Excerpted from Dog Food Logic, by Linda P. Case, M.S.
During my years of teaching canine nutrition to college students, teaching training classes to dog owners and providing educational materials and training programs to staff in the pet food industry, I have come to believe that, as a profession, companion animal nutritionists have generally done a poor job of educating dog lovers regarding exactly what we do know about dog (and cat) nutrition. It is my hope that this book will bridge the gap and provide you with both the tools for critical thinking and enough nutrition information about dogs to help you to make well-supported and informed choices for your dog’s nutritional health. For those of you who are pet professionals, this information will help you to guide and advise your clients when they ask you the most frequently asked question: “What should I feed my dog?” (This is typically followed by “What do you feed your dogs?”)
As we have seen in earlier chapters, when compared with hyperbole and extravagant health claims, the evidence that science provides seems to plod along at a snail’s pace and often is about as exciting as watching paint dry. The fact that science-based evidence does not scream at us in sensationalist language or excite emotion to the same degree that someone claiming to cure cancer with a nutrient elixir does not mean that we should throw in the towel, give up and just listen to Joe next door who seems to know a lot about dogs. Rather, we need (and should demand) solid, science-based sources of nutrition information that both inform and motivate us to choose well for our dogs. However, I also realize that nutrition can be dry as dirt and that most nutrition books are not considered to be great bedside reading material. So, here’s the deal: I am going to provide as much nutrition-packed information as possible in the next several chapters while at the same time giving your plenty of examples and stories. (Uh oh-anecdotes! You know to now place your skeptic’s hat squarely upon your head!) My hope is to make the process a lot more palatable (tasty!) as well as to provide examples that will help this information to “stick” given that we now know that humans best remember events and facts that are associated with some type of experience or story. Let’s begin with an examination of what we know versus what we may believe or wish to be true about a dog’s nutritional needs.
Need help choosing a food for your dog? Want assistance wading through the ads, labels, hype and information bombarding you every day? Learn what matters most by reading Dog Food Logic. Buy it today from Whole Dog Journal.
