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Friday, June 26, 2009

Happy Take Your Dog to Work Day!

Today is Take Your Dog to Work Day, so Mum's got me working away. I don't mind, I love helping and being with my Mum all day!

Created in 1999, Take Your Dog To Work Day celebrates the great companions dogs make and to encourage their adoption from humane societies, animal shelters and breed rescue clubs. This annual event encourages employers to experience the value of pets in their workplace for this one special day to promote pet adoptions.

If you'd like to learn more about shelters, rescues, and perhaps even find your new best friend, head on over to Rescue Me, my blog solely dedicated to helping pups find their furever homes.

We hope some of you get to experience this once a year event, like I do every day of the week! Happy Day!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Beating the heat!

Baby, it's hot outside!

If you live in the Midwest like us, or in the southern US, you've been experiencing some pretty hot and humid days lately. It's been kinda miserable, especially for a black dog like me. So what are we doing to beat the heat?

We thought we'd share some of the things we do on super hot days. And if the heat hasn't hit you yet, bookmark this post to save for when the heat strikes!

At our house, we are pretty early risers; getting up at about 5:30 AM. The nice thing about getting up early is it's cooler! So we've been taking our walks and hikes, and doing a bit of agility training in the early morning and late, late in the evening, just before sunset.

Here we are doing some agility!

Even if you aren't an agility dog, like me, there are some super cool fun agility moves your pup can learn easily and quickly. One of my favorites is jump, I love jumping! And if you don't have an agility jump like me, your Mom or Dad can put two boxes on the ground with a yard stick on top and in between, and voila you've got a jump! As a matter of fact that's exactly how I first learned. (Just be careful that the jump isn't any higher than your pups belly, and that they are at least a year old, or physically developed enough to take this type of activity, safety first!).

If you'd like to read more about making your own agility equipment, here's a great site. To be more green, try re-using materials you already have! And if you are interested in learning lots more about agility, check out my Squidoo lens.

What else do we do to beat the heat?

Mum got me a kiddie pool when I was just a pup and we're still using it today - they last a very long time and only cost about $5.00! My kiddie pool is a lifesaver when it's hot outside. Here I am having fun during the dog days of summer!

Another activity we love to do to beat the heat, is learn new tricks inside where it's nice and cool!

Here are some vids of some of the tricks we've learned. They are easy to do, inside and out!

If you'd like to see more fun games - check out my YouTube channel Fun Games playlist!

So those are just a few things we like to do when it's super hot. Not only are they great activities to get some pawsome exercise, but they are fun too! Oh, and Mum always keeps one of my favorite treats, Homemade Frosty Paws, in the freezer to cool us off after a good workout. Keep cool!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Rocket Dog goes green!

Mum and I love to go for walks around the neighborhood, and do some quick dog tricks in the yard. And she needs to be quick about gettin' ready, 'cause I'm kind of an impatient pup when it comes to getting some exercise. Slip on shoes are a must!

So when Mum found these eco-friendly Rocket Dog shoes, she got super excited, especially because one of my nicknames is 'Rocket Dog,' BOL!!! Here's what their website has to say...

Rocket Dog's Eco-conscious Junkster sneak is just what green-girls everywhere are looking for. The peace sign embroidery make for one sustainable shoe. These shoes are made up of a planet-huggin' mix of recycled, biodegradable and natural materials.

The Flowergal sandal by Rocket Dog, has braided straps mde of all natural fibers criss-crossing over the top of your foot and lining the sole of the shoe. Three functional buckles decorate this sandal making it the sassiest eco sandal out there. These shoes are made up of a planet-huggin mix of recycled, biodegradable and natural materials.

Gotta go, I'm off to shop for my Mum! And hey, if these style don't suit you, be sure and check out PlanetShoes.com for lots of eco-friendly footwear, suitable for dog walking and running!

Buy Shoes Online - Free Shipping!p>

Rocket Dog Eco-Luv Junkster Shoes - Beige - Women

Rocket Dog Eco-Luv Junkster Shoes - Beige - Women

$49.00

Rocket Dog Eco-Luv Flower Gal Sandals - Natural - Women

Rocket Dog Eco-Luv Flower Gal Sandals - Natural - Women

$39.00

Rocket Dog Eco-Luv Flower Gal Sandals - Tribal Brown - Women

Rocket Dog Eco-Luv Flower Gal Sandals - Tribal Brown - Women

$39.00

Rocket Dog Eco-Luv Mellow Mutt Shoes - Black - Women

Rocket Dog Eco-Luv Mellow Mutt Shoes - Black - Women

$45.00

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Guide dog school helps the blind and the environment!

We found this great green news from the Herald Tribune in Sarasota, Florida!

By Anna Salinas, H-T Intern

PALMETTO - After a yearlong stream of eco-friendly changes, Southeastern Guide Dogs is running with the growing pack of businesses seeking out savings by embracing green energy alternatives.

And helping the planet is a nice bonus, too.

The Palmetto-based nonprofit began by buying organic dog food and soon followed up the switch with another one, opting to use only organic cleaning supplies.

There's even talk of shifting to dog dropping-powered energy within the next five years.

But the biggest change so far is attached to the roof of Southeastern's breeding facility. For $16,000, the organization installed a solar-powered water heating system to the building, where staff members wash 18 loads of towels, blankets and bedding each day.

"It's an attempt to be green, which is shorthand for doing the right thing," said Patsy French, the organization's director of development and communication.

The article goes on to say:

As one of 10 campuses in the country that trains guide dogs, Southeastern offers 10-year programs free of charge for blind and visually impaired individuals. The organization relied partly on charitable grants to pay for the water heater.

