Big Paws Only Dog Forums
BPO Recommended Reading => Book Club & Noteworthy Reads => : DixieSugarBear December 28, 2005, 12:06:00 PM
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The January book of the month is "Bones Would Rain from the Sky" by Suzanne Clothier.
I just started it last night and it is all I can do not to lay in bed and read it all day. I have never licked a knee, but this is a book for me. This week my goal is to watch Dixie and Sugar Bear and try to lean what it is they pray for. I really like the advise to "follow your bliss", for me that is where "White Rose Great Pyrenees" comes in. I know it will be years in the making but at least after 40 something years I know what my bliss is.
Lisa
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I LOVE this book. Maybe I should read it again! :)
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Great book...as are most of hers.
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Cool, read it again with us!
Lisa
I LOVE this book. Maybe I should read it again! :)
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I will gladly read it again with you all!! :)
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I just picked up Bones Would Rain from the Sky! today.
Have to finish The Dogs of Babel first and then I will dive right in.
This is the first book club I've ever participated in.
Sounds like fun.
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GREAT! Book clubs can be great fun! Does anybody else want to climb on board???
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I ordered the book online from Barnes and Noble, should arrive next week! Count me in too! This is my first book club adventure as well. I will try to get reading next week and keep up with everyone. Let us know what we should do.
Thanks!
Anita & the 3 Goofy Newfies from NJ
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Join us guys!!!!
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I have to go to Barnes and Noble sometime over the weekend, so I will see if I can find it.
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Amazon.com has it and can ship within 24 hours!! :D
I think it might be easiest if we just post our thoughts about the book whenever we feel like...and then can comment on each others thoughts as the mood bubbles up! Chat might be too difficult to coordinate...w hat do you all think?
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Great idea, that way we can post as we read.
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Count me in too. I'm new to BigPaws - so I hope it's okay if I join in!
I am in a book club - we meet every 4-6 weeks. Of course it has a lot to do with the wine - and the best discussion is always who we would cast if it were a movie :)!
I like the idea of posting as we read... Easier than an organized chat. I travel often - so a chat time would be tough. I'll get the book today! By the way - looking for a Newfie Desk calander - anyone know where I can find one????
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Absolutely.... join in! The more the merrier!!!
Iz is adorable!!!
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Welcome to our book club. IZ is such a good looking boy. I look forward to lots of photos.
Lisa
Count me in too. I'm new to BigPaws - so I hope it's okay if I join in!
I am in a book club - we meet every 4-6 weeks. Of course it has a lot to do with the wine - and the best discussion is always who we would cast if it were a movie :)!
I like the idea of posting as we read... Easier than an organized chat. I travel often - so a chat time would be tough. I'll get the book today! By the way - looking for a Newfie Desk calander - anyone know where I can find one????
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Wanted to jump in and say I would love a BPO book club and count me in. Also, can I recommend a book? Marley and me by Grogen. Bring your tissues though.
Dixie, can I borrow your copy when you get finished with it? It probably won't take me 2 days to read it and then I can join in the chat...Pretty please?
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You got it I am reading it now so I should have it for you by next week.
Lisa
Wanted to jump in and say I would love a BPO book club and count me in. Also, can I recommend a book? Marley and me by Grogen. Bring your tissues though.
Dixie, can I borrow your copy when you get finished with it? It probably won't take me 2 days to read it and then I can join in the chat...Pretty please?
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I just started Bones.... last night in bed (for all of the 10 minutes I could keep my eyes open)... and LOVED the opening passage in the book - I couldn't help but chuckle.... I am only a dozen pages in - but can tell I am going to really like this book.... and I am sooooo looking forward to reading more and participating in the BPO book club postings!
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I can't believe I totally missed this new forum! I'm in, too, but may wait for the next book to join the discussions. I'm in the middle of the Chronicles of Narnia right now, the the Dogs of Babel unfinished on my nightstand and a borrowed book waiting in the wings.
Jeanne
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Jeanne,
I know I have a stack of about 10 dog books to read. Please join us when you can, I think it is going to be fun.
Lisa
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Bones is great, nothing to make you cry.
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Bones is great, nothing to make you cry.
Yay, I need to read a happy dog book!
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I'd like to join in, too. Just got the book, as a matter of fact I bought the culture clash at the same time. For the moment I am still in the middle of the other end of the leash which I can definitely recommend. I guess I got to go and read to catch up.
