Books: what dogs and cats are surely reading. at Pet Monologues

Asides

Who would be the next President of the animal kingdom…

Kobe Bryant’s popularity extends even to the animal kingdom. From a database of more than 465,000 pet insured animals including dogs, cats, birds, and exotic domesticated animals, 359 are named “Kobe,” making it the 189th most popular name of 65,536 pet names across the nation. Five pets in the database are named “LeBron,” two are name “Yao Ming,” and there’s a “Boston Garnett” along with a “Dirk Nowitzki.”

The most unusual sports name in the pet world, however, might belong to a Yorkshire Terrier that answers to “Kobe Shaq Jackson.” via los angeles times

Dress up games.

For Halloween one needs a creative tool to dress up Fluffy and Buddy. Here it is! Dressup games. My cute pet dressup.

Pets vote.

“Even our dogs and cats have learned that elections matter.” vice president Al Gore Click on a dog to buy a vote for Bark Obama or McCanine. Check in daily to see who is pulling on the lead…

visit petsvote

Pets. Dead people. Asked to vote.
CHICAGO — More than 1,000 phony registrations were submitted, Lake County official says. Dogs, goldfish and dead people were sent voter registration forms by mistake as part of an aggressive registration drive in the northern suburbs, Lake County Clerk Willard Helander said Friday. "This is nothing like we've ever seen before," Helander said in a news conference in Waukegan, where election workers identified more than 1,000 phony registrations submitted over the past few weeks. Helander blamed the problem on a group called the Voters Participation Center, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is a project of Women's Voices/Women's Vote based in Washington, D.C. Sarah Johnson, a Women's Voices spokeswoman, said the group uses a commercial data list generated by a national vendor to send out registration forms and that mistakes happen. "Sometimes . . . people think it's funny to get a magazine addressed to their cat or their dog, and when they do that, their cat or dog ends up on the list," Johnson said. "But we're just trying to make it as easy as possible for people to register and vote." Election officials in Oregon, Kentucky and other states have complained that the Women's Voices project has caused confusion. A record 401,935 Lake County residents are registered for the Nov. 4 election. via chicago tribune [1] [1] http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-lake-voter-fraud-both-18-oct18,0,7157423.story

Great Lakes wolf killing stopped.
Court Reverses Bush Decision to Strip Protection From Wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Breaking News! Agreeing with a Center for Biological Diversity legal action, a federal judge today overturned a 2007 Bush administration decision to remove Great Lakes area wolves from the endangered species list. The ruling puts an immediate halt on the killing of hundreds of wolves in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. While the Great Lakes wolf population has increased to 4,000 individuals under the protective cover of the Endangered Species Act, the species is still missing from most of its historic range, including the Northeast, the southern Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin, and the West Coast. Rather than developing a national wolf recovery strategy, the Bush administration craftily abandoned wolf recovery in most of the country by delisting wolves in the Great Lakes and the northern Rocky Mountains and declaring that the lack of wolves in other areas relieves the administration of any responsibility to continue recovery actions. In today's ruling, the judge agreed with the Center's amicus argument that stripping protection from local populations while refusing to consider the recovery of wolves throughout the lower 48 appears to violate the central purpose of the Endangered Species Act. The precedent setting ruling will protect hundreds of species from this backdoor strategy of abandoning species recovery. This is the second major victory in two weeks for the Center's wolf recovery fund. On September 16, the government announced it would give up defending against our northern Rockies wolf lawsuit. Thanks for supporting the wolf defense fund and sending thousands of emails and petitions objecting to the slaughter of wolves in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This victory couldn't have happened without your help. Thanks also to our litigation allies at the Humane Society, Help Our Wolves Live, the Animal Protection Institute, and Friends of Animals and Their Environment.

