I found out about this title through a Webinar I attended. I knew that kibble had ingredients that were not the freshest, but I did not know so many of the things discussed in this book. I think the authors do a good job of covering the roles and the importance of dogs in our lives, and especially the incredible abilities and personalities dogs have. It is easy to forget to really see our dogs, to see how much feeling and loyalty they have, how happy they are and how freely they give us their love. The second part of the book really is a wake up call. You don't ever think about your pet's food so much, but this title will make sure you don't forget to think about the ingredients and how kibble is made. Very well-researched, and very important for pet owners. Hopefully this will help our dogs live longer, healthier lives.

I’m one of those dog moms who obsessively reads labels and won’t feed my dogs anything with byproducts or fillers. So I was looking forward to learning more about what’s best for my dogs’ health.

This book starts with an interesting look at the history of dog food companies and the types of food sold. As dogs moved from outside into our homes, from pets to family members, the dog food industry grew and, of course, became a big money-making business. The authors compare the industry to the negative aspects of Big Tobacco and Big Pharma, hence the title “Big Kibble.”

Then we’re given information on how dog food is currently made, as far as most mainstream brands are concerned. It’s disconcerting to know what’s allowed in their “food,” and how much of a dog’s health problems can be traced to diet, but this information is not new. Also, the authors lump all dog food into this Big Kibble category, except, of course, their own and a few other nameless human-grade brands.

The content is repetitive, with the same information included in multiple sections.

The content also tends to feel self-serving, too much like an infomercial. The authors own a human-grade dog food company, which they mention quite frequently throughout. Their food is extremely expensive, making it impractical for most dog owners.

They discuss homemade food as an option, which is great, and they include a few recipes at the end of the book. The problem here is that they don’t give readers a clue as to the amount per serving. This is vital information. Recipes are useless if you have no idea how much to give your dog. When I went on their website to use the “Feeding Calculator” they talked about, I found that I have to provide my email address so they can send me the information. This, to me, feels like a bait and trap. There are sites that provide free weight feeding charts without snagging your email address, and this information absolutely should’ve been included in the book.

Despite my grumbling, there’s some good information for people unfamiliar with the perils of certain dog food, and the history of dogs as pets with the coinciding emergence of dog food companies is interesting.

As an owner of four dogs, I was completely shocked and taken aback by what I read in this book.  This is a must-read for all pet owners!!!

We love dogs and they love us humans. Sometimes dogs feel like one of the family. So how should they be fed and taken care of? The authors explore the big business of pet food, a 30+ billion dollar industry. 

The first part of the book is about dogs and their relationship to humans. I was surprised to find about the increase in dog friendly coffee shops, for example, as the importance of pets is more widely recognized. That is followed by an exploration of the history of commercial dog food, the contents, and the corporate practices. Lastly, the authors identify what dogs really need to eat for optimum health, human grade food, and include some of their own recipes.

There is disturbing information included in this book, such as what the FDA really regulates  and what “Made in the USA” really means (sourcing from China). The stories of dogs suffering and dying from toxic ingredients are heart breaking. The influence of corporations on veterinarians and vet schools is disturbing. And some of the descriptions of “meat” sourcing, I have to admit I skipped reading. It is for those with strong stomachs.

The authors did not write this book to make money. All royalties go to rescue organizations. They did not write this book to sell their own dog food products. They offer food recipes in the book and others readers can download for free at their JustFoodForDogs website. 

If you love your dog, this book is worth reading.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

We humans have an interesting and questionable capacity for turning a blind eye regarding what we eat as well as what we feed our cherished pets. We turn a blind eye toward how our food makes its way to us as, and we do the same for our pets. It’s easier that way. And most of us do like to do the easy thing, even if it’s at a cost.

As many of you know, at the beginning of the summer I lost my beloved Scout. The cause of death was an aggressive form of cancer that he hid from me until a week before he died. In the subsequent months I’ve done a lot of thinking about dogs (and cats) and cancer. Oddly, I have lost every single one of my pets to cancer–except for one. Cha developed acute kidney failure at 11. She was literally at death’s door, my vet said. She wouldn’t eat the renal kibble food (to me it smelled rancid so I didn’t blame her) and I was at wit’s end. I found an online support group who provided recipes and discussed supplements and other necessities for combatting renal failure. From that day on, I home-cooked her meals. She left me five and a half years later due to complications of degenerative myelopathy (a hereditary disease). Home cooking her meals had given her many years that she wouldn’t have had otherwise, without a doubt.

