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.
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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.
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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.

This book explains a lot of things about food and other dog-related subjects. Very informative, but I keep thinking that it is just a guideline for pet owners. If you read other books you will get other viewpoints. Do what you think is best for your pet. I reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

I probably was not the best person to read a book about pet food, considering I work for a company that makes animal feed. This book is another one of those conspiracy theory books, which I think kind of adds to it when you read the biographies of both authors that says "inventor of a new line of dog food" and "pet food industry interrupter". Whatever. I know what goes into the pet food that my company makes and it's nothing like what this supposed book says. Don't waste your time.

I received a free electronic ARC of this awesome animal lovers self-help book from authors Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez, Netgalley, and publisher St. Martin's Press - Health, Mind, and Body. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Big Nibble is especially welcome to my family's research shelf and an eye-opening look at how we manage our household and maintain the health and nutrition of our animal members.

My daughter started making a nutritious mix including meat or fish, legumes, spinach, or kale, and assorted grains about 6 months ago, supplementing their Purina brand dried foods. We have found some things out by experience - our critters have all suffered from food anxiety in their younger years - our ten-year-old track rescued greyhound can manipulate that lovely long nose around getting everything in the bowl but the brown lintels and carrot shavings. The eight-year-old rescued feral cats will eat almost anything as long as there is kibble in the kibble bowl, though they seldom eat much of that dry food. All of the critters are grateful for the interesting additional recipes that can add variety to their meals.

We have stuck with Purina brand foods supplemented with table scraps for the last 50 years without any problems, but this bunch are getting older and were noticeably slowing down, and stuck home through this pandemic without daily bark park runs and leisurely walks through the local hardware stores our greyhound Marie was doing noticeably less running and playing in the yard as the days passed. And the cats are, according to their vet, getting fat. We honestly didn't notice until we saw them on the scales. And after that awakening, we got on our own scales and realized our clothes were not shrinking in the new washer. Protein-pushing became a way of life around here. Reading Big Kibble has moved that method of feeding into the fast lane.

And feeding aside, there are so many hints and tips on keeping your animals healthy and happy! This is a lifestyle change that can only improve and extend the days of our fur buddies. It is a book I will refer to often, and one I will gift to my animal-loving sisters. You can't go wrong, following the advice of Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez. Your critters will thank you for reading it.

With a title like BIG KIBBLE, there isn’t much surprise about the contents. Readers can expect to receive a serious behind-the-scenes look at the pet food industry and if they are pet owners, they can expect to be unhappy about what they learn. Author Shawn Buckley provides valuable background information that places pet food in context and yes, does make it difficult for now-knowledgeable pet owners to continue to buy kibble. What wasn’t clear to me before I read this book was that the author has started a business and this book is a means to justify and promote it. That detail makes the book less appealing although he does include useful recipes that don’t require his product. We love our pets like family but we don’t cook all our meals from scratch for our families either. So it’s a tough call. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Know What You’re Feeding Your Dog

Many pet parents think they’re giving their dog the best nutrition when they purchase a more expensive brand of dog food. After reading this book, you’ll know that isn’t the case. Although there appear to be many brands of dog food. in effect there are few. Through acquisitions and mergers almost 80% of the brands are made by the same companies. However, this isn’t the worst problem.

Dog food is classified as feed allowing substandard, cheaper ingredients, often things like dust, diseased meat, or harmful chemicals to be present in the food. The authors have heartrending stories of dogs sickened and killed by ingredients in dog food that no pet owner would feed their pet if they were aware of the consequences.

This book while somewhat repetitive is well worth reading. The authors are advocates for dog food using human ingredients. They have a company that manufactures and sells this type of dog food, but they also provide recipes so pet lovers can make their own food at home.

