Customer Reviews

The Good Food Cookbook for Dogs: 50 Home-Cooked Recipes for the Health and Happiness of Your Canine Companion

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

The book has some wonderful photographs, the layout is creative and includes color photos of every recipe. However I felt the recipes were lacking in healthy protein, carb and vegetable ratios. It is a fun book to read, but I would not recommend it to someone who is interested in educating themselves on canine nutrition.

How do I know, cause I tasted it! Chicken stew w/rice and pasta and lots of fresh veggies, how could you go wrong. I got this book because I was sick of reading the back of canned food and not knowing exactly what my dog was eating. I spoon some over the dry food (they suggest using kibble with the recipes because it cleans the teeth and contains other vitamins/minerals for the dog not found in EVERY food) and he licks the bowl clean. I also tried out a cookie recipe, he loves those too. I highly reccomended this book; easy to cook/get ingredients, highly nutricious meals, and you know what your dog is eating is good.

This book is not worth buying. You could do as well by just cooking anything yourself and giving it to your dog. This has no special recipes that are dog specific and evaluated for their nutritional content. (which is what I expected)

After deciding to cook for my dogs, I purchased four different dog cookbooks. The first three did not give any clear indication of how much to feed my very different sized dogs. This book did! The feeding portion guide was super helpful. So far, my dogs have really enjoyed the meals I have prepared from this book. The recipes are easy and VERY tasty. Additionally, I actually liked the fact that the author includes some store bought kibble with the meals. Cooking for an active 95 pound German Shepherd is a huge responsibility. So being able to supplement his hypo-allergenic (& expensive) kibble is a great option for our family. The recipes allow me to make enough to only have to cook every few days. I recommend this book as a great starter for anyone interested in cooking for your dogs.

I recently adopted a dog and bought this cookbook because I wanted to supplement a dry dog food diet with some yummy home cooked food. I have since made several recipes in this book and all of them have been a smashing hit with my new pooch. Big favorites are the Lip-Lickin' Liver-Lover's Sauce, chicken & rice stew, peanut butter bones, and ginger bones. I tend to use the stew recipes as a guide more than a strict recipe, sometimes swapping out different veggies and using whole wheat versions of pasta. The stew recipes are great because they are very large -- you can portion them into small containers and freeze them, and you are all set for weeks.

This book has so many good things to make. They are all healthy and my dog loves them. I just wish I could find more cook books like this one. It is hard to find a wholesome dog cook book.

my dog eats all her food now, and i always have a back up for myself when i don't feel like cooking. one batch lasts for at least one month.