The new unit uses the sun's rays to pump water from a storage tank into three collectors, where it is then heated and returned to the tank. Southeastern's solar unit is three times bigger than those typically used by private homes, said Bains.

And Southeastern plans to go even greener in the next few years.

Once it raises enough money, the organization expects to install another set of collectors on its administrative building. Before that, Southeastern will invest in a set of eco-friendly light-emitting diode, or LED, bulbs to replace the less-efficient ones that currently light the 23-acre campus at night.

The organization's more ambitious plans include working with researchers from the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine to explore the potential of bio-gas-powered energy -- or as French called it, "poop power."

French added that such a system was at least three or four years away from viability, but still worth looking out for.

"Obviously we have a lot of dog waste," she said, "and it would be wonderful if we could turn it to use."

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

It's time to get lazy!

Tonight the first episode of Josh Dorfman's The Lazy Environmentalist is airing on the Sundance Channel, and guess what? A portion of the show focuses on Josh helping a pet groomer learn some green choices that will save her time and money!

Also in tonight's episode, Josh and a waste expert visit a suburban family of four to provide practical options to drastically reduce residential trash.

So what are you waiting for? Tune in to the Sundance Channel tonight at 9 PM and get some great lazy ideas to help our planet! And don't forget to set reminders for future episodes every Tuesday.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Everyone can take part in recycling!

Everyone can take part in recycling, yes, even us pups can lend a paw!

Ever wonder where all that stuff goes that we put in the trash? Landfills, yes landfills; to work for hundreds of years to biodegrade, while contaminating our water and our air.

The cool thing is we can reduce the amount of 'garbage' in our landfills, and we can utilize much of our waste materials for reuse as other cool items - even dog toys, dog clothing, and more pup products!

Recycling involves gathering up items that can be utilized and processed into new materials and products. By recycling, we can prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce the amount of contributions to our landfills, reduce air and water pollution, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

To learn more about recycling, and to find recycling centers for various waste materials in your community, check out Earth911! And remember - the 3 R's rule! First reduce, then reuse, then recycle!

So what are you waiting for? Teach your pup to recycle!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Summer survival tips for a happier, heathier pup and environment!

Summer is finally here, and dog am I happy! I love summer, all the fresh air, fun times outside in nature, swimming, hiking, agility, picnics, and lots more.

But there are lots of dangers out there for us pups during the dog days of summer. So we wanted to put together our top 10 green dog living survival tips, to help you have the healthiest, safest and most environmentally responsible summer ever!

Here we go....

Tip #1

Us dogs we spend a lot of time in our yards, it's an extension of our home! So be sure and keep those lawns super safe and free of harmful chemicals. Those pesticides, insecticides and herbicides are super dangerous for us dogs (and humans too). So go organic and feel free to safely enjoy your lawn and help the environment too!

Tip #2

Heat can be a killer. So take lots of precautions when having fun with activities outside. Make sure there's plenty of filtered fresh clean water available at all times. Wear some pup boots if you're pounding the pavement, it can be super hot on sensitive paw pads. Keep your pup cool with an eco-friendly cool coat and lots of shade. Cool down your pup with cool water on the paw pads and on their tummy. Not too cold though, it can be too much of a shock. And very importantly, learn the signs of heat stroke and the location of the nearest emergency vet hospital, just in case.

Tip #3

Summer is traveling time! So be sure and practice all the important safety measures when traveling, like buckling up your pup in the car, taking lots of extra filtered water from home and transporting that water in a leach proof container. And stock up on healthy organic foods for your trips. Take along those biodegradable bags to pick up the doo and help the environment. Add a first aid kit, booklet, and emergency contact info to your car or vehicle. And make sure your pup is wearing their tags at all times.

Also, help us share with other folks about the dangers of leaving pups in cars, because they can heat up like ovens and become killers!

Tip #4

Contrary to pupular belief, not all dogs know how to swim coming out of the womb. We need to learn how to become confident and be safe in the water. So teach your dog to swim for safety's sake. And check out an eco-friendly float coat (that's what we use when we go canoing!)

Tip #5

Get your exercise in the early morning or later in the evening when it's cooler. Taking those long walks or hikes, and other activities during the cooler parts of the day will be much more fun.

Tip #6

Watch out for dangers when you're out and about. You know those puddles, retention ponds, river and streams could very well be laced with lots of lawn and farming chemicals, so try to find safer alternative places to swim, like a fun kiddie pool in the backyard, or a nice chemical free swimming pool, supervised of course! Gracie and I absolutely love our kiddie pool on a hot day!

Tip #7

Fleas and ticks love the summer weather just as much as we do. So what's a dog to do? Take healthier and safer precautions in preventing and deterring these nasty bugs. The EPA and the Natural Resource Defense Council has provided us with warnings of the dangers of many over the counter flea and tick medications. So get educated, there are safer alternatives.

Tip #8

Summer is a time to celebrate and a time for super cell storms. All that celebrating humans do can be very stressful for us pups. Loud noises, large crowds and fireworks can sometimes be way too much for some pups. And that nasty thunder and lightening can scare a pup half to death! So try and minimize these stressful situations, and look into a pheramone or homeopathic remedy that may help relieve your pup from some of the suffering of summer bangs.

Tip #9

On super hot days (like we have here in August and late July) we plan time to have fun indoors! We have fun learning new tricks. It works our brains and tires us out just as much as a long walk would. So when it's super hot, take the time to learn something new and have fun at the same time.

Then have your Mum, whip up a nice cool Homemade Frosty Paw as a treat for all your hard work!

Tip #10

Get out there and have fun! Enjoy your summer, the healthy way for you and the environment!

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