I highly recommend this book if you love your dog.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

this is an interesting story it tells about the dog food makers and what they put and dont put in the food i was given a copy by net galley but this is an honest review this is an eye opener

For years I have been feeding my Pomeranian a higher-priced dog food, believing that I was doing the best for my pet by giving her a better blend of food and vitamins. In pet stores, I looked at the thousands of pounds of dog food I considered inferior and something I would never feed to my dog. “Big Kibble” opened up my eyes and let me see that the brown bits I was giving my Pom were not much better (if better at all) than those thousands of pounds of food I had refused to purchase.

Written by Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez, with Wendy Paris, “Big Kibble” offers an important look into how dog food (and more correctly designated as dog feed) is substandard and can actually be detrimental to the health of our pets. Dogs are considered members of the family, and I know I am not alone when I will not feed the human members of my family food that would be harmful to them. Why would I knowingly consider feeding them to a canine member?

The authors explain their personal history as well as the story of how today’s dog food came to be. It is an illuminating and scary story, one that at times might cause anger when one learns exactly what is going on inside a hugely profitable industry. There is also a section enlightening readers on some of the myths we might have believed (such as, is it okay for a dog to eat cooked food or can I feed my dog popcorn).

At first I thought this book might be nothing more than a huge advertisement for the authors’ dog food company, Just Food For Dogs, but by the middle of the book my thoughts had changed. The in-depth information came from folks passionate about changing the way dogs are fed. One could argue that the book encourages pet owners to visit the Just Food For Dogs website, though the detailed recipes at the end of the book (a make-your-own-healthy-food-for-dogs chapter) would not be included if all the authors wanted to do was make a profit. The book, taken as whole, was written by people who want to make a difference.

Interesting book for anyone who has curiosity about the food processing industry (including what happens to the waste product when human food is made). A must read for anyone who has a dog and cares about the health of their pet(s). Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this title.

This is a very informative book that talks about what's inside our pet food and the process of how they are made. It also discusses several factors and laws that can serve as a guidelines in the pet food industry. What fascinates me the most is the discussion that evaluates the differences of nutritional needs of our pets. It is important for pet owners to read this book to better care for their pets and to be more educated.

This is an informative and eye-opening expose on the history and manufacture of dog food, fondly called kibbles. As I was reading the manufacturing process and the actual makeup of these foods I felt quite foolish. I can’t guess the number of hours I’ve wasted over the years in the pet food aisle, poring over the various colorful food bags, the promises of health, happiness, beautiful coat, long healthy lives of the critters so lucky to have loving owners who care to purchase only the very best.
As it turns out, the majority of dog food is all made by about five huge kibble makers in this world. Switching from one brand to another probably doesn’t accomplish a thing. Admiring the beautiful photos on the bag of beef, lamb, vegetables, and so on is so amazingly deceiving. The regulations bird-dogging (get the pun?) these nefarious methods are nonexistent, to say the least. So your pet dies and after a long costly court battle, you finally prove the food did it? The huge conglomerate is only liable for the cost of replacement of your dog, nothing else. No lesson learned there.
You don’t EVEN want to know what’s actually in those colorful little nuggets of doggy delights. Instead of what you envision after studying the packaging and glowing reviews, you’ll be shocked at the smorgasbord of filthy, long dead, worthless, diseased, and dangerous crap that’s fed into those big kibble-making machines.
It’s a sad set up for a country like America, which prides itself on being ahead of the curve, to learn that we’re so amazingly clueless when it comes to the health and welfare of our furry friends.
Oh, but wait! Your vet says it’s good? Read that chapter. Surely these big companies can’t tell such blatant lies? Read THAT chapter. This stuff may not be the best but it can’t be deadly, right? You know the drill by now…read this book.
(I dropped to four stars due to the repeated advertising of the author’s company/products. A mention would have been sufficient.)
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The release date is December 1, 2020.

