Go Green for Your Pet’s Health and the Environment
A Great Article by Canidae Pet Foods on why green is good for your pets and the environment.
By Julia Williams
What does it mean to “go green?” This phrase refers to the different things you can do to take better care of the planet and its resources. It means choosing eco-friendly behaviors and products over those that are harmful to both the environment and your health. When you go green, the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) become an integral part of your life.
Millions of consumers and businesses alike are making a conscious effort to go green, and the pet industry is no exception. Did you know that the CANIDAE Snap-Biscuit® and Snap-Bits™ dog treats are manufactured entirely by wind power? Wind energy doesn’t deplete natural resources and is renewed daily as the earth heats and cools. There are plenty of other earth-friendly pet products available too, such as hemp collars and leashes, natural cat litter, non-toxic dog toys, organic cat treats and natural supplements.
I think it’s important to go green for your pet’s health not just on Earth Day (April 22) but every day. Adopting a green lifestyle will reduce your pets’ carbon PAW print, and it can improve their health and wellbeing too. Many of the things you can do are not that difficult and don’t require a great deal of time or money. What follows are some ideas you may wish to consider.
* Use stainless steel bowls for your pet’s food and water instead of plastic. Studies have shown that BPA (Bisphenol A, a compound used to make many plastic containers) may pose a health risk.
* Natural pet-care beauty and grooming products (i.e., shampoo, ear washes and topical ointments) are generally considered to be gentler on your pet’s skin than chemical-based products.
* You may also want to choose natural cleaning products for your carpets and kitchen floors. Your pet’s nose and mouth are close to those surfaces all day long, and you don’t want them to be breathing in a residue that could be toxic. Plus, if they scarf up food you accidentally drop on the floor (my cats have lightning quick reflexes when it comes to dropped food!), they won’t ingest chemicals along with the tasty morsel.
* Plug-in deodorizers, synthetic air fresheners and cleaning supplies with chemical fragrances may be harmful to your pet. Freshen the air in your home naturally by opening the windows, taking the trash out every day, boiling or baking a sliced lemon or an orange, simmering cinnamon sticks or cloves, and setting out a bowl of lavender buds or an open box baking soda.
* Use filtered water instead of tap water, which can contain chlorine residue, fluoride and countless chemicals and contaminants. Incidentally, bottled water is not necessarily safer than your tap water; some bottled water is treated more than tap water, while some is treated less or not treated at all! If you can’t afford to install a filter on your faucet, you can use a filtration pitcher such as Brita. It won’t offer the same quality of filtration, but it’s better than no filter at all.
* Use natural products on your lawn, in your garden, and to de-ice your walkway in winter. Pesticides, chemical-based fertilizers, plant foods and pest repellents, and salt-based ice-melting products are believed to be unhealthy to humans, pets and the earth alike.
* Many people choose to use natural methods to fight fleas and ticks instead of chemical products applied to their pet’s skin or given orally. You could try an herbal flea and tick shampoo which contains citrus oils, and treat the yard with beneficial nematodes, natural pyrethrums and diatomaceous earth. For more ideas, read Linda Cole’s article, Natural Flea Control for Dogs and Cats.
* Grow your own catnip and/or cat grass for your kitty.
* Make your own pet toys from scraps of fabric, bits of yarn and other things you were going to throw away. You can also use readily available materials found in your home – anything that rolls, bounces or makes noise is a great cat toy. For more ideas, read How to Save Money on Cat Toys.
* Dispose of doggie doo in biodegradable bags instead of plastic bags, which can take anywhere from 20 to 1,000 years to decompose! If you have a cat litter box, you could fill it with eco-friendly litters such as those made from corn, wheat, pine or newspaper.
* Do some spring cleaning and donate towels, bedding, blankets and such to your local animal shelter. They may need other household items as well, so call them and ask!
* Buy your dog food and cat food in the biggest size available. You’ll save gas by making fewer trips to your local pet store, and you’ll also cut down on packaging waste.
