Wedding Dogs captures man’s best friend at 75 weddings—dogs as the best man, maid of honor, ring bearer, or another member of the wedding party! Decked out in little doggy tuxedos or sporting a wreath of roses around their necks, these pooches share in the wedding couple’s big day. Each photograph is accompanied by a brief essay telling the dog’s (and the couple’s) story. A perfect wedding, bridal shower, or groom’s gift, Wedding Dogs shares the joy of the moment when dogs join in the celebration of their owners’ most special day.
The bond between people and their pets has never been stronger, and millions of Americans will welcome Celebrating Dogs, an inspirational gift book that honors our affinity for our furry friends. Drawn from stories and words of wisdom from 1800-Flowers.com and Celebrations.com customers and employees, the book balances practical information with appealing stories about the meaning and uniqueness of life with a dog gleaned from real people. The stories are interspersed with meaningful quotes and little-known facts about the one-of-a-kind relationship dogs owners share with their pets, striking a universal chord for all pet-owners. Celebrating Dogs opens with a short introduction by 1800-Flowers President Jim McCann about his experiences with family pet. The book is a warm reflection on the unique relationships that are created by the human-animal bond, and it serves as a reminder of the spirit and eternal nature of true devotion and love between people and their pets.
Celebratory, joyous and moving, this is a book about the profoundly healing, curative qualities of dogs - and how we need dogs in our lives more than ever. The dog-human bond is the most extraordinary cross-species friendship on the planet. Dogs give people so much: affection, companionship and profound emotional support. Now, more than ever, we can see the clear health benefits of living with a dog by our side. Drawing on science, research and in-depth personal interviews, Good Dog demonstrates how vastly a dog can improve our mental and physical health as well as our quality of life. Kate Leaver begins by telling the story of how she met her beloved rescue shih tzu, Bertie, and how powerfully he helps her through periods of depression. Then she meets 10 other remarkable dogs who've changed human lives - from Missy the pug, who helps 11-year-old Cody live his best life despite his autism diagnosis, to Pip, who helps her teenage owner manage diabetes, and Jingles, who works with inmates in a prison. With each story, it becomes more and more obvious how profoundly dogs can support us, comfort us and even save our lives. Celebratory, joyous and moving, this is a book for anyone who has ever loved a dog - and known their love in return.
Strange-but-true dog stories from the Christchurch earthquakes, with beautiful photographs illustrating each story. A collection of stories about Christchurch dogs and the earthquakes - true tales of heroism, odd and quirky stories, funny stories, sad stories - stories that will surprise you, make you chuckle or make you go awwww. Includes stories of USAR dogs that worked in the central city right after the February earthquake; Guinness, the unofficial mascot of the Student Volunteer Army; Nemo who has a special gift for predicting earthquakes; dogs who were rescued and dogs who rescued others; and the uncanny knowledge that a number of dogs showed in their efforts to find their owners. Dogs have been a huge comfort to their owners in Christchurch. The intensity of the earthquake experience has heightened the wordless connection between people and their dogs, and their understanding of each others' emotions. Part of the proceeds from the book help support one of the organisations that helped to save many dogs following the earthquakes.HUHA is a national organisation that works to rescue and re-home animals around the country, and they went to Christchurch three times to take more than 70 dogs plus numerous other animals to safe and loving homes elsewhere in the country.
Heartwarming cat stories from the Christchurch earthquakes, with beautiful photographs illustrating each story. A collection of stories about Christchurch cats and the earthquakes - true tales of heroism, odd and quirky stories, funny stories, sad stories - stories that will surprise you, make you chuckle or make you go awwww. There's Chippy who was found living in an abandoned fish and chip shop in the heart of the Red Zone, eating the old oil, and covered in it. There are the lions and cheetahs of Orana Wildlife Park, who were clearly very disturbed when the huge earthquake struck and the fences banged together, making a fearful sound. The staff were relieved that the power stayed on, keeping the electric fences working so the animals didn't escape. There's Max, who wandered about the suburb and found himself a new, loving family; Meisha, who was giving birth when the earthquake struck, and whose owners had to coax her to carry on; inspiring stories of cats who were lost but then reunited with their owners; and stories of the many narrow escapes of miraculous cats with nine lives. There's a lot of love in this book - cat lovers are a dedicated and passionate breed. And Craig Bullock's excellent photographs depict this love beautifully; the images are stunning. Part of the proceeds from this book help support Christchurch cat charities which work tirelessly to rehome cats that have become separated from their owners.
