See Spot Live Longer: How to Help Your Dog Live a Longer and Healthier 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.

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

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.

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.