I've read a few non-fiction titles this year but nothing quite like this. As an anima lover, though, I read the blurb and found my interest piqued, so I quickly dove in.

Big Kibble is a years-long culmination of data about dog feed, the food we give to our four-legged family members, the process by which this food is made, and the economic side of the industry.

Structurally, this book is user-friendly, well-written, and accessible. Each section is mapped out and divided into a presentation that flows, so there's no disjointed feeling of skipping around or backtracking before things make sense.

There's a lot of good, relevant information here. I was particularly drawn to the financial aspect of Big Kibble, as I've also wondered how dog food supposedly made with human-grade ingredients could be the same price when one uses lamb and the other uses chicken. Why is there no price discrepancy when the price differs a great deal on the market? I recently read a fiction title that delved into meat processing, and let me tell you, it changed the way I think of offal. Given the context, I found myself questioning whether I knew what was in my own dog's food. There are several facebook posts making the rounds discussing a well-known brand of dog food and treats that made several dogs sick and caused others to become fatal. With so many brands available and little insight as to which ones can be trusted--and even then, why they should be trusted--Buckley and Chavez break down the rationale behind branding, ingredients, and profits and why you can't always take marketing and product description at face value.

This is a book anyone with a dog should read. While some parts felt a little anecdotal and long-winded, I appreciated the recipes, personalization, and insight. My own eleven year old lab chow mix will surely be reaping the benefits soon, as I plan on trying several of the recipes included, as well.

Overall, Big Kibble is an interesting dive into the pet food industry that strives to put the health and safety of man's best friend first.

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

Review of Uncorrected Digital Galley

Do you, like many pet owners, feed your dog commercially-made dog food? [Did you know that technically it isn’t “dog food,” it’s “dog feed” because it’s made with the same ingredients as livestock feed and oversight . . . such as it is . . . of the pet food industry comes from the Association of American Feed Control Officials?]

And did you know that [much to the surprise of pet owners], “Made in America” does not necessarily mean that all of the ingredients in kibble come from America . . . with the AAFCO being complicit in this “deception” and leaving consumers woefully ignorant about what they’re buying for their pets?

“How can this be?” you ask. It’s possible, generally speaking, because while our beloved pets may be an integral part of our families, legally they are simply property. And, although we may read nutrition labels and ingredient lists, we are profoundly uninformed about the making of the kibble we feed our dogs. [And, of course, no company would include dead, diseased animals, chicken beaks and feathers, and sawdust in their list of ingredients, even if those despicable items actually were part of the horrific mixture they used to make the kibble they put in the bag for consumers to feed their dogs.]

While, at first, it might seem rather disingenuous for the authors to expound on the merits of fresh dog food at the expense of the kibble produced by the companies that are part of this multi-billion dollar industry, they are forthright and upfront about their involvement with the fresh dog food movement [having founded JustFoodForDogs]. Nor is this a “buy my product” pitch. The authors clearly state their mission [advocating for dogs from “a sense of responsibility to dogs”] with no effort to hide any connection to JustFoodForDogs, thus debunking any conflict of interest thoughts that might arise with readers.

For every pet owner who lost a beloved dog [or cat] during the debacle with contaminated kibble from China, it’s clear that this “Big Kibble” narrative is not about selling dog food. It’s not necessarily about pointing fingers [although there is some discussion about pet food recalls]. Rather, it’s about educating, about making pet parents knowledgeable, about helping to protect those pets from a repeat catastrophe.

This captivating, informative narrative is a revelation, a sort of “here are the facts; you make the decision” premise that fully informs the reader about this important question. It’s difficult to ignore story after story after story of sick dogs switched to human-grade ingredients formulated into food especially for them and then improving to the point of thriving.

Even if you were to decide to accept as truth only a portion of the information contained in this account [but why would you choose such a limitation?], you would find yourself with serious questions about the kibble you give your beloved pet. [There are half a dozen recipes included so that you can cook nutritious meals for your dog should you choose to go that route.]

The authors give a history of the development of pet food, look at the supply lines for ingredients, examine the making of kibble, address some myths about feeding pets, and answer some frequently asked questions, all with the intention of informing the reader. There are strong feelings expressed here, not necessarily belligerent but fervent; determined to reveal the truth and to work for better oversight and regulation of the pet food industry.

Meticulously researched [and footnoted], “Big Kibble” is eye-opening food for thought [pun intended] . . . and a harbinger for change in what we place in the bowls of our beloved pets.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley
#BigKibble #NetGalley

I received an advance copy of, Big Kibble, by Shawn Buckley: Dr Oscar Chavez. This book is very informative, I never realized how dog food is made, whats in it, and if its regulated. Its eye opening for sure.