This fascinating book tells the story of the soviet space dogs, illustrated with legendary photographer Martin Parr's vintage space-dog memorabilia. In the 1950s the space race between the USA and the USSR was well and truly on, and was for both a matter of pride and propaganda. But before man ventured into the cosmos, his four-legged friends would pave the way for space exploration. The first canine cosmonaut was Laika, meaning 'barker'. The little stray could never have anticipated that she would one day float 200 miles above the Moscow streets. She would be canonized as a proletarian hero, appearing on stamps, postcards and souvenirs. Her successors were Belka and Strelka, the first dogs to successfully return safely to Earth, and with them, the cult of the space dog was born. In a regime that eschewed celebrating individual achievement, the space dogs became Soviet superstars, with a vast array of merchandise, books and films in their honor. A must for read for fans of Soviet Space Dogs by Olesya Turkina and Designed in the USSR: 1950-1989 by Moscow Design Museum..
Filled with beautiful color photographs of these furry friends, this book reveals virtually everything needed to appreciate this mysterious, lovable companion.Chapter One, "Evolutionary Cat," traces the domestic feline back to the Paleocene Era, then introduces its big cat relatives. Sidebars highlight the fascinating evolutionary differences between big cats and small cats, which clearly explain why the smaller kitties became household favorites. Cats have been both revered and scorned throughout history. Egyptian law protected sacred cats, and the beauty of Egyptian women was measured by their resemblance to the cat. But the cat's spiritual heyday came to a halt in the Middle Ages, when the Christian church crushed the worship of cat-gods. Yet, in the seventeenth century, cat popularity rose again as the French aristocracy welcomed the cat back into polite society.Chapter Two, "Cultured Cat," is a survey of artistic homage paid to the cat. From Aesop's fables to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, cats have been featured as analogy, metaphor, and hero. From the Egyptians to Leonardo da Vinci and beyond, the cat has been featured in paintings and other media. Notable cat lovers include Winston Churchill, President Lincoln, and President Roosevelt, whose cat, Slippers, often attended White House dinners. Enemies of the cat include Hitler, Alexander the Great, and Napoleon.Chapter Three, "Physical Cat," is a guide to understanding and caring for your cat. First, each of the cat's senses and physical attributes are described, to reveal how they see the world. Important cat care issues are discussed, such as whether you should get your cat "fixed" (definitely!) and what ailments your cat is likely to suffer from. Also provided are tips for proper training, advice on when to vaccinate, and information about choosing and caring for kittens.Cat Life closes with a "Gallery of Breeds," a parade of fascinating cat types with descriptions of their unique personalities and special characteristics. Overflowing with endearing photographs and enlightening, entertaining text, Cat Life is sure to capture the fancy of ailurophiles everywhere.
Celebrating the unique, individual characters of dogs, and how they choose to spend their leisure time. The terrific dogs pictured in the book have not been asked to perform tricks; they are simply demonstrating their zest for life, oblivious to the click of the camera.
This is, first and foremost, a book about private animal rescue. The stories are true. As a result, these pages are filled with sadness and joy, loss and hope, heartbreak and compassion. Within the stories, personalities emerge, and the love affair between author and animal is apparent. During the course of one year, the author blogs the stories from her past alongside the rescues that occur in real time. Along the way, she discovers a growing support system in the blogosphere. Those connections offer not only emotional succor but also very tangible aid. The world of private animal rescue is candidly revealed in a series of short vignettes.
This collection is a loving tribute to the kindest, most caring and devoted animals known to humankind. Selections describe the exuberance of puppies, the unconditional love of a canine best friend, the joy of a shared day at the beach, the bittersweet glance of an aging pet, and the simple pleasure of coming home each day to a wagging tail and unbridled affection. More than anything, Dog Blessings honors the profound ways that our four-legged friends touch our lives. The perfect book for any dog lover, it can be revisited and shared for years to come.