The Donkey Companion: Selecting, Training, Breeding, Enjoying & Caring for Donkeys

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

Prior to getting my mineature donkeys I read this over & over. Good reference book for would be or current donkey owners

We have a big ol' 15 hand Mammoth Jack donkey - well the husband has a 15 hand Mammoth Jack donkey. I have a tolerance for said jackass. This donkey will pick your pocket and walk off with your cell phone or wallet. He will bray with immense joy at the sight of someone he loves and he will happily let small kids stand on his back under the apple tree as long they share their apples with him. He will also drag me 20 foot through the pasture at the mention of wormer or hoof trimming. This book has actually taught me some things about donkeys beyond willfulness, sneakiness etc. The photos were nice and the book is loaded with tidbits of historical trivia about donkeys and their place in the human world from the dawn of time. Every donkey owner or fan should have this book in their personal library.

Love it. Recommend for new and old donkey lovers. Informative.

Got this for my grand-daughter who is getting her first donkey. She loved the book and found it very helpful.

This was a gift for a friend that rescued two donkeys. The book has good information.

Great resource for a beginner with lots of illustrations and easy to understand text.

Getting my first Donkey and not knowing anything about them, except they are so cute, Someone gave him to me, so I knew I needed a lot of knowledge about this wonderful , sweet animal. So I turned to Amazon and started looking and reading reviews. I came across this wonderful book, It was just want I was looking for. A true , easy to read, easy to understand. Yes, you need to get this book, it doesn't matter if your new with Donkeys or an ole timer, it's full with wonderful information.

My recently published book 'Intermission-A Place in Time' involves a donkey story, therefore owning my own burro seemed important. Our one year old Sergio is a little devil, and full of fun, and we're in love! This book is helping tremendously, as it's helpful, entertaining, and detailed. 'Just a good read, even for those without a 'Sergio' in their lives. Well done Sue!! Glenda Lee Vollmecke

Wonderful manual. I have 2 donkeys and have learned a lot. Substantial book.

I bought it for my grandson he really enjoyed it.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

A superb resource for beginning donkey owners.

This book has a lot of useful information about Donkeys, but there is also a lot of "fluff". If (like me) you just wanted the down and dirty details of getting and keeping a donkey there may be better books out there. There is a ton of history and breed information in here. I skipped a lot of the content and just read what I needed to know for now. When I have more time I will read the bits I skipped as it seemed as though it would be interesting.

Adorable book. I enjoy it!

When I acquired my heard of miniature and mammoth donkies this book really saved me. It is about as complete as you can get and the information is excellent. It is humorous and you can't help falling in love with those wonderful little animals and their very different and stoic personalities. This is a must for anyone with donkies or planning to have one (I would never have one. They need a friend) or just someone curious about this wonderful creature.

As soon as I began to page through the book, the pages started coming out of the binding. I bought the paperback. I'm going to return it and try again because the book seems to be informative and interesting. Update: Quick no hassle exchange from Amazon. The book is very informative and helpful with lots of interesting donkey stories and facts as well. If you have a donkey, you will want this book.

After moving to a house that afforded some more land, I wanted to try my hand at owning a different kind of animal other than the usual, such as a dog or a cat or what have you. So, after searching through the ads I found some donkeys for sale and ended up getting them. Not knowing the first thing about a donkey(But still having a love for animals) I saw it as a new experience. This book has everything you need to know about how to take care of your long ears and more! I was very pleased at how it is written; it is very easy to relate to. The author has done a great job at making my experience worthwhile and fun-loving :)

I love this book! Not only does this book cover every aspect of raising donkeys, it also has a lot of fascinating history about the donkey throughout. Sue Weaver's captivating way of writing brings everything to life. I bought this book because I'm interested in donkeys, but I've never owned one. It is a good read whether you have donkeys or not. I highly recommend it!

Another excellent, informative handbook by Sue. A must-read if you are planning on acquiring donkeys. Wasn't really much help for working with wild burros, but good for over-all donkey info, especially regarding diet.

Bought as a gift. Recipient loves reading it. Lots of information. Bought new so it was in perfect condition.

Good first book if you are interested in Donkeys. Conformation section needs more drawings/photos, especially for Mammoth and Miniature, IMHO.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

Excellent guide.

