{"id":11188,"date":"2011-04-18T13:16:28","date_gmt":"2011-04-18T18:16:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.sustainablog.org\/?p=11188"},"modified":"2017-08-02T18:10:13","modified_gmt":"2017-08-02T22:10:13","slug":"eco-friendly-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/eco-friendly-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Raise an Eco-Friendly Puppy"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Can I have a puppy?”\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s inevitable.\u00a0 Just about every young child is going to ask this question at some point.\u00a0 You walk by the pet store in the mall, and suddenly, your little boy\u2019s world revolves entirely around getting a puppy at some point in his very near future.\u00a0 But, what does that mean for you and your family?\u00a0 Besides, of course, sleepless nights, long walks, additional chores he probably won\u2019t want to do and another mouth to feed?\u00a0 You’ve probably heard the statistic that a dog’s footprint is greater than that of an SUVs<\/a>? Can you do it the green way?\u00a0 What about vet bills?\u00a0 What does organic dog food cost anyway?\u00a0 Plastic land-fill toys?<\/p>\n

The good news is that today it\u2019s incredibly simple to raise yourself an eco-friendly puppy.\u00a0 I wrote a post on How to Make Homemade Dog Treats<\/a> earlier (also painless and simple), but this is for those of you looking into going green all together with a pet.
\n<\/p>\n

First things First – Buying the Puppy<\/h2>\n

Please: Never, purchase your puppy from a pet store in a mall.\u00a0 At the most basic level (without attacking), reasonably you can imagine that breeders who care about their pets are also breeders who are going to meet and interview potential owners for their puppies.\u00a0 They are not<\/em> going to ship them off to a mall and place a puppy into the hands of a stranger who may very well not have the puppy\u2019s best interest at heart.\u00a0 Not only that, puppy mills are notorious for overcrowding, reproducing with little to no break in between batches of puppies, diseases and, perhaps most of all, inbreeding.\u00a0 These puppies are also usually heavily dosed on antibiotics, healthy or not, to avoid infection and often develop resistance to antibiotics, meaning later in life you could lose a puppy that you would not have otherwise.\u00a0 Plus, as you can imagine, these puppies have never seen grass, carpet, or anything other than the floor of a cage.\u00a0 Housebreaking will be a nightmare.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m as much of a \u201crescuer\u201d as anyone (which is why I simply cannot go into mall pet stores any longer), but, by thinking we\u2019re \u201csaving\u201d one puppy from a pet store, we\u2019re really just promoting and supporting a failing system. To put it bluntly: It\u2019s like beef from Walmart vs. beef from your local farmer.\u00a0 If you won\u2019t buy an apple that isn\u2019t grown local, it doesn\u2019t make sense to buy your new family member from a distant locale either.<\/p>\n

(Editor’s note: <\/strong>And don’t forget rescue shelters… I’ve had two “shelter mutts,” and couldn’t have asked for better companions. It’s generally a less expensive option than purchasing, also).<\/p>\n

Eco-Friendly Dog Food<\/h2>\n

Okay, moving ahead with the idea that you\u2019ve purchased a puppy from a reputable breeder, you can really get into raising a green puppy.\u00a0 When it comes to food, your options are almost limitless, and the food you invest in is your best opportunity to make your pup super eco-friendly.\u00a0 The wealth of organic, all-natural dog foods available are overwhelming, to say the least. You\u2019ve also got the option of making your dog\u2019s food, which makes \u201ceco-friendly puppy\u201d more affordable.\u00a0 Many dogs thrive off of a homemade selection of brown rice, vegetables and protein.\u00a0 In fact, this is about as sustainable as you can get, especially by choosing locally raised meats and vegetables. Others choose to raise their dogs on an entirely raw diet.\u00a0 Check with your vet, mentioning that you\u2019re seeking an organic, sustainable method of feeding your puppy.<\/p>\n

Treats are just as easy to come by and make.\u00a0 Depending upon your budget and preference (and your puppy\u2019s tastes) you can opt to go all homemade or find them online.\u00a0 Check out Humane Choice, Newmans, Natural Balance, Ecotrition and Karma, just to name a few.<\/p>\n

House training your new friend<\/h2>\n

Housetraining can be tough… \u00a0no doubt about it.\u00a0 Purchasing your puppy from a reputable breeder is going to make a world of difference, though.\u00a0 Often these puppies will already have a general idea of what\u2019s up and you\u2019ll find your task greatly lessened.\u00a0 Whether you opt for crate training or not, I\u2019ve had the best luck with housetraining pads. \u00a0But, there\u2019s no need to stock up on the paper throw-in-the-trash-variety. You can purchase washable re-usable pads that will save you greatly over the long run.\u00a0 If you prefer, you can also recycle and re-use old newspapers; the washable pads are much cleaner and more sanitary overall.<\/p>\n

Eco-Friendly Dog Toys<\/h2>\n

There are a thousand and one options for eco-friendly dog toys<\/a>* made entirely with sustainable products.\u00a0 You can also recycle plenty of household items. (Socks are traditionally a favorite.)\u00a0 But, I actually suggest in investing in some good quality green toys from the beginning.\u00a0 The problem with using household items is that they become fair game (holes or not) for your puppy forever after.\u00a0 You really can\u2019t allow your dog to play with an old sock and then be disappointed when your all organic silk socks have holes in them too. Toys don\u2019t look like anything else in your house and can save you cost over the long run.<\/p>\n

Cutting the Chemicals<\/h2>\n

The good news is that having a pet in the house can actually encourage you to be more green overall.\u00a0 You\u2019re going to have to make a concentrated effort to cut down on chemical use, inside and out.\u00a0 This means you\u2019ll need to look at what you\u2019re currently putting on your lawn, as well as in the house with cleaning products like carpet cleaners, air sanitizers and dusters.\u00a0 Opt for less commercial cleaners and choose eco-friendly products and homemade solutions with vinegar.\u00a0 It\u2019s a great cleaner and safe for dogs.<\/p>\n

Extra Perks<\/h2>\n

Having a puppy in the house not only makes everyone a little bit happier (trust me, the sleepless nights are worth it!), it\u2019s a great way to get your kids outside more and engaged in more activity.\u00a0 Take walks, go play ball in the park, plan hikes with the puppy.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be amazed at how much easier it is to get kids away from the TV and out in the great outdoors if there\u2019s a puppy to accompany them.<\/p>\n

Another big part of what it means to live an eco-friendly, green lifestyle is involved in giving back. Take advantage of having a pet and help your community.\u00a0 Take your dog (when well-trained) to local assisted living homes or to the local library for \u201cRead to a Dog Day.\u201d\u00a0 You can also give back simply with the products you choose to invest in.\u00a0 Chances are that somebody in your area makes completely natural and local homemade treats.\u00a0 Support them and make an investment in those families like you do with other products in your life.<\/p>\n

Eco-friendly puppies (just like regular puppies), are<\/em> lots of work.\u00a0 But they\u2019re also infinitely rewarding.\u00a0 And, really, who can resist the pleading face of a 5 year old in need of a best friend?<\/p>\n

Looking for eco-friendly pet supplies<\/a>? We’ve got ’em: toys<\/a>, bedding<\/a>, and care products<\/a> for your animal friends.<\/em><\/p>\n

Photo source:<\/strong> iStock Photo<\/p>\n

*Link to page in sustainablog’s Green Choices product comparison engine.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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