Endangered species act under assault.
Send Comments to Secretary Kempthorne. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced devastating changes to the Endangered Species Act, signaling the end of protection for thousands of imperiled species. The new regulations would: - Exempt thousands of federal activities from review under the Endangered Species Act; - Eliminate checks and balances of independent oversight; - Limit which effects can be considered harmful; - Prevent consideration of a project’s contribution to global warming; - Set an inadequate 60-day deadline for wildlife experts to evaluate a project in the instances when they are invited to participate – or else the project gets an automatic green light; - Enable large-scale projects to go unreviewed by dividing them into hundreds of small projects. We must stop Kempthorne from fatally crippling our nation’s most successful wildlife law. Take action today. [1] [1] http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2167/t/5243/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25351

Porpoises belly up to low-fat diet.
TOKYO — Dolphins at a Japanese marine park are going on a low-fat diet after developing potbellies and failing to look sharp in their aquatic performances. Kinosaki Marine World in western Japan said Tuesday that all its 19 dolphins have been on a low-fat diet since late August, when they started failing to hit jumping targets and keep upright while treading water. "We were puzzled by their poor performance. Then we noticed they looked rounder," said park spokesman Haruo Imazu. Keepers weighed them and found all had gotten plumper, some up to 22 pounds heavier just during the summer. All had the same menu—about 31 pounds of mackerel mixed with some white fish — but keepers found the mackerels had gotten fattier, adding too many calories. Keepers immediately put them on a weight-loss program, feeding them more white fish and less fatty mackerel while instituting an exercise regime, Imazu said. Less fat and moderate exercise seem to be working. via chicago tribune [1] [1] http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-dolphins_01oct01,0,4672913.story

Man punches shark. Saves dog.

SLAMORADA, Fla. — A dog is recovering after a Florida Keys carpenter dove in to save his pet from a shark.

Greg LeNoir said he took his 14-pound rat terrier Jake for a daily swim at a marina Friday.

The 5-foot shark suddenly surfaced and grabbed nearly the entire dog in its mouth.

LeNoir said he yelled, then balled up his fists and dove headfirst into the water. He hit the shark in the back and the creature finally let go of the dog.

Man and dog made it safely back to shore. The dog suffered bite wounds but was not critically injured.

PM editor’s note: OMG!

Elephant killed by bus.
MEXICO — A five-ton elephant was killed by a bus after it escaped from a circus in Mexico, and wandered onto a busy highway. Bus driver Tomas Lopez, 49, also died and at least four passengers were taken to hospital after the accident, which happened just before dawn on Tuesday in Ecatepec, north of Mexico City. The elephant had escaped from its cage at the Circo Union circus, according to Mexico State police spokesman Juan Sanchez, who said officers were still investigating the circumstances. It is understood that the 40-year-old animal, named Hilda, broke free as her keeper arrived to feed her. She apparently knocked down a metal door that led to the street and wandering through two neighbourhoods before trying to cross the road. Marcelino Ramos, 22, keeper at the Circo Union circus, told El Universal daily newspaper: "I untied her so she could eat. She never did this before, but suddenly she ran at full speed and broke through the gate." Police said the bus driver stood no chance of avoiding the elephant as it charged onto the road near the famous Teotihuacan pyramids. Last month, a 500lb lion escaped from a private zoo in southern Mexico. The animal killed two dogs and a pig and attacked a woman and child on a donkey before it was sedated and caught. via telegraph.co.uk [1] [1] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/mexico/3069003/Escaped-circus-elephant-killed-by-bus-in-Mexico.html

Books: what dogs and cats are surely reading.

Here is a glimpse on pet literature today. One writer says that with all the attention from publishers, youâ€™d think pets could read.

Dogs and cats have taken up residence in American homes in record numbers, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. Its 2007â€“2008 National Pet Owners Survey found that 63% of U.S. householdsâ€”71.1 million homesâ€”own a pet. Households with dogs number 44.8 million, while felines can be found in 38.4 million homes. The cat populace, 88.3 million, outnumbers the 74.8 million dogs, thatâ€™s because pet parents with cats are more likely to have more than one. However, that in spite of the larger cat population, dog-related books still outsell any other category, the dog-related books outnumbered cat tales by about six to one. What are the books about? Here are 44 titles to think about:

Health and wellness

According to a 2004 American Animal Hospital Association survey, 94% of pet owners take their pet for regular veterinary checkups to ensure their petâ€™s quality of life. And animal medicine, like its human counterpart, the information and options available in terms of treatment and diagnoses have become vastly more complicated over the last decade. People are, therefore, looking for resources that will help them make sense of it all. Now it is becoming commonplace procedures for dogs as organ transplants, joint replacements and cancer treatments. There are also books, from home remedies to cutting-edge alternative homeopathic therapies.

