Customer Reviews

Barker's Grub : Easy, Wholesome Home-Cooking for Dogs

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Overall this book is GREAT. The information in the book is very thorough and my dog loves everything I've made using this book. However, for the main meal recipes, they are all kind of no-brainers. What the author could have done was just provide a list of ratios - so much meat, so much grain, so much vegetables, so the cook could mix-and-match ingredients. I could see people who are DEPENDENT on sticking to recipes being very limited by feeling they have to make these dishes exactly as spelled out, but in reality the author could have provided better instruction on being flexible as long as the right food-type ratios are stuck to.

There was some really good information in this book. There weren't as many recipes as I would have liked but the recipes they have are excellent. Many of the recipes are geared to dogs that have heart problems or arthritis, etc. which was excellent for me. Excellent for anyone that does home cooking all the time for their dog because it is geared for a weeks supply.

I found out about this book from a holistic veterinarian. This is such a wonderful book, I have purchased now 5 copies as gifts for friends. The recipes are easy, wholesome, and my dog's digestion (previously a problem requiring numerous visits to the regular vet and monster doses of antibiotics) has been excellent ever since she's been eating this food, which she loves. I have recommended the book especially for people whose dogs have challenges, such as cancer, heart trouble, or arthritis. But even for perfectly healthy dogs, this is a terrific book.

This is both a useful and an important book. Pet owners and even many veterinarians have been bamboozled by the pet food industry which provides convenience for pet owners, but at the cost of feeding our pets what is basically chemically-laden GARBAGE, and I don't mean garbage like leftovers, I mean chicken ..., rendered god-knows-what and I won't even go into what rendering is. There are some other books available on ... about what is actually in most commercial pet food, what -- legally -- some of those innocent-sounding ingredients actually can be. Suffice it to say that it's quite shocking and disgusting. Most people laugh at the idea of cooking for dogs, as if it's some frou-frou whim, but really, if one thinks about it, dogs have evolved over many years to eat our leftovers -- that is, food. Yes, FOOD!!!! This book is very helpful because cooking for dogs can be confusing (we've not been educated in our culture about what they can eat / what they're allergic too or have trouble digesting, e.g., chocolate and onions are not good for dogs), and also, without the tips the author provides, cooking for dogs can be unnecessarily time-consuming. She provides an excellent variety of recipes --- for different types and ages of dogs and different types of health challenges --- in large quantities. Thus you can make a big batch and freeze it all, taking out to thaw a day or two's worth of portions as you go. I zap it in the microwave for just a few seconds and add a splash of milk or rice milk if it comes out a little too hot. By the way, cooking for your dog need not be expensive. Some of the recipes in this book are ("Tuna Togetherness" comes to mind) but not all --- there are also recipes with say, squash and peas and liver. By the way, this book has a charming cover. It would make a wonderful gift for any dog owner.

The author provides excellent information as to why commercial foods are not the healthiest diet for your dog. She also gave me the confidence to try this as I am not comfortable in the kitchen. Making meals for my dogs took some of the pressure off since I knew they would like everything I made! Plus, the recipes are very easy, though the prep work is time-consuming if you're not an experienced cook.

Unfortunately, after several weeks of spending all of our free time in the kitchen or grocery store, my husband and I decided that we simply couldn't keep up since we had to cook for four large dogs (ranging from 45 lbs.-80 lbs.). In order to do this, one of us would've had to quit our full-time job or make a career out of it like the author (she runs a dog catering business) to justify all the time and money spent.

If you have one large dog, or multiple small dogs, and you have the time and inclination to do this, then I would highly recommend Barker's Grub. Otherwise, you can make these meals just for special times such as birthdays, obedience school graduation and holidays, which is what we plan to do.

I was in search for a great book with not only recipes but a good background of what it means to cook for your dog, including information about proper nutrition, allergies, daily allowance, etc. This book has it all! It's small and to the point and while I'm sure it could contain much more information, it does the job in a small masterpiece. Contains about 15 recipes and information about a rotation diet as well as some healing recipes. THIS is the book to get if you truly want to cook for your dog as a full (or even part) time gig -- not just for fun recipies but actual, nutritious, well-thought-out foods for our pups!

Since my oldest dog was diagnosed with cancer six months ago I have been educating myself on canine nutrition, and the one thing I quickly learned was that everyone has their own opinion, so it was a bit overwhelming and confusing at first. I think Barker's Grub is a good starting point for anyone who wants to get their dogs off processed foods and start feeding them wholesome, balanced home cooked meals.

There is more reading than there are recipes, but there is some helpful information. Most of the recipes are given in both small and larger quantities and include variations, except for the treats. The treat recipes are yielding 4-5 pounds which the author feels is a month supply, but I don't give my dogs treats every day so I halve the ingredients and give some away to our doggie friends.

All-in-all I think it's a really good book and will become a permanent addition to my library.

There is some very good nutritional information in the first half of the book - which gets a little long. However, at least one recipe calls for raisins which, along with grapes, avocados, garlic, macadamia nuts, as well as the more commonly known toxins such as chocolate and antifreeze, are toxic to dogs so use caution and good common sense.

Not practical for a medium or larger dog. It's probably okay if you have a smaller dog and have a lot of time to prepare a meal. It takes plenty of time and a lot of planning.

I found it very pricey to prepare a meal for my pet. I started with the transition/cleansing diet, which is to be fed for 7 days. After 2 days, she took one sniff, gave me a disgusted look and walked away refusing to eat. I would suggest a high quality organic food instead as there is no way you can get all the daily nutrition your pet needs by cooking for them.

Need recipe's for feeding your dog natural ingredience? This IS the book. Packed full of information and great recipes. My dogs sit patiently and drool when they see me getting out their meals eah day. I carry the book to the supermarket when I'm ready to prepare a new meal! Your dogs will love these recipes and you'll love making them. It is so easy! No more processed food for my guys!

This cookbook is EXACTLY what I was looking for. The recipes are easy, economical and quick, and there are recipes for different ailments (constipation, arthritis, anemia). My doggie loves it too. Overall I love this book and will be giving it as a gift often. Thanks so much!