Green Pets

If everyone does their part, the Earth could be a much healthier place to live. If you want to go beyond the standard "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle", try involving your pet in the quest to save our planet. Listed below are suggested environmentally friendly products and actions to reduce your pet's carbon pawprint.

Planet Dog (www.planetdog.com) is a pet product company that has jumped head first into helping our pets be environmentally-friendly. Their Orbee-Tuff toys are 100% recyclable, and the RecycleBall and RecycleBone are made from recycled materials. Other environmentally Planet Dog products include their hemp collars, harnesses, and leashes and their "Shammy" pet towel made from recycled wood chips.

Scoopies (www.scoopies.com) are 100% biodegradable doggie poo bags. These convenient mitten-shaped bags break down in a mere 18 months, unlike plastic grocery bags, which remain in the landfill indefinitely.

AKC Green Planet Collection (www.akcstore.org) is a line of adorable dog toys made from recycled materials, such as plastics, polyester, and stuffing. Even the toys' cardboard packaging is made from recycled materials.

Worldwise (www.worldwise.com) is a manufacturer of Earth-friendly pet products, such as the SmartyKat cat bed and the PoochPlanet dog bed. These comfy nap centers are innovatively made from recycled plastic bottles.

Cat Genie (www.catgenie.com) is a self-cleaning, self-flushing cat box that is significantly more eco-friendly than standard litter, which is strip-mined and then sent to landfills when dirty. Cat Genie uses permanent, washable granules.

Pine Fresh (www.pinefresh.com) is a natural, pine wood cat litter which is biodegradable and flushable. The used Pine Fresh cat litter can also be recycled into your garden.

Doggie Dooley (www.doggiedooley.com) is a canine septic system which easily installs in your yard and safely disposes of your pet's waste, keeping your lawn and surrounding waterways sanitary.

Feeding organic treats and/or pet food is another environmentally conscious step. Organic production of food does not utilize synthetic additives, such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which can be damaging to the environment. If considering using organic foods, first consult your veterinarian, and read PetPlace's "Pet Food: Should Your Pet Go Organic?" (INSERT LINK) for more information.

Another way to have green pets is to provide them with durable pet supplies, such as toys, food bowls, and beds. Fewer destroyed items will generate less waste.

Buying locally made pet supplies will also help our Mother Earth. Shopping locally means less transportation of products and goods, thus decreasing pollution.

Share some bonding time with both your dog and your Earth. Celebrate Mother Nature, and lend a helping hand by planting a new tree in your backyard. Or take an extra bag on your morning walk and pick up any litter you see along the way.

When Jennifer Fredreck and her husband Mitch Frankenberg opened a bed and breakfast in Vermont, they envisioned a

dog-friendly interior design that could accommodate as many as 20 dogs while maintaining a comfortable inn. Though

"dog-friendly" and "interior design" seem incongruous concepts, they needn't be. Consider these tricks:

Opt for machine-washables.

You can find beautiful, washable duvet covers and shams for your down-filled comforters and pillows. "You're not compromising on looks," assures interior designer Marilee Bentz of Florida who recommends washables even for dog-less clients. Many don't require ironing, unless you want a pressed look.

Plan your entryway

. To combat muddy paws, Fredreck and Frankenberg installed slate and marble pavers just outside the entrance to The Paw House Inn in Vermont. Crushed slate - easier on dogs' paws than pebbles, which can stick in between pads - fills what otherwise would be muddy low spots. Most important, they needed a large utilitarian space to clean muddy paws, so the couple built a mud room. "That's the best thing we've ever done," Frankenberg says. A laundry room or garage can also serve this purpose.

Run for cover

. All sofas and chairs at the couple's inn are covered with removable washable slipcovers made of heavy

fabrics, such as denim or canvas. "We stay away from anything sheer or lightweight. The heavier, the better," Fredreck says. Go for a simple look. Fredreck keeps knickknacks out of reach of dogs' sweeping tails and jaws, relegating such decorations to common areas, not guest rooms. "We've really streamlined what's in the rooms," Fredreck says. "We have what's necessary," including dog beds with washable covers. Consider distressed leather. Try distressed leather furniture for a library look, Bentz says. Opt for high quality leather that's thick enough to tolerate dogs' claws.

Employ dog tricks. Bentz suggests this tactic for keeping dogs off special furniture: Teach your dog that she's only allowed on furniture with your permission. Next, whenever you're away for the day, lay a sheet of aluminum foil on the front edge of the furniture piece - the sofa, for example. The unsettling crackle of the wrinkling foil will discourage your dog from climbing on the furniture.

Match pieces.

In Bentz' home, her 7-pound Maltese-Poodle mix, Snickers, clambers onto the sofa with the help of a

matching upholstered ottoman. In her bedroom, another stool for Snickers is upholstered with a pillow sham matching the bedding. And for clients, Bentz also has a carpenter build pet stairs wrapped with carpet that matches the new décor.

In the end, the key to a dog-friendly interior is this: "You want to de-stress the house," Bentz says.

Dog lovers want their pets to curl up on the sofa and to lounge alongside them in bed, but still maintain an attractive home. "They really do want their dogs to be in their lives," says Bentz, who counts herself among them. She never watches TV alone, as her French Brittanys, Sammy and Lulu, and little Snickers always sit with her.

Sally Deneen is a DOG FANCY contributing editor who lives in Seattle. She is co-author of "The Dog Lover's Companion to Florida" (Avalon Travel Publishing, 2005, $20.95) with her husband, Robert McClure.

Every Newsletter has at least two recipes for you to make for your pups.  Hope you enjoy these:

 

Meat and Cheese Dog Yummies

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup melted fat (beef, lamb or bacon)
• cold water

Preparation

Mix flour, cheese and fat in a bowl. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time and knead until you have a stiff dough that you can gather into a ball. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness.

Cut into treats and bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes--a short time for a treat for your dog.

 

Apple Cinnamon Dog Training Bites

This tasty recipe for dog training bits will have your dog licking his chops for more.

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 egg
• 2 T. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 small apple, grated
• 1 1/3 cups water

Preparation

In a bowl combine all ingredients except the apple and water. Grate apple into mixture and add water. Mix until it starts forming a dough. Turn out on a lightly floured surface. Knead well. Roll out to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. Take a straight edge and score the dough horizontally then vertically to make a grid of 3/4-inch squares. Be careful not to cut through the dough completely. Place the dough on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with a nonstick spray. Bake at 325 º F for 1 hour. Break apart for storage.