I don't like reading but this book was amazing. The author definitely knows what she is talking about.

Awesome book with great pictures.

Excellent book. We give a copy of this book to everyone who adopts one of our donkeys.

Really great book covering the basics and more for new donkey owners. Lots of fun facts for these fascinating animals.

My mom loved it

Whether you are new to owning a donkey or have had longears in your life for a long while, this book is great. Very informative and easy to read. I would recommend this to any and all donkey owners as it was recommended to me. This has been very helpful in any questions I have had.

It's our go to book for our 11 month old spotted ass. He's a brat right now, hopefully with this book he'll grow up kind and gentle. He's an aspca rescue and he's not had a good start but we have faith.

I love this book. As the owner of 3 miniature donkeys (and one on the way) it is a great 'go to' book. In fact my husband usually has it on his table by the couch because he's always researching something about the donks.

Having never thought that I would live in the country, much less get involved with donkeys I would recomend this as a great introduction. Covering almost every aspect life with donkeys, this book reads well even if you are only interested in knowledge. Since I never gave any thought to donkeys, having grown up around horses and cows I needed a ready reference to insure our new friends had what they needed and I would be prepared. One area where there is zero information is on the subject of hoof care. The author suggests you make cookies for your farrier. Not very practical for a dying art. If you don't want to shell out big bucks, and are not afraid to learn a new skill you will need to buy another book. Even with this shortcoming I'd still own this manuel.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

ok this is an awesome resource for Donkeys. A great read too.

Lots of donkeys facts and information. I use it as a beginners guide to raising my first pet donkey.

WHen this book arrived in the mail was during a moment I was frantically trying to figure out what was going on with my donkey JuJu Bean - I had never had a donkey before and she was going into heat & having a false pregnacy. I realized where this book fell short in a few places, but after the medical mishap was over I sat down with the book and enjoyed it for what it did have to offer. This book has a great love for donkeys, which i found contagious, it helepd me to understand and appreciate the nature of my donkey much more then I had before. I would like to have seen more details in some other areas- like when they go into heat, their cycles, symptoms of things besides the detailed medical section on the horrible worm diseases they could get. One thing i really appreciated too about this book was it has a homoepathic/natural section for treating things that may ail your donkey. After reading through the allopathic medicine section it was a huge relief to know that others were choosing natural methods to treat their animals rather then relying on the Big Pharma Money Hungry industry to tell us what to do with our animals. Plenty of donkey lore, and good tips on the best way to train them too! I was already interested in clicker training but this book confirmed that the non violent, kindness & reward, bonding approach to training really does work best with a donkey. They have great memories and if all you do is repremand them they will just think you are a jerk and it will end there. I like this book, but kinda wish it had more detail then it does.

Very well written and with detailed information

This is a fantastic book for donkey owners and horse owners too. I have referred to this book over and over. It has even helped with info for our horse. The in-depth info on worming is better than any of my horse books.

I'm a new donkey owner--I bought every donkey book out there....don't....just buy this one--it's got everything you need to know in it.

This is an excellent book. It is very thorough and filled with good information. I highly recommend it for a new donkey owner. I have read it cover to cover and gone back to reference it multiple times since and imagine doing so often. I have learned much about the 'what's and why's' of my donkey's behavior by reading it and highly recommend it.

Was not a bad book overall. My only complaint is that if you are new and do not know any better, that you will go and buy a whole lot of things that you do not need in order to take care of the animal. I tend to spoil my animals, but there is such a thing as overdoing it. Most people do not have so much time/money unless they are retired. But if you want the basics about what to get, just use the book and confide in a vet or veteran donkey breeder.

This is the best book out there for the care, feeding, training and general all around instructional manual on the subject. Factual, interesting and set up for the casual to very serious student of these animals. We have some miniature burro's and we learned a lot from the book

This book is a good overview of history, behavior, and care. My only advice is to also check with your vet to ensure what you are doing is right for YOUR donkey regarding worming and feed. For the beginner it is a great book to understand about the breed and behavior.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

My mom has pet donkeys and i bought her this book for a present. She really likes it.

It is a very informative book.

