Once upon a time there was a Scottish Terrier who lived with a bunch of other Scotties. 

He didn’t like his canine brothers and sisters very much, but he loved to watch television.

His people had a super-big-screen TV that happened to have a very large and easy-to-use button for changing the channel.

His basic routine was to lie on the couch and watch television all day long.

He liked only animal shows. 

When an animal show ended and something else came on, such as a game show, he would leave the sofa, go over to the television, and change the channel until he found another show with animals.

His people brought him to me so that I could give him acupuncture for his stiff joints. When they returned two weeks later, I asked, “How’s he doing?” and they said, “Well, we can’t really tell. All he does is lie around all day and watch television, and he still seems stiff when he stands up and stiff when he moves around.”

I gave him a couple more acupuncture treatments, asking “How’s he doing?” before each one. And we’d have the same conversation. On his fourth visit, his people said, “He doesn’t seem to be getting any better at all.” I thought some more and told his owners, “I think his problem is television. Pull the plug out for an hour or two each day (he knew how to turn it on), put a leash on him, and take him for a good brisk walk.” 

I also changed his diet to 70 percent vegetables with only 30 percent of his regular healthful kibble.

A month later, his people reported that he was like a new dog, moving around just fine. He liked his new diet and looked forward to his walks, and he still had a lot of time for television.

There still exists a genuine path to better health for all of our dogs dogs, which can be as simple as finding the right diet and getting them some exercise. 

It will all add up to better health for your dogs and fewer reasons to run to the veterinarian. 

Not that I have anything against veterinarians—I happen to be one. 

But I became one to assist my patients to be healthier, and this book serves that purpose well.

Learning the truth about what really keeps your dog in good health will free you from any confusion and make it possible for you to have a healthier dog, one who will give you many extra years of companionship.