Very eye opening look at what actually goes in your pets food. I found it revolting in some instances and makes me much more aware of what to look for when purchasing food and i found several recipes for my furry family members that I have added to our feeding routine. This is a great resource for both educational purposes and for those wanting to make their own pet food.

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

This is an excellent (and horrifying) look at what really goes into dog food (or "feed" according to legal definitions, as it is not food), including that expensive stuff that you might think is good for your dogs. The authors do a great job of explaining not only why the stuff in there is very bad for them, but how it keeps getting contaminated and killing off dogs by the thousands in all different ways (yes, even the expensive stuff).

I was already aware of the recalls due to pentabarbatol (a euthanasia drug that is used on pets but keeps showing up in such large doses that it keeps poisoning dogs), so I kind of figured that shelter pets were ending up in dog food, but I had no idea of how many recalls there have been lately and how awful dog feed is for dogs even when it isn't contaminated. Interestingly, the authors go into details about some other contaminations that caused thousand of dog deaths, but they don't talk about the pentabarbatol one that I followed so closely a couple of years ago.

This book definitely feels padded at times. It could be half the length and give all the good info. I appreciate the detailed look at the industry though, and really appreciate that the authors give all the recipes for the dog food they sell (which is cooked fresh in Petco stores and other locations from USDA approved foods instead of the recycled and rendered products allowable in animal feed). People can buy their dog food or they can easily use the recipes here to make up big batches of their own for the fridge or freezer. They still say you need to add a multivitamin powder, though I would prefer just adding real foods. The authors say that we humans also need vitamins in addition to our foods, but I don't take multivitamins and my blood tests always show great levels -- same with my husband and kids.

I do wish the recipes included a vegan or vegetarian formula. The second oldest living dog in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records was a border collie who lived to be 26 on a homemade vegan diet that her owner made for her, so I know it's doable. I've already started cooking dinners for our dog, Moose (feeding kibble in the mornings for now anyway) using ingredients I'm cooking up anyway for the family but I tend to cook vegetarian and would prefer to have at least a large part of his diet be composed of healthy plant proteins for financial and ethical reasons (it seems wrong for animals to suffer to feed another animal). That's just a small suggestion though. In all, I found it helpful and motivating.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.

What goes in our dogs kibble is gross, unhealthy and should be illegal , but it's not this kibble is all okay in the eyes of the law. I knew it was scraps, left over parts and ugly veggies, I had no idea it went so far beyond that. From the items used to the transportation, the tainted products, over processing, dangerous materials, misleading to outright lying on the labels, and a total lack of accountability, it's disgusting. I am shocked, horrified and ashamed that America has not stepped up it's standards.
The authors cover the history of pet food, before, the beginning and now. They cover the process from suppliers, to bag. The tests, responsibilities and legal requirements (and lack of) are covered. There is a great deal of information on byproducts, molds, chemicals, and more found in kibble. Vitamins are covered as well as minerals and starches. Then the big grain controversy, covered. Some information on canine heart disease known as Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). There is so much more, most of the book is education for us the readers to take and use before we make choices
The authors are in the dog food business. A small portion of the story talks about a fresh food product they have developed and sell. I expected the book to be a sales pitch, it's really not they don't push it at all they even have a couple recipes for you to make your own. They want you to have the knowledge that has taken them years to find so you can help you dog and others.
If you own a dog, you need to read this book.
I was gifted a copy of this book by the publisher for an honest review

I've long been concerned about what I'm feeding my animals since my first experience with a major pet food recall. This book gave me the same feelings as when I researched the funeral industry for a college paper. The lack of government regulation is absolutely appalling. This book is a wealth of information and I highly recommend any pet owner to read it. The authors are open that they have started a pet food business and this book is an explanation why. I have not tried them but use a similar monthly system for my dog.

We could always cook our own and they do provide recipes but who has the time? I highly recommend this and would be a great gift to a new pet owner.

This is a very informative book on dog FEED (note the difference) that will give you a quick education on the history of kibble and what is allowed to go into it. I’d done some reading before about dog foods/feeds while researching a good kind to feed to my own dogs, and had been shocked at some of the things that are really allowed to go into them. So I was interested to read this book to see if that was confirmed here. I also wanted to check out the recipes for making your own dog food from fresh, which seems to be the best way to go, or buying it premade from a vendor. Either that, or doing the raw food. It just depends on how much time you have, of course and how far you want to dive into it.

The book is a good read for any dog owner who wants more information on kibble and dog nutrition, and you can always ask your vet’s opinion about what you read as well, if you have any questions. The authors are up front about the fact that they recently launched a fresh food delivery service, and they want to share some of what they learned about dog nutrition, and recipes with dog owners. Advanced electronic review copy was provided by NetGalley, the authors Shawn Buckley & Dr. Oscar Chavez, and publisher St. Martin’s Press for my unbiased review.