Having no experience with donkeys, I needed a book which would cover everything about the donkey we bought to guard the goats we had acquired. I have to say I have read this book so much the pages are tattered. It contains so much useful information. I definitely recommend it.

We learned many things for our Donkey.

Good book when you own donkeys.

It was okay, but had much more history and random facts than any real tips for caring for a donkey. I also don't like how biased the author is on subjects like feeding bags. Not a bad read, but nothing I didn't already know after having horses for over 10 years.

Awesome donkey book with loads of great information as not a lot of books available on these loving and adorable equines

Excellent reference book with some great "side" stories. Exactly what I wanted.

Very informative.

My daughter in law loves the book. Lots of information for the beginner or in her case, prospective buyer. Amazon has been a great source for information books on subjects the kids find interesting.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

Great for all donkey owners. A very informative read.

So many Donkey facts that you'll look like an expert in no time.

Just what I needed. Thanks

Fantastic resource! Fun and informational!

COVERS ALOT OF GROUND. THINGS I NEVER KNEW ABOUT DONKEYS.

This is a great book for me and my Long Ears! Lots of good information.

Got this book for my husband as a gift. Has very good information on donkeys that we were not aware of. It has helped us both to better understand our donkeys.

I have always had farm animals but never miniature donkeys. I was looking for a book with some history and general knowedge about miniature donkeys. I thought this book did just that and I have found it to be a good reference book. If you are looking to own miniature donkeys or have some and would like to learn more about them, I think this is a very good book to have.

A well-rounded introduction to donkeys and donkey ownership.

If you have goats or sheep and plan to purchase a donkey as a guardian or some other purpose, this is a excellent book to learn about the pros and cons of donkey ownership.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

as a first time owner of a donkey this book was full of info that is very helpful in understanding longears.tips on caring for, training of and characteristics of her

Provides all the info you need. Great for the grandkids as well.

Haven't read the whole thing yet... but the donkeys love it. I just look at the pictures... This book has nice pictures (and words).

Loved by a Donkey enthusiest

This is a well written, well articulated resource for one who is seriously thinking about committing to donkey ownership, as well as a great resource for those who already have the pleasure of owning a donkey. It points out the obvious which may not be obvious to those who have not been around donkeys (such as myself). Its given me alot to think about, such as what I need to commit to owning a donkey with a real perspective on what I need to have in place before bring Ms. Jenny home. A 5 star winner.

Great book and great price. A wealth of information on taking care of your donkey.

Good information for donkey lovers.

Great book

Bought this for someone who's handled livestock for 50 years and he hasn't put this book down. Great illustrations. Very good.

Great book.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

Excellent book for new donkey owners! Very helpful and informative,

Bought this for a friend. She loved it.

I'm enjoying learning about my new miniature donkey. This book contains a lot of information on aspects of ownership.

Paper back book covers all aspects of Donkey's as companions. Photo's included. Book came quickly, great price, pleased with purchase.

This book has a lot about their background. We read the book out loud so that our whole family would know the information. Glad we bought it -- it was great!

if you are looking for a book to get to know your donkeys this is one of the essentials awesome

A must have for anyone planning on owning a donkey!

after reading this book we were able to help our donkey with his stubborn likes

This is a really good book... Tons of information

This book had lots of great information on the care and back ground of donkeys. I'm just getting started with donkeys and found this book to be very helpful.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

This book is great! I ordered it online and when it arrived I was immediately impressed with the quality of the book and the illustrations. When I sat down to read it, I was thrilled. The book is easy to read despite being an in depth manual for donkey owners. It is full of great information that is well organized and will serve as a great reference book. Sue Weaver writes with a conversational tone that shows that she truly loves these animals. She draws on her lifetime of experience with donkeys to make you fall in love with them too. I don't have a donkey yet, but I MUST get one!

I have 5 donkeys...all different. This is an interesting and informative book. Would definitely order again.

nice clean book

I am a Burro Incentive Trainer for the BLM and this book goes home with every burro I train! It's chock full of great information, presented in terms that are easily understood by all!

Useful book with great pictures.

Very helpful if you aren't a natural with animals. Gave a lot of insigh one the communication from donkey to human and a better understanding the animal in general. I would highly recommend.