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Perfect timing....I JUST got off the phone with Cowboy's neurologist (AND HE'S GETTING OFF PHENO!!! NO SEIZURES FOR SIX MONTHS!!! YIPPEE!!! VISUALIZE MIDDLE AGED WOMAN DOING THE HAPPY DANCE!! ;D ;D ;D)
and he was telling me about a Dean Koontz book that was dedicated to him (Dr. Barry) 'supposedly' written by his dog, Trixie. It's called "Life is Good". I just ordered it on Amazon.com (it's only $12) and all proceeds go to Companion Dogs. He said it's a sweet read. I can read it and preview it to see if it's worth your time..... ::)
I am just SO excited that Cowboy is FINALLY off pheno!!! (sorry for bubbling, guys!!)
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We ordered it, but haven't received it yet.
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ALL CRATURES GREAT AND SMALL!!!GO TO A PLACE CALLED POWELLS .COM,THEY HAVE EVERY TITLE!!!eveeer printed!!!AND CHEAP TOO,ABOUT 3 DOLLARS A COPY!!!,THE DOG WHO WOULDN'T BE!!! BY FARLEY MOWAT,NEVER CRY WOLF!!!MANEATERS OF KUMOUEA BY JAMES CORBETT!!!
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I've just finished the part where she's training Angel not to pull on the lead which was perfect timing! Chester has been doing that and it's literally a pain in shoulder, elbow, neck!!! So I took her advice and just got back from working with him using her techniques.... giving him a treat when he listened to me, changed directions when he started to pull....and it WORKED!! I'll do it again this afternoon and just keep practicing on it. She's a genius!!!
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Cool, I love this book this will be a read and reread book for me.
Lisa
I've just finished the part where she's training Angel not to pull on the lead which was perfect timing! Chester has been doing that and it's literally a pain in shoulder, elbow, neck!!! So I took her advice and just got back from working with him using her techniques.... giving him a treat when he listened to me, changed directions when he started to pull....and it WORKED!! I'll do it again this afternoon and just keep practicing on it. She's a genius!!!
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What are you all thinking about the book? I'm almost finished with it and I think it's thought provoking on many levels. It is NOT a how-to-train book...I keep thinking she's going to give detailed instructions on how to resolve a dog's/owner's issues but there's just a sort of gentle summing up and then moving on. I do love her philosophy of relating to dogs; it makes a lot of sense. It's interesting, her take on the alpha dog theory and the aggressive vs. submissive dog issue. Again....makes sense. She has a wonderful gift of observation to see all the things a dog is doing at any point in time. I'm going to try to do better, but will probably have to re-read the book at some point to drive it in to this thick skull of mine!!!
I'd love to hear what you all think...... :)
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I agree it is very thought provoking. It has opened my eyes to the fact that I spend a lot of time talking to Sugar Bear and Dixie but as much time as I should trying to learn from what they are telling me. One place it hit home with me is that before we added a smaller fenced area off of their room where they could use the dog door at night I would make them come in for bed around 8pm - 9 pm and close off the dog door. I would have to use treats so they would come in, or grab a leash. Dixie was fine with going in as long as Sugar Bear would come. There were a few time that Sugar Bear would get grumpy with me when I would wake him up to go in, when he would be sleeping on the front porch. I would have to pick up all 100 lbs. of him and make him go in with me. I now understand that he was telling me that with his upset tummy at times that he needed to be able to go out when he needed to potty in the middle of the night. If I would have let him stay out he could go potty when he needed and not wake me up. Now that he can go out when he needs to he is in his bed sleeping about 8pm. I have a baby monitor in his room so sometime I can hear him got at a 2/3am, he goes out and them back in as soon as he is done. I really feel bad that I was reading it that he was just mad at me for waking him up and making him do something. I now understand he was trying to tell me in the only way he could that he needed to be able to go outside at night.
This book is showing me how to build a very close relationship with my babies. It will be a book that I read and reread.
Lisa
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Yesterday I tried out the tip for getting in between two dogs giving each other that look. Dixie was giving Sugar Bear that look over a treat under him and he had that I am not giving it to you look. I just knew it was going to be a problem so I walked in between the two of them, gave him a hard look and give her a hard look and told them to cool it our I would take the treats. As soon as I broke “the look” everything was fine.
Lisa
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Love this book so far! I am only about 7 chapters in but, I am really enjoying it. My Maddie girl is such a talker and she loves when I talk to her or sing to her. They are all so smart and so different in their own ways. Maddie's big thing is that she can spot or sniff out a ball or toy in a place where I can't even see it. I have to get on my hands and knees to search high and low in the area she is barking at. At first I don't usually see the ball right away but, she will bark and carry on until I can find it for her under the couch etc...She probably prays that I will find her hidden toys much sooner than I do! LOL.
I will keep on reading the book and learning from it to help understand my pups on a better level than I already try to do!
Enjoy everyone!
Anita & the 3 Newfies from NJ
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I am still working on the prayer part for my guys.