There’s an author that offers practical strategies for keeping mature dogs young and healthy in mind and body. Among her findings is that only 20%â€“25% of a dogâ€™s longevity is determined by its genes; the owner can influence the remaining percentage by how he or she cares for the animal.

* Tell Me Where It Hurts by Nick Trout

* Whatâ€™s Wrong with My Dog? A Pet Ownerâ€™s Guide to 150 Symptoms and What to Do About Them by Jake Tedaldi

* Natural Remedies Dogs and Cats Wish You Knew: A Holistic Care Guide by Viv Harris

* The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health: The Complete Health Resource for Your Dog, Cat, Horse or Other Pets

* The Living Well Guide for Senior Dogs: Everything You Need to Know for a Happy and Healthy Companion

* In Eternal Puppy: Keeping Your Dog Forever Young by Janice Willard

Training

Training books are becoming more friendly, and positive methods are proven successes. Books in this category are approaching the owner/dog relationship not just from the aspect of training but from a more holistic outlook. Most notable is the fact that this idea of a dogâ€™s emotional lifeâ€”in other words his ‘happinessâ€™ and not just his health and behaviorâ€”is now part of the conversation.

Obedience training does not have to resemble boot camp, nor does it have to be work. It can be playful fun for both the dog and its human, with a few rules thrown in to shape the game into an obedience exercise.am covers: house manners (no whining or barking); preventing dog bites; dealing with shy or fearful dogs.

Another topic is the all-important selection of a dog, with focus on acquiring a breed that best fits individual personality types and family routines.

* The Loved Dog: The Playful, Nonaggressive Way to Teach Your Dog Good Behavior by Tamar Gellerâ€™s

* Puppyâ€™s First Steps: The Whole Dog Approach to Raising a Happy, Healthy, Well-Behaved Puppy by Nicholas Dodman with Lawrence Lindner.

* The Puppy Whisperer: A Compassionate, Nonviolent Guide to Early Training and Care by Paul Owens and Terry Cranendonk

* Treats, Play, Love: Make Dog Training Fun for You and Your Best Friend by Patricia Burnham

* The Good Behavior Book for Dogs: The Most Annoying Dog Behaviors… Solved! by Colleen Paige

* Getting in Touch with Your Puppy: A Gentle Approach to Training and Influencing Behavior by Linda Tellington-Jones

* The Whole Dog Journal Handbook of Dog and Puppy Care and Training by Nancy Kerns

* Good Dog 101: Easy Lessons to Train Your Dog the Happy, Healthy Way by Christine Dahl

The tickle bone

You donâ€™t need to be a dog parent to know how comicalâ€”often unintentionallyâ€”animals can be. The books usually take the form of photos, but stories and poems are big. And don’t forget cartoons.

From the folks who created the bestselling Dog Is My Co-Pilot comes Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit from the editors of the Bark (Crown, Oct.), a collection of essays, stories, drawings and cartoons by such writers as Roy Blount Jr., Merrill Markoe, Al Franken, Wanda Sykes, Margaret Cho and Dave Barry.

What Pets Do While Youâ€™re at Work by Scribner

Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit

Dog Trick or Cat Treat: Pets Dress Up for Halloween by Archie Klondike

The kitties

In all fairness to felines, it should be noted that many publishers offer pet books in pairs: matching titles for dog and cat.

* Chicken Soup for the Dog Loverâ€™s Soul: Stories of Canine Companionship, Comedy and Courage

* Chicken Soup for the Cat Loverâ€™s Soul: Stories of Feline Affection, Mystery and Charm

* Curiously Compelling Facts, True Tales and Trivia Even Your Dog Wonâ€™t Know and meowWOW by Marty Becker

* The Cat Behavior Answer Book, and The Dog Behavior Answer Book by Arden Moore,

* 50 Games to Play with Your Dog and 50 Games to Play with Your Cat

* 100 Dogs Who Changed Civilization: Historyâ€™s Most Influential Canines by Sam Stall

Man’s best friend

The inspirational and personality-driven books get more attention and garner more sales in the short term. There’s a book that explains the similarities and dissimilarities in dog and human brains and provides practical advice about understanding and responding to emotions in both people and dogs. There’s a book that serves up more than 150 photographs that capture variations in facial expressions and stances in a wide variety of breeds, while the accompanying text provides insights into learning what our dogs are telling us. Portraits are key, too.

