Half of all pet owners feed their dogs to death--don't be one of them.

Dear Reader, Stop whatever you're doing. Go find your dog. Give him a good look. And tell me... is he overweight? Now tell me... are you sure? Because recent survey results from the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention suggest that a lot of American pet owners are as deluded about their dogs' and cats' weight as they are about their own. In fact, this study showed that well over half of this country's dogs are obese or overweight. But an even bigger problem turned up when researchers asked owners to assess their pets' weight. Turns out, 93 percent of dog owners thought their pet's weight was perfectly healthy. (And cat owners weren't in any less denial, with 88 percent seeing their pet's weight as normal.) I don't know about you, but I'm seeing a familiar trend here. What you put in your pets' dinner bowls directly affects their health and wellness. It can prevent or cause obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and early death. Just as it can with humans. And the fact is, you could lose years of precious time with your pet. Simply by not paying attention to what they're eating. At the end of the day, furry kids need to be well fed, too. And I'm not talking about an overflowing bowl of Purina Puppy Chow, either. Though predictably, big pet food manufacturers are all over this new anti-obesity initiative. (As if processed, bagged pet food is somehow part of the solution... and not a huge part of the problem.) Personally, I don't feed my dog Remington anything that's not fit for human consumption. And that includes ingredients like corn, sugar, soy, and gluten. This means that I make most of his food myself. And if you really want to keep your pet's weight and health on track, you should consider doing the same, too. Luckily, I know some excellent resources to get you started. In fact, I wrote the foreword to one of the best--a recently released cookbook called Dog-Gone Good Cuisine by Gayle Pruitt. Unlike other pet cookbooks on the market, this one focuses on easy, delicious, whole-food recipes that you can both enjoy. They are completely corn-, sugar-, soy-, and gluten-free. There's even a chapter with special recipes to address illnesses. So do yourself and your furry kids a favor and order it on Amazon today. Because "food" that comes from a bag or a can is deadly for your entire family--whether they walk on two legs or four.