Never read

Great book!

Learned alot

Great book

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

We have guard donkeys for our goats. This book was very enlightening and some times funny. We love it and would highly recommend it.

Best book I've found yet!

My brother loves this book!

It gives a lot of info on donkeys that we average does no know. A lot of info for just getting started raising them

very helpful

Some useful information on donkey care and great tips. It is rather annoying however that I have to type a review I. Order to close this book in kindle app

This is an excellent book! We just purchased our first 2 donkeys and this author has a great deal of knowledge about the donkeys and the history.

Informative and direct, easy to read and understand.

If you have a donkey or are considering getting one, you need this book. It is a very hands on guide to donkey care and provides clear warnings about the ways donkeys, who are very hardy, can get in trouble and die. It also explains their likes and dislikes and how to train them so they will be good companions and help-mates.

good book

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

Very good book for someone just starting out with donkeys.

Book

Informative and useful. Points out training techniques unique to donkeys and much more.

I got this book for my boyfriend's father, who has two donkeys. He seemed to LOVE the book, as it gave him a lot of information about the donkeys and most specifically, how to build a donkey-proof fence.

This is a great book - I don't believe in clicker training, but this is a great resource for care and maintenance along with insights into behaviour and attitude.

This well written book covers every question you might have about donkeys, from types/sizes, to breeding, health, training and uses. It helped me decide that a donkey wasn't the solution to my problem with stray dogs but made me realize what great critters they can be.

GREAT BOOK, TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT A DONKEY.

A great informative book. Highly recommend to those who are considering purchasing donkeys.

I love this book, it has tons of valuable info. on donkey's, care, historic stories and funny facts about donkeys. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about donkeys.

A really great book for a beginner donkey owner. Very valuable information.Really goes into very good detail about your donkey and how to care for them

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

many interesting facts about the nature of donkeys. A lot of history of the donkey and other facts we were not expecting to find.

A great and very comprehensive book!

This book is a must for Donkey Lovers and Carers. It will help you in all aspects of caring for your beloved animal.

i have most appreciated this book: complete, accurate, written with attention to the reader. Maurizio Forte, Italy

I think the book is only okay, it really does not have enough information or enough basic information for a novice donkey owner.

good book overall, lots of interesting info and bits and pieces, but i wish it had more on things like castration, what is the best age and how many cuts, one or two. why do they bleed for days after, and why did the vet tell me to walk him an hour every day afterwards.

This book is full of the most useless information anyone could think up. It drones on and on about the history of every little thing in boring detail. I stopped reading less than 1/2 way through because I just could not take it anymore. There is tons of information, but it is all non-usefull mumbo jumbo.

For anyone who really loves donkeys, this is a pleasure of a book to either browse through for great pictures or read straight through. I enjoyed the historical information just as much as the care info. While there are loads of modern day pictures of donkeys of all shapes and size, domesticated, feral, and wild donkeys, and their near relatives, there are also loads of historical photos too. I particularly loved the old photo showing several women headed out on an outing, wearing big period hats (late 1800s? early 1900s?) and smart full length dresses, mounted on their trusty donkey steeds (looked standard sized). Absolutely a joy of a book. The author does a wonderful service to donkeys everywhere, with this book. I think this will make life easier for many people who aren't too sure how to work with donkeys - they're certainly nothing like horses. (She has a book on chicken keeping too, in case you're interested.)

Despite being an equine cousin, donkeys are a lot different than horses than people think. Being a lifelong horse lover and owner, I recently have gotten involved with donkeys and needed something to help me get more into that world. This book is wonderful. A lot of stuff I have found was geared more towards beginners of horses and donkeys. This book is geared for the knowledgeable and not so knowledgeable. It gives info from history, breeds, feeding, training, businesses with them, foot care (or lack of), facts, trivia and so much more. Very up to date. It even has information for breed registries, breeders, and more in the back of the book. Very concise and easy to read. Absolutely love it!