Read more articles by Julia Williams
Pet-food industry enjoys strong sales in weak economy
The Denver Post published this great article on the health of the pet products industry. Here is a snippit and a link to Davids article.
Despite rising unemployment, credit-card debt and thinning discretionary spending, American pet owners remain loyal customers of an industry that is enjoying consistent growth.
The pet-food industry is fueled by consumers who won’t back away from spending on food and necessities for their animals, though they’re likely to pare down the family vacation. Read more
The Good Dog Community Forum is now live!!
The Good Dog Company Community Forum is now live. We will be building on the content here to address FAQ’s, Product questions, Dog & Cat related items and hemp issues.
http://www.thegooddogcompany.com/community/
The Good Dog Company is now proudly sponsoring Total Performance Disc Dogs!
Posted by emilya in Good Dog In the News on August 29th, 2009
The Good Dog Company is now proudly sponsoring Total Performance Disc Dogs! http://www.tpdiscdogs.com/ Look for the team to demonstrate their canine frisbee skills during the half-time show of the Bronco’s Game on August 30th. The Team travels to events nationally.
The Good Dog Company is moving!!!!!
WOW…after 3 years we have out-grown our offices again!! We have found a great place that is much closer to home and that will be able to facilitate our current crazy growth. People and their best friends love our earth-friendly goods and we look forward to introducing some cool new products soon.
Our new address as of Sept 11, 2009 is:
The Good Dog Company
414 Violet Street
Golden, Colorado 80401
Excerpt from a great article on “painting your dog green” by Greendaily Grind
Posted by stuarto in Good Dog In the News on August 18th, 2009
Here is the link for the complete article: http://www.greendailygrind.com/2009/08/18/paint-your-dog-green/
Excerpt:
Hemp collars. Can I tell you how just this one thing has changed my life! As we all know, labs are water dogs. Normally with their old collars, they would swim all day, be outside in the heat and in 2 days of wearing those things the smell was unbearable! We were constantly washing the collars and the collars smelt worse than my husband’s socks do after he plays soccer in 100 degree heat (disgusting, yes i know). We started to carry hemp collars at our store and I was sooooo excited to test them out! Now, they play and swim all day and I barely have to wash them. They like everything get a little stinky over time but absolutely nothing in comparison and they come right out after the wash. #4 in painting your dog green….. anti-bacterial collars!! Hemp is great but bamboo is also a great material (if they make bamboo collars…;). Both are anti-bacterial and anti-microbial and perfect as dog collars!
Collar Adjustment Tips (what NOT to do)
The pictures I have attached are examples of the incorrect adjustment.
Please refer to the last photo and note how the male and female wienerlocks are positioned on the collar. The Male Wienerlock end (as well as the sliplock (that is the square slide piece that is pictured right next to the D-Ring – also shown in the last photo) needs to be moved toward the other end of the collar so that the entire collar can wrap around your dog’s neck and then clip. If you currently have to slip the collar over the dog’s neck without unbuckling, then you most likely have the collar improperly adjusted.
Great Post for The Good Dog on Woof Report
Posted by stuarto in Good Dog In the News on August 14th, 2009
Collar Collections We Love | 2009-08-13
The “It” Collar for Every Dog
Summer’s tough on your dog’s collar. Why not spring for a collar collection to mix and match all year long? The pet world abounds with sleek selections for every pup personality. Here are some we love.
Eco-Chic
With such a huge selection for girl dogs, Woof Report was on the lookout for dapper doggie collars. Enter the Hemp Corduroy Collection. Outfit your good boy with hemp and certified organic cotton collars with coordinating leashes. These naturally hypo-allergenic and anti-bacterial accessories are odor-absorbent too. Choose from nine cool colors from Marigold to Plum to complement your pup’s fur.
www.thegooddogcompany.com
We adore the fleece-lined Cozy Hemp Adjustable Collars from Planet Dog too.
