Customer Reviews

Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It took $50 worth of purchase of other dog encyclopedias for me to appreciate this concise, well-written, humorous, and very informative book. It outlines the history of the breed in question, the temperament (in several paragraphs, NOT with little obscure and ambiguous icons), and there is an overall rating area that succinctly profiles the breed's exercise needs, energy level, affection level for other pets and dogs and strangers, and grooming needs. If one is trying to decide between two breeds, the ratings make it very convenient to compare and contrast. It also provides the AKC rank for each breed, which gives one an idea of the popularity (and perhaps the availability) of the particular breed in the US. This book does not list very obscure European breeds, however. For those of you who are "just looking for a nice dog", I do highly recommend this book.

I have tried and tried to find a realistic text to help me bring in a new large breed dog to my canine family when my Kuvasz passes. I use the Irish Wolf Hound as my guideline to see if an author tells the often unpalatable whole scenario. And this book does. The lavish pictures are a joy to behold but I am NOT unwittingly beguiled into adding a family member that statistically will pass on in 5 to 7 years, such as I know to be the case with the splendid Wolfhound. Other authors, whether through ignorance, lack of research or just plain not caring about the impact of lifespan on an uninitiated I.W. first time purchaser, routinely claim 11 years an I.W. lifespan. This book allows ME to decide based on CORRECT information for the breeds.I also like the distinction between watchdog and protection factors, one often blurred by other authors. HUZZAH!

I bought this book because I've been looking for a detailed reference on dogs with real pictures. I previously owned Dr. Fogle's book. It is quite good, with full color illustrations of the breeds. It also contains around 400 breeds of dogs, including those not yet registered by the AKC. Unfortunately, it lacks details like affection level, freindliness to different types of "elements" like to dogs, to strangers, etc. This book went further down with what Dr. Fogle has. Unfortunately, only 150 AKC breeds are included. Those looking for uncommon breeds, this book is not for you. However, if you plan on doing research on dogs that are easily obtainable, then this is a great reference. I like the different sections for each breed like History, Temperament, and Upkeep. This helps a lot especially when buying a new dog or puppy. I also like how the author differentiated watchdog ability and protection ability. Many people confuse these as one and the same. Then when they got their dog, they found out that it's all bark and no bite. The standard is helpful for those wishing to show their dogs (the Philippines has the same standard as the AKC). The only thing I didn't like that much are a few of the pictures. Most of them are fabulous. However, some of them, like the Miniature Schnauzer, are not well represented. I have a Mini and kinda disappointed at the second picture of the breed they used. That ear crop on those two dogs is terrible! With this, I have to bring my rating down to 4 stars. Overall, a great book for dog lovers.

As an avid dog lover and veterinary student, I found this book to be a very complete, yet concise reference. The pictures are wonderful, I have taken this book to several dog shows and I always get comments on how nice the dogs in the photos are as well as being correct in describing the breeds. I turn to this book regularly to research breeds for clients, for myself and just to look at the pictures.

When I first reviewed this book in May 2001, I gave it 4 stars ... But 8 months down and several other Breed Type books later, I think this book rates 5 STARS ... It's a very good book ...

Its binding and quality (hardcover version) are excellent, the book has stood up to much handling and use, still looks like new. The book is seldom on the shelf and is constantly picked up, looked at, referred to - by friends, visitors and us.

328 pages of useful information, generally good photographs, with illustrations, the book is great value for money.
It's has proven to be a great reference source. (a) It's well printed, easy on the eyes. (b) Information sensibly set out under categories of History, Temperament, Upkeep, Health (including life span), Form & Function. The information provided is detailed enough for most purposes. (c) Provides effective quick reference boxes, setting out basic breed characteristics such as height/weight, energy level, exercise requirements, affection level, watchdog ability, protection ability, ease of training etc ... with sketch illustration of the breed standard.

The design of the book is just so well balanced, allowing for quick reference and well as encouraging detailed reading.
Just as important, we find the information to be reasonably accurate and correct.

Although we have found other books that cover more breeds (this books only covers 150 breeds), the wonderful design and information provided by this book more than compensates for that relatively minor lacking.

Maybe the next edition will include more breeds ... *fingers crossed* ...

A wonderful book! One of the best dog books I've ever seen!! There are beautiful photos of each breed, and there are over 150 AKC recongnized breeds in the book! The author could have added more breeds, but the book only includes AKC breeds, so doing so would have been giving false info. There are two pages for each breed, so plenty of information is givin. There is a chart for each breed which includes Playfulness, Affection level, Cold tolerance, etc. Sections of the text are History, Temperment, Upkeep, Health and Form & Function. You can learn a lot just by reading a few pages in this book! The pictures show the dogs in all different positions, not just in show position, and in a variety of the breed's colors. The backgrounds resemble the dog's function (ex. Belgian Tervuren has a background that includes sheep) This is a great book! 5 stars!

