Healthy & Low Waste Ideas For Dog Care
Hi Everyone,
Right now I am staying at a family cottage on Charleston Lake, and we have some furry friends here for a visit. Meet Ivy (the cutie in the top pictures) and Bruce (the sun tanner in the bottom pictures). Having them around has been a lot of fun and yesterday my aunt suggested that I write about sustainable and low waste pet care.
After doing a little digging, I came across an article on the Hustle called The dark side of dog food where it lists some of the main ingredients in dog food as “butylated hydroxyanisole, sodium tripolyphosphate, and propylene glycol”. Does anyone have any idea what those words even mean? Ya, neither do I.
Even moving past the fact that we are feeding these beloved creatures foods filled with unhealthy chemicals (and sometimes even contaminated animal remains ewwww), most dog foods and treats come in plastic packaging. It’s a double threat.
Here are some ideas for creating a healthier & low waste lifestyle for your dog:
Make Your Own Dog Treats
Look no further for a cute dog bone mold – this silicone dog treat maker from Wooftown in Toronto is a perfect zero waste alternative.
Dog Treat Recipes :
The Mom on Timeout has a great recipe for peanut butter pumpkin treats.
These sweet potato dog chews also seem to be a hit among our furry friends.
Does your dog have bad breath? These homemade breath freshening dog biscuits will do the trick and they are grain free (for any dogs with allergies).
Buy Bulk Dog Food OR Make Your Own
I am not a dog food expert, and I know every dog has a different type of diet, so here are three different low waste alternatives for your pup. Whatever you do, just make sure that you can read and understand the ingredients in the food you give them.
1) Try Making Your Own Dog Food
Here is a popular recipe from Dam Delicious – click here
2) Find a Store That Offers Bulk Dog Food or Sells Food In Large Reusable Containers
Toronto – Wholesome Canine
Vancouver – The Good Boy Collective
If you can’t find a store near you that sells bulk style dog food (where you can bring your own container or bucket) than ask the owner if this is something they are willing to start up in the future. Ask for what you want!
3) Order A Pet Food Packaging Zero Waste Box
Do you already have a healthy and all-natural dog food that your dog loves that comes in plastic packaging? Most municipalities in Canada won’t recycle dog food bags because they are unwilling to separate the paper and plastic layers that have been sealed together.
Luckily, this great company called TerraCycle has a way you can – you can purchase a zero waste box from them. You can put any dog food packaging in the box and send it back to them when it is full. Then the company will properly break down all of the packaging and mold them into new recycled plastic products.
