Check it out

As the dog days of August wind to a close, what better time to ponder

the care and upbringing of your favorite pet? For help with the task, a

pack of new library resources offer insight into canine health and

behavior.

From barking to marking, wet noses to wagging tails, “Wild Discovery

Guide to Your Dog” is packed with suggestions on the fundamentals of dog

care.

Along with advice on choosing and nurturing a dog, this handy

reference profiles the 50 most popular breeds -- including their

temperament, size, grooming and life expectancy -- in an illustrated

volume aimed at both first-time and veteran dog owners.

Equally comprehensive but written from a more holistic approach is

“Natural Dog Care,” which discusses such therapies as acupuncture,

homeopathy and massage for dogs.

Penned by veterinarian Bruce Fogle, this overview of canine health

covers development, training, nutrition and diseases, with comparisons of

conventional and alternative treatments for a range of disorders.

For pooch owners intent on coming up with diagnoses by themselves,

“The Veterinarians’ Guide to Your Dog’s Symptoms” includes 200 charts of

150 common canine symptoms and how to treat them. Five veterinarians

describe the signs of diseases, possible conditions indicated and actions

to take.

Even the healthiest dogs can exhibit aggressive behavior, from

growling and nipping to outright biting. To help owners deal with such

conduct, “Grrr! The Complete Guide to Understanding and Preventing

Aggressive Behavior in Dogs,” identifies 10 sources of unacceptable

aggression: fear, dominance desire, and territorial drive, for instance.

The book also describes how to train, socialize and desensitize dogs that

display each type of behavior.

The source of a pet’s problem might be its owner, according to

veterinarian Herb Tanzer, author of “Your Pet Isn’t Sick, He Just Wants

You to Think So.” Through illustrative stories, Tanzer shows how treating

an entire environment, rather than just the suspected illness of a pet,

may effect a cure that does not involve drugs or other forms of

traditional medicine.

If you can get your pet to watch TV, you could take advantage of

lessons in “Training Dogs the Woodhouse Way,” a video series that aims to

teach dogs how to heel, sit, stay and come when called.

More spiritual ideas for domesticating pets are offered in “Raising

Your Dog the New Skete Way” and other videos produced by the Orthodox

Catholic monks of New Skete, from the monastery in Cambridge, N.Y.

Once you’ve had enough of practical matters, you may want to celebrate

ways pets inspire us to be happier, kinder, more loving human beings by

checking out “Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover’s Soul.” In this

collection of stories, canine and feline lovers alike will find ample

insight into how pets can be heroes, healers and teachers -- in addition

to taking their place among our best friends.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams, in collaboration with

Soon Jung.