Canine Agility and the Meaning of Excellence

Canine Agility and the Meaning of Excellence PDF Author: Beth A. Dixon
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476653925
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description
This book is a philosophical inquiry about the meaning of excellence in canine agility. No matter how accomplished we are as trainers, students, or competitors, we are all either striving for excellence, realizing excellence, or falling short of it, sometimes by a lot. This study employs a unique methodology to explore the foundational issue of excellence in agility as well as in other canine sports. Using interviews with ordinary practitioners of agility, judges, and competitors, as well as memoirs, autobiographies, and fictional stories, the author formulates and argues for the ethical concept of excellence.

Canine Agility and the Meaning of Excellence

Canine Agility and the Meaning of Excellence PDF Author: Beth A. Dixon
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476653925
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 188

Get Book Here

Book Description
This book is a philosophical inquiry about the meaning of excellence in canine agility. No matter how accomplished we are as trainers, students, or competitors, we are all either striving for excellence, realizing excellence, or falling short of it, sometimes by a lot. This study employs a unique methodology to explore the foundational issue of excellence in agility as well as in other canine sports. Using interviews with ordinary practitioners of agility, judges, and competitors, as well as memoirs, autobiographies, and fictional stories, the author formulates and argues for the ethical concept of excellence.

The Peace Puppy

The Peace Puppy PDF Author: Susan Hartzler
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476694826
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
As one of 67 million Americans who serve as caretakers to their elderly parents, Susan Hartzler cared for her dad for three years, gaining profound insight into Parkinson's disease and the multifaceted challenges of caregiving. Throughout this period, Hartzler's rescue dog, Baldwin, a precious gift from her late mom, provided unwavering support. This memoir offers a personal roadmap for those facing similar caregiving decisions. Thoughtful, tragic, and funny, it shows that, while demanding, caregiving can be a fulfilling endeavor, especially with a dog by one's side. The author's story will better prepare others in similar situations and encourage them to consider the value of a canine companion on their caregiving journey.

My Broken Dog

My Broken Dog PDF Author: Sandy Kubillus
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 147665364X
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 240

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Book Description
Sandy Kubillus faced a dilemma: whose needs should come first, those of her paralyzed dog or her healthy husband? After a tragic accident killed her first dog, her new puppy died from distemper ten days later. Her third dog, a springer spaniel named Kaylee, survived a fall off a 75-foot cliff at the age of nine months. These three tragedies compelled Sandy to prove that she was not a failure as a pet owner. Kaylee relied on Sandy for everything, and Sandy needed her dog. Kaylee and her eventual successor, Cassie, became Sandy's "heart dogs"--those once-in-a-lifetime pets that affected her soul, giving her the courage to stand up to her parents, obtain the job of her dreams, and become a better partner to her husband. This memoir examines the realities of helping a dog heal from a traumatic injury, including the stresses it can place on relationships. Filled with the joys of small accomplishments and advice on how to navigate through the rough patches, it offers a lifeline for readers experiencing difficulties with their pets or their lives.

The Force-Free Dilemma

The Force-Free Dilemma PDF Author: Nicola Ferguson
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476692572
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 270

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Book Description
Dog training methodology is an increasingly hotly contested topic. A number of vocal trainers insist that dogs should be instructed through exclusively positive reinforcement, and that training should be totally force-free. Popularized through social media, the force-free training movement has grown into a lucrative, billion-dollar industry, but the consequences may outweigh the positives. This book examines the current state of dog training and discusses ethical alternatives to force-free methods. Chapters cover the history of dog training, common myths, equipment, and the merits of balanced training methods that don't dogmatically avoid occasional force.

Police Dogs of Trinidad and Tobago

Police Dogs of Trinidad and Tobago PDF Author: Debbie Jacob
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476694060
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Book Description
They are four-legged police officers sniffing their way through mountains, tropical forests, and urban jungles, and they operate in the southernmost Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, just seven miles from Venezuela. Police dogs and their canine officers face dangers including drug dealers, thieves, kidnappers, and murderers by relying on their most important weapon: trust This is an unprecedented look at crime from the police canine section's perspective, with the bond between police officers and their dog partners at the heart of the story. Written by a journalist with a background in anthropology, this book is based on exclusive access to the police dogs' secret files. It includes interviews with retired and working canine officers and spans 70 years, from the canine section's inception in 1952 to 2022. Follow the dogs' work during colonialism, independence, the Black Power movement, the rise of the illegal drug trade, and the age of terrorism. Fierce, feared, loyal and lovable, police dogs have compiled an impressive crimefighting record and a trail of remarkable stories.