I am a dog owner for 20 years. I love dogs, and certainly dogs are family members. But they are still dogs. We still need to replace them every 15 years or so, and I believe that it is ok to treat them different them humans. They are still animals. I am a regular, average dog lover.

Shawn Buckley and Oscar Chavez are certainly the more militant extremist dog lovers. At the beginning, they share stories about a dog which has been attacked and eventually survives after a tremendous high five figure veterinarian bill. Latest than, you recognize that Shawn and Oscar are a little off planet, perhaps Pluto?

This all is ok, there are many people out there who invest $5,000 for the German Shepard hip replacement to have them live for another couple of years without Dysplasia. It is also ok, as the Author early disclose their mission to improve dog nutrition and the business they run behind it. It is though that I neither would do the hip replacement nor would I feed them human grade food.

There are some deductions for the deminutive choice of words when it comes to rendering or animal by-products as well as generalizations across the pet-food industry. Dog Lives Matter, certainly, but the businesses that feed them are not all that evil as at times depicted. So the book reads a little bit like a Michael Pollan or Eric Schlosser, just not for human food, but dog food. 3 stars. Would be a 4-star rating if the derogatory tone of certain sections of the business would be replaced by less loaded formulations.

The story and explanations on dog nutrition are solid and sound, with a lot of sentimental dog stories as background noise.

Make sure that you understand, that if you are one of those extremist, militant dog lovers, you may love what you read and score it a full five stars. And for all other dog lovers, still an interesting and entertaining read.

I began this book thinking I would learn more about how to better feed my dog. My problem with this book is that it talks about ordering fresh pet food from outside sources, when the authors have just launched a website for - you guessed it, fresh pet food from outside sources. I saw this as a conflict of interest and somewhat disingenuous, as it read like a promotion for this type of food, which is better for your dog and by the way you might as well purchase our brand. There is useful history of the creation of pet food, common sense and caution, and some recipes for making your own pet food in the back of the book. While I believe there should more education on what goes into what we feed our pets, promoting oneself at the same time gave me great discomfort. I did learn from reading this book, and there was much effort made to educate the public. Left me with mixed feelings.
Thank you to the authors, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is pretty good. It contains some eye opening info. It also includes a few recipes, recommendations, and has a section devoted to answering some common myths/questions. Very good info along with a bibliography and sources.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

So much information. Great resource. This is a must read for all pet parents.

Thanks to author,publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free,it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

Thought-provoking call to action from the founders of JustFoodForDogs, engagingly if somewhat repetitively written. The thesis is that regardless of cost, brand, or market niche, commercial dog food is undifferentiated, poorly regulated, potentially dangerous, and insufficient for a healthy, happy dog. Instead, the authors recommend fresh food made from human-grade ingredients, such as that sold by the authors' JustFoodForDogs and a few other suppliers. The authors also provide recipes and suggestions if you want to make your own food for your dog, and they debunk common myths about what dogs should and should not eat.

I found this book interesting, compelling, and frustrating. I started the book in agreement with the authors' overall premise but without understanding the background behind it. I just figured that when you know what goes into your dog's food, you will know what goes into your dog. From this book, I learned a lot about the pet food industry and how and why dog food is regulated as animal "feed," not food - a critical distinction. I learned that no matter what the picture on the bag or the box, the source of "meat" in commercial dry dog food is overwhelmingly likely to be meat "meal." I learned more than I really wanted to about how that meal is made, with warnings that are particularly stark in light of current concerns about animal-human transmission of disease. I learned about canine nutritional needs and how they differ from humans'. The tone is personal and engaging, and the stories about dogs are warm, funny, and touching.

This book seems padded in spots. The long introduction is cogent and detailed, almost like a stand-alone article. But significant parts of the introduction are repeated in the book. After what seemed like a long discussion on pet food company consolidation, the punchline was that the size of the company didn't make a difference when it came to the safety or sufficiency of the dog food they produced. Big was bad; small was just as bad. It seemed like a long journey to get there.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed this book and recommend it to any dog lover. The recipes are meat-focused and sound dog-friendly. As the authors' put it, food plays such a large role in our dogs' lives: "Food is one reliable source of joy, a highpoint of every single day."

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for the honest review.

As a dog owner, I was intrigued to read BIG KIBBLE. I loved the cover and the description. In all honesty, I got through the first few chapters and then realized that the authors of the books own and operate a fresh pet food company. It seemed disingenuous to me to have a pet food manufacturer writing about how "horrific" the kibble business is. I skimmed the rest of the book. I did not care for the fact that the book was written by a fresh pet food owner and that was not disclosed anywhere in the description - such a bias and I felt a bit duped.