Health and Nutrition for Cats and Dogs: A Guide for Pet Parents

"[F]ed up with being underpaid and underappreciated" at his long-time job, Wellock decided to purchase a "down-but-not-totally-out" franchise of pet supply stores, and the wealth of knowledge he's amassed since then selling dog and cat food is compiled in this thorough, pleasant manual. Wellock is a conscientious purveyor of pet foods with a knack for customer service. He occasionally lays out three or four varieties of kibble for his four-footed customers to taste-test. "Pet parents" will appreciate Wellock's good-natured tone, penchant for dad humor, and detail-oriented approach: in a chapter entitled "How to Read a Pet Food Package" he gives thoughtful exegesis on ingredient lists from a "poor-quality traditional dog food", a "good-quality contemporary dog food", a "grain-free diet" for a cat, a "raw diet", a "baked diet", and a "dehydrated" meal. He decodes terms for mysterious, potentially troublesome ingredients like "chicken by-product meal" and also covers hot topics like "portion control" (citing a study which finds that most people with obese pets think their pet is not obese), "mooching", and arthritis. It may be prudent to note that Wellock is not a veterinarian; however, he is thoughtful, well-informed, and cares deeply about your pets, despite having never met them. (May)