As a dog (and cat) lover since birth and a pet parent most of my adult life I was glad to find out details of the pet food industry. I recall years ago how rare it was to find a people grade cat kibble and having to carve out a chunk of my budget to pay for it. I loved my cats and went the extra mile for them. I did it medically, too. The dogs and cats went to specialists more than once. We do this for our furrbabies. As the authors point out, these days our pets take the place of family for many.
Learning about advances in veterinary medicine and the incredible cost of various treatments was an eye opener. Then there are the details of what can go into the food we give our beloved dogs (and cats) - practices that depend upon the difference between a food rating (people grade) and a feed rating. To make sure the health of our dogs is protected from allergies and illnesses do we, as responsible pet parents, go the extra mile and cook their food as we would do for our human family members? Or do we read the labels/fine print and cross our fingers that we are doing all that we can for them? I learned that all pet foods have additives such as vitamins and that those can come from overseas without any real oversight in their manufacturing. Reading this book educated me but also showed me that there is a whole world out there of people who have a whole lot of money that they can lavish on their dog's diet. That's out of the price range for the majority of us. Doing the math, to keep the dog in my life fed the food the authors sell would be almost doubling our food budget per month. Add to that their information on the medical costs of treatment (hope you can get affordable pet insurance) and this book shows the chasm between those who can and do feed their dogs the "good food" and the rest of us who may be able to cook as often as possible for our dogs but have to rely on the big name pet food companies. I have to wonder how long it will take for those mega companies to buy the dog food company JustFoodForDogs they own and start cutting corners. Until then, while I would love to be able to feed such food to my dog, I will take the knowledge I have gained from this book and do my very best to feed the best food I can afford.
Overall it was very educational and I'm glad I read it. It was well written, easy going style and aimed at the layman. Written for the health of dogs but, as a pet parent of many cats, too, I can encourage reading this to give our cats a better diet, too.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I feel honored to have had the opportunity to read an early-release copy of the groundbreaking book Big Kibble: Hidden Dangers of the Commercial Pet Food Industry and How to Do Better by Our Dogs. This eye-opening book, written by Shawn Buckley and Dr. Oscar Chavez of the fresh, whole pet food company JustFoodforDogs, reveals the appalling lack of regulation within the pet food industry and the domination of the space by a select few multinational corporations that own the bulk of well-known dog food brands spanning the range from bargain to “premium” kibble.

I was shocked to learn the lax regulations that exist are set by an organization that is arguably more heavily influenced by the financial interests of these huge corporations than the interests of pets and the people who love them. The fact that thousands of pets have died due to dangerously-contaminated kibble starts to sound like almost inevitable tragedy once the reader learns that perfectly legal ingredients for kibble include poultry feces, expired food, and even diseased meat. These sorts of shocking revelations are found throughout this important text.

Because the corporations behind Big Kibble invest in and market to veterinary colleges, even the majority of veterinarians have tended to recommend questionable kibble as the go-to diet for pets. Until now, well-meaning pet parents have had no way of knowing how poorly regulated and nutritionally-questionable Big Kibble is. With the publishing of Big Kibble, the curtain is being pulled back on the dirty practices behind kibble, the sacks of meat we purchase for our pets and often leave in the garage for months at a time.

As a lifelong dog lover, I want to get the message of Big Kibble out there, and this is also the main motivation of both authors. Although they run a fresh, whole food company that creates nutritious food for dogs, they prove themselves to be truly driven to improve the lifespans and quality of life of dogs. Their main goal in sharing the book’s message is not to demean a big industry, but rather to help educate and support pet parents in choosing the healthiest, safest, most nutritious pet food for the furry members of their families. For instance, both authors are donating all their profits from this book to animal charities—that says a lot about their deepest motivations. The authors share studies and touching anecdotes alike about how fresh, whole food can enhance the lives and health of our beloved pets.

We know that processed foods have a hugely detrimental effect on human health, even when they are a modest portion of overall food intake, yet we have been feeding our dogs almost exclusively ultra-processed kibble from a poorly regulated industry. There is a better way forward. Like me, I expect that many pet parents will want to move away from typical, ultra-processed kibble to something better. JustFoodforDogs is one of many fresh food options to consider. This important book is highly recommended for any and all pet lovers, and I truly believe it has the potential to revolutionize pet health and well being.