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I had a tough time with the cruelity part! It's unbelieveable that reputable dog trainers would recommend those methods. And I loved the Monks of New Skete... :-\
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Hmmmm. I must not have gotten to the prayer part yet.
I had a tough time reading about the cruel training methods.....an d I loved the Monks of New Skete! I guess I must have skimmed over the bad bit.
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I know what you mean, most of it I like but some of it I am not sure about. I do like that it has me watching what they are trying to tell me more.
Lisa
Hmmmm. I must not have gotten to the prayer part yet.
I had a tough time reading about the cruel training methods.....an d I loved the Monks of New Skete! I guess I must have skimmed over the bad bit.
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Just got ours in , so we're a little behind the curve ;D
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Not to worry. I think this is all very casual, so just chime in as the mood hits you ;)!
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Hmm, I didn't get to the cruelty parts yet either. Oh wait, you know I did see something about the shock collar or something, I skipped that part. I will continue skipping those parts. Horrible trainer that idiot was! Cruelty to kids and animals makes me horribly ill. I really hope that I become more aware of what our guys are praying for, I think we try to be more aware of their needs but, usually I guess it is triggered by a vocal response from them. For example, Maddie girl will bark at the water dish if her brothers leave slime in it, she will not drink from it and wants fresh water. (Can't say I blame her! Her brothers have lots of drool! LOL) She will also bark to be escorted to bed at 9 p.m or earlier. I can bring her up to her bed and then come back down but, most times she wants an escort. I try to be attentive to most of their needs but, I just hope this book will help me learn to be more aware of I guess the visual signals that they are sending.
I will keep on reading and skip the bad parts!
Thanks,
Anita & the 3 Newfies from NJ
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Here's the kind of situation where the philosophy of "Bones" applies.
I have a friend with a very tall yellow Lab, he's almost as big as my Dane mix. They are first time dog owners, but really did their homework, went to lots of classes, and he is very well trained (he is now a therapy dog).
Well, she asked for advice about a sudden change in "personality". At first she thought it was her camera, everytime she asked him to sit and pointed the camera at him, he got up. When she went to put him back in the sit he refused, and when she tried to force him he growled (throaty growl with no teeth). The next day he again refused the sit, and growled at her husband when he tried to make him. He did lay down, but continued to refuse the sit command, or layed down instead.
Everyone insisted the dog was "testing" them, and recommended NILIF and other "alpha reinforcing" techniques. Most people said that growling is NEVER acceptable, and that the dog needed strong corrections for this behavior.
I know this dog, it was really out of character for him. Then they posted pics of their recent snowshoe expedition. There was the dog, plowing through some really deep snow. I called her, and we had a discussion about long-legged dogs and the effort involved in walking in snow over their hocks. She took him to the vet, and it turned out he had an inflamed tendon! It was very sore- that's why he didn't want to sit, and he was growling to try to tell them that forcing him was hurting bad.
I NEVER "correct first and ask questions later" I have always tried to figure out where the behavior comes from and what the dog is trying to tell me.
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I've just finished it. I think it's an incredibly moving and thought-provoking book and I wish it was required reading before you got to take home a puppy. That said, the end of the book was very difficult for me to read. Having lost two beloved Newfs a year and half and two years ago, I cried all over again. So much for chosing a 'happy' book!!!
I did completely agree with her philosophy of animals though. I've always thought that a life force is a life force and this time I'm a human and Cowboy is a dog. Maybe next time I'll be a cockroach and Cowboy will be the coach of the LA Lakers. Who knows??? Cowboy is constantly teaching me....might have to change his name yet again to Professor Cowboy, the Wonderdog! The fact that he trusts me so completely to do the right thing when I constantly feel like I'm fumbling my way through his health issues is awe-inspiring on one hand, and heartbreaking on the other. He really picked a weak one....
I really didn't learn much about the specifics of caring for a dog, but it sure gave me a lot to think about in the philosophy of loving a dog.
A highly recommended read. ;)
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I NEVER "correct first and ask questions later" I have always tried to figure out where the behavior comes from and what the dog is trying to tell me.
This book has made me understand that they have a reason for doing thing and it is up to me to look for what it is and not just do the easy correction thing.
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I NEVER "correct first and ask questions later" I have always tried to figure out where the behavior comes from and what the dog is trying to tell me.
This book has made me understand that they have a reason for doing thing and it is up to me to look for what it is and not just do the easy correction thing.
I've not read "Bones" yet but the author is who our trainer emulates...Is also the reason I was taught to never correct my Pyr for barking unless I know what they are barking at.
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It has also made me slow down on our walks and try to look at things through the eyes of my fur-babies. Why is this spot so much fun to smell and why do you like that tree type of thing. Now I am not going to go and roll in the smelly stuff, but it is kind of neat to try and understand why they do some of the things they do.
Lisa