Custom Cute
Your pet rises above the pack with his own personalized collar from Orvis. These lightweight bright collars feature your pup’s name and number in meticulous embroidery. Even better, its sturdy nylon construction and secure side-release buckle stand the test of time (and your dog’s active lifestyle). Choose your dog’s favorite color combo from the eight collar choices and three thread options.
www.orvis.com/collars
FURshionista
Spoil your doggie divas with the latest in fashion collars. From whimsical patterns to mod dots and reflective brights, your dog’s new collar wardrobe starts here. Preppy pups love the Bella Beanclassics. Complete with grosgrain ribbon sewn over tough nylon webbing, these high style collars are too perfect to pass up.
From beautiful blooms to metro stripes, Wonder Dog NYC keeps boy and girl doggies wagging in style. Accessorize your pup in this gorgeous collar collection. 100% recycled polyethylene webbing never looked so good.
Street smart pups adore the popular tattoo-inspired collar collection from Walk-e-Woo and no pup can refuse their signature dot collection in a whopping 14 color combos. Highly durable and fade-resistant, these collars will last.
Our list wouldn’t be complete without a mention of two more cool collar companies. At UpCountry, founded in 1984 with six original collar designs and now boasting more than 100 cool designs, you’ll have a hard time choosing just one. And at Ella Dish, find fabulous patterns in durable nylon webbing, each complete with a glow-in-the-dark quick-release buckle.
The Scoop:
See the collections we’ve featured in past Woof Report tips for even more options.
Sun Valley Dog Collars & More
www.woofreport.com/sunvalley
The Good Life Tie Collars
www.woofreport.com/dogties
Kims Corner is coming online very soon.
Please stay in touch
Industrial Hemp: Bill Passes Oregon Legislature, Heads for Governor’s Desk
The Oregon House Monday passed SB 676 by a veto-proof margin of 46-11. The measure would allow for the production, possession, and commercialization of industrial hemp and its products. The measure passed the state Senate on June 19 an equally veto-proof 27-2 margin.
hemp plants
During the House debate, hemp supporter Rep. Jules Bailey (D-Portland) used visual aids to demonstrate the diversity of hemp products, waving around bags of hemp tortilla chips and non-dairy hemp milk. He also held up a t-shirt emblazoned with the words “Senate Bill 676 is about rope, not dope.”
“I am glad that Oregon has joined the list of states that have agreed that American farmers should have the right to reintroduce industrial hemp as an agricultural crop,” said bill sponsor Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D-South Lane and North Douglas Counties). “By passing SB 676 with strong bipartisan support, the Oregon legislature has taken a proactive position to allow its farmers the right to grow industrial hemp, to provide American manufacturers with domestically-grown hemp, and to profit from that effort.”
The industry association Vote Hemp said it was confident Gov. Ted Kulongoski (D) would sign the bill. If he does, or if a veto is overridden, Oregon will become the ninth state to authorize industrial hemp production under state law. It remains forbidden by federal law.
“The time has come for the federal government to act and allow farmers to once again grow hemp, so American companies will no longer need to import it and American farmers will no longer be denied a profitable new crop,” said Vote Hemp president Eric Steenstra. “Under current federal policy, industrial hemp can be imported, but it cannot be grown by American farmers. Hemp is a versatile, environmentally-friendly crop that has not been grown in the US for over fifty years because of a misguided and politicized interpretation of the nation’s drug laws by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). While a new bill in Congress, H.R. 1866, is a welcome step, the hemp industry is hopeful that President Obama’s administration will recognize hemp’s myriad benefits to farmers, businesses and the environment,” he added.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to invest in hemp processing and production locally,” says Hans Fastre, chief executive officer of Living Harvest, one of the numerous hemp product companies based in Oregon. “This bill represents another step towards heightening the hemp industry’s profile within mainstream America and making hemp products more accessible to businesses and consumers.”
If the bill becomes law, Oregon will become the second state to approve industrial hemp this year. Maine did so last month. Four other states, Montana, New Mexico, Vermont and North Dakota passed resolutions or memorials urging Congress to allow states to regulate hemp farming this year.
The states that have okayed hemp production are Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia. North Dakota has even issued licenses to would-be hemp farmers for the past two years, but the federal prohibition has prevented any hemp planting.