The Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog: Amazon.ca: Wendy Volhard, Kerry L. Brown: Books

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Finding nutritional data for dogs can be a difficult business--and while much of the information in Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog is presented by anecdote, there's still plenty of worthwhile reading here. Aimed at dog owners that are already fairly committed to nonallopathic forms of health care for their pets, much of the book is based around author Wendy Volhard's Natural Diet. The Natural Diet is fairly labor intensive, as Volhard is the first to admit, but she provides page after page of testimonials that credit the diet with improved temperaments, better activity levels, and exemplary physical health. Each ingredient in this diet is discussed in depth, so owners not ready to take the step of providing a complete diet from scratch can still learn about potentially valuable supplements, as well as what ingredients to look for in a commercial diet.

Beyond the dietary information provided, there are several chapters that give solid explanations of different types of health care available, including homeopathy, kinesiology, and the five-element theory. For those who still prefer allopathic care for their dogs, the chapters that cover standard lab tests are extremely useful, finally giving a layman's guide for urinalysis, blood serum, liver function, and thyroid testing. A glossary defines various terms such as acidosis and hepatic, and each description is easily understandable, even by those with no medical background whatsoever. For puppy owners, the chapter discussing vaccinations is informative--Volhard questions the necessity of many we take for granted, and suggests several methods for lowering the required number for your pup.

Ultimately, the majority of this book is geared toward folks who are already committed to providing their pooches with alternative health care and homemade food. No matter how interesting the dietary concepts presented here, if you aren't already a true believer it's not likely that Volhard's anecdotes will provide you with enough statistical proof to completely overhaul your dog's way of life. --Jill Lightner --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Book Description

This thorough work shows the reader how to look at a dog as the sum of many parts and evaluate alternatives to standard veterinary care. It is a basic overview of acupressure, homeopathy, chiropractic and other alternative medicines, as well as complete natural diet guidelines.

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"Your dog's behavior, happiness, health, longevity and overall well-being are inextricably intertwined with what you feed him." Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews

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4.7 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good reference material for non-holistics too, Jun 14 2003

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"kelliann--" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog (Paperback)

This book is NOT just for people who believe holistic is the only way to go! So although many reviewers write from that perspective, I strongly suggest that people who love traditional medicine consider it because it provides clear explanations of how a dog's system works, the functions of the organs, and what the various nutrients do in and for the dog. It also provdes an excellent explanation of each section of a blood test or urine test and what the results *mean.* And, it has simple but very complete charts in the back which cover various things from *both* the traditional and the holistic points of view in causes and treatments.

What made me respect this book was that they offer traditional medicine causes and effects, tests and medications, treatments and solutions ... as well as holistic ones. So, both "sides" can get plenty out of it, and perhaps learn something from the beliefs of the "other side" too to get a much more balanced picture of what is going on with their dog.

It is not as simple as most of the consumer oriented books, but it is also not as complex as reading the veterinary medicine web sites. It definitely provides more detail than you may be accustomed to in a "pet health" book.

It provides a good base to research from so you can go look at traditional and alternative medicine web sites and know what the heck you're looking for.

If you don't care for the diet they recommend, or any other "holistic" parts, you can easily ignore them. It's a good reference book, and if you are the type who wants to be really involved in your dog's care and want to know more than what the vet told you, then get this book. You can find out what you need to know in order to ask the vet good questions and be able to insist on good answers (not just a quick answer, but one that means something to you).

I highly recommend this book whether you prefer traditional, holistic, or a blend of veterinary medicine styles.

Whatever you do, though, if you think your dog has a problem, find a darned good vet and go there now. If you feel uncomfortable or confused, or hope there are more options out there, get a second opinion from another primary vet, or ask for a referral to a specialist. Any good vet will gladly refer you to a specialist regardless of whether he thinks you really need one. You are your pet's only "human" voice. Be in charge and be responsible and don't give up until you have the information you need.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars everything _but_ the diet, April 28 2003

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shumaker (colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog (Paperback)

overall this is a pretty good book. if you use it for what its title suggests, you should be pleased. that is, a holistic guide to a healthy dog. using it for the purpose of creating a new diet for your dog is another matter. the author's "natural diet" is certainly, without a doubt an improvement over most of the garbage fed to dogs in the form of commercial dog food.

however, having said that, if what you are really looking for is a guide to creating a healthy, _raw_ diet for your dog you definitely could do better than this book. ian billinghurst's "give your dog a bone" is what you are looking for. the volhard diet doesnt quite "get" the concept of the BARF ("Bones And Raw Food" _or_ "Biologically Appropriate Raw Food") diet...and unfortunately it _tries_ without much success. the volhard "Natural Diet" is too rigid as well as mis-informed in many cases, and in my opinion too much of a sales pitch.

This book definitely contains some useful info, especially regarding vaccine options, homeopathic remedies, laboratory testing ,etc. For those topics it is excellent. For the topic of "raw diet" i would look at billinghurst.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Takes the guess work out of making natural dog food, Feb 8 2005

By A Customer

This review is from: Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog (Paperback)

This book is exactly what I was looking for. I had a basic idea of what a natural diet should consist of, but no idea how much, which ratios etc, and which supplements to use etc. This book has charts and recipes for each weight group, and tips for making it. It has a section on each ingredient and why it's used. Best of all it's easy to do. The only thing I do different is add way more vegetables. I've been feeding my 12 year old golden retriever this diet for 3 months now and she loves it. She used to be a really picky eater and usually left half her food, and she's always been really skinny. Now she looks healthier,her coat is shinier, her stools are well formed and smaller, and she has more energy. There's tips on what to feed them when travelling, etc. I think it's a great book.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars If you consider your dog a member of your family
Discovering the Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog is one of the best discoveries I have made in my life! Read more

Published on May 12 2004 by Lois Sulka

5.0 out of 5 stars Holistic Guide for A Healthy Dog
This diet has been backed by years of documented laboratory research. I had read books and listened to others regarding raising my dogs the way nature intended but only Wendy's... Read more

Published on May 6 2004