Posts tagged "pet books"

By Nora Zelevansky, via Vetstreet

Ask young adult author Paul Griffin and he'll tell you that Pit Bulls unfairly get a bad rap.

In his new book, Stay With Me, Griffin draws on real-life experiences as a dog trainer and a mentor for at-risk kids to weave an untraditional love story between two people and the dog who brings them together.

SEE ALSO: Pit Bull Honored for Saving Woman's Life

We asked the author to share what fuels his creative process - and his fascination with the much-maligned breed.

Q. What inspired your interest in illustrated books and dogs?
A. Paul Griffin: When I was a kid, my grandfather had an 8-millimeter movie camera and I was his assistant. The way he edited with scissors was amazing - it was like a crash course in storytelling, and I developed an appreciation for how a story can change. I also drew my own comics, and since my father was an English teacher, he hooked me up with Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, which is when I started reading all the time.

My other grandfather was a firefighter. To make extra money, he bred and trained German Shepherds. (This was before we knew that backyard breeding was not a great thing.) He was the one who taught me how to be with dogs - never yell at an animal but show tough love. After that, I was never intimidated by big dogs.

Recently we brought you suggestions for fun books for pet lovers, but what if you need more informative reading about training and care?

The diverse range of pet books on the market may seem overwhelming, but a few standouts can help guide you through the basics of pet care while giving you special tips for your four-legged friend's individual needs. Our friends at Zootoo rounded up some of their favorite books on pet care to help you get valuable information while filling out your summer reading list.


An informative, basic guide to bringing rescued pets into the family, The Happy Adopted Dog by Tammy Gagne takes a look at the specific needs of adopted pets, including behavioral challenges that commonly arise among former shelter dogs. In addition to taking potential pet parents through the steps of the dog adoption process, the book also addresses ways to bring adopted dogs into their forever home successfully, with useful training tips and advice.


Combining comprehensive advice with light-hearted anecdotes, Caring for Your Aging Cat by Janice Borzendowski helps cat owners navigate their feline's senior years by providing step-by-step insights into geriatric pet care and ways to improve quality of life. Borzendowski also uses a compassionate touch to delve into the tough end-of-life issues, in addition to useful tips about appropriate care during your cat's golden years.


Thought-provoking and easy to understand, 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog by Tamar Geller uses a canine-centered approach to help owners build a closer relationship with their dogs while tackling basic behavioral issues. Although 30 Days to a Well-Mannered Dog uses the chapter-a-day method for owners hoping for results within a month, Geller's new perspectives on classic problems make this book a valuable resource no matter what your training schedule looks like.


Get a peek inside the feline mind with How to Have a Happy Cat by Andrea McHugh. This nuts-and-bolts book about satisfying even the most finicky of cats delves into the basics of communication and body language to help owners understand the complicated feline personality. And veteran owners will also appreciate the innovative tips on cat-i-fying your home and improving your cat's relationship with the family.


An entertaining read that also helps owners integrate four-legged friends with their two-legged relatives, A Member of the Family by Cesar Millan offers tips on training dogs to bond with the entire household. Drawing on his years of experience, Millan brings a humorous touch to the book, using inspiring anecdotes to illustrate his advice. For first-time owners, A Member of the Family also provides information about selecting the right dog for a family's lifestyle.

Beth Ostrosky Stern and her megastar husband Howard Stern have two pets: an English bulldog named Bianca Romijn-Stamos-O'Connell, and a newly adopted, special-needs cat named Apple. A lifelong animal lover, Ostrosky Stern is the author of the new book, "Oh My Dog: How to Choose, Train, Groom, Nurture, Feed, and Care for Your New Best Friend." She took a few minutes to talk to us about her book and living life with a pampered bulldog.

Why did you write "Oh My Dog"?
I go on TV shows and talk about my work with animal rescue, and my husband talks about my work. And because of my association with [North Shore Animal League America] and hearing my husband talk about me, people just assume that I'm this animal expert. People ask me dog questions on a regular basis, and I'm not a dog expert; I just love animals! [But] when I realized there is so much bogus information out there I thought, why don't I take all of these experts that I know who are at the top of their field, give them all the questions I've been asked over the years, and come up with a guide?

It's filled with invaluable information that you never thought you needed to know, but once you read the book, you're going to be so glad it's there. It's something to keep with your doggie supplies. For example: What is the normal [body] temperature for my dog? That's what I hope people will use it for, to answer quick questions.

Is Howard a softie with your pets?
He's in love with this dog. And now this cat, Apple, just sits at his table. Howard plays chess, and she sits on his desk and watches him, and it's the cutest thing ever. Bianca at his feet and Apple at his desk.

Do you think some people go too far in treating their dogs like children?
Yeah. You see the crazies, but I guess I'm a crazy too.

Well, you're not dressing her up.
I do for fun. Bianca accompanies me to a lot of TV shows. She was on ["The Tyra Banks Show"] with me, and I put her in a bridesmaid outfit because I was talking about my wedding and how cute it would be if Bianca was in my wedding. So I do dress her up for fun for TV. But on a regular basis, no.

And Howard doesn't want to walk a dog with a pink leash and collar. He's a little macho. So we have a red leash and harness for her. But we don't go overboard.

Fashion photographer Brian Nice spent three years and a lot of nights on friends' couches to put together Rescue Tails: Portraits of Dogs and Their Celebrities, available in stores today. The book is filled with photos of stars and their pooches, all of whom posed in an effort to raise money for the New York Humane Society and Much Love Animal Rescue in Los Angeles.

With holidays and heatwaves approaching, there are tons of opportunities to crack open a new book, whether you're ocean side or relaxing on the couch. And for pet lovers, nothing warms the soul quite like inspirational animal stories. So grab your four-legged friend and dig into one of these page-turning pet reads.

For the Beach:

Hit the beach with 90 inspirational pet tales in Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul: Stories About Pets as Teachers, Healers, Heroes and Friends. The collection celebrates the companionship we share with pets through heartwarming stories written by several New York Times Bestselling Authors.

Be sure to get your copy of Paws & Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs by Sharon Sakson before heading to the shore. The book regales dog-lovers with touching anecdotes about their favorite companions -- from helping their owners deal with the loss of a loved one to preventing seizures and detecting breast cancer.

Relax in your beach chair with The Rhino with Glue-On Shoes: And Other Surprising True Stories of Zoo Vets and their Patients, a collection of comical, motivational and bizarre tales told by vets who have cared for zoo animals around the world. The 28 essays, including the titular story of a rhino with a glue-on shoe, are guaranteed to floor animal lovers.

For Long Weekends; For Your Coffee Table