We Saved Each Other

We Saved Each Other PDF Author: Christopher Dale
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 1476652252
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 224

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Book Description
Rescue dogs provide above-and-beyond value to humans at our most vulnerable: when we experience deep depression and severe mental illness; searing trauma and gripping grief; debilitating drug addiction; and of course, strained relationships with our fellow humans. Alternating between memoir and rescue dog owner profiles, this book intimately binds together shelter dogs, mental health and human relationships, exploring the tangible benefits these damaged dogs bring to us damaged humans. The author offers firsthand experience with each of the mental health themes and relationship issues covered herein and discusses how his beloved rescue dog--a battered mutt with an odd name and a heartbreaking backstory--substantially helped him cope with these challenges. Throughout, we find rescue dogs compelling their humans to be better people--to push forward through headwinds, persist despite setbacks, and build self-esteem through the estimable acts of feeding, sheltering and loving an innocent, mistreated being.

The American Kennel Club's Train Your Puppy Right

The American Kennel Club's Train Your Puppy Right PDF Author: American Kennel Club
Publisher: Fox Chapel Publishing
ISBN: 1620080176
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 161

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Book Description
*How to prepare your home into a puppy-proof living space before the new arrival gets into everything *How to create a safe, inviting, and comfortable living area that your puppy can thrive and grow in *How to introduce the puppy to the "rest of the family," including other pets and children *How to feed the puppy and what types of food it needs to grow up healthy and strong *Puppy grooming techniques to ensure comfort and promote good health *Simple yet complex training techniques *Advice on curbing unwanted or self-destructive behavior *Advice on troubleshooting common behavioral problems with your puppy *How to prepare the puppy for vet visits.

The Other End of the Leash

The Other End of the Leash PDF Author: Patricia McConnell, Ph.D.
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 0307489183
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 289

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Book Description
Learn to communicate with your dog—using their language “Good reading for dog lovers and an immensely useful manual for dog owners.”—The Washington Post An Applied Animal Behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years’ experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell reveals a revolutionary new perspective on our relationship with dogs—sharing insights on how “man’s best friend” might interpret our behavior, as well as essential advice on how to interact with our four-legged friends in ways that bring out the best in them. After all, humans and dogs are two entirely different species, each shaped by its individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (as are wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation. This marvelous guide demonstrates how even the slightest changes in our voices and in the ways we stand can help dogs understand what we want. Inside you will discover: • How you can get your dog to come when called by acting less like a primate and more like a dog • Why the advice to “get dominance” over your dog can cause problems • Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble—and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of mischief • How dogs and humans share personality types—and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alpha wanna-bes!” Fascinating, insightful, and compelling, The Other End of the Leash is a book that strives to help you connect with your dog in a completely new way—so as to enrich that most rewarding of relationships.

The Rottweiler

The Rottweiler PDF Author: Linda Michels
Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
ISBN: 0470493380
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 221

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Book Description
Whether the reader owns one Rottweiler companion or is a serious breeder with a large kennel, this is an invaluable source of expert reference on the origins of the breed, the Standard, finding a dog, care and training for puppies and adults, activities to be enjoyed and a host of other important subjects. Fully illustrated in glowing color throughout.

The Meaning of Woof

The Meaning of Woof PDF Author: Pamela Weintraub
Publisher: Centennial Books
ISBN: 1951274164
Category : Pets
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
Barks, licks, growls and wags—get a greater understanding of what your dog is trying to communicate to you, and why! Learn how to decipher all the barks, licks, growls and wags—and get a greater understanding of what your dog is trying to communicate to you, and why. Plus, discover how our longstanding codependency makes for happier, healthier humans and their pooches. This book explores the nature of our relationship with our four-legged friends including personal tales, scientific explorations and inspiring stories of how dogs can make us better people.