Category Archives: Pets

The Best Halloween Tricks and Treats for Your Pet

The Best Halloween Tricks and Treats for Your Pet

Halloween is a tough holiday for pets – people look weird, the doorbell rings constantly, and the house is filled with yummy-smelling (off-limits) treats. Keep your pets away from the sugar and chocolate, and keep their minds off of the ringing doorbell. Stock up on Halloween-themed toys and treats to keep them busy during the flow of trick-or-treaters.

Tricks

Boogey, by West Paw Design, is 12 inches long and contains two squeakers. The soft, fuzzy fabric will appeal to chewers, while the design makes Boogey appropriate for tugging and multiple-dog play. According to the company, the durable toy is designed for active dog play. Made in the USA from eco-friendly materials, Boogey is the perfect little monster for your little monsters.

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West Paw Design Launches Modern, Eco-Friendly Pet Beds for Fall/Winter 2011

Finding a pet bed that meets all the main criteria – stylish, comfy for your dog or cat, eco-friendly - can be a challenge. But this fall, West Paw Design is making it easy to find a modern pet bed that accommodates your pet’s preferences while looking great in your living room.

Stylish

Whether your pet’s bed sits in the middle of the living room or the corner of your bedroom, you can find a style that fits in with your existing decor. For fall/winter 2011, West Paw Design added two new patterns, Links and Cobblestone, and a solid slate color to its Bumper Bed collection.  With interchangeable inner pillows and outer bolsters, you now have 77 mix-and-match options to create the perfect design for your home and for your pet.

To keep the bed looking nice in your home, the pillow and bolster both have zippered, removable covers. Plus, the entire bed is machine washable.

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Everyone loves the dentist…right?

OK, let’s be honest here, common phrases such as “it’s like getting teeth pulled” didn’t come from anybody’s “fun” experience in the dentist chair.  Matter of fact, nothing’s quite as unsettling as being tilted back with a stranger’s hands in your mouth, sharp instruments coming at you, and that annoying little sucking tool hooked to the side of your mouth.  But it’s a fact of life, because after all, total body health really does start in the mouth.  And oral hygiene is critical in maintaining a healthy heart, and staying on top of your game.

While we haven’t seen innovation in the oral care space in some time, a company in Oregon has emerged as a real leader in organic and sustainable oral care products.  Since 2003, Tooth Soap® has grown to become the best natural, non-toxic alternative to toothpaste. Tooth Soap®, made with organic whole foods, natural and wildcrafted sustainable ingredients, flawlessly cleans teeth and gums by scrubbing fissures and pits in teeth (the most common place for cavities) to remove oils, residues and other contaminants. Tooth Soap® leaves teeth absolutely clean allowing re-mineralization of teeth to occur naturally.  They offer a complete line of oral and beauty care products, and even have products for pets.  But certified kosher toothpaste?  Who knew!

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has deemed their products to be novel, and will be issuing the patent in the coming months.  Now that’s great news, and quite an accomplishment.  At IzzitGreen, we love innovation, we marvel at thinking outside the box, and we absolutely support and admire the little guys taking it to the big guys.  And we’re here to help.  It’s not only the American Way, it’s the GREEN way!

So check out our friends at Tooth Soap® to purchase their entire line of oral and beauty care products, and ask for them at your local health, beauty, and grocery store.  They stand behind their all natural products 100% and offer a 90-day no-hassle, no-questions-asked guarantee.

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Manage Pet Care with Eco-Friendly Organizers

Manage Pet Care with Eco-Friendly Organizers

Whose turn is it to walk the dog? Do your kids fight over who has to change the litter box? Does your spouse forget to drop the dog at the groomer’s? And who’s supposed to clip kitty’s nails? Instead of bickering over pet-care chores, implement an eco-friendly organizer that will help keep everyone on task. Bonus: Use these organizers to outline any specifics about your pet – food preferences, allergies, medicines, and so on – to keep your pet sitters organized and informed the next time you head out of town.

Chalk It Up

Jot down to-dos for the whole family on the Dusty Girl Chalkboard by See Jane Work. Chalk up each day’s pet-care responsibilities, and have each family member cross off their tasks. The board is made from non-formaldehyde, 100% recycled wood MDF core, and the darling dog-shaped eraser is cut from scrap felt. Or, for Scotty lovers, check out the breed chalkboard with bone-shaped eraser.

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The Best Eco-Friendly Pet Shampoos

The Best Eco-Friendly Pet Shampoos

My dog Emmett needs a lot of baths. He works as a therapy dog, and the organization requires a bath before each therapy visit. Since we participate in weekly activities, Emmett gets a lather once a week. Surprisingly, though, a weekly bath damages a dog’s coat. Too many baths strip their skin of healthy oils, leaving them itchy and flaky. Because of this, it’s important to me to pick a gentle cleanser that won’t cause too much damage to Emmett’s skin or to the environment. We tested numerous shampoos, and three eco-friendly options beat out the competition.

