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Description: International dog agility competitor and trainer Aunt Mary Ann Nester answers all of your training and competition questions in a lively and humorous question and answer style to ensure success for you and your dog.

Best features: This book could be described as a Marmite Book in so far as you will either like to or loathe it. I liked it!

If you like a book you can pick up, have a read and put down again for a few days and then return to, without having to recall what you were reading, then this is what you will like. You can even read it from the back!

The format of the book is Questions and Answers, full of common sense advice, easy to read and understand. It is very colourful with small humorous cartoons by Kim Blundell and colour photos and graphics on every page. It is aimed at all levels, I suspect, but for someone like myself who, twelve months ago only watched agility on the TV, it is ideal.

I surprised myself on how keen I was on the format and content, I was expecting something more intense and heavy and I really should have kept a more open mind 'cos heavy and intense it ain’t!

I enjoyed it.

Could be better: If you are the type of person who likes 'text book' type and heavy reading material you may be disappointed. Or for someone used to World Championships, maybe they would find the book a little 'been there, seen that' but then, I guess, this would apply to all agility books! For the type of book it is designed to be, I could find nothing to change.

Design & format: The excellent design makes for easy reading. A 208 page paperback with flaps, the book is laid out in a direct, easy to follow style. It is well illustrated with 250 original cartoons and full colour photos, many taken specifically for the book at an agility club.  It is a high quality, informative and friendly book which it achieves exactly what it sets out to do. Size: 210mm x 175mm

Overall rating: 10/10 I could never be described as a bookworm but I thought this book was very readable and informative and would give it maximum ratings.

Price: £9.99 + P&P

Value for money: The publication represents excellent value and would be a more than worthy exchange for that ten pound Book Token that your maiden Aunt forwarded via Santa. For anyone new to Agility, the book is a must really.

About the author...
Mary Ann Nester is an agility instructor who runs classes and workshops throughout the United Kingdom. She arrived in England form New York in the early 1970s and never went back. In 1977 she set up Aslan DTC.

Her credentials including membership in the Association of Pet Dog Trainers as well as an Agility Club Approved Instructor. She is also a judge. She has been the Agilitynet Agony Aunt for several years.

Mary Ann's most successful agility dogs have been Brillo Pad and Daz who represented Great Britain at the FCI Agility World Championships. She has also been a finalist at Olympia and Crufts.

When not doing agility, Mary Ann works as a part-time receptionist at an out-of-hours veterinary emergency service.

About the Reviewer...
In the past David Dowall has had pet King Charles Spaniels. A couple of years ago he decided to go for a crossbreed as he wanted a KCC but also something with more 'oophf' than the lap dogs - if they had the chance - that he'd had previously.

Polly, a KCC (75%) X Border Collie (25%), provided the solution. David did pet agility and obedience with her and then someone suggested agility. He joined Gillingham Club in September 2006 and has won a few times.

Job wise, after 34 years with Nationwide Building Society, David finally hung up his biro last year so no 'day job' now. He thoroughly recommends what is laughingly called 'retirement.'

Published by Interpet Publishing

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email your name and details to Ellen Rocco at Agilitynet today.

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