Pukka’s Promise

Pukka’s Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs by Ted Kerasote outlines the results of his research on what makes for a happy, healthy, long-lived dog. Ted is also author of the best-selling Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog.  In Pukka’s Promise Ted addresses the question “Why do dogs die so young.’  He reports that there is no one answer. Instead, there are many factors that come into play. Among them are nutrition, exposure to environmental pollutants, over vaccination, and breeding practices that do not consider longevity. He also addresses animal shelters and spay/neuter practices. The good news is, armed with the information in Ted’s book, dog owners can make choices that improve the odds their dog will live a healthier, longer life.

Available online here.