Dr. Earl Mindell's Nutrition and Health for Dogs [Paperback]

Earl Mindell (Author), Elizabeth Renaghan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 22, 2007

In this updated second edition of "Dr.Earl Mindell's Nutrition and Health for Dogs," the renowned author of "The Vitamin Bible" and his coauthor, Elizabeth Renaghan, focus on how a dog's body functions nutritionally. They point out that, overall, a dog's body functions much the same as a human's body and has similar nutritional requirements. Although some canine needs differ from people's, dogs also thrive on good nutrition, exercise, clean water, and love-and for optimal health, specific foods and vitamin/mineral supplements. The authors discuss easy, flexible, and affordable ways to keep one's dog healthy, and elaborate on the different nutritonal requirements of different breeds. They explain why each nutrient discussed is needed, and recommend size-appropriate amounts of them for dogs ranging from small to giant. "Dr. Earl Mindell's Nutrition and Health for Dogs" is devided into seven informative parts. Part One is all about creating optimum nutrition for one's dog. In the parts that follow, the authors talk about why it is important to keep a dog's immune system healthy; they devote a section to natural flea control, and another to homeopathy, an increasingly popular, and highly effective, therapy for dogs; they delve into the five most common dog diseases, and other common canine ailments, and finally, they give an alphabetical, breed-specific listing of potential health problems for dogs. This manual is an important alternative to the multi-million-dollar dog-food industry, which wants people to believe that a dog is happiest when receiving the exact same foods day after day. Nothing could be further from the truth. Nutritional variety is every bit as important for a dog as it is for a dog's owner, and dogs, lke people, thirve on a mix of fresh foods including frutis and vegetables.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., is the author of more than thirty books, including The Vitamin Bible, his pioneering reference work. A registered pharmacist, a master herbalist, and an internationally recognized expert on nutrition, vitamins, and herbal remedies, Dr. Mindell is a professor of Nutrition at Pacific Western University in Los Angeles and lives in Beverly Hills, California. Elizabeth Renaghan is editor of the newsletter The Dog Love Letter.

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: Basic Health Publications; 2 Revised edition (December 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591202035
• ISBN-13: 978-1591202035
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #285,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good but lacks in precision on a few minor points and one major, August 12, 2009

By 

S. Smith (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dr. Earl Mindell's Nutrition and Health for Dogs (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book for the most part as it offers very SPECIFIC information regarding vitamin and mineral supplementation, not just vague "rules of thumb." He actually gives you dosages and explains in non-medical language what the vitamins do, why they're important, and in which foods many can be found. Herein lies my first major cause for alarm: he suggests red grapes as a nutritional form of the trace mineral selenium (p.39)-- this is a potentially deadly recommendation as grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. Dogs who ingest grapes or raisins can develop acute kidney failure and in many cases die. Please do some verifying online and with your veterinarian before taking this recommendation from the book and if in doubt, err on the side of caution and avoid grape products.

The second gripe I have is in regards to his discussion of stress in puppies and adult dogs. This topic is breached around p. 60 and is in reference to how emotional stress can weaken the immune system. While Mindell's observations are certainly valid from the physical standpoint, he neglects the long-term behavioral implications of his recommendation for owners to attempt to eliminate their dog's stressors altogether or treat a hyperactive dog with natural remedies such as B-complex, Valarian, kava, and magnesium. Another approach that isn't mentioned is to introduce stressful situations, such as riding in the car or meeting a new dog, in a controlled, proactive way (potentially with the assistance of a dog trainer). A person doesn't do their dog any favors by sheltering them from environmental stressors because it's almost inevitable that the dog will come face to face with the stressor eventually. Starting from puppyhood a dog should be taught how to approach and deal with unfamiliar (and thus stressful) situations. A dog who is not socialized with uncomfortable sounds, sights, and sensations early on is likely to become MORE fearful of these things later in life and potentially lash out in an aggressive manner. I would have liked to have seen a broader approach to dealing with this topic since it deals directly with animal behavior.

It should also be noted that he advocates a raw diet and minimal vaccinations. For those who don't align with that camp, be forewarned! In all, I think I'm still on-board with Dr. Mindell, but he definitely shook my confidence with that grape recommendation.