Is it coincidence that the only dog I cooked for never got cancer? I frankly don’t think so, and after having read Big Kibble by Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez, I feel even more fervently that it’s no coincidence at all.

First, I want to tell you that Buckley and Chavez formed a company that makes real, human-grade food for dogs. The cynical amongst us would suggest that they are promoting this book to garner sales. And, perhaps that’s true. However, the information provided in this book is information that is available to anyone wanting to do the research.

The authors provide case after case, many of them infamous, about how pet feed (not a typo) is not regulated. I remember very well the incidents with melamine in pet feed that killed thousands of dogs and cats in the late naughts. I counted myself extremely lucky that my three dogs and cat survived that time when so many others didn’t. And then recently there was the case of pentobarbital, a drug that is used in animal euthanasia, killing several dogs who ate particular dog foods.

All of us believe that the same regulations that are imposed on human food are also imposed on the feed we give our pets, but we would be wrong. Big Kibble provides eye opening details about how companies get away with suggesting that a pet food is totally made in the USA when in actuality ingredients have been sourced from China.

I do believe that the authors want consumers to be aware of how kibble is made and are not just out for themselves. They point toward other companies that are making whole, human-grade food for dogs as well as offer several recipes for home-feeding your dog–which I very much appreciate. They also inform the reader that there are veterinary resources for doing home-cooked meals for your dog. They don’t pretend to be the end all for creating healthy meals.

I just needed a slight nudge to stop feeding Sophie kibble. What I received what a great big old shove and I am thankful.

Big Kibble is necessary reading for any dog owner. Period.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When the publisher contacted me about reviewing this, my first reaction was "No" as I don't do much non-fiction. But then I thought about it some more. I'm owned by a cat and not a dog but I have been thinking recently about what I feed my cat, so I said yes. While the book's focus is on dogs and their nutritional needs, much of the history of pet feed and its ingredients, applies to cats too. I am definitely reading the labels on Claude's food more closely and reconsidering what I can feed him. The beast is not much for fresh human food; he turns up his nose at turkey, chicken, and tuna but loves cheese.

If I owned a dog, I would be changing his food ASAP. While Chavez and Buckley don't use scare tactics, they don't really need to. The facts they present are scary enough. Animal poop is allowed to be used in dog food. There's no federal oversight of pet food. The "governing" body 
is an association that works with feed companies, not to improve them, but to help with sales. Heavy levels of certain metals are allowed in dog feed. The nutritional levels you see posted on labels? Not accurate. They are calculated before the food is processed, but processing, even simple cooking, changes nutrient value. Feed can contain as little as 3% beef, calculated pre-processing, so the final value may actually be 1 or 2% beef. yet that package can legally be labeled as containing beef.

Chavez, Buckley, and Paris have an easy to read, conversational style. There are a few dry patches and some repetition, the book is heavily researched and annotated, but mostly it was an easy read. Easy in style, if not always in content, and thought-provoking for sure. I was appalled at what is allowed to go into pet food, and just how processed it actually is. The difference between pet food and pet feed was eye opening also. And all those boutique, high-cost brands? Many of them are no different from the cheap feed, just marketed differently. The authors break down what is known about canine nutrition and the methods manufacturers use to meet a bare minimum. A bare minimum calculated before processing. Much of the taste and nutritional value that are lost in processing are added back in via spray-on flavor and generic vitamin mixes. But those mixes aren't regulated like human vitamins are and the minerals and vitamins may not be from optimal sources. But one problem is that not enough is known about canine nutrition. Most veterinarian programs don't even offer courses in animal nutrition. And sponsorship of scholarships and conferences is often hosted by pet feed manufacturers. A common practice in many fields to be sure, but it effects vet students and full-fledged vets opinions of dog food and nutrition.

And of course, as we know from human medicine, diet affects health. Why wouldn't that be true for dogs? The authors give anecdotal evidence but there is apparently a dearth of research on canine diet and health, a fact they lament. They have done some studies of their own and hope that more people will do similar studies.

Buckley and Chavez have a business making fresh food for dogs and they talk about their path to that event but they don't push their product or business, though they do toot their own horn re work they have done "disrupting" big kibble. But they also acknowledge and praise other businesses, their competitors, making fresh, healthy food for dogs. There are even some recipes included for people who want to try making their own dog food.

If you have a dog or work in a dog related field, this book is a must. Agree or disagree with it, it will make you think.

