February 20, 2018 | sobczakd
It's National Love Your Pet Day! Today's the day to focus on and appreciate the special relationship we have with our four-legged friends. About 68% of households in the U.S. or 85 million families own a pet according to the 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey. Pets can have a positive impact on our health and well-being. Walking our dogs can help reduce stress and lowers blood pressure. Curling up with our cats releases a chemical in our brains that calms and soothes our frazzled nerves. So enjoy spending more time with your pet today by curling up with new books from our pet collection!
There's no mistaking a happy dog. The wagging tail, the eager eyes, the smile that's impossible to fake. A happy dog radiates pure joy. Yet the mystery remains: What's really going on behind those waggish grins? Are our dogs laughing with us? At us? Are they operating at a higher stage of enlightenment . . . or just buttering us up before we discover the tiny, torn remnants of burrito wrapper suspiciously dotting the hallway?In Waggish, the infinite expressions of happy dogs are captured in an amazing series of photographs by renowned animal photographer Grace Chon, whose images have made her the go-to pet photographer of Hollywood's top celebrities. As for what these dogs are really thinking, writer Melanie Monteiro expertly channels their innermost thoughts, pairing each photo with a clever caption.
Zheutlin, author of the heartwarming Rescue Road (2015), returns with another uplifting look at the power of second-chance dogs to change lives. Focusing on his family's decision to adopt abandoned Labrador Albie, he speaks to fellow rescuers all over America as well as those who foster these often abandoned pets and those who initially save them. From a young girl who has raised thousands of dollars for rescue organizations in the Bahamas and, with her family, adopted several pets to a prisoner who could not let go of the dog he trained and a dedicated adopter with more than a dozen difficult-to-place pets that are the subject of a lively Facebook page, Zheutlin gives his fellow dog lovers exactly what they want, happily-ever-after stories that don't sugarcoat the adoption process but nevertheless prove how these dogs positively change lives.
Puppies are among the most photogenic subjects ever, as evidenced in this adorable compilation from the skilled eye and talent of professional photographer Friedman, aka the Dogist. After his first successful photo work, The Dogist, Friedman gained numerous followers on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With a gorgeous armful of cuddly retriever pups on the cover, 800 photos of puppies from birth to age one include puppy pairs, puppy paws, floppy puppy ears, and puppy tails. Wrinkled faces, fuzzy-faced "portable" pups, puppies looking dapper in fancy outfits, and those in "cones of shame" amuse. Charismatic, furry assistance, and service puppies sport their special little jackets. Huskies, Westies, border collies, French bulldogs, Bernese mountain dogs, St. -Bernards, and German shepherds embody their potential stardom. Friedman advocates rescuing shelter pups and includes charming poses of mutts large and small smiling for the camera. Throughout the book, puppies play, sleep, tilt their heads, and simply grin.
Writer and zine maker Haegele (White Elephants) muses on 44 cats she's lived with, met, or heard about in brief, sweet essays charmingly illustrated by Trista Vercher. The cats belong to family, neighbors, friends, roommates. The best entry centers on Trixie, a "little black cat" who lived with the author for 14 years; Haegele offers a loving personality sketch and tribute to her longtime feline companion filled with quirky details such as how she used to tape bird photo "pin-ups" near Trixie's favorite lounging spot. Unfortunately, over a dozen of these essays read like undeveloped jottings from a notebook: "Cat's Cat," for example, is a half-page pseudonarrative about the cat of a high school friend of her husband. Too often, Haegele observes but doesn't reflect, and as a result the book is slight and unmemorable.
The bestselling author of Dog Sense and Cat Sense explains why living with animals has always been a fundamental aspect of being human. Pets have never been more popular. Over half of American households share their home with either a cat or a dog, and many contain both. This is a huge change from only a century ago, when the majority of domestic cats and dogs were working animals, keeping rodents at bay, guarding property, herding sheep. Nowadays, most are valued solely for the companionship they provide. As mankind becomes progressively more urban and detached from nature, we seem to be clinging to the animals that served us well in the past. In The Animals Among Us, anthrozoologist John Bradshaw argues that pet-keeping is nothing less than an intrinsic part of human nature. An affinity for animals drove our evolution and now, without animals around us, we risk losing an essential part of ourselves.
Dog rescue has blossomed in recent years, as more and more people are choosing to adopt dogs from animal shelters and homegrown rescue organizations and have categorically steered away from purchasing dogs from breeders and puppy mills. In this beautifully illustrated book, Susannah Maynard provides personality-rich dog portraits and chronicles rescue dogs' journeys from a turbulent start to a warm, loving, and happy and safe home. Readers will find heartwarming and triumphant stories that point to dogs' characteristic resilience and unconditional love. Her subjects include puppies, adult dogs, and special needs dogs--of all breeds, and of course, mixed breeds--and her stories will empower readers to join the rescue effort or bolster their efforts to increase their volunteer involvement to better the lives of rescue dogs, one animal at a time.
Dogs are in their natural element when they are playing outdoors. Pet photographer Amanda Jones captures this unbridled joy perfectly in her latest collection of photographs. Set against the backdrop of four distinct seasons-each with its own color palette and lush backdrops-these dogs are clearly having their favorite days in their favorite places. This handsome book showcases the energy and character of a diverse group of dogs as they run, jump and play outdoors all year long.
Jazz cats in fedoras, feisty cats in Viking horns, gourmand cats in chef's hats, Burmese cats in bonnets, and the always popular Siamese in a sombrero--no one rocks a hat quite like a cat. Featuring more than forty two-page spreads consisting of color photos alongside hilarious captions and informative text, Cats in Hats is a fun, joyful compendium of some exquisite combinations of felines and head wear. They say cats have nine lives, but no one's ever told us how many hats they have.