A very handy manual!October 3, 2005 38 out of 43 found this review helpful
I now have every publication by Jan and this one is different. It does express some of the same information as in the others, but it is laid out very differently and is not a one-night read! Full of very interesting and helpful information and insights,and something I found particularily useful was the section on how different dogs read each other. (how bassetts and boxers can be perceived as aggressive by other breeds) A must-have manual for any dog owner, which will guide you through all seven stages. In some ways it is easy to navigate-in others its more difficult than others. Depends on what you want from it.
A Practical Guide for the Dog LoverSeptember 14, 2005 32 out of 35 found this review helpful
Having already bought 3 previous publications by Jan Fennell, I seriously wondered whether this could add anything to the wisdom already gleaned from this author. However, I have found this book to be a goldmine of information.
It covers the seven ages of a dog, the stage which it goes through, understanding the mind set of the animal, the health and behavioural problems which may accompany it and how to address them. This is done in a clear manner but without the anecdotal style of it's predecessors.
A book which helps you understand your dog - and the only manual you are likely to ever need.
Haynes Manual for Dogs :-)August 23, 2005 46 out of 47 found this review helpful
"The Dog Listener" books have provided many dog owners, myself included, with the opportunity to restructure their relationships with their canine companions. I was therefore very eager to read what Jan had to say about how dogs grew up and the changes (and challenges) we could expect as my young rescue friend grew into a hopefully happy and contented dog.
As the title suggests the book breaks down a dog's life into seven distinct phases. Each 'Age' incorporates a small section describing what would occur in a wolf pack at that age, followed by a brief overview of the development of the dog. The chapter then relates to any particular developmental or behavioural needs asscoiated with that age of dog. At the end of each chapter, there was also a 'health'section, which highlighted various aspects of canine health associated with that particular phase of their development, from the usual vaccinations to how to spot signs of cancer, deafness and blindness.
Key areas that I found beneficial at this point in time included "How long will my dog live?", "Being aware of your dog's limitations in communicating with other dogs" and the First Aid and Health sections.
This book is a good Dog owner's Manual and will probably be very well thumbed by me over the next few years
I rated this book with only four stars as the book did not benefit from Jan's easy reading style of her Dog Listener books, and I felt there was some repetition of content between this book and her previous ones, although this was minor.
