72 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good Transitional Book, July 2, 2006
This review is from: The Good Food Cookbook for Dogs: 50 Home-Cooked Recipes for the Health and Happiness of Your Canine Companion (Paperback)
I am completely obsessed with cooking for pets. I still buy every book out there on the subject. I recently went to Barnes and Noble and found this book there so I picked it up.
First the bad:
She has VERY conflicting information in her introduction. First she claims that commercial dog food is best for dogs because "dogs have complex nutritional needs" and "they need crunchies to keep their teeth clean" Personally I don't believe either of these statements. The dog food company came about to prevent waste in the meat industry and so all meat not fit for human consumption when to pet food manufacturers. Also if commercial dog food was good for dog's teeth, why do we have so many dogs with teeth problems that have lived in commercial food for such a long time? Nope that just doesn't make sense to me.
Then after she makes the above claims she states that if you make food for your dogs "you will know what is in the food you make" and "It will have few to no additives and preservatives because you are using mostly fresh ingredients" BUT both of these statements are also untrue if you mix home cooked food with commercial because while you CAN control what is in the food you make- you really have no idea what is in commercial food- even the 'high end' dog food companies often list some sort of 'meat by-product' in their ingredient list and that can include just about anything not used for human consumption, including diseased parts of meat. So all her statements about why we should cook for our dogs are true, because she believes in mixing with commercial food, you lose all the benefits.
Now, having said that, I believe this book is a good transitional cookbook. There is a lot of information about how much to feed your dog and also she gives some basic information for creating your own stews. There is a chapter on sauces which I think is fun! Even for those of us that are strictly feeding homecooked diets can spice it up every now and then with some homemade gravy. There is also a chapter with recipes for making your own dog biscuits. I might try making some of the biscuits and using some of the gravy recipes thickened up more than usual to make some "dogwich" type snacks. They would have to be made up as you feed them so are a special treat!
There are a few recipes in the back for 'special diets' so if you have a dog with allergies or kidney problems and want to transition to a home cooked diet these recipes would be good.
Overall I am glad I bought it, but I did expect that the author would be a bit more knowledgeable about dog nutrition. I find it hard to believe that anyone that really studies it can support ANY commercial food.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My dogs give it 4 paws up, February 28, 2005
This review is from: The Good Food Cookbook for Dogs: 50 Home-Cooked Recipes for the Health and Happiness of Your Canine Companion (Paperback)
FINALLY! A cookbook that suggests portion sizes based on the size of the dog. (It's something that was seriously lacking in the other cookbook I've read). And one that lists ingredients that I can actually find in the grocery store. The stews are wonderful. One batch feeds my gang of three for over a week. My guys love it -- they are all now members of the "Clean Bowl Club". Can't wait to try some of the treat recipes on them.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fun book but not what I expected, March 8, 2007
This review is from: The Good Food Cookbook for Dogs: 50 Home-Cooked Recipes for the Health and Happiness of Your Canine Companion (Paperback)
I bought this book and Barker's Grub. This book is fun, and nice to look at and does have some good recipes (especially for treats) but I honestly didn't feel comfortable cooking these recipes for my dog on a daily basis. They seemed a bit more careless and thrown together (as in = your dog will love this) and not as conscious of what's healthy and nutrious for your pup. They also seem to be items that go with your dog's processed food instead of "in lieu of." I'd recommend it if you just want something to spice it up every once in a while but not as a full-diet.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
