Eco-Friendly Living With Your Dog
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Many of us are now much more environmentally aware, and the good news is that our dogs can also play their part. Here are seven ways to ensure your pooch lives an eco-friendly life.
Eco-friendly Grooming Products
You don’t want to be putting any harsh chemicals on your dog and neither do you want to be letting these chemicals run down the drain, where they might ultimately make their way into our soil. Therefore choose non-toxic, organic products which will keep you and your dog happy. You obviously love all creatures, otherwise you woudn’t be a fan of Pet Hooligans, so it’s also important to check that any products you use haven’t been tested on animals. You might also want to expand this out to products you use on your own body and switch to natural cleaning products in the home such as white vinegar and baking soda.
Go Green With Bathing
While we are on the subject of grooming it’s likely that your dog is going to need a number of baths over his or her lifetime – especially if they enjoy rolling around in the mud or diving into any ponds or streams they come across. It’s important therefore that your home is as water and energy efficient as possible. Why not switch to a tankless water heater. This will mean that not only do you have hot water on demand, perfect if your dog suddenly rolls in something he shouldn’t, but you will also use less energy as these heaters are far more efficient. Perfect not just for your dog but for all your family’s needs as well.
Eco-Friendly Waste Disposal
A responsible owner is always ready with a waste bag so that their dog leaves nothing behind when out walking! Make the choice to always buy biodegradable bags if you want to be more eco-friendly. These bags usually break down in around a year, whereas plastic takes about 1500 years, a mind-boggling thought. For your own yard you can take things a step further and install an in-ground waste disposal system, thereby keeping your lawn clear and doing away with the need for bags altogether when you are on home turf. If you are really tight on time there are also many companies who will clear up your yard for you. Just be sure they follow eco-friendly practices.
These compact and convenient refill rolls are designed to keep poop bags handy everywhere. These rolls are extra long, strong, and 100% leak-proof, and come with a reminder sticker near the end.
Drive Less, Walk More
A dog can be a great encouragement for us to walk more and drive less, thereby saving on fuel and in the process pumping less CO2 into the atmosphere. Depending on the size of your dog they will need to be walked at least once a day, preferably twice. Why not build this time into the errands you have to do every day. Need to pick something up from the store, or head out and meet friends? Then walk that little bit further and avoid taking the car at all that day. Your dog and the planet will thank you for it.
Get Baking at Home
There are often scares around different brands of pet food so why not try baking up some tasty treats for your dog at home. There are plenty of recipes available online and you can experiment with a few until you find something your dog loves – let’s be honest it will probably be most of them! The great thing about baking your own dog treats is that you know exactly what’s in them and your dog gets to eat them when they are fresh, rather than having sat in a package on a shelf for months. Plus they are usually super easy to make so you can run up a batch while cooking for the family. I can guarantee your dog will love you for it.
The Ultimate Dog Treat Cookbook has 50 vet-approved recipes for homemade treats, including Peanut Butter-Honey Nut Cheerios Balls and Turkey Jerky. Easy-to-find ingredients and instructions, plus fun illustrations and nutritional notes.
Eco-Friendly Dog Products
More and more companies are now offering dog products which are made from eco-friendly materials, many of which are either recyclable or biodegradable. Browse online for collars, leashes, beds, chew toys, clothing and accessories to suit your dog. Not only are these items better for your dog and the environment you often get a more individual product, particularly when it comes to collars and clothing, so your dog looks stylish as well as environmentally friendly. If you are handy when it comes to crafting you could even try making products for your dog. Use materials from around the house, such as old bedding, that you can turn into a new bed or chew toys. There are many tutorials available on YouTube which will walk you through a variety of creative ideas for your dog. Just be cautious about what materials you use for stuffing a dog bed as you want to ensure it’s safe for your pup if he chews it.
Don’t Forget Population Control
Every year millions of dogs are volunteered to shelters or found wandering the streets. It’s important therefore to play your part in controlling the canine population by having your dog spayed or neutered. As well as being the right thing to do in terms of the environment it’s also a positive step for your dog, as spaying and neutering has some definite benefits in terms of your dog’s health and behavior.
Adopt Don’t Shop
Because there are so many abandoned pups out there one of the best things you can do for the environment is to adopt, not shop. Just as the human population impacts the environment, so does any animal popluation, therefore we need to try to control numbers where possible. If you purchase from a breeder this encourages the birth of new pups, whereas we should be doing all we can to care for the dogs who are already here. Love these eco-friendly ideas for life with your dog? Maybe you have some great tips of your own that you want to share. Please head over to the our Facebook page and tell us more about how you and your dog contribute to saving the planet – after all each of our individual efforts add up and ripple out to the wider community.
If you are thinking of adopting a dog, this guide walks you step by step through the process, helping you to a create a happy gotcha day for your pup.
