GREEN DOG, GREEN OWNER: 5 TECHNIQUES YOU CAN USE AS A DOG OWNER TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

Green Dog, Green Owner: 5 Techniques You Can Use as a Dog Owner to Help the Environment


By Rachelle Wilber
Posted Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 10:49am EDT
Keywords: Alternatives, dog food, dogs, enrironment, friendly, green, pets, products
From your meals to your hobbies, there are always ways to make every aspect of your life more eco-friendly. If you’ve been searching for ways to reduce the environmental impact of dog ownership, here are five techniques to get started.

Use eco-friendly, natural shampoos and grooming products.

Many of the shampoos, conditioners and scented sprays made for grooming dogs contain ingredients like artificial colors, formaldehyde, and cocamidopropyl betaine, which enter the water supply and cause damage to plants and animals after being rinsed down your drain. To avoid releasing these harmful chemicals into nearby lakes and streams, look for all-natural pet grooming products. If your dog is not overly dirty, a simple rinse with water and a little white vinegar can safely remove odors.

Outfit your dog in all-natural clothing.

A lot of toxins are released into the air when synthetic materials like nylon and polyester are made. Instead of buying doggy sweaters and collars made from these materials, look for ones made from organic cotton, wool, and hemp. Companies like Eco-Hound and The Orange Greens offer a wide array of earth-friendly fashions for your furry friend.

Use vinegar and baking soda to clean up pet urine.

Those harsh chemical cleaners you use whenever your dog has an accident on the carpet are not doing the Earth any favors! They may also be irritating your pet’s eyes and respiratory tract. Toss your chemical carpet cleaners, and follow these steps to remove pet messes naturally:

Soak up as much urine as you can by placing a thick towel over the mess and pressing straight down.
Pour a mixture of half water and half white vinegar on the urine stain; let this mixture sit for 10 minutes.
Use another towel to soak up as much of the vinegar mixture as possible.
Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet, and let it dry completely (this will take about a day).
Vacuum up the baking soda – the urine scent will come up with it.
Use doggy doo-doo bags made from biodegradable materials.

Instead of adding a plastic bag to the landfill every time your dog does his business, invest in some biodegradable doggy waste bags. There are a couple of great brands out there to try, including BioBags, which are made from vegetable material and can be placed in your compost heap. Flush Doggy is another brand to try – they can be flushed down the toilet.

Switch to a sustainably produced and packaged dog food.

Most conscientious dog owners pay close attention to the ingredients in their dogs’ food. Looking for a food made with natural ingredients is surely good for the environment and for your pet’s health, but if you really want to help the environment, dig a bit deeper. Make sure you purchase a food with a biodegradable packaging. Avoid single-portion food packs, which create a lot of waste, and buy larger bags of food instead.

As a pet owner, you probably use more products for your pet than you realize. Between your dog’s food, grooming products, and cleaning products, making the switch to greener versions and encouraging others to do the same will have a positive impact on the planet.

http://blogs.naturalnews.com/green-dog-green-owner-5-techniques-can-use-dog-owner-help-environment/