Now YOU can help the dogs of OBG every time you make a purchase at Amazon.com!

Page last updated on Saturday, March 31, 2007.

Many adopters and potential adopters have questions about dogs in general and cocker spaniels in particular. The volunteers of OBG have found the following books particularly helpful. The books cover topics all the way from house-training a new puppy to coping the grief when one of our faithful companions dies.  We hope you find these books as helpful as we have and at the same time help the dogs.  To suggest books that you think would be helpful to other OBG website visitors--email the title, author(s) and your recommendation why to web@cockerspanielrescue.com.

THE BASICS

The books in this section cover the necessary basics in developing and maintaining a happy relationship with your dog(s). How do you choose a dog that will be right for you and your situation? How do you house-train them and develop a sense of discipline in them? What happens when they seem under the weather; what do the signs suggest?

These and many more questions are addressed in the following books.

"Good Dog, Bad Dog" by Mordecai Siegal & Matthew Margolis.

Focus is on basic obedience training of a dog, but it does give a good analysis of good/bad traits of 66 dog breeds, cockers included. When I want people to consider the reality of taking on a cocker, I generally mention this book. It's an old edition however, so don't know if it's still in print, but I suggest people try the local library for a copy.

"Choosing A Dog, Your Guide to Picking the Perfect Breed" by Nancy Baer and Steve Duno.

Focus is again on going over the good and bad qualities of each breed. This couple really come down hard on cockers and specifically argue against having a cocker if you have young kids. I find that book useful when I get pleas from young families for a cute cocker puppy to "play" with their 2 year old kid.

"Leader of the Pack: How to Take Control of Your Relationship With Your Dog" by Nancy Baer, Steve Duno (Contributor)

Finally, the trusty "The Cocker Spaniel Owners' Medical Manual, An Owner's guide to a better understand of the Cocker Spaniel's health", by Robert M. Brown, D.V.M. A bit overwhelming at times, but certainly covers every disease I have ever heard about when it comes to cockers. I find that it is useful when folks inquire via the internet about problems they own dogs have, and want to "give up" the dog. Since we're full, much of my time is trying to convince them to keep the dogs, especially if the "condition" really isn't all that serious. This book has helped me a lot in that aspect.

A very good compilation of hotels and motels which reportedly allow pets. Two caveats are in order, however. First, any compendium of this size is impossible to keep up to date so you should confirm that the establishment still allows pets. Second, the book is basically a list of contact information for these lodgings. It does not review the quality of the establishment.

This book is short and sweet. It discusses the "potential hazards and blessings of the dog with the unknown past." It gives tips and techniques on basic training and provides encouraging stories of rescued dogs. Most people could read it in an hour or so.

This book has received top reviews from Amazon.com customers who bought it. It covers a wide range of topics for the potential adopter in choosing the right shelter dog for their situation as well as helping the pet make the transition to a secure and loving environment from their previous suffering. One reviewer cited the following published comments:

"Empowers dog adopters to be lifelong caretakers." - HSUS
"Should be required reading for anyone thinking of getting a dog" - Cleveland Plain Dealer
"How fortunate the dogs will be whose owners take the time to read this book"- DogFancy

THE LOSS OF A PET

The hardest part of your relationship with your beloved pet will occur when they die. It may happen after a prolonged illness, a sudden injury, or old age. Regardless of the circumstances, the pain can be horrible. The following books are highly recommended. They address a wide range of common topics that can help the grieving family member cope with the pain. ALL of these books are recommended together. Even when they address the same topics, each brings invaluable additional insights that are very helpful. Further, each covers topics that the other doesn’t and the approaches are different. The last book on our list is very different. It won’t tell you how to cope with the grief. Rather, it’s the journal of a loving family member who, when faced with the impending death of his beloved dog, focus’ on making her remaining time as happy and comfortable as possible. In so doing, the author lays the groundwork for his own subsequent healing.

Thus, the immediate pain of his dog’s death, is tempered by very recent good memories of her. This is a book that any of us who have ever lost a beloved pet, especially after a prolonged decline, can truly relate.

"People" magazine called this book "A soulful tribute" and it certainly is that. The author describes his life with Maya his dog. They were together for 17 years and he focus’ on her final months as he realizes that her age has caught up with her. In those days, he makes a special effort to be with her and provide her the love and comfort that she desired. Rides in the car, just sitting together in the park these were the things that he made time for. Any of us who have seen a beloved pet slowly decline as the years or a terminal illness take their toll will find this book written for them. The book also highlighted, without mentioning, how by accepting our pet’s decline and making each remaining day with them special, we help ourselves in the days afterwards. How often has some traumatic event happened to us and later we've felt guilty because we didn’t do something. "Why didn’t I get a nice picture of Fluffy while she was alive?" By devoting as much attention as we can to our pets, we eliminate the guilt because we know we did everything we could.

This is the classic on the subject. Dr. Sife covers a wide range of topics from dealing with grief when your pet’s death is sudden as well as when it’s expected, to whether pets go to heaven. Dr. Sife’s new edition reportedly has new additional sections dealing with such topics as helping children cope with the loss of a pet. This book is especially helpful if read in conjunction with Virginia Ironside’s book below.

A superb book which looks at many of the same topics as does the Sife book while offering additional helpful perspectives. In addition, Ms. Ironside adds a number of topics such as how various religions view animals and the afterlife. Throughout though, she supplements her narrative with letters from people who have lost their pets. These letters coming from people in the same position as the reader put an invaluable aspect to the narrative that can really strike home. One letter, from a gentleman in Northampton, written as if from his recently departed dog to him urging him to give a home to another suffering dog is so powerful that even if the rest of the pages in the book were blank, this letter alone would make the book a "must have." This book is especially helpful when read in conjunction with Dr. Sife’s book.