Keep your dog healthy

If you are already buying sustainable cotton clothing, eating organic vegetables, using natural cleaning products on your body and for your home, why should your dog settle for anything less? After all, we share our lives with them, and it’s our obligation to take care of them.

You can reduce your dogs’ carbon pawprint in several ways and it doesn’t have to empty your wallet.

Switch to natural and organic dog food

Most supermarket dog food consists of reconstituted animal by-products, which means low-grade waste from the chicken and beef industries. How can that be ok for dogs to eat when most people wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole? A healthier and more nutritious alternative might be to switch to natural and organic dog food. Natural and organic dog food is minimally processed and usually has no pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, artificial preservatives, artificial ingredients or genetically engineered ingredients.

Try using vegetables as snacks

Carrots, broccoli, green beans are all good choices for snacks and lower in calories than one of those cheese-flavored biscuits. Some dogs are turned off by veggies, but others just love them. It’s worth a try to see if your dog will go for something different.

Biodegradable bags

Pick up your dog’s number two in biodegradable poop bags. You really don’t want that stuff sitting around forever in a plastic bag, right? Biodegradable bags break down naturally when exposed to the earth’s elements and micro-organisms in the soil by letting heat and moisture escape. This feature reduces bacterial build-up of collected waste and reduces odor. If the poop bags are placed in an “open” or “turned” landfill most will decompose at a rate similar to other biodegradeable materials in the same setting.

Switch to natural household cleaning products

Most home cleaning products contain chemicals, which can be toxic to your family and dog as well as other pets, causing mild to severe health problems. Routine household activities including cooking, cleaning and laundering can expose you and your pets to toxic chemicals. Be aware that your dog is closer to the ground where concentrations from toxic chemical cleaning products are highest. Protect the environment and your family’s health by switching to natural cleaning products such as baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, and mineral oil. Using these homemade remedies for cleaning may also save you a few dollars. For convenience, there are quite a few natural cleaning products available at the supermarket.

Use a safe de-icer in the winter

Exposure to a large amount of salt and salt-based ice melting products can make dogs really sick or cause health problems while also contaminating wells and drinking supplies. Chemical de-icers are used on parking lots and around business areas. These types of de-icers can be very harmful to your dog. Be sure use a safe de-icer around the walkways, steps, and driveway of your home. Another good idea is to wipe the snow and ice off your dog's paws, legs and belly after a winter walk. Little ice cubes can form in the sensitive spaces between the toes and toe-pads causing discomfort. Remove the ice carefully with your fingers since it may cling to the hairs between the paws. Wiping off your dog will remove any salt, antifreeze or other harmful chemicals that could be ingested.

Keep your dog warm and dry

To keep your dog warm during cold daily walks, look for organic wool dog sweaters that are made from 100% certified organic wool with low environmental impact dyes. Your dog will feel warm and snuggly prancing around in a stylish sweater. If you want to keep your pooch warm and dry during a rainy or snowy adventure, check out the new doggy rain jackets made of 100% recycled fibers. Remember that older dogs and puppies can be quite sensitive to the cold as well as dogs that are not well.