This book as with all her others reach out to the novice. It makes the novice knowledgeable in making choices as to what breed they may like. It is well done yet not so technical that it is over your head. Felt pictures were the weakest point although the reproduction was very good. Some of the pictures were not of the best examples of their breed. I have found the book to be very useful in gathering information about different breeds, and what to expect from them. As a member of several Kennel Clubs, this book has been a big hit at meetings for the old timers as well as the new members. I highly recommend it for all.

I adore this book! I am a total dog nerd, and am always thirsting after the most complete and informative guide to selecting the breed for you, and this book is it!!! I feel so strongly about this book that I have even bought it for or lent it to family and friends that are contemplating owning any kind of dog. The pictures are lovely, the history is interesting, but the most important part of this book is the rating key that the author has included. It rates each AKC registered breed on a scale of 1 to 5 on maintenance, health, pet/human compatibility, and several other need to know categories. It shows each breed's popularity in the US by ranking it on how many new dog ownerships were registered when the author was compiling this book before it's publication in 1997. It also gives a health synopsis that tells you what to expect in terms of health problems and life expectancy. I have bought and read several similar books since purchasing this one, but every one of them has been a GREAT disappointment by comparison. After you own this book, you'll never need another dog breed encyclopedia or dictionary. If only the author would create an addendum every 5 years or so to cover new breeds!

This book features profiles and beautiful color photographs of more than 150 dog breeds, including information about AKC standards. The book also rates the different breeds for such tendencies as energy level, playfulness, ease of training, watchdog capabilities, heat tolerance, etc. (summary by South Texas Library System)
You may not need this on your bookshelf at home, but do consult it at your public library before choosing a dog. It's sad to see the wrong breed suffering because it's too active, not good with children, etc. Many behaviors are inherent in a breed and it's a mistake to ignore that.

As librarian in a Pre-K through 8th grade school library, I am occasionally asked by students to buy certain kinds of books. The number one request this year was a dog breed book, not a book about dogs, but specifically dog breeds. I looked at all the books available on Amazon and discovered that "Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds" best met our needs. From the time the book was processed and checked out to the boy who requested it, the waiting list remained steady. Once checked out, the book was relinquished only because of threats by the Library Dragon.

All of the preceding paragraph is background to say how valuable this book is and how much students love it. If you or your family are ready to obtain a dog, this book certainly will provide you with information in making good choices.

The first chapter begins with the Dog Family and moves to the Family Dog, asks how good the breed is with children , and how to use the Breed Profiles. Then most of the book is taken by the specifics of the various breeds of dogs. Divided into classes, dogs belong to the sporting group, hounds, working dogs, terriers, toys, non-sporting group, and herders.

When a book contains over 150 breeds of dogs, the viewer will see almost infinite varieties of some breeds. For example, American Staffordshire Terrier and the Bull Terrier resemble each other. Do you know the Glen of Imaal Terrier? Or the Kerry Blue Terrier or Irish Terrier, Lakeland Terrier? The Manchester Terrier looks like a small Doberman Pinscher. The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is one of those with long hair covering his eyes. He's from Ireland.

The Working Group are "those dogs that put their bravery or brawn into the service of humans." They can be guard dogs, protectors, sled dogs, cart dogs, and rescue dogs. They are known for their intelligence and hardiness (105). Each breed gets a two-page spread.

Here's the Komondor, the large dog that has cord-like tassels for fur. The breed originated in Hungary, where it is still plentiful. It was used as a sheep herder and is being bred for that use in the United States now. However, because of its cords, it must live in a cool climate. Its positive qualities are affection, friendliness, good watchdog, and a great protector. Its negative qualities are its unfriendliness toward other dogs and strangers, and low heat tolerance.

Each two-page spread contains sub-articles on history of the breed, temperament, upkeep, health, form and function, At a Glance chart, an illustration showing the standards of the breed, plus a posed, competition-like photograph and a close-up showing the nature of the dog.

The last section of the book contains a glossary of medical conditions, illustrations of dog anatomy, and an index.

This is a book to sit down with and spend an hour at a time, just browsing the interesting articles, looking at photographs, and picking up useful information for now or later concerning dog breeds. "Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds" is simply a great book to have!

Note: Oh my, the powers that be allow this many no-votes for an encyclopedia of dog breeds? What next? Cyber stalking?