This book details the true stories of the authors and her husbands many dogs and catsfrom Lizzie, who loved to be dressed up as a witch and give out Halloween treats--to Lucky, whose life was saved just in time--to Anton, who survived distemper, a disease that kills many dogs and cats. All of the animals featured in this book came from animal rescue groups and shelters, with most of them coming from out-of-state kill shelters. For the most part, these animals had problematic behaviors, and were adults, except for the two puppies, Lucky and Anton. Some of these animals growled as their main form of communication to both humans and dogs alike and many of the male dogs marked or were incontinent indoors. Most of the animals needed obedience and leash training, and some dogs exhibited aggression over food, toys, and space. The growling, marking, lack of obedience to basic commands, absence of leash training, and aggressive tendencies all had made these otherwise good-natured animals unattractive to potential and first-time adopters. Another issue that surfaced was the fact that black animals are often overlooked or even avoided by adopters. The chapter, entitled Ashley, the Black Dog, addresses this unfortunate and widespread prejudice toward black dogs and cats. The author found that it was extremely rewarding to adopt rescue dogs. Although they were difficult at times, she found them to be interesting, challenging, and loveable. She also felt that they had taught her a lot about how to handle dogs with their particular problems. The author also loved adopting the less complicated dogsthe ones who just eat, play, sleep, and lick your handlike Ashley, Lucky, Pooky, and Gumby. These dogs may not have been the most intelligent dogs, but because of their gentle natures, they got along well with, and balanced out, the authors more difficult and aggressive dogs.

This book details the true stories of the author's and her husband's many dogs and cats-from Lizzie, who loved to be dressed up as a witch and give out Halloween treats--to Lucky, whose life was saved just in time--to Anton, who survived distemper, a disease that kills many dogs and cats. All of the animals featured in this book came from animal rescue groups and shelters, with most of them coming from out-of-state kill shelters. For the most part, these animals had problematic behaviors, and were adults, except for the two puppies, Lucky and Anton. Some of these animals growled as their main form of communication to both humans and dogs alike and many of the male dogs marked or were incontinent indoors. Most of the animals needed obedience and leash training, and some dogs exhibited aggression over food, toys, and space. The growling, marking, lack of obedience to basic commands, absence of leash training, and aggressive tendencies all had made these otherwise good-natured animals unattractive to potential and first-time adopters. Another issue that surfaced was the fact that black animals are often overlooked or even avoided by adopters. The chapter, entitled "Ashley, the Black Dog," addresses this unfortunate and widespread prejudice toward black dogs and cats. The author found that it was extremely rewarding to adopt rescue dogs. Although they were difficult at times, she found them to be interesting, challenging, and loveable. She also felt that they had taught her a lot about how to handle dogs with their particular problems. The author also loved adopting the less complicated dogs-the ones who just eat, play, sleep, and lick your hand-like Ashley, Lucky, Pooky, and Gumby. These dogs may not have been the most intelligent dogs, but because of their gentle natures, they got along well with, and balanced out, the author's more difficult and aggressive dogs.

I Never Met a Story I Didn't Like, which collects Todd SniderÕs stories in print for the first time, takes readers on a tour through one of the most inventive and idiosyncratic minds at work today.

For years, Todd Snider has been one of the most beloved country-folk singers in the United States. He had a Top 40 hit with “Talking Seattle Grunge Rock Blues,” which gave national audiences the first taste of his insightful songwriting, at once satirical and sincere. Hailed by critics as one of the top albums of 2004, East Nashville Skyline was followed by The Devil You Know and The Excitement Plan. Snider's songs took on George W. Bush and America's recent involvement in foreign war, along with a host of more intimate topics. As good as Snider's albums have been, his in-concert monologues are even better. His shows are a loose-limbed, informal experience: it's often just him and a guitar. He introduces songs with stories that can run as long as twenty minutes, always displaying his charm and wit. As he's allowed his storytelling to evolve along with his music, Snider has become not only a modern day Bob Dylan but a modern day Will Rogers as well—an everyman whose intelligence, self deprecation, experience, and, above all, humor make him a uniquely American character.

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.

Harper's Spiritual Teacher Speaks is an excellent follow-up to his popular and powerful book, God's Gifts: Spiritual Writings. Spiritual Teacher Speaks contains a series of brief prose or vignettes wherein a wise spiritual teacher answers questions on the topics of love, peace, giving, forgiveness, purpose and mission in life, freedom, truth, courage, and pain versus pleasure. Also, Harper continues his tradition of sculpting words into beautiful poems that have therapeutic, educational, and inspirational value. In Spiritual Teacher Speaks, thepoems are very much centered on the timely subjects of purpose and mission in life, Divine love, forgiveness, self- and other-acceptance, justice, pain and human suffering, spirit of goodness within us, and self-management of negative impulses and emotions in daily living. His powerful poem, "Intellectual Renegade," which is four pages in length, addresses universal justice and fairness now and throughout history for all human beings and groups. Reviewers of the book manuscript comment that "Intellectual Renegade" is destined to become a favorite and a classic poem. Along with prose and poems, Spiritual Teacher Speaks includes more than 25 pages of insightful and inspirational quotations by the author.

From New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz comes a wise, uplifting, and poignant memoir of finding love against all odds, and the power of second chances for both people and dogs. “I had no idea that Frieda would enter my life and alter it in the most profound way, but that’s one of the beautiful things about animals. They change you, and you almost never see it coming.” In 2007, a few years after purchasing Bedlam Farm in upstate New York, Jon Katz met Maria Wulf, a quiet, sensitive artist hoping to rekindle her creative spark. Jon, like her, was introspective yet restless, a writer struggling to find his purpose. He felt a connection with her immediately, but a formidable obstacle stood in the way: Maria’s dog, Frieda. A rottweiler-shepherd mix who had been abandoned by her previous owner in the Adirondacks, where she lived in the wild for several years, Frieda was ferociously protective and barely tamed. She roared and charged at almost anyone who came near. But to Maria, Frieda was sweet and loyal, her beloved guard dog and devoted friend. And so Jon quickly realized that to win over Maria, he’d have to gain Frieda’s affection as well. While he and Maria grew closer, Jon was having a tougher time charming Frieda to his side. Even after many days spent on Bedlam Farm, Frieda still lunged at the other animals, ran off into the woods, and would not let Jon come near her, even to hook on her leash. Yet armed with a singular determination, unlimited patience, and five hundred dollars’ worth of beef jerky, Jon refused to give up on Frieda—or on his chance with Maria. Written with stunning emotional clarity and full of warm yet practical wisdom, The Second-Chance Dog is a testament to how animals can make us better people, and how it’s never too late to find love. Praise for The Second-Chance Dog “No one speaks the language of a dog like best-selling author Jon Katz. His latest heartwarming memoir about finding love after struggling through a broken relationship . . . gives testament to how dogs can make us better human beings.”—The Free Lance–Star “[An] intimate story of falling in love with a woman and her extremely protective pet dog . . . Bittersweet in its telling, Katz reminds readers of the importance of human and animal connections.”—Kirkus Reviews “In this heartwarming story of love and redemption . . . dogs and humans alike get second chances at life, love, and growth. . . . This moving work is recommended for readers who want a true-life love story, for dog lovers seeking a book with a happy ending (the dog doesn’t die!), for seniors who think that receiving a Medicare card means that love is out of the question, and for dog trainers who want to learn more about Katz’s philosophy of dog training.”—Library Journal “The story [Katz] tells gives hope that no animal is beyond help, as long as enough love and patience are thrown in.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune