- Shop Local. We all know that shopping local helps to support your own neighborhood and can really boost your local economy, but there's one other bonus to shopping local...your dog gets to go too. Dogs look forward to outings and what's more fun than shopping at a dog store! By shopping local, you help to keep pet-friendly businesses in your own neighborhood and in turn, ensure you always have a fun place to go with your dog. So, load them up and take them with next time. And don't forget to spend a few extra minutes letting them look around and stick their nose in everything, that's the fun part after all!
- Buy Organic. Whenever possible, buy the organic toys. Our dogs come into contact with so many more toxins than we do (mostly because of their proximity to the ground and licking paws). There has been a vast number of scares about toxins in toys, these should be fun and safe for your dog!
- Say Bye, Bye Bugs. Flea & Tick season is ramping up, which means it's time for topicals. This year, try things a little differently...use a holistic or all-natural topical/spray instead of chemicals. Many of these are made with essential oils and not only work, but smell wonderful while doing so! There are loads and loads of effective options out there, and all of them are much safer than applying chemicals directly to your dog's skin.
- The Raw deal. What we feed our dogs is by far the most important decision we ever make for them. Food effects health, behavior, well-being, and more. So, make the decision this week to move towards a species appropriate diet. Ask your local pet store owner about what types of raw food they carry and bring some home to try. Your dog will be elated...and when that doggy odor, bad breath and big stools all disappear, you will be too!
- De-toxify your Life. Remember how we said that your dog comes into contact with many more toxins than you? Many of these come from our own homes! Toss the chemicals and say hello to green cleaning! Vinegar is a fabulous all-purpose cleaner and the acetic acid in vinegar kills viruses, germs, bacteria and mold. Add some fresh lemon juice or essential oils (like lavender or tea tree) to help boost cleaning power and add fragrance. Not ready to make your own, check the green cleaning section of your favorite store to see all the options available without harsh chemicals.
- Walk along together. Many dogs pull on the leash, the world is an exciting place and they want to get there..now. If you have a puller, get the pressure off of their neck. The neck is the gateway to the rest of the body and not only can pulling mis-align your dogs spine, it can interrupt energy flow, put pressure of important blood vessels, nerves, and damage the trachea. You already know that we never condone the use of painful "training" collars...one prominent veterinarian even believes that prong, choke and shock collars can lead to cancer**. So, pick up a harness next time you're out with your dog. If they tend to pull check out the Sense-ation Harness or the Freedom Harness.
- Spend some quiet time. Our lives are often very hectic, and for those of us who do take quiet time, we tend to do so without our dogs. Include them this week! Sit on the floor with your dog and take deep, slow breaths. Watch how your dog calms and starts to take deep breaths as well. Breathing this way will lower both your resting heart rates which has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety! You can even add a couple drops of a lavender massage lotion to your dog's fur before the session. Such a simple way to promote wellness and spend a few extra minutes with your pup.
- Add some feel good. If there's one supplement I think every dog should be on, it's fish oil. The naturally occurring Omega Fatty acids in Fish Oil have many benefits: softer coat, healthier skin, clearer eyes, improved brain function, better digestion, and the list goes on. But my favorite benefit of fish oil is the fact that it promotes a feeling of well-being for your dog. Who doesn't want a little feel good dose every day?
- Add some feel good. If there's one supplement I think every dog should be on, it's fish oil. The naturally occurring Omega Fatty acids in Fish Oil have many benefits: softer coat, healthier skin, clearer eyes, improved brain function, better digestion, and the list goes on. But my favorite benefit of fish oil is the fact that it promotes a feeling of well-being for your dog. Who doesn't want a little feel good dose every day?
While we know you may not be able to do all of these things this week, we hope this gives you some ideas on things you can change in your life to have a happy, healthy, holistic pup!
- Anna Bettina
** Dr. Peter Dobias is a Holistic Veterinarian who promotes the use of humane training tools , his article on choke, prong, and shock collars can be read here.
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