Quotes:

"People assume we have a massive amount of data on companion animal nutrition that has been supported by their tax dollars, and that is incorrect. We are 50 years behind human food and livestock feed in terms of nutrition information. There are not federal grants for pet food research. Today, the library of animal nutrition could fill a cardboard box." (location 2673 in my Kindle ARC)

Big Kibble can legally use not only moldy grains and second-rate vegetables and vegetable scraps but also spray-on flavor and outsourced, premade, feed-grade, vitamin mixes-one batch of which recently proved deadly. (location 2460 in my Kindle ARC)

..., the FDA lacks resources and even authority to do everything it should. It has historically lacked the power to impose recalls and punishments and has been lax about following its own recall protocols.*note 28 They have enforcement discretion, which means they pursue and enforce some situations, but certainly not all. (location 1824 in my Kindle ARC)

Waste products, just to be clear, are not good sources of calories for dogs, and can actually be harmful-a truth about waste-as-food in general (even if your dog has been known to eat rabbit poop while walking through a park.) (location 1753 in my Kindle ARC)

This book had AMAZING Insight into what I am giving my pups! I loved how raw and authentic the writing was. It explained everything in an easy-to-understand message, but added evidence to support. Thank you for an enlightening read!

BOOK PREVIEW: Big Kibble by Shawn Buckley & Dr. Oscar Chavez

Let’s see what is in store for us…

STORY... Big Kibble is big business: $75 billion globally. A handful of multi-national corporations dominate the industry and together own as many as 80% of all brands. The guidelines―or lack thereof―for pet food allow producers to include ever-cheaper ingredients and create ever-larger earnings.

A big, inside look at the shocking lack of regulation within the pet food industry, and how readers can dramatically improve the quality of their dogs’ lives through diet to offer a brighter path forward for you and your pet.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT WITH THIS BOOK?.... Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez have not only written this book but started a company, Just Food For Dogs, that offers 100% human grade meals for dogs.

I am definitely all in and ready to learn… And to read… ✨😎✨

Big Kibble by Shawn Buckley & Dr. Oscar Chavez
2020 New Book Releases | December

Animals and Pets | New Book Releases Nonfiction

--------------------

All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Books & DIY Home Ideas | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com ... Including my video tutorials for DIY home ideas inspired by recommended books to support you in bringing your favorite books to life in your life and home.

You can see all my December Book Previews & additional features for Big Kibble by Shawn Buckley & Dr. Oscar Chavez at https://www.thisismyeverybody.com/books/books-coming-out-in-2020-december


✨😎✨A big thank you to Shawn Buckley & Dr. Oscar Chavez, St. Martin’s Press, Sara Beth Haring (with St. Martin’s Press) and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions expressed in my review are my own.

Princess Fuzzypants here:  This is not an easy book to read.  It is not because it is poorly researched or written but because it is a scary eye-opener of what goes on behind the scenes of the pet food industry.  While it deals with dog food, there is no doubt you can extrapolate the stories to include all domestic pets as well as other animals.  The authors, right up front, confess to having skin in the game as the producers of a different and more wholesome food but their connection in no way lessens the impact of what they say.

They talk about the evolution of us pets from simply being domesticated animals to becoming members of the family, worthy of the same care and attention as any other member.  It appears vets as well as owners realized the shift but the entire pet food industry, that still spoke about what we eat as “feed” and not food, did not get the memo.  Moreover, because of shoddy or non-existent oversight from the groups that were supposed to protect us, dangerous additives and ingredients poisoned us.  Only when there was a large and egregious mass murder did it seem to get their attention.  And then, it was more about public relations than health.

As pets, we expect our humans to feed us nutritious and tasty noms.  As our humans, our pet parents, need to be feel confident that they are serving us the same.  I don’t think anyone reading this book will ever make that assumption again.  Shame on the perpetrators.  Shame on the regulatory bodies.  Shame.

Five purrs and two disturbed paws up.

You really don’t want to read what is in the food you are feeding your dog. However, it is an eye-opening read. Big Kibble essentially throws anything they can get, that is cheap, into the mix. Their history of doing so goes back to post WWI. All those war horses returning from the war didn’t get a hero’s welcome. Instead, they were made into canned dog food. It just gets worse from there.

I was hoping for a non-biased look into the efficacy of each brand of dog food. While some brands, like Gravy Train, should clearly be avoided, no national brand wins full approval. In fact, what a coincidence! The author’s brand is the highest recommended brand. There are recipes included so dog owners can make their own quality dog food at home.

