Marty BeckerBesprekingen

3.5 stars

I think everyone knows what the “Chicken Soup” books are – little “feel good” stories on whatever the topic is for that book. Mostly, these were good while I read them, but I’ve also already forgotten most of them. There is one I will definitely remember – the cat (he is ok, and we are told that at the beginning of the story) who got his head stuck in the garburator! While reading, I had planned on 3.5 stars (good), but only a day later, I can only remember the one story. I will stick with how I felt about the book while reading (which is usually how I rate, anyway).

Your Dog: The Owner’s Manual
by Dr. Marty Becker with Gina Spadafori
Grand Central Life & Style, 2011, ISBN: 9780446571326
This is a practical, information-packed, easy-to-read book. You will enjoy while you learn, and you’ll keep it handy as a practical reference. In four sections it lays out how to find the right dog for you and your family; basic care for a happy, healthy dog; training and socialization so that you have a dog you can take anywhere and who is a joy to live with; and more weighty health care matters, including selecting a veterinarian, being prepared for emergencies, and caring for an aging dog.
The section on finding a dog covers the advantages of shelters, rescue groups, and responsible breeders, as well as why pet shops, casual backyard breeders, and “click and buy” websites are disastrously bad sources for a new puppy. Please read that section carefully; the convenience and immediate gratification of such sources are not worth the increased vet costs, the potential early grief, and the conditions the parents of your puppy are living in. Responsible breeders and rescue groups, on the other hand, will match you with the right puppy or dog, give that puppy or dog the best start possible, and be there with advice and assistance if you have problems. In addition, the responsible breeder will have screened her dogs for health problems common to the breed, and done her very best to make sure your puppy or dog can expect a long, healthy life. Shelters aren’t able to provide the same amount of background information, but most dogs in shelters are good pets who just need a new home—and likely some additional training, but nothing beyond most people who want a dog in their lives. Also, you’ll be saving a life, and this is in most cases the least expensive source for a new pet.
In the section on basic care, they cover food, exercise, safety, basic health care. Among the recommendations that may surprise many readers: Throw out your dog’s food bowls! Dr. Becker recommends feeding your dog with food puzzles and toys such as the Kong Wobbler and Kong Genius toys. Meal time will be more fun for your dog, whose ancestors had to hunt for a living, and in working for her meal will get more exercise and be less at risk of weight gain. My own dog gets some, though not all, of her meals this way, and her bouncy eagerness at the sight of one of her food toys is a reward in itself for going to the trouble of preparing it.
Section three covers training and socialization, and the importance of helping your dog to be comfortable and confident in new situations and with unfamiliar people and dogs, as well as how to achieve this. Taking the time for good training and socialization will multiply your pleasure in your dog, as you and he will be able to spend more time together, doing more different kinds of things together—including dog sports, if you’re both so inclined.
Some of the hardest topics are saved for section four. Our dogs’ lifespans are much shorter than ours, so we will see them through puppyhood and young adulthood and maturity, into old age and the last days of their lives. Good veterinary care, as well as a high-quality diet and good exercise, holds off the deterioration of old age, and makes your dog’s senior years golden years rather than painful ones. And when major illness or injury strikes, or in late old age, we need to be prepared, with a good relationship with a veterinarian, with the resources to provide care, and the honesty with ourselves and openness to our pets to know when treatment is right, when hospice care at home is best, and when it’s time to say good-bye. Dr. Becker deals with these difficult topics in an honest, sensitive, and helpful manner. One suggestion I want to highlight, because I believe many people are still not aware of it, is pet health insurance. Pet health insurance works more like car insurance or indemnity health insurance for humans than like HMOs; you use the veterinarian of your choice and pay, and then get reimbursed. Selecting the right insurance policy for your pet can make the difference between being able to treat something treatable but expensive, and having to euthanize your pet simply because it’s impossible to afford the bill.
Overall, this is an extremely practical, helpful book that you’ll be glad to have on your shelf throughout your dog’s lifetime.
Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher.

It was way, way too depressing. My MIL bought this for me one year for Christmas & a few years later, I still haven't finished it because every story is too sad.

All the stories are sweet and funny. Found the stories in Section 3 the most moving because they describe cats helping their owners grieve and heal. Angels Among Us is one of the saddest stories I've read.

I am glad to learn that there are many folks out there who are willing to go out of their way to help cats. Whether providing or (finding) a home, paying for veterinarian care or searching for a lost cat, these people have shown their love and support, and recognize how much they get back in return.

This is a special collection of true stories, all centered on our feline friends and their undeniable “purrsonality”.

Divided into sections, the stories vary in age of cat and the lesson or moral of each story. There is definitely something for every cat lover in this wonderful book. Each account is heartfelt and will leave you feeling good.

I the section on Love, Oscar the Garbage Can Kitty, lived in a garbage can. Then he ends up moving into the hearts and home of some kind people. I connected with this story because I knew a cat like this in my lifetime.

Other sections include Celebrating the Bond, A Furry RX, Rescue Me, and One of the Family. Each section has several stories of the special friendship and bond between human and cat. The feline personality and intelligence is showcased and celebrated.

This book is indeed “Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul”. It is a book to savour, share, and read again.

Visit Amy Shojai at www.shojai.com .

An alternate title for this book could be “Trivial Pursuit: Cats Edition”. All those weird little things cats do get explained here: what exactly is a hairball, why do cats eyes glow at night (it’s not really lasers), who invented kitty litter, why they knead on you, why they pee on your pillow when you go away for a few days. Each entry is short; one or two pages. It’s a quick, fun read for cat lovers, and the information is solid.

Written by “America’s Veterinarian” Marty Becker, this is a fun yet educational book for anyone who enjoys birds, wild or domestic. Dr. Becker is featured on Good Morning America, the Dr. Oz Show, and PBS. He knows birds.

