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The Skeptic’s Guide to the Benefits of Raw Dog Foods

What follows is my skeptical analysis of the arguments commonly made for why raw-ingredient diets are “better” for dogs than those based primarily upon cooked products. It’s a lengthy (3,000+ words) and in-depth piece. Perfect for passing the time while waiting for a delayed flight or taking a break from an awkward Thanksgiving table debate about the recent election. I have been […]

Something You Actually WILL Read About Carbs in Veterinary Nutrition Textbooks

As I discuss in considerable detail in Dogs, Dog Food, and Dogma, there is near-universal acceptance among the mainstream veterinary nutritional “authorities” (the handful of board-certified veterinary nutritionists and countless self-appointed experts) that “a calorie is a calorie” and that carbohydrates are not uniquely fattening for dogs and cats. This despite the inconvenient truths that (1) there […]

The Missing Link Between Canine Cancer and Canine Obesity?

First of all, if you’re at all interested in this topic, you really ought to check out Dogs, Dog Food, and Dogma, my book about the science (and business) of canine health and obesity. If you don’t think it’s the most honest, rigorous, in-depth, and all-around helpful book you’ve ever read on the topic, I’ll refund 100% of […]

Does “Big Kibble” Really Care About Your Dog?

You’re probably familiar the terms “Big Tobacco,” “Big Pharma,” and “Big Ag.”  They’re used by skeptical consumers to derisively refer to the colossal multinational corporations that dominate the tobacco, drug, and food industries, respectively. These entities are notorious for putting profits ahead of consumer well-being.  It’s unfair to suggest that they always put their  bottom-line […]

Evidence Round-Up: Do Dogs Need Carbs?

[This article is part of our “Evidence Round-Up” series, the purpose of which is to explain what published, peer-reviewed scientific papers and other credible evidentiary sources have to say about common nuggets of canine health and fitness “wisdom.”  If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in the next installment of the series, please […]