an intro to being an eco-friendly dog mom

Being a pet parent and being a tree-hugging, earth-loving human can often feel mutually exclusive. After all, there's so much waste and plastic involved in owning a dog! Hello poo bags, i'm looking at you.

1. Let's start with the easiest one: dog treats! Try to buy package free when possible or even make your own. Freeze dried meats, fish, and veggies (like sweet potato) make awesome treats and your dog will love them. I like to go to my local farmer's market when possible - on top of being package free, they're local!
2. Try to purchase dog toys made of natural fibres like bamboo, hemp, or cotton
3. Dog Gear - I'm talking leashes, collars, etc. There are a ton made of sustainable and natural fabrics, fibres, and materials but if you really LOVE that biothane collar, I say go for it. Just as long as you're not stockpiling 10 of them and throwing some away after a year.
4. Dog Food - this is a tricky topic because often the most eco-friendly option is raw fed, especially if you can purchase from local farms. Unfortunately not all dogs do well on raw and not everyone wants to feed their dogs raw, for one reason or another. Some brands of kibble offer zero waste options, others partner with companies like Terracycle so that at the packaging is being recycled responsibly!
5. Poop Bags - ugh, the most dreaded problem to tackle. I try to use compostable poop bags, but this is only really beneficial if you actually compost them OR if they naturally break down in a landfill. A great brand is Bio Bag or Monty's. Some of the hard-core sustainable pet parents like to use newspaper to scoop their pup's poo - this can be relatively easy at home where you can just drop it in the toilet afterwards (sans newspaper of course!)
6. Reuse! Any of the fun gear you might want to get your dog can often be purchased second hand (make sure to clean it well first!). Same goes for when you're getting rid of gear; try to find someone to take things off your hands first. We love our new local biz Doggone Thrifted for this - do a quick search and see if something like this exists in your area!