The book is written in sections. He offers stories about wild birds in our backyards, companion bird stories, bird rescue stories, and teaches about lessons we can learn from them all.

The stories in this book entertain, but more importantly have an educational value and purpose. We learn how to care for wild birds, including creating a proper environment and feeding of them. Dr. Becker also teaches us how to choose the appropriate companion bird, and then how to create a healthy and long life for it.

All of the stories are interesting and well written, making for a very enjoyable book. The photographs are amazing and helpful in identification of birds and species. It is a thorough yet readable book for any age, youth through adult.

As a huge animal lover I loved this book. It has a collection of heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking and wonderful tales of the bond between animals and humans. All kinds of animals are brought to life here but a large collection of the stories involve dogs and cats.

It really is essential reading if you have ever loved an animal. It can also help with the loss of pet or another loved one.

Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul is an amazing collection of dog stories. From sad stories that make you want to cry to beautiful happy stories, this book is perfect for a dog lover. The stories are so well written and heart warming it is so hard to believe they are true and written by people that not even professional writers. The one of Baba, the bulldog gives a perfect example of a dog with attitude and power, and an owner that never gives up. Baba’s owner does everything he can do for his best friend, like a lot of other people would do for their dogs. Baba proves that even though you might be sick it is no excuse for sitting around and doing nothing. All the stories that were put into this book show how important one dog can be to a person. A man’s best friend.

Cute stories about cats and their antics.

Great stories about dogs and the people who are their companions. Be sure to have some tissues on hand as some of these stories can be very touching.

A collection of true short stories about cats and dogs.

Many heart warming and interesting tales in this book. I am a fan of the Chicken soup series and a dog lover so it was only natural that I read this book.

I loved this book and found it hard to put it down. A fairly simple read. Definitely a good book at bedtime to wind down from a busy day.

A really funny and well-illustrated book that tells all about books in a funny, detailed expression of words.

This is a very special book for me because my story, "Home is Where the Kitties Are," is included on page 111. My cats Palom and Porom are now famous. And... this is my first paid writing job! So yes, this is review may be a bit biased.

The Ultimate Cat Lover is a brand new book by HCI Books, publisher of the famed Chicken Soup series. The majority of the book is filled with short (1,000 word-or-so) essays about people and their cats. Some of the stories are tear-jerkers, whereas others are hilarious. The one titled "Heaven-Sent" on page 107 had me laugh so hard I cried - and then I told my mom the story on the phone that night, and I laughed so hard I choked. It's good to have a diverse mix of stories, because I don't like to weep my way through a book.

Towards the back of the book there are essays on the care and maintenance of felines, and much of that did seem like preaching to the choir. However, I did learn that cats may be attracted to plastic bags - not because of the noise or texture - but because they are made with animal fats, and some cats can detect this.

This is a very good book for cat lovers, and the short story format makes it very easy to read snippets through the course of a busy day. AND IT MAKES A GREAT GIFT! *cough* Oh, and there are lovely full-color cat pictures throughout as well.

There are so many words that can describe this book. Each time that I pick it up and read a story I always find myself crying. The emotions are widely ranged from sad, happy, and just being able to connect so closely with other people's situations.

This book is full of wonderful stories for cat lovers. I just adopted my first two cats in December and find the stories to be very moving and I confess a couple even brought a tear to my eye.

Chicken Soup books always make you feel better after a hard day.

This book was an interesting read. It lives up to the trivia part of its name well, making it less of a book to read about how to care for your cat and more of a book about interesting cat facts, some of which may be help for pet caring and most of which may be help for playing Trivial Pursuit. It is put together in short little snippets, which makes it the perfect book to read if you only have a few minutes to spare at a time. There doesn't seem to be any particular organizational scheme to these snippets (at least not that I can tell) but there is an index at the back that is helpful if you want to jump to one particular subject or go back to re-read something of interest. The illustrations are great and pretty funny most of the time. Overall, I would recommend it, unless of course you are first-time cat owner (like me!) and are looking for a book to answer questions about the daily care of your cat.

This book will be enjoyed by any animal lover, especially those who have cherished pets. If you've never read any of the "Chicken Soup" books, it's a good one to start with. I liked it better than the other ones I read so far. These volumes are collections of short stories on a theme, gathered people across the United States. All are uplifting, inspiring tales and they are each true (although "Jim the Wonder Dog" really stretched my credulity). What touches me most about them is to know they all came from someone's life experience.

review from Dog Ear Diary

I received this as a present. I've never read a Chicken Soup book before -- if you're a fan of anthologies like this, you probably already know what you'll find inside. If you've never read one, some advice: unless you're a fan massive quantities of sweetness and light, it may be best not to read them in one sitting. I did, which in retrospect was most likely a mistake. Read over a period of time, I probably would have enjoyed all of the stories more. Read all at once, by two thirds of the way through the book, I was on inspiration overload. The first third of the book was great -- I sniffled my way through part of a box of tissues. The last handful of stories were for the most part realistic and believable, and I enjoyed them, as well. A few in the middle, however, rubbed me completely the wrong way. If you're a horse owner, you'll know which ones when you hit them.

Overall, it wasn't a bad read, and there are a couple of stories I may read again some day or recommend to friends. When, if ever, I read another Chicken Soup book, however, I think it will be one or two "bowls" at a time.½

It's not easy to find a book that a true ailurophile (cat lover) such as myself can learn lots of cat trivia from. This is one book that taught me plenty. The trivia focus primarily on biological things about cats- for example, cats think everything should smell like them, so they rub their faces, wash, and even spray not just to mark territory, but to fix things so they smell right.

Stories about cats, dogs and other critters.

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