The history of Big Kibble’s exploits is my favorite part of this book. Maybe, I just had false expectations but I felt the rest was disingenuous. 3 stars.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Big Kibble by Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez

9781250260055

320 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: December 1, 2020

Non-Fiction, Pet care, Pet food, Health, Mind & Body

My eyes are wide open now. I was aware of the recalls of dog food for various reasons, but this book went so much further than just recall information. I was surprised to learn that melamine was added to food to enhance the amount of protein. I was appalled to find sawdust added as a filler under the guise of cellulose. It sounds so innocuous. I also was unaware of the types and amounts of antibiotics used in pet feed.

The book began with several stories of pet care showing the extent we are willing to go for the wellbeing for our pets. While reading this book, I went online and looked up the ingredients in my dog’s food. There were many moments I thought were important but the one statement that stood out was about spending about $1 a day on kibble for our beloved pets. That really resonated with me. 

I learned so much reading this book. I guess I should not be surprised that there is an illusion of choice with pet foods since we have the same illusion with people food and household products. At the end of the book are recipes so that we can make nutritious meals for our pets.  This book should be required reading by all pet parents. It is written in very easy to understand concepts. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

This book describes, in horrifying detail, what is in a bag of dog kibble.  Do not read this section if you have a queasy stomach.  It wasn’t anything I didn’t already know, but there is clear detail about how toxic metals, sawdust and deadly drugs have ended up in both kibble and canned food.  Dog food is still classified as “feed” under the FDA guidelines, so what goes into kibble, wet food, and dog treats does not have to adhere to the same regulations as human meats and produce.  Big Kibble also describes the false advertising that exists in the pet food industry.  That pretty picture on the front of the bag of a roasted chicken and vegetables is not necessarily what is in the bag of food that you’re buying.  There is a detailed history of dog food, from its inception until now, which I found very interesting and informative.
.
Big Kibble advocates for dogs eating fresh food and the authors have their own company, JustFoodForDogs.  Sometimes this book felt a bit like a big infomercial.  All kibble is bad and our fresh food is good.  All the dogs I’ve ever had the pleasure of sharing my life with have eaten kibble—different varieties, different companies, but it was the mainstay of their diets even though I have cooked for my dogs at times.  The book does include recipes and resources which I think any dog lover would find helpful.  But ultimately, I believe every pet parent has to make the best informed choice regarding their own dogs.  (And cats!)  Do some research online.  What fits into your budget for the number of pets and the type of dogs you have?  I have a large black Labrador.  It could be cost prohibitive for me to feed him fresh, prepackaged food, but it might be beneficial for me to try some of the recipes.  I definitely agree with the authors in that there should be changes to the pet food industry as far as not classifying dog food as livestock feed.
.
My grandmother always took in stray dogs.  When I was growing up, I remember a motley succession of mutts that came and went as the years passed.  There was Scruffy and Puggy, a Shih tzu named Misha and near the end of her life, she found a companion in a dog named Evander, who was half-Pitbull, half-Rottweiler.  She adopted the dogs no one wanted or couldn’t take care of.  I don’t think she ever fed any of these dogs any kibble.  The ones who were with her earlier in her life were fed leftovers from whatever she cooked.  Her dogs always seemed to live forever and were rarely sick.  Food for thought.

Big Kibble: The Hidden Dangers of the Pet Food Industry and How to Do Better by Our Dogs

I was scared to read this book because I try really hard to research and feed my fur babies good and healthy food. It can be hard to find accurate and believable information on the internet. This book came at a great time, though, because I was looking for new food for my dog since she has had health issues throughout her life, and I'm sensitive to making sure she does okay with her eating and treats. There is a lot of useful, relevant information, and this book provides an in-depth look at the history and development of the dog food industry. Big Kibble shows how the pet food industry has become like the big pharma companies; it's all about profit over quality. It actually made me sick to my stomach thinking about how products like melamine are being put into pet food and how careless and heartless manufacturers handle pet food in their factories. 

Read labels and do the legwork in looking at your pet's food to keep your pet healthy. There are several blogs mentioned in this book for additional information. I have been making my dogs their pet treats but will now look into making their food or making more natural meals.

A definite must-read if you own an animal.

#BigKibble #NetGalley

"Big Kibble" is written by the owners of Just Food for Dogs, Shawn Buckley, and veterinarian, Dr. Oscar Chavez, with Wendy Paris. They attempt to turn around and clean up the dog food industry.

Dog food is huge business: $75 billion globally.
However, unbeknownst to dog owners, pet food manufacturers use dangerous ingredients that may harm or even kill our pets, in order to increase profits. 

This book exposes the scandalous lack of regulation within the commercial pet food industry, and offers healthy alternatives and diets for our beloved dogs.