Sue Weaver has captured the friendliness and nobility of the donkey in her wonderful book! If you only get one book about donkeys, make it THIS ONE! It not only explains very thoroughly about these wonderful animals origins, but continues thru how to handle and care for them today. Her book is well organized, easy to read, filled with funny information, and gives a true understanding of the nature of the donkey. The sections on housing, caring for, foaling, training, and suggestions on whether or not to raise for profit vs pleasure have been extremely helpful. We have one donkey that was rescued, and after spending time with him and reading this book to better understand this loveable creature, in our hearts know we want more donkeys!!! We had tried other books and magazines, but this one is above all the best!K Kudos!!!

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

Everything you need to know about donkey and caring for them is in this book. I'm new to donkeys and this book leaves no question or wonder unanswered. It is a much more enjoyable read than I had expected and is full of fun facts about my new best friend.

This new title by Sue Weaver is an essential reference for anyone interested in caring for a donkey. There are a tremendous number of book on horse care but almost none on the unique needs of donkeys. I am especially pleased to recommend this book to anyone considering the use of a donkey for a livestock guardian. Jan Dohner Livestock Guardians, Storey, 2008

Finding books about donkey care is very difficult and I was excited to find this one, but I had a lot of questions left unanswered after reading this book. The author tends to have the reader search out professionals for many things such as hoof care and maladies. I would agree that professionals should be seen for most of those things, but I was looking for more practical information on feeding and preventive care and what I should expect to see if my animal is as healthy as it can be (ie. body weight and pregnancy information). The book was an easy read, but it seemed to be an overview on too many subjects and was not very helpful to me.

I have dreamed of owning a donkey ever since I was a little boy. Now that I am in my 30s, I can finally make my dream come true. This book is helping me to fulfill my dream

The Donkey Companion is a delightful book that is both informative and entertaining. We have a small herd of ~30 miniature donkeys and have often used this book as a reference, but it also is fun to just leaf through and read all the stories scattered here and there. Susan White, Halfpint Hollow Donkey Farm, Dennison, MN (no longer WA)

Very good reference book for the care of donkeys.. I have already used it numerous times to look up various topics. A must-have for the new donkey owner.

What an excellent book. Very down-to-earth, practical information and help. Just got my first two donkeys and needed to be able to put my hands on information in all areas. This book has delivered more than I had hoped for. Interwoven with the facts are great fun facts. But make no mistake, it's a very serious book. I am 100% glad that I made this purchase.

I've had a strange fascination with donkey's ever since i was a child. A very in depth informative read.

This has a little bit of everything about donkeys. For the experienced and inexperienced. I love this book. It is easy to read and understand and a lot of smiles in the book.

Very easy to read, lots of pictures, and a great history of the donkey family. Perfect for someone who wants to learn more about Donkeys.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

Sue Weaver has produced an informative book that covers most of the basics that an aspiring donkey owner should know. Some sections are more detailed than others. I would have liked to see more information about the rearing of jack donkeys (in particular their physical development), as this is an important aspect of donkey breeding. However, the sections on feed, general care and donkey handling (as well as the other information on donkey breeding) are generally good. The book is written for the reader who sees the donkey as a pet, participant in shows and/or puller of carts or traps. Consequently, there is almost no information about using the donkey as a work animal. My biggest criticism is the somewhat over-egged folksy style. Although the many donkey anecdotes and pictures of donkeys in postcards are interesting to a point, their random distribution throughout the book disrupts the flow of information and is a continual distraction (if not downright irritation!) A slimmed down, more tightly edited and structured book would be much more user friendly. The author is based in the United States and her knowledge and advice reflects the climatic and agricultural conditions in the areas she is familiar with. However, this does not especially limit the potential usefulness of the book to donkey owners living in other parts of the world. There is an extensive reading list (mainly of books published in the United States) for people who wish to know more. In spite of all the useful information,I did not find this book especially easy to read. I might have given only two stars, but Sue's obvious commitment to donkey welfare, and her interest in encouraging the same attitude in other donkey owners, is worth an extra star.

I bought this after getting involved with a neighbourhood donkey (no, not romantically!!! Training it!!). Having been around horses for aeons, my previous experience with donkeys was limited to riding them on the beach at Weymouth as a child. This is a useful book to have, it gives a good overview of the different breeds of donkey, basic care etc. I believe it's aimed more at American readers, though (there are parts about burro racing and various other donkey 'sports which I have never heard of here in the UK). But overall, it would be a good gift for a donkey fan.

