Dog Food Logic: My Review
I’m starting a new series of articles in which I will review books about pet nutrition! The first article in the series is about the book titled “Dog Food Logic: Making Smart Decisions for Your Dog in an Age of Too Many Choices”, written by Linda P. Case. Did I enjoy the read and do I recommend this book? Read the article to discover it!
What is the book about?
The goal of this book is to help pet owners choose what to feed their dogs and how to make it in an informed way.
In order to do this, the book covers many subjects, starting with our bias when choosing pet foods, followed by critical thinking and the scientific method to help us overcome these biases. The book then tackles dog nutritional needs in various life stages and activity levels, so that you know what is actually needed in your dog food. Finally, the book tackles industrial pet food: what’s inside, the marketing (“where science goes to die”), label claims, and food safety.
The appendixes are quite interesting, as they contain some extra information on dogs’ nutritional needs. The bibliography is also very complete, with references to the many studies cited during the book.
Is the book relevant when you have a cat and not a dog?
It mostly is, as the goal of this book is to give you the tools to think by yourself when choosing your pet food: most of the advice will, therefore, apply to cats as well. One of the biggest differences that I would keep in mind when reading this book is that cats–contrary to dogs when fed a dry diet–won’t drink enough to compensate for the lack of moisture in their diet. You can read more about this in my article about water.
Other notable differences are found in the part covering canine athletes: in fact, cats rarely practice sport activities like a dog would (e.g. herding or agility).
Did I like the book?
I really enjoyed the read: while giving sourced and evidence-based advice, the book is still easy to read. In fact, you will find many real-life examples that illustrate the different points covered by the author, all accompanied by a lot of humor while still providing high-quality information.
I have to say that I really agree with the point of view of the author on many fronts. I especially like the fact that she raises many issues existing in the pet food industry like the lack of transparency and safety, but also concerning our pet health such as the current trend of obesity in cats and dogs.
Reading about the pet food industry and seeing the answers to questions such as “who makes your dog's food?”, ”what’s in your dog food?” and “who's keeping our dog’s food safe?”, really comforts me–once again–into giving a home-made diet to my cats.
Additionally, Linda Case's stance on raw feeding is that it can be nutritionally balanced and–when handled and prepared carefully–it can also be safe. She also makes the point, though, that a raw diet doesn’t have proven benefits in comparison to cooked food. For this point, which was made at the time the book was written (in 2014), I would refer to this article from The Raw Feeding Community which details the science behind a raw diet.
Who should read it?
No matter what you are feeding your pets, be it kibble, wet food or raw, you will learn a lot by reading this book, and especially about critical thinking and the pet food industry. If you are feeding a commercial diet, I would recommend it all the more as being able to see past the marketing and our emotions is crucial when choosing a commercial diet.
If you are feeding a home-made diet, it will be less interesting but it’s still a great read for anyone wanting to know about the pet food industry.
Don’t expect, however, for this book to tell you which brand you should feed your dog: instead of giving you an answer to the question “What should I feed my pet”, this book will give you the skills to make an informed choice. Additionally, while covering some basics of dog nutrition, this book isn’t a dog nutrition 101 course either.
The book is neither massive nor a university textbook, so it is definitely accessible to anyone without any previous knowledge in pet nutrition.
About the author
Linda P. Case is a canine nutritionist, dog trainer and science writer. She has a Master of Science in Canine/Feline Nutrition from the University of Illinois. She taught animal nutrition at the University of Illinois for 15 year and she is also the author of the textbook Canine and Feline Nutrition: A Resource for Companion Animal Professionals which is one of the best references on pet nutrition.
Linda P. Case is a recognized expert in canine nutrition with great credentials which makes her all the more a reliable and trustable author.
If you want to know more about Linda P. Case, you can head over to her website: The Science Dog.
To conclude, I would say that if you are interested in knowing more about the pet food industry and making informed choices when choosing your pets’ food, this book is a must-have in your library.