In summary, "Big Kibble" provides an expose into often imported pet food in the guise of being American made, and how to beat these fraudulent companies at their own game.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review also appears in https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3673902580
And https://thereadersvault.blogspot.com/2020/12/big-kibble-shawn-buckley-dr-oscar-chavez.html?m=1

Did you ever wonder what is in the big colorful bags of pet food lining the pet aisle of every major grocery store chain? I come home every two weeks with a big blue bag for my cats and a big yellow bag for my dogs. Happy looking pets adorn the fronts of both bags, with lovely charts about nutrition and wanting the best for fuzzy companion(s). My pets are set in their ways. I have tried multiple times to switch them to "better'' brands of food...and they won't eat it. I tried mixing it with their fav food.....I tried cold turkey. I tried everything. Nope. They want the blue bag and the yellow bag. So I bring home the same brands every time.

But what is actually in the food? And how is it made? Is it really good for my pets?

When I saw the blurb for this book I knew I had to read it. And, I'm not going to lie -- this was a difficult read for me. The authors don't pull punches when they hit their message home -- pet food is often filled with less than savory ingredients that are not the best choice to feed our furry buddies. I already knew that basic premise...but this book filled in a lot of facts I was not aware of.

The authors talk about the history of pet food, what goes into pet food, and that it's an industry that generates $75 billion in revenue. The pet food industry is poorly regulated and very brand driven, with a handful of companies pretty much running the show. The book focuses on dogs specifically, touching on basic nutrition for dogs, what foods can safely be eaten by dogs and the basics of cooking for dogs or otherwise supplementing or replacing their kibble-based diets with better choices.

This book is interesting, although quite distressing in places. And the authors make sure to stress that their advice and information is not meant to replace the input of reader's local veterinarian. This is definitely a must read for anyone who owns dogs, especially when there are frequent reports about dogs dying from badly manufactured pet food, factory mistakes, dangerous ingredients in treats or other problems. Some of their recommendations are just not going to ever happen -- like tax deductions for pet owners -- but I do see where they are coming from.

I'm glad I read this book, even though I found some of the information hard to read. It is amazingly distressing what goes into pet foods. Yuck.

Not exactly the book I was hoping for. Lots of information about the Conglomerates behind the dog feed issue, lots about the bad things that go into feed and what it does to our fur babies - just not enough about what we can do to help make changes.  Was hoping for more ways to make our own good food for our animals and to make our pets voices heard,!

If you have a dog or cat, please read this book! If my rescue dogs were still alive, I would not be feeding them any brand of dry or wet dog food. Most dog food is made by four big companies and it should be against the law what they are allowed to put in dog food. The quality is not as suggested on the packaging and not even close to being nutritious!

There is a trend of people moving away from manufactured dog food and making their own. There are also a couple companies that make homemade fresh nutritious food. My daughter feeds her rescue dog fresh food from The Farmers Dog. There is also Ollie, Nom Nom and Just Food for dogs to name a few. The authors also include recipes so you can make your own dog food. Is it more expensive, yes. But so are Vet bills for sick dogs.

Thank you St Martin's Press, the authors and netgalley for a copy of this eye opening book. This is my honest review.

Big Kibble by Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez is an interesting book that clearly gives the reader food for thought. Living in the state where Big Tobacco was king when I was growing up. I can say that the big companies are capable of hiding the truth, using questionable ingredients, while caring little about consumers and more about the profit. Have the big dog food companies done that? The evident in this book is compelling. It will be interesting to see how and if the companies respond. It is clear that accountability, some regulation and total transparency is needed to protect man’s best friend.

While the authors have their own fresh dog food company, I did not see this as to why they were trying to shame Big Kibble. They were up front about that. Mostly they seem to be true dog lovers who believe owners are being tricked, manipulated or are simply unaware of the product that they are giving their dogs. Buyer Beware!  

The publisher through Net Galley provided a digital ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.

Wow! This book was an eye opener for me!! If you are wondering about the kibble your dog eats, please read this book! I have 3 little senior dogs, and have been following the recalls and what dog food they should eat. After reading this book, I will be trying the recipes in the back of the book for my little ones! 
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced read. All opinions are my own.

This book will open your eyes to the hidden world of pet feed.  We thought we were feeding our dogs quality food.  We read the ingredients and checked for the USA stamp.  Now we have learned what the ingredient names actually mean and that processed in the USA isn't quite what you think it is.  You will be amazed at what is allowed to be added to dog feed.  I was also surprised at how few companies make so MANY brands of feed.  I was also shocked at the number of food(feed) recalls that happen and never really get publicized.  Our 4-legged family members deserve better! 

This was my review on Amazon.