Pure Pooch Really Clean

Pure Pooch sent Emmett a bottle to try, and I hesitated because the packaging boasted a pure grapefruit scent. I tend to keep scented products away from my dogs because their noses are so sensitive, scents are unnecessary irritants. However, the pros outweighed the single con. The natural formula is soap-free and contains conditioners, both of which help keep his skin from over-drying. Plus, the product is paraben-free, biodegradable, and isn’t tested on animals.

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Natural Pet Stain Removers

Natural Pet Stain Removers

One of the realities of pet ownership is that you will have to deal with pet stains. Whether you’re house training a puppy, dealing with your kitten’s hairballs, or allowing your parakeet to flutter around your living room, there will be accidents. And then there are other “accidents,” like when they get sick or roll in something outside.

It happens to all of us. So when dealing with a pet stain, reach for an eco-friendly alternative. Each of these four choices is an environmentally-responsible and pet-safe way to remove stains and odors.

Clean + Green

These natural stain and odor removers are tailored first to the type of pet you have – dogs, cats, birds, or small animals – then the type of surface you need to clean. The formulations include all-natural ingredients that are free from perfumes and dyes, which can irritate our pets’ skin. Cleaning tip: Pick up a bottle of the brand’s DeSkunk Coat Cleaner. This is one you definitely want to have on hand in case of an emergency!

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Treat Your Cat to an Eco-Friendly Scratching Post

Treat Your Cat to an Eco-Friendly Scratching Post

Cats scratch. It’s a natural, instinctual and necessary behavior. They scratch to mark territory, to exercise, and to just have fun. But when they scratch our sofas and rugs, it’s not an appreciated behavior! While you can’t stop a cat from scratching, you don’t have to resort to granny-inspired couch covers or aversive training methods either.

The best alternative? An irresistible scratching post.

These three options are eco-friendly, aesthetically-pleasing and feline-approved.

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Top 5 Organic Dog & Cat Treat Cookbooks

Top 5 Organic Dog & Cat Treat Cookbooks

We know organic is better. Not only is it better for the environment, but we’re starting to see evidence that it’s better for our health.

Many commercial dog and cat treats contain processed or chemical ingredient, much like the cookies and chips we buy as treats for ourselves. So instead of picking up a box of over-processed dog treats with an indecipherable list of ingredients, I bake organic treats for my dogs Emmett, Lucas and Cooper. And I’m not a good cook! But the five cookbooks here provide tons of simple, easy-to-make recipes with healthy ingredients. Your pets will appreciate your effort.

Score bonus points with your pets: Allow them to lick the bowl, as Lucas and Emmett are doing in the photo above, while you’re baking them treats! (That is, of course, if the bowl doesn’t contain raw meat or eggs.)

Best Overall Cookbook

Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Catsis the must-have for dog and cat companions. This is more than a cookbook; the text provides nutritional information, care and feeding instructions, and advice on natural healthcare.

In the first section, though, the recipes provided are invaluable to pet lovers. They’re full of healthy, natural ingredients that will keep your pets in great shape. One caveat: Many of the ingredients will require trips to a specialty health store or, in some cases, an online order.

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Must-Haves for Pet Moms

Must-Haves for Pet Moms

This Mother’s Day, don’t forget those women who work tirelessly in their role as “mom” to cats and dogs. According to a survey conducted by Lifetime Networks, 69 percent – or almost seven out of 10 – women between the ages of 18 and 49 own a pet. That’s a lot of pet moms!

As a “dog mom” of three, I can vouch: It’s nice to be recognized for all the love and devotion we pour into our fur balls. But a bouquet of flowers isn’t the best gift for a pet mom. Instead, consider these must-haves for any dog or cat mama.

Chocolate, Of Course!

Pamper your favorite pet mom with a sweet treat that also gives back. Not only is Rescue Chocolate 100 percent vegan, the company also donates 100 percent of their net profits to animal rescues around the country. My personal favorite? Peanut Butter Pit Bull!

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Natural Strategies for Keeping Your Dog Tick-Free

Natural Strategies for Keeping Your Dog Tick-Free

Springtime beckons dogs and their people to play outdoors. What’s better than a long hike or day at the park before the summer heat kicks in? However, spending a lot of time outdoors during the spring months can increase your dog’s risk of attracting a tick.

A common misconception is that ticks live only deep in the woods. The truth is that ticks live everywhere, including in your neighborhood park. Ticks are particularly worrisome to dog lovers because they can carry several harmful diseases. For example, deer ticks carry Lyme disease, which is a very common, very harmful bacterium, and Lyme disease exists in all 50 states.

Numerous topical pesticides are available, but these products are chemicals that can harm your dog and the environment. A year-long study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found a significant increase – 53 percent – in deaths related to topical flea and tick medications between 2007 and 2008. Ultimately, the EPA study deemed these products safe, though all the products evaluated had side effects ranging from dry, itchy skin to death.

But topical chemicals aren’t the only option! To protect your dog from tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease, diligence is the name of the game. Consider these safe, effective, and eco-friendly products.

Go Old Fashioned

This is a low-tech and as safe as you can get. Check your dog from nose to tail after outdoor play. Use a tick comb and work slowly through the dog’s coat. Don’t miss those sneaky spots like under floppy ears and armpits. Even though there are disposable versions for as little as two dollars, choose a long-lasting comb like the Safari Flea Comb.

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