* The Leash That Binds: My Life with the Worldâ€™s Toughest Dogs by Harrison Forbes.

* Merleâ€™s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog by Ted Kerasote

* The Hidden Life of Dogs by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

* For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend by Patricia McConnell

* Your Dog Interpreter: How to Understand Manâ€™s Best Friend by David Alderton

* The Nature of Dogs by Mary Ludingtonâ€™s

How to Live with a Unicorn: The Fantastic Guide to Keeping Mythical Pets.

Feeding frenzy

It began on March 19, when Menu Foods recalled some 60 million cans of pet food, packaged under a variety of brands, because several commercial pet food products were found to contain tainted ingredients. About 10 days later, Del Monte foods became the fourth pet food manufacturer to recall certain products. The ensuing uproar reached epidemic portions; with claims that at least 3,000 pets had died, consumers shunned the commercial food products on supermarket shelves, often turning instead to pet recipe books.

As you would expect, quite a list of cookbooks are now becoming available. That would include home cooked, raw, natural, and organic. Pet owners have more options than ever to make healthy choices for their pets.

* The Good Food Cookbook for Dogs: 50 Home-Cooked Recipes for the Health and Happiness of Your Canine Companion

* Real Food for Dogs: 50 Vet-Approved Recipes to Please the Canine Gastronome by Arden Moore

* Pet Food Nation: The Smart, Easy, and Healthy Way to Feed Your Pet Now by Joan Weiskopf

* The Ultimate Dog Treat Cookbook and The Ultimate Cat Treat Cookbook by Liz Palika

* The Natural Pet Food Cookbook: Healthful Recipes for Dogs and Cats by Wendy Nan Rees

* The Good Treats Cookbook for Dogs: 50 Homemade Treats for Special Occasions plus Everything You Need to Know to Throw a Dog Party! by Barbara Burg

* PupSnacks: 35 Delicious and Healthy Recipes to Bark Home About by Stephanie Mehanna

Bow WOW

There have always been smart-than-me animals. Snoopy for example. Animals are really philosopher’s, teachers, and therapists.

* Marley & Me: Life and Love with the Worldâ€™s Worst Dog by John Grogan

* Lab, Beau, Good Dog. Stay by Anna Quindlen

* Dog Days: Dispatches from Bedlam Farm by Jon Katz

* The Dangerous Book for Dogs by Rex and Sparky

* Cesarâ€™s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems by Cesar Millan

Kitty litterature

Forget Democrats and Republicans: the worldâ€™s deepest divide lies between dog people and cat people. Yet itâ€™s harder to say where the animals themselves stand. Dogs shower humans with affection, but cats remain remote, all jewel eyes and gentle condescension. They tolerate their people, but are they pleased with us? â€œCats feel neglected. Theyâ€™d never tell you so; theyâ€™ll just shred the furniture.â€ There are many opinions: more than 400 lists of cat phenomena: how to say meow in 46 languages, signs youâ€™re becoming a cat lady, celebrity cat lovers, recipes and IQ tests for the well-considered cat. Thereâ€™s a lot of great history of cats in culture and religion, from Egypt onward, also profiles of famous and unusual cats.

* The Cat Bible: Everything Your Cat Expects You to Know by Tracie Hotchner

* Good Catkeeping: A Comprehensive Guide to All Things Feline by Diane Morgan

* The Complete Guide to Understanding & Caring for Your Cat by Carole C. Wilbourn

* Guides 300 Questions About Cats by Gerd Ludwig

* Cat Yoga: Fitness and Flexibility for the Modern Feline by Rick Tillotson

* Planet Cat: A Cat-alog by Sandra Choron, Harry Choron and Arden Moore

Rescue Dogs

One of the major trends in today’s books is that pets are no longer seen as just ‘animals,â€™ but as beings with the rights of all beings to have a home, provisions and the opportunity to trust and love. Not all pets, of course, are this fortunateâ€”many wind up homeless, in shelters and worse.

Hopeful Tails: Stories of Rescued Pets and Their Forever Families collects photos and stories from adoptive pet parents.

We are all looking for more books with happy endings!

Source: Publishers Weekly. For a list of upcoming titles with brief descriptions click here or go to amazon.com

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