Greener Pet Habits With Help From Muddy Paws!
In this day and age, being green is something that every household should strive for to help protect our planet for generations to come. When it comes to your pet, Muddy Paws has many amazing ways to keep your pet healthy, clean & safe while also looking out for the environment. How? Read on.
1) Grooming
Many commercial grooming products are made with harsh chemicals that can irritate pets’ skin. Fortunately, you can buy grooming products that are organic and even biodegradable. Check out brands such as EnviroGroom & Natural Chemistry. At Muddy Paws, we use biodegradable & environmentally friendly shampoos and conditioners when you bring your pet in for grooming. You can also provide your own products! We're happy to use vet-recommended medicated shampoos to keep your pet's skin healthy.
2) Break out the China!
Fido and Fluffy might not care about eating or drinking out of plastic bowls, but Mother Earth does. Instead of plastic, use stainless steel bowls. “They’ll last longer than plastic bowls, probably even outliving your pet,” says Heidi Ganahl, CEO and founder of Camp Bow Wow, a network of premier doggy day and overnight camps around the country. Muddy Paws has a great selection of bowls for cats, dogs & small animals in a variety of sizes and stands.
3) Upgrade the Dinner Menu
When you’re choosing food or treats for your pet, put sustainability at the top of your list. “Foods that are sustainable or organic are made with ingredients that put less strain on the environment and may even be better for your pet’s digestive system,” says Tyson Kilmer, dog training guru in Los Angeles and host of the show Natural Companions on Veria Living TV. At Muddy Paws, we recommend always reading your labels! Come in and check out brands like Farmina, Fromm, Happy Tails & Pulsar that are good for your pet and good for the environment.
4) Put a Lid on Barking
A barking dog is not only annoying, he’s also contributing to noise pollution, which could degrade your health. Count hearing loss, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular problems, decreased productivity, and adverse social behavior among the negative health effects you could experience, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But can you really train a dog to bark less? You bet. “Training should start when the dog is young,” says Derrick Zuber, owner and holistic pet food expert. But first find out what’s causing your dog to be so vocal. Is he looking for attention? Offering protection? Feeling out of balance? Stop into Muddy Paws and speak to Derrick, who can get to the root of the problem and offer solutions.
5) Scoop a Greener Poop
10 million tons of annual waste are created by the 78 million dogs in the United States. And while cats generate waste, too, those stats aren’t as readily available. But you can be sure that there is quite a bit of waste going on! The more you can do to make waste more eco-friendly, the happier the planet will be. First, quit using plastic bags, which can take up to 1,000 years to decompose in a landfill, to pick up your dog’s waste. Instead, switch to biodegradable bags that may actually break down in the earth, says Derrick Zuber. One for Pets, Inc & Earth-Rated, for instance, make sustainable bags. If you have cats, replace your clay-based litter (which is primarily made from clay that’s mined and doesn’t biodegrade) with one made from natural or renewable resources, such as Smart Cat which is a grass based, clumping litter with maximum odour control. It is also light weight for easy transportation. Muddy Paws has all of the above!
Source: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/pets/advice/g314/green-pet-care/