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Dogs, Dog Food, and Dogma
Recent research suggests that obesity is deadlier for a dog than a lifetime of smoking is for a human being. And yet, incredibly, more than half of the dogs in America today are overweight. We love our dogs as never before in history, but we're still allowing millions of them to die every year from this completely preventable disease.
How in the world could that be? Who is to blame? And what can be done to stop the epidemic?
Those questions and more are examined in Dogs, Dog Food, and Dogma, Daniel Schulof’s rigorous and in-depth investigation of America’s canine obesity epidemic. With clarity and care, Schulof dissects the published scientific literature on canine obesity and explains why so much of what the veterinary community thinks it knows about the topic has in fact been manipulated by the pet food industry and cast into doubt through fascinating new scientific research.
Schulof documents his investigation in an engrossing memoir-style narrative, one featuring all the joy and heartbreak that ordinarily accompanies pet ownership in America today. With his Rottweiler Kody in tow, he takes readers along to some fascinating places—the wilds of Montana where biologists study grey wolves, the factories where corn and animal byproducts are transformed into pet foods, the world championships of canine athletics competitions, and the classrooms where rising veterinarians are taught nutrition using textbooks written by dog food manufacturers—in a quest to uncover the truth about this deadly and perplexing epidemic.
A must-read for any smart, scientifically minded pet-owner, Dogs, Dog Food, and Dogma is a first-of-its-kind exposé of one of the most pressing, scandalous, and underappreciated animal welfare crises of our time. It is a book certain to permanently alter the culture of dog ownership in America.
How in the world could that be? Who is to blame? And what can be done to stop the epidemic?
Those questions and more are examined in Dogs, Dog Food, and Dogma, Daniel Schulof’s rigorous and in-depth investigation of America’s canine obesity epidemic. With clarity and care, Schulof dissects the published scientific literature on canine obesity and explains why so much of what the veterinary community thinks it knows about the topic has in fact been manipulated by the pet food industry and cast into doubt through fascinating new scientific research.
Schulof documents his investigation in an engrossing memoir-style narrative, one featuring all the joy and heartbreak that ordinarily accompanies pet ownership in America today. With his Rottweiler Kody in tow, he takes readers along to some fascinating places—the wilds of Montana where biologists study grey wolves, the factories where corn and animal byproducts are transformed into pet foods, the world championships of canine athletics competitions, and the classrooms where rising veterinarians are taught nutrition using textbooks written by dog food manufacturers—in a quest to uncover the truth about this deadly and perplexing epidemic.
A must-read for any smart, scientifically minded pet-owner, Dogs, Dog Food, and Dogma is a first-of-its-kind exposé of one of the most pressing, scandalous, and underappreciated animal welfare crises of our time. It is a book certain to permanently alter the culture of dog ownership in America.
- GenresAnimalsNonfiction
348 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2016
7 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 21, 2017
This is an exceptional book for a few different reasons. First and foremost, Schulof approaches his subject with academic rigor and old-fashioned investigative reporting, in the vein of Gary Taubes, the most respected science writer in the world. Though he's not an academic, a journalist, or an animal scientist, Schulof held himself to those high standards, digging deep into the scientific research, interviewing wildlife biologists and veterinarians, and attending graduate-level seminars on canine nutrition. Most importantly, he followed the money, tracing the financial role that "big kibble" plays in how nutrition is taught in veterinary schools, nutritional research, the withholding of scientifically validated results, package labeling, and policy.
The facts paint a clear picture: Like coyotes and wolves, domestic dogs have no nutritional requirement for grains or other carbohydrates, which comprise much of what they eat. (Despite the overwhelming evidence, most veterinarians believe that dogs do best with a "balanced diet.") American dogs are experiencing even greater rates of overweight and obesity than American humans, along with related conditions like diabetes, arthritis, and especially cancer. I was shocked to learn that breast cancer is the number one killer of dogs in America!
While this book clearly speaks to the hearts and brains of dog lovers, the most profound takeaways for many humans will be regarding their own nutrition. Because there isn't much published research on dog nutrition, Schulof had to rely on research into humans—specifically the well-established relationship between insulin, carbohydrates, and triglycerides...and the ensuing fatty tissue, cancers, and metabolic diseases that ensue. You can't not make the connection to your own pancreas, and this book definitely made me reexamine my dietary choices, as well as what I feed my pets.
That said, Schulof isn't dogmatic (haha) regarding nutrition. He doesn't advocate raw meat diets or any one way of feeding, and he provides advice to help any pet owner improve a dog's weight and health risks, even with conventional store-bought kibble.
