THE BOOK SHELF: Author’s passion for dog health is changing pet lives worldwide – Saltwire

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Rodney Habib’s blueprint for how to increase the health and lifespan of your dog is a New York Times bestseller and read by pet lovers around the world.

In the new book, The Forever Dog: Surprising New Science to Help Your Canine Companion Live Younger, Healthier, and Longer (Harper Wave), Habib, a pet-care influencer and owner of Dartmouth-based pet store Planet Paws Pet Essentials, and co-author Dr. Karen Shaw Becker, a popular American veterinarian, look at what people can do to add years to their dogs’ lives and dramatically improve their pets’ physical and mental health.

“The book has shattered records. It’s a global phenomenon,” said Habib, from his home in Dartmouth, near Shubie Park, where he walks his 10-year-old miniature Husky three times a day. Named after the park, Shubie graces the book’s cover.

The Forever Dog, which has already been translated into 14 languages, features interviews and advice from top geneticists, microbiologists, longevity researchers and dog owners of long-living animals, including an Australian Kelpie that lived on a farm and was reportedly 30 years old when she died in 2016.

“Eat less, eat fresher, and move more and more often,” write the authors. “That’s a truism for both you and your dog. And it’s the biggest takeaway you’re going to get from this book.”

Habib never intended to publish a book about dog health. As a first-generation Canadian growing up in Dartmouth and raised by Lebanese parents, pets weren’t welcome in the family home. It wasn’t until 2008, while recuperating from a football injury and seeing his dream of reaching the professional football leagues end, that he got his first dog: a German Shepherd he named Sam.

“I fell head over heels,” he said.

When Sam nearly died before her first birthday after eating tainted chicken jerky treats, he sought Dr. Becker’s nutritional advice to save Sam’s life. A few years later, when his beloved dog was diagnosed with cancer, he met Dr. Becker again; they both wanted to find innovative ways to stop the disease’s progression through pet health and nutrition.

Habib went to Facebook to spread his concerns and discoveries about traditional pet foods. In 2012, he launched the Planet Paws Facebook page with an image and list of all the ingredients found in a typical bag of commercial dog food. Overnight, the post was shared half a million times. Planet Paws now has 3.5 million followers and is considered the largest pet health page on Facebook, said Habib.

These days you won’t often find Habib in his Dartmouth store. As a pet-care influencer with the most-viewed TED talk about dogs, he is a sought-after public speaker. In 2019, he was invited to speak at Facebook headquarters in California about his journey and how he grew his following. Often, he is asked to speak to veterinarians and veterinary students. Earlier this month, he was in Finland, and this fall he’ll be the keynote speaker at a large veterinary gathering in America.

He spreads his knowledge about dog nutrition and health and the parallels between human and animal health. “Like many humans, lots of dogs are overfed and undernourished,” writes the authors in The Forever Dog. “You know that eating highly processed food at every meal is probably not a good idea. That’s pretty obvious. What’s not commonly known is that most commercial pet food is just that – highly processed fare.”

Commercial kibble tends to contain too many carbohydrates and be overprocessed, lacking in nutrients and, potentially, full of additives.

“Studies now show that the more kibble dogs eat, the greater her likelihood to be overweight, or obese, and to show signs of systemic inflammation,” Habib and Dr. Becker write. Homemade dog food is ideal, but raw, dehydrated or freeze-dried dog foods also tend to be healthier, according to the authors. The book includes some recipes (there are more on the website: foreverdog.com).

Making changes slowly, by incorporating 10 percent of your dog’s calories from fresher foods is a good start, according to the authors. They recommend regularly feeding fruits, like green bananas, blueberries and avocados, vegetables, eggs and oily fish.

Like Habib, who takes his dog, Shubie for daily walks in the park, the authors also recommend getting outside in nature every day to exercise and release stress.

“Dogs should get a bare-bones minimum of twenty minutes of sustained heart-thumping exercise at least three times a week; most dogs benefit from longer, more frequent sessions,” the authors write. “In addition to daily exercise, take your dog on circadian-setting sniffaris twice daily – morning and night. At least once a day, let her sniff whatever interests her for as long as she wants.”

Habib understands how strong the bond between humans and dogs can be and the importance of fostering that connection by making healthy decisions. “The physical and emotional well-being of our dogs is shaped by the choices we make for them. And the well-being of our dogs in turn impacts us. That leash is a two-way street,” the authors write. “As the world of medical research becomes more global, the choices for canine health are as vast as those for human health.”

In his book, Dulse to Donairs: An Irreverent History of Food in Nova Scotia (Pottersfield Press), author Steven Laffoley presents the history of the province’s cuisine in 12 courses starting with hors d’oeuvres and ending with the mignardise or bite-sized dessert. For appetizers, he offers, among others, simple recipes for eel chowder and beer-battered onion rings. He suggests ending a meal with fresh French Soldiers’ bread with a cranberry sauce topped with Nova Scotia truffles and served with a small glass of rum.

“In Nova Scotia, I discovered deep-fried seafoods, boiled crustaceans; and an otherworldly, late-night, post-beer, Middle Eastern fusion food called the donair. They all stimulated my appetite and captured my imagination,” writes Laffoley, who was born and raised in Massachusetts. “I discovered that Nova Scotian food could be fresh and fascinating, frivolous and fun.”

On Aug. 28 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., join gardening experts Todd Boland and Jamie Ellison for a book signing and free garden tour. The event, hosted by the Atlantic Rhododendron and Horticultural Society, will take place at 5 Sime Court in Hammonds Plains. Boland and Ellison are the authors of the new book, Gardening for Acidic Soils: Working with Nature to Create a Beautiful Landscape (Boulder Books). Acidic soils are often associated with foggy, wet climates like in Nova Scotia.

“Classic acid-loving shrubs such as rhododendrons, mountain laurel, heaths, and heathers are described in the following pages, along with woody plants, including witch-hazel, Magnolia, and Viburnum,” the authors write in the book’s introduction. “Among the herbaceous perennials featured are Japanese iris, gentians, and candelabra primroses. These fascinating plants have a myriad of ornamental attributes with specific survival strategies for acidic soil conditions.”
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