Dogs are dying of cancer and having more health problems in recent years.  Studies show that some things and lifestyles are detrimental not only to people but to our canine buddies as well and may in fact impact them faster and stronger due to their size and the mechanics of living as a dog.  Well read on to how we can make small changes that can make a big impact for our beloved pups.

Let’s start with something as simple as food and water bowls.  Plastic has been shown to leach harmful chemicals such as endocrine disruptors like BPA into food and water.  Switching to high quality stainless steel food bowls such as those at Basis Pet (www.basispet.com) are a healthy alternative.  They also don’t stain, are easy to clean, and don’t harbor food contaminants like plastic and are made in the USA.  A true win!

Cleaners are also products that can seem innocuous but in reality, your dog is laying and walking around on the floor and then licking their paws and consuming cleaners into their bodies unlike their human families.  Using environmentally sensitive or homemade cleaners made of simple products helps to improve the situation.  One of my favorite homemade cleaner recipe books is Clean Mama’s book The Organically Clean Home: 150 Everyday Organic Cleaning Products You Can Make Yourself–The Natural, Chemical-Free Way.  It provides environmentally friendly cleaner recipes you can easily make that have the same or better cleaning power than harmful cleaners you would buy from the store.  Tip:  check out the Disinfecting Spray! Here is a  link to the spray recipe on Clean Mama’s blog: https://cleanmama.com/diy-disinfecting-spray-cleaner/

There comes a time in every dog family’s life where dog poop may need to be picked up.  Sometimes its in the house, so use toilet paper made from recycled paper.  Extra points if you use TP with an environmental purpose like Who Gives a Crap (https://us.whogivesacrap.org/).  Then there are times where you have to pick it up outside, but do you have to use the bag?  Try newspaper or paper bag alternatives, or even a pooper scooper.  All of these options are way better then sending yet another plastic bag to the trash heap.

Toys also have concerning ingredients at times.  Before purchasing an item look at what its made from.  Is it plastic? If so, does it have BPA or phthalates?  Phthalates have been shown to damage the liver, kidneys, lungs, and reproductive system.  If it doesn’t say what it is made from then chances are higher that it does contain the more harmful things.  So be a mindful shopper.

Food, in my opinion, is one of, if not the biggest influencer on health.  When deciding on a food for your pup check to make sure it hasn’t been recalled.  The website www.dogfoodadvisor.com is a great resource for locating recalls as well as looking at comparisons of top and low quality foods.  Time now researching food is well spent if it leads to a healthier and longer life for your dog.

While it has been said that dogs are canaries in the coal mine of environmental contamination to all living creatures, I think the bottom line is we need to due our best to limit harmful things from our dog’s life by being mindful consumers.  The items mentioned here are just the tip of the iceberg and I strongly suggest researching items your dog comes in contact with to help your pet live the healthiest life possible.  Happy researching/shopping!  If you find something you feel is particularly great, we would love to know about it.  Please reach out and let us know.