best in Show winners, world-revered judges, and international canine experts. The chapter “Studs and Bitches: The Secret Sex Lives of Dogs” addresses hot topics such as homosexual dogs, promiscuity in the dog world, and getting unleashed and hooking up at dog parks. In the book’s final chapter ,“The Rainbow Tour: Stepping Out in Gay Society,” the author throws a virtual pride parade of doggy activities, from the über-queer world of dog shows to vacations, gay resorts, and camping (with actual tents!). The true message of the book—beyond the campy humor, wildly funny illustrations, and off-color remarks—rings out from every page: Woof! is for everyone who wants to be the most responsible and devoted dog owners on the planet.

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David Frei, the publicist of Westminster Kennel Club and the founder of Westminster’s therapy dog charity, Angel on a Leash, along with his wife Cheri, a minister at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, retell heartwarming stories of therapy dogs who change the lives of needy children at hospitals and rehabilitation centers. angelonaleash.org

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Ever since hamsters arrived in the United States in the 1950s, they have topped the list as America’s favorite critter. Hailed as “the ultimate pocket pet,” hamsters are “small, cute, fuzzy, clean, and easy to care for,” in the words of author Virginia Parker Guidry. Filled with terrific color photographs, this Complete Care Made Easy Hamsters encapsulates all the virtues of these flawless little mammals and gives owners practical advice about how to better understand them and properly care for them. Deciding to add a hamster to one’s household is the subject of the chapter “The Right Choice,” which discusses the virtues of these easy-to-tame children’s pets and the commitment they require.The chapter “Locating a Healthy Hamster” offers solid advice about selecting the right pet, where to purchase or adopt, and whether two (or three) is better than one. Two complete chapters on the hamster’s homecoming offer the reader excellent advice about acclimating the new pet to the home, selecting the best cage, accessories, setting up the hamster’s habitat, and finding a good vet.In “Life with a Hamster,” the author discusses the hamster’s nocturnal nature, various physical behaviors, temperature requirements, handling, and basic husbandry. The hamster’s feeding requirements are discussed in “Dinnertime!” which outlines the ideal diet of dry mix, fresh foods, and occasional treats. Sidebars about common poisonous items, including certain people food and household productions, are requisite reading for all hamster keepers. Preventive care is discussed in the chapter “The Healthy Hamster,” along with common health concerns (such as colds, wet tail, abscesses, etc.) and breeding. The final chapter “Hamster Fun” explores games, toys, activities, and showing. The appendix includes lists of clubs, organizations, and websites. Glossary of terms and index included.

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“Compact, easy-to-care-for, and a bundle of fun” is how author Virginia Parker Guidry describes the irresistible guinea pig. Ideal pets for families with children, cavies (as they’re often called) are clean, odorless, gentle, loving, and entertaining. This Complete Care Made Easy Guinea Pigs encapsulates all the virtues of these perfect small mammals and gives new owners practical advice about how to care for them. In chapter one, “A Guinea What?” the author talks about the guinea pig’s natural history—they’re neither pigs nor from Guinea, but rather a rodent from Peru—and how scientists classify this very unique mammal. To decide whether the guinea pig is right for you, chapter two discusses who makes the ideal owner and presents thirteen popular breeds of longhaired and shorthaired guinea pigs and the colors available to pet owners today.The chapter “Finding a Healthy Guinea Pig” offers solid advice about selecting the right guinea pig, where to purchase or adopt, and the preferred sex. A complete chapter on preparing for the guinea pig offers the reader excellent advice about acclimating the new pet to the home, selecting the best cage and hutch, and pig-proofing the home. The subject of understanding guinea pig behavior is discussed in the chapter “Living with a Guinea Pig,” which also covers daily-care topics such as feeding, grooming, handling, exercise, and litter box training. Keeping the guinea pig healthy is discussed in “Staying Healthy,” a chapter that covers preventing illness, choosing a veterinarian, and common ailments. The final chapter “Just for the Fun of It!” explores games, toys, activities, and showing guinea pigs. The appendix includes lists of pig-specific clubs, organizations, and websites. Glossary of terms and index included.

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