At heart, Schulof is a dog lover, and that's what makes this book so entertaining and readable, even when he digs deep into glycogen molecules. It's not often that you find a book that combines popular science, investigative reporting, and so much heart. And he got to follow some wolves around Montana, too!
Full disclosure: I was compensated for editing a manuscript of this book. The terms of my agreement with Daniel Schulof have concluded and didn't include positive coverage. This review entirely represents my own genuine opinions after my (very thorough) reading.
The facts paint a clear picture: Like coyotes and wolves, domestic dogs have no nutritional requirement for grains or other carbohydrates, which comprise much of what they eat. (Despite the overwhelming evidence, most veterinarians believe that dogs do best with a "balanced diet.") American dogs are experiencing even greater rates of overweight and obesity than American humans, along with related conditions like diabetes, arthritis, and especially cancer. I was shocked to learn that breast cancer is the number one killer of dogs in America!
While this book clearly speaks to the hearts and brains of dog lovers, the most profound takeaways for many humans will be regarding their own nutrition. Because there isn't much published research on dog nutrition, Schulof had to rely on research into humans—specifically the well-established relationship between insulin, carbohydrates, and triglycerides...and the ensuing fatty tissue, cancers, and metabolic diseases that ensue. You can't not make the connection to your own pancreas, and this book definitely made me reexamine my dietary choices, as well as what I feed my pets.
That said, Schulof isn't dogmatic (haha) regarding nutrition. He doesn't advocate raw meat diets or any one way of feeding, and he provides advice to help any pet owner improve a dog's weight and health risks, even with conventional store-bought kibble.
At heart, Schulof is a dog lover, and that's what makes this book so entertaining and readable, even when he digs deep into glycogen molecules. It's not often that you find a book that combines popular science, investigative reporting, and so much heart. And he got to follow some wolves around Montana, too!
Full disclosure: I was compensated for editing a manuscript of this book. The terms of my agreement with Daniel Schulof have concluded and didn't include positive coverage. This review entirely represents my own genuine opinions after my (very thorough) reading.
October 6, 2016
Very well done. First and foremost this is a no-nonsense, heavily researched, science-based discussion of the causes and potential remedies for pet obesity, which the author convincingly portrays as the largest health risk facing pets today. That said, the book is wonderfully accessible and entertaining. The book is equally educational and enjoyable. I highly recommend it for ANYONE who has a pet; full stop.
September 16, 2016
Schulof does an excellent job blowing out a topic that most people know very little about: the food industry for dogs. It's overdue that someone delves into this topic, explains the science (and backs it up) of nutrition, examines the motivations of why the industry is this way (and backs it up), and gets down to the important questions of whether or not we are loving our dogs to death, and what we can do about it.
I hope this book gains the traction that the subject matter and the content merit.
I hope this book gains the traction that the subject matter and the content merit.
September 14, 2016
Made me think twice about what I feed my dog. Very informative and engaging throughout.
November 11, 2018
Not only informative and thought-provoking, but exceptionally well-written and pleasant to read. I will be a better dog parent for having read this book, and recommend it highly.
March 7, 2020
Good info but some chapters are long winded.
February 28, 2021
It helped me a lot in understanding what should I give to my dog, every single day of the week. After I've started reading this book, I also started looking for online alternative, that have articles like that, about dog food, and I found one ( https://delmarlifestylepubs.com/ ). It's one of the best and most informative web resource I could find recently.
March 26, 2022
A must read for any dog owner! Very informative! Ending with a touching story in the epilogue!
November 25, 2016
A truly excellent book! A must read for dog owners who care enough to want to keep their dog as healthy and happy as possible. The author has written a very well documented book on dog obesity. In it he makes several compelling points. These include: 1. dog obesity is widespread, 2. Dog obesity is unhealthy, 3. the dog food mega-corporations are in the business of making money, not making dogs healthier, 4. most veterinarians are not well informed about obesity in dogs or what to do about it, and 5. how dog owners can approach improving their dog’s health and happiness.
This book goes well beyond the ordinary pet lover’s book in that it provides very well researched science and logic for all of the points he makes about dog obesity and nutrition. While there is a lot of science in this book, it is written in plain English and is very interesting reading. I recommend it as good reading not only for dog owners, but also for cat owners, and even for those interested in human obesity as well.
Dr. Nelson Mostow (retired cardiologist)
This book goes well beyond the ordinary pet lover’s book in that it provides very well researched science and logic for all of the points he makes about dog obesity and nutrition. While there is a lot of science in this book, it is written in plain English and is very interesting reading. I recommend it as good reading not only for dog owners, but also for cat owners, and even for those interested in human obesity as well.
Dr. Nelson Mostow (retired cardiologist)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews