Ian Billinghurst

This book was a surprisingly good read. I didn't expect to get so much useful information out of a book that focused more on the breeding side of things, but it was perfect for a discussion of feeding for all and the natural course of life.

The latter part of the book was a rather lengthy discussion of variations on skeletal disease. Useful for those dealing with sufferers, directly or indirectly, this section was still largely superfluous when you consider it simply as a list of reasons why you should listen to the advice at the heart of the book--most problems are nutritional at their root.

I have not yet read the first book in the series, Give Your Dog a Bone, and the second book, The BARF Diet, was fairly technical, but this one was detailed without being too dry. I was tempted to only give it four stars because of how annoyingly repetitive it was throughout. The author tried to make it more friendly to those who would skim parts, but that does not lend itself well to those following the entire book from beginning to end. The only reason I still gave five stars is that though annoying, I could take the repetitiveness as practice, and the information covered was extremely informative.

Will I reread it? Yes, frequently, until committed to memory. I have been feeding my dogs and cats a raw diet for a year and a half now, but mostly purchased premade for various reasons. Now having read this book, I for the first time feel prepared and confident in my ability to completely make their food from scratch. Would I recommend it? Yes. This book is an excellent resource for those wanting to know more of the nuances of canine nutrition, or even just the basics of what was done before there was kibble. It may be a tough read for the less scientifically oriented, but Billinghurst breaks things down into easily digested sections. Overall, a good read, a great resource, and a reminder of lost skills.… (mehr)