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See Spot Live Longer

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See Spot Live Longer

By Steve Brown

Reviewed By Don James

OK, I'll admit it. I'm a food bigot; a dog food bigot that is.

Since I became seriously involved in the world of dogs. I've become very interested in the subject of food. As a responsible owner of 2 Leonberger show dogs, I realized early on that a dog (any dog) is only going to be as good as the food you put into him. Of course, having a large breed which tends to live a shorter life than smaller dogs, I was interested in delving into the notion that the quality of what we're feeding can have a monumental effect on that longevity.

So, I spent time researching raw diets, looking a premium and super premium kibbles, learned how to read and interpret labels and all about AAFCO. I subscribed to periodicals which spent many of their pages talking on the subject of food. Of course, through that study, I learned that the major pet food manufacturers absolutely do not have the health of our dogs in their best interests.

Yup, I thought I was doing pretty well, thought I was getting a pretty good handle on all this stuff.

Then I met Steve Brown.

That was when I realized just how far I needed to go to get even half the handle on this dog food thing that I thought I had. I was invited to attend one of Steve's "See Spot Live Longer" seminars

The seminar is based on his book of the same name and is a synthesis of what he's learned through the years as an owner and developer of premium frozen raw food products in the Northwestern part of the United States.

Here's just one example of something I learned by attending the seminar and reading the book

I know that dogs do not need carbs. Yet, most mainstream kibbles are loaded with high carb sources (corn rice etc) because it's cheap filler. Yet, when you read the nutrient percentage breakdown on any bag of dog food, nowhere do you see carbohydrates listed.

Protein, fat, water, ash content all listed, but no carbohydrates. Steve will tell you why.

You can choose just to attend the seminar. I would certainly recommend that but you'd better leave with his book under your arm. Just a warning; you're going to have to read it more than once.

There is so much information here about food; what makes good food, what makes bad food, how to properly handle and store food, and yes, even a way for you to figure out the percentage of carbs in that food you just bought for Fido. There's an in depth discussion of macronutrients and micronutrients and many historical anecdotes about dogs and how their food has changed (and changed them) over the years. The book is very technical but it's done in a way that makes it easy for the non-scientific person (like myself) to understand.

For anyone interested maintaining a healthy, happy, long lived companion, it will be a valuable addition to your canine bookshelf.

Our Cairn Terrier's chronic health issues caused us to start reading and researching canine nutrition well over 13 years ago. When we got into the kennel, training and dog food business 10 years ago, we totally immersed ourselves. We have read countless books and See Spot Live Longer, by Steve Brown and Beth Taylor, is the first book that finally ties together the common sense holistic advice with the scientific research to back it up.

The authors start by reviewing several case studies of dogs with chronic health problems who improved once they were fed a healthy diet of fresh food, of the type that dogs are supposed to eat. That section alone will compel you to read the rest of the book.

In Part 2 they review the ancestral diet of the dog and compare it to what the majority of people feed their dogs today. You will learn why the food most people feed their dogs is inappropriate for the dogs optimum health.

Carcinogens and allergens found in dry dog foods is the subject of Part 3. The authors explain why what many think of as a "safe" source of food, is far less safe then they realize.

Part 4 pulls everything together and provides concrete steps to assist the reader with helping their dog live a longer, healthier life. They discuss ways to improve nutrition, how to avoid chemical toxins, and the importance of keeping your dog lean.

The appendices help to analyze the cost of dog food and show how to choose a dry dog food if you cannot afford to feed fresh food all of the time.

Everyone with a dog and every canine professional should read this book. In fact, Veterinary schools would be wise to replace their standard nutrition textbooks, written by Hill's, Waltham and Iams, with this wonderful guide to optimal canine nutrition.

Don Hanson, CPDT, BFRP

When emotions run high, science is often lacking. My personal experience and work experience as a technician in an animal science nutrition lab and veterinary toxicology lab led me to the same conclusions as the authors. I knew the research to back up those ideas had to be out there, but the authors outdid themselves locating it. This is an easy to read, common sense, comprehensive book backed by tons of research (17 pages of footnotes). This exceptional book is the one to buy your veterinarian or your next door neighbor. Thank you Beth and Steve!

Finally, after reading dozens of books that teach animal owners how to feed their animals naturally-BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), Brown and Taylor provide us, for the first time ever, the research behind the findings that holistic vets have been giving us for years.

An impeccably researched, beautifully footnoted, easily understood book that all pet guardians should read, when questioning how they should feed their animal (commercial kibble vs raw vs other non-traditional means of feeding). This book gives the animal owner the information needed to make informed, educated decisions, based on fact and research.

This is an easy book to read and it can be read in a couple of hours. The book contains good information about pet nutrition, but it did not tell me anything I didn't already know except for the appropriate phosphorous to calcium ratio for pets (dogs and cats) on a raw meet diet. It also warned against feeding raw salmon. Those were the only two points I got out of the book. The book has spent an unreasonable amount of time reiterating how bad pet food bought from grocery stores is. I already knew that which is why I always buy premium pet food with top 3 or 4 ingredients being meat (no meat byproducts!). For me the book was marginally informative, but for others who may not have already thought much about pet nutrition, this book will give them useful information. If you already know quite a bit about pet nutrition, then this book is very elementary and probably of no use to you.

--nick

I bought this book because Dr Mercola recommended it. As much as i can allign with the passion of the authors, nowhere can i find SPECIFIC recommendations what makes a good complete meal for a dog. There are suggested foods, but I am looking for more. Also, why isn't there a list of recommendations and resources for buying high quality kibble? This book was filled with too much fluff and not enough meat. Go figure.

Shopping for pet food can be overwhelming with so many different kinds

available. I used to rely on television commercials when choosing our pet food. Sad but true. While I read the ingredients carefully when buying food for the people in our family, I chose food for our dogs without even checking the label. Sure, I read the front the front of the bag. The pet food company included eye-catching illustrations and some great blurbs about how their food could provide your dog with "all he needs" to be healthy. It wasn't until last year that I really questioned the pet food industry and took a critical look at what we were feeding our dogs each day.

We have a lab mix, Mandy, who had some serious behavior problems when she

came to us. After she had been with us for more than a year, we were extremely frustrated with the hyperactive behavior she exhibited and the constant shedding. This sweet yellow lab was exhausting. We were about to enroll her in obedience school when someone in an online support group mentioned that she could be suffering from food allergies.

As the mom of a child with some food issues, I was surprised I hadn't looked into it earlier. I started doing some research on pet food and realized that I was feeding my dogs the equivalent of fast food on a daily basis. The turning point for me was when I read See Spot Live Longer by Steve Brown and Beth Taylor. The book was extremely powerful. I wept for dogs I had lost over the years, wishing I had known then what I know now. The book moved me and I vowed to provide our dogs with a fresher, more natural diet.

While I felt that "The Barf Diet" was the absolute best choice for our dogs, providing raw food for all meals wasn't doable for us. Therefore, I chose the middle ground. We bought our dogs a natural dry dog food and supplemented their diet with raw meat and eggs. To my surprise, my dog's behavior and shedding problems improved within a few weeks of starting her on the natural food. It was amazing! Our older dog, a Dachshund mix, had been fighting a weight problem for years, and our vet had recommended more exercise and a special food for overweight dogs. Nothing worked until we made the switch to natural kibble. Now he's slim and looks like he did when he was a year old. This at age 9! After reading See Spot Live Longer, I believe it was one or more of the ingredients (probably corn) in the original dog food that caused his weight problem.

We've had great luck with Nutro brand dog food so far. I can find it at my local Petsmart and Pet Supermarket. Of course, there are more natural foods available now than ever before. You can even buy raw meat for your dog in prepackaged meals! I recommend making the switch to a natural kibble because conventional dog foods are made with fillers, additives, artificial dyes, meat by-products and other harmful ingredients. Feeding your dog conventional dog food day after day is like feeding your family TV dinners every night. (See Brown's book for detailed information.) The authors of See Spot Live Longer argue that the food so many well-meaning pet owners feed their four-legged friends is causing the multiple health problems older dogs experience today. Much like how the Standard American Diet is having a negative impact on the health of Americans, conventional dog food is playing a large role in the downward spiral of canine health.

You may find that improving your dog's diet doesn't cost that much more than what you`re already spending. Some popular conventional brands are a bit pricey, with many of the natural foods being comparable to those in terms of cost. And remember that spending a bit more on dog food now will save you money on vet bills in the long run. It will all even out and you'll end up with a healthier dog who will live a longer and happier life.

I found this book very helpful in addressing the "real" food needs of my dog and not the brainwashing we have received over the years from pet food companies about what is best for our animals.

Since I help educate pet owners on a natural, holistic approach to caring for their pets, this book by Steve Brown was of great interest to me. In fact, since I'm currently co-authoring a book on natural dog health with homeopathic veterinarian, Jill Elliot, the information in this book was invaluable to me to be able to share correct information on feeding and especially about commercial food. We both feed our pets a natural diet and not commercial food so we already knew about some of the drawbacks to commercial foods. However, what Steve shares in this book in depth about commercial foods will really open your eyes to WHY it's a good idea to get busy feeding a diet natural to your dog that doesn't come out of a bag! Even better, he shares easy, concise ways to help your dog live a longer, healthier life.

Kim Bloomer

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This book has wonderful health guidelines for taking care of your dog using all natural and holistic guidelines. Every dog owner should read this book.