Pet food advice: 'Chow Hound' is a guide for loving owners

In his new book Chow Hound (Health Communications, Inc., $14.95), veterinarian Ernie Ward looks at the processed foods we give our pets. He's not trying to rush anyone into putting their dog on a fresh or raw diet (he even warns of contamination issues with these foods), but he is urging people to learn more about what they're feeding their dogs. His explanations about how commercial foods are produced, what they're made up of and how they're regulated are thorough. He tries to take readers through the gibberish on the labels and points you toward good choices.