I bought a few donkey and horse training books, this was by far the best. It's easy to read yet has real substance - from nutrition to tack, with plenty of photos and examples. More modern than the othe donkey books out there.

This is a really great book for any donkey owner/lover. Covers many aspects of donkey purchasing/owning and care. Covers all aspects of various breeds and ownership,with lots of lovely photos and diagrams.

Lots of really interesting facts about donkeys - a great help to new owners of such lovable animals.

Haven't had chance to read this book yet, but buy the contents it looks excellent reading.

Lovely book covering many areas of a donkey, and facts and figures

Great book for new donkey owners clear practical and understandable advice

excellent book love it thank you

This book although based upon Donkeys within America) was very informative. The amount of information that was enclosed within the paperback book was amazing and it covered everything that a future donkey owner would need to know.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

Great

a1 just the job

Good book for the donkey person your life .

this is a brilliant book it is clear and easy to use and i love the drawings and pictures and it realy dose tell you evory thing you need to know

fab

I brought it as a Christmas gift The person was very pleased with it

Great reference book.

A beautiful book. This had a lot of useful information for our two new pet donkeys as well as being a wonderful coffee table book. It was filled with interesting little stories and facts just for fun. This is a book for donkey lovers everywhere. I would love to meet this author

This book is a great investment!! Whether you are new to donkeys or well educated, this book is a great buy! Great info, detailed and clear while the interest pieces really pull you in. I would not hesitate to recommend this book and would absolutely buy it again!

I hoped the For Dummies had a Donkey book, and I couldn't find one so I resorted to this. Not a huge fan of this book...will have to source something else as well!

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D

Das Buch beschreibt sehr gut, wie man mit Esel umgeht. Dazu gibt es noch Kultur und viele sehr schöne Zeichnungen und Bilder. Schade, dass es dieses nicht in Deutscher Übersetzung gibt, würde bestimmt gut gekauft werden. Das Buch ist für Anfänger und Fortgeschrittene empfehlenswert.

Excellent guide for the novice sprinkled with interesting anecdotes throughout.

After unexpectedly becoming an owner of an untrained 4 year old Jenny I felt I needed to know more about this equine breed. As a long time horse owner I immediately noticed the differences between the two and felt somewhat at a loss. I chose this particular book because I fell for the hype. The information given for the care and characteristics of the donkey is way to general. For a first time owner of any equine it would be a good overall guide. I had hoped for something more specific and in detail. I have found more and much better information on the Internet. The tidbits, historic pictures and sidebars were a nice but not worth the price of the book. For instance I had heard donkeys utilized their feed much better than a horse and have been fearful of over feeding my Jenny. The book was no help here, going into detail on hays, quality of hay and grasses; what any horse owner already knows. I was also very disappointed in the training section which was ALL about clicker training. Everything else in the book was general and then when I would have preferred general training I get a specialized training section. I did gain some knowledge about tack and fitting it to a donkey but I'm sure that information is readily available online also. So if you are already a horse owner don't waste your money on this book. If like me you want to know how to deal with this decidedly different type of equine this is not the book. After I see if I can squeak a little more info out of the book I will be reselling it.

I really really enjoyed this book. The first half though is the only part I felt really pertained to my needs. As a miniature donkey owner I found a lot of great beginner info. The only complaint (which I didn't see in others comments) was the second entire half of the book is on clicker training. I am not convinced this is something I'd find useful because I don't want to have to carry around a clicker for my animals to listen to me. I understand it is a reward system but I'd rather find a different way around it. Maybe as I become more experienced with my donkeys (who are very docile and well mannered) I might realize the importance and value of clicker training but right now it's just not the path i wish to go, therefore I feel a bit cheated out of a big book. Otherwise, honestly its a great book and one I would still highly recommend. The other book I found just as, if not more helpful, was Donna Smith's "The Book of Donkeys: A Guide to Selecting, Caring, and Training" I found that book incredibly useful too. Also check out The Donkey Sanctuary of UK's downloadable handbook.

Best donkey-care book out there, especially for new donkey owners. Great for people who mistakenly think they are like horses, only with big ears. Saves you from making some serious mistakes with that kind of thinking and gives valuable insights into their personalities, lovable quirks, care and feeding, plus wonderful old-time photos and interesting facts. If you even thinking about getting a donkey, you need this book!

Mrs. Steve in Hawaii says: When I started doing research on the internet about adopting a feral Kona Nightingale Donkey in Hawaii all the experts said to get The Donkey Companion by Sue Weaver. This book is easy to read, and jam packed with helpful information. I felt so much more prepared to welcome this animal onto our farm now that I'm armed with this book. Information included in this book includes how to feed, groom, train, and even how to properly euthanize your donkey companion. All valuable knowledge. Glossy photos and detailed sketches are all through the book. A thorough and fully enjoyable read. Now that we have our donkey we have to credit this book for bringing him from feral to companion animal, to part of our farm family.

Update: This book is more helpful than it appeared, at first blush. To be honest, donks are easy to take care of and I was a nervous new owner. Whatever real questions I've needed answered have been here in this book. I apologize for my earlier stars and have edited this review. It's good. I've never had anything larger than a dog, so I was looking for a book that had detailed information on donkeys. This book is accessible and easy to use. It has an excellent and thoughtful list of things you should have in your first aid kit. Note, these are good to have in your human first aid kit, too. The history of the donkey, as well as, lore are here. Which is handier to know than you might think. People don't know much about donkeys, so it's fun to tell them a little when introducing them to friends. There is other good information in here, like how to communicate with your donkey on its terms. They are not dogs and they're not horses, it's good to speak a little donkey. Donkeys are smart, strong and they are clear communicators. This book is a good addition to your donkey reference library. And btw, I love my mini donkeys!

I bought this book when we purchased two miniature donkeys. Having kept full size to draft size equine, I needed a resource for these little ones! I have referenced it multiple times for various things. Mainly to cross check differences between horses and donkeys before introducing new training, feeding & grooming needs in summer & winter, etc.. It is very basic and dies not focus on one niche. If you are looking for in depth information on training, you should consider another title. But again, it is great to have on the shelf for a quick reference guide for any basic questions that may arise regarding mammoth, standard & miniature donkeys. Love my little long earred pals!

I have several books on raising and caring for Miniature Donkeys. I have raised Mini Donkeys for over 10 years, and there isn't a whole lot of books on the subject. I like this book, and bought two so I could loan one out. I would recommend this book paired with another book, "Caring For Your Miniature Donkey" by Bonnie R. Gross. I have used Ms. Gross book as my main Donkey Bible. If I could only have one book, I would order the one by Bonnie R. Gross. (She has two, one for foals.) Both books are good, and I recommend them. (And I do not know either author.)

Having gotten my 1st donkey in 2/08 needing a companion for my horse who lost her best friend I wanted as much info on these guys as I could find. Previously bought 2 other books and a training DVD, both were OK so far but this book has given me alot of insights that I did not know about. As a matter of fact, since getting the first donkey in 2/08 we now have a new mom which foaled in 8/08. This book I would highly recommend to new donkey people as well as experienced. I happened to have on hand frosted mini wheats which were suggested as a training treat and they LOVE them! Never would have thought of it. Glad I bought this book, will be referring to time and again.

If you have purchased, or want to purchase, a donkey and have little experience with other equines, then you absolutely must buy this book. It is one of, if not the, most thorough collections of information on donkeys and donkey-keeping that you will ever find. The book also has the advantage of being very readable. In addition to well-written text, the book offers little tidbits of trivia and donkey-related factoids scattered throughout, along with a great collection of charming old photographs of people and donkeys. However, if you are interested in donkeys and already experienced with horses and/or mules, you may not find this book so useful. Yes, donkeys are different from horses and mules, but the basic principles of keeping and caring for an equine are essentially the same for all three. There is a lot of information here that any informed and experienced equine owner already knows.

I purchased this as a gift for the family who now has my mini donkeys. It has more information than what I was looking for but I felt it was helpful especially for someone who is unfamiliar with the care of equines. My preference would have been for a book more focused on care and less on breeding etc. however it did contain the information I was seeking. The book itself is of high quality and the pictures are fun... but then again